Ardern Needs to do More Than Manage Crisis
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2:23 pm, August 25th, 2021 - 24 comments
Categories: australian politics, covid-19, economy, jacinda ardern -
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For a country that has sought to form advantage for itself with strong and hard COVID-19 lockdowns, we’re not gaining any more advantage than yet another binge-purge cycle of supply tension and shortages, rapid economic downturn softened by tens of billions of subsidy, followed by unsustainable booms, over and over again.
The government has not outlined a plan of how New Zealand will operate as a society in the medium term. It’s time.
Others have.
Eighteen months after the coronavirus first appeared, governments in Asia, Europe, and the Americas are encouraging people to resume their daily routines and adjust to a new normal in which subways, offices, restaurants, and airports are once again crowded. The mantra is becoming increasingly consistent: we must learn to live with the virus.
Europe has determined that tourists from Israel, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore, among others, can already travel to many European countries. Since June 20, US citizens have also been able to do so again. More are being included weekly to this list.
The United Kingdom has removed almost all restrictions.
Singapore has already started bringing in people again, requiring proof of vaccine and to undergo a 1-2 day quarantine while they get a further test result back.
Australia is signalling the same thing. Scott Morrison is clear that Australia has to prepare soon for re-opening when it hits its vaccination targets. Recently he has criticised New Zealand for assuming that COVID-19 Delta variant is eradicable: “Any state or territory that thinks that somehow they can protect themselves from COVID with the Delta strain forever, that’s absurd. New Zealand can’t do that. They were following an elimination strategy. They’re in lockdown. The way through is to get those 70 percent and 80 percent marks (for vaccination) and open safely.”
Prime Minister Ardern in response stuck to her full elimination guns.
Prime Minister Morrison is making a forceful message about the path out of lockdown and toward normal life. He’s sure of this pledge even as Australia is posting high infection numbers.
He isn’t proposing a great big fat Australian “freedom day” like Boris Johnson did when all restrictions were removed at once.
But his simple, compelling gesture is to assure citizens that there is a path out of this, and he’s the one to form that path and lead Australia out of it. History is littered with virtuous leaders in a crisis who were turfed out when sanity resumed when they could not lay out what a believable future looked like.
It’s a pretty simple maxim in leadership that goes like this: Here is the horizon: we will know when we get there, and: it will be a much better place than here.
That’s more useful than the 100% Pure maxim, whiich to New Zealand is actually a sicker and more damaging virus than COVID.
Australian states that are still in trouble are reacting differently. ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr has called for a nationally agreed vaccination target to be expanded to include 12-15 year olds. Western Australian and Queensland are threatening to chart their own paths even once targets are reached. New South Wales is a mess.
Similarly Auckland is about to be segregated from the rest of New Zealand. And, as expected, all the District Health Boards are having wildly different vaccination success rates.
New Zealand is just going to get even more fed up with Auckland if it continues to be an infection source. So we are facing the same tensions between region and nation as Australia.
But Australia’s leadership is already reaching beyond the infection horizon and New Zealand’s is not.
Already the modellers who thought this recent outbreak was heading for 1,000 are looking wrong.
The ultimate call must be for political leaders, not modellers. Morrison has made it clear: things will change at 70% done. At 80% vaccinated population lockdowns would only be used in “highly targeted” situations and Australia would start to reopen to the world.
Our own Prime Minister, regrettably, is not even at a point where she can see the edges or extent of the current outbreak, let alone define what level of national vaccination would enable greater freedom to return to our lives. It’s time she said what success would look like.
Prime Minister Ardern’s own advice from Professor Skegg last week says that the elimination strategy – stamping on outbreaks har and early when they occur – is still achievable but should only be pursued for as long as the benefits outweigh the costs. That’s a pretty important proviso. Once the population is as well-vaccinated as it can be from the current rollout, the cost-benefit equation that Prime Minister Morrison has calculated will also apply here. Again, the Prime Minister should state clearly what that success would look like. We need a horizon to this and only the state can deliver that.
The countries of the world with whom we need to travel and trade are increasingly opening up, managing the outbreaks as they come, and generating successful border control instruments that are far faster than 2 weeks in quarantine.
We are not, though we may wish to think so, capable of existing for long as an isolated set of rocks in the middle of nowhere. The government has signalled that it is thinking about vaccine passports that would enable travel. They need to do a lot more than think, when there are plenty of operating models and technologies out there already.
The modern New Zealand is the one which needs foreign connection more than most other countries on earth – for family connection since over a million of our relatives live out there already, for inbound students and tourism, for business and trade connections, for export and import deliveries, for diplomacy, for sustaining all the networks that have propelled us to where we are. It’s the modern government that needs to sustain that. New Zealand is the essence of the benefactor of globalisation and that simply will increase not decrease.
Prime Minister Ardern, where is our horizon, what will it look like, and how will New Zealand be better than where we are now?
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- Release: Government must commit to school building project for disabled studentsThe Government must commit to the Maitai School building project for students with high and complex needs, to ensure disabled students from the top of the South Island have somewhere to learn. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: National must take mental health seriouslyMental Health Minister Matt Doocey and his Government colleagues have made a meal of their mental health commitments, showing how flimsy their efforts to champion the issue truly are, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...2 weeks ago
- Referendums for Māori wards a racist step backwardsThe Government's imposed referendum on Māori wards is a racist step backwards for Māori representation, and disregards Te Tiriti o Waitangi. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Job losses at Health not worth it for tax cutsNew Zealand will feel the harm of the National Government’s reckless cuts to jobs at the health ministry for generations, says Ayesha Verrall. ...2 weeks ago
- Press release: No Māori initiatives in Government’s nothing planMāori are yet to see anything from this Government except cuts, reversals and taking our people backwards, Māori Development spokesperson Willie Jackson said. ...2 weeks ago
- Thirty six point PR spinThe Government’s ‘36 point’ plan for the next three months is as pointless as it is hollow. ...2 weeks ago
- Thirty six point PR spinThe Government’s ‘36 point’ plan for the next three months is as pointless as it is hollow. ...2 weeks ago
- Thirty six point PR spinThe Government’s ‘36 point’ plan for the next three months is as pointless as it is hollow. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Social housing off Government’s to-do listThe Coalition Government’s refusal to commit to ongoing funding for social housing is seeing the sector pull back on developments and families watch their dreams of securing a home fade away, says Labour Housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Less money in most people’s pockets this AprilChanges to minimum wage and benefit indexation means many New Zealanders will get less this year, as the Government gives a big tax break to landlords instead. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Simeon Brown shortchanges AucklandersThe Coalition Government’s plan to ‘get Auckland moving’ is a cuts cover-up that will ultimately cost Aucklanders more to move around the city, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...3 weeks ago
- MPP cuts unforgivableSlashing the Ministry of Pacific Peoples by 40% will have a devastating impact on pacific communities and further highlights how little this government cares about anything other than cutting taxes for the wealthiest few. ...3 weeks ago
- Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sector
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...2 hours ago - Patterson promoting NZ’s wool sector at International CongressAssociate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...23 hours ago
- Removing red tape to help early learners thriveThe Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...1 day ago
- RMA changes to cut coal mining consent red tapeChanges to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...1 day ago
- McClay reaffirms strong NZ-China trade relationshipTrade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...1 day ago
- Prime Minister Luxon acknowledges legacy of Singapore Prime Minister LeePrime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...2 days ago
- PMs Luxon and Lee deepen Singapore-NZ tiesPrime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...2 days ago
- Antarctica New Zealand Board appointmentsForeign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner. The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...2 days ago
- Finance Minister travels to Washington DCFinance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. “I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...2 days ago
- Pet bonds a win/win for renters and landlordsThe coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...2 days ago
- Long Tunnel for SH1 Wellington being consideredState Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...2 days ago
- New Zealand condemns Iranian strikesPrime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iran’s shocking and illegal strikes against Israel. “These attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says. "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...3 days ago
- Huge interest in Government’s infrastructure plansHundreds of people in little over a week have turned out in Northland to hear Regional Development Minister Shane Jones speak about plans for boosting the regional economy through infrastructure. About 200 people from the infrastructure and associated sectors attended an event headlined by Mr Jones in Whangarei today. Last ...5 days ago
- Health Minister thanks outgoing Health New Zealand ChairHealth Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board. “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti. “I have asked her to ...5 days ago
- Roads of National Significance planning underwayThe NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has signalled their proposed delivery approach for the Government’s 15 Roads of National Significance (RoNS), with the release of the State Highway Investment Proposal (SHIP) today, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to ...5 days ago
- Navigating an unstable global environmentNew Zealand is renewing its connections with a world facing urgent challenges by pursuing an active, energetic foreign policy, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “Our country faces the most unstable global environment in decades,” Mr Peters says at the conclusion of two weeks of engagements in Egypt, Europe and the United States. “We cannot afford to sit back in splendid ...5 days ago
- NZ welcomes Australian Governor-GeneralPrime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced the Australian Governor-General, His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley and his wife Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley, will make a State visit to New Zealand from Tuesday 16 April to Thursday 18 April. The visit reciprocates the State visit of former Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy ...5 days ago
- Pseudoephedrine back on shelves for WinterAssociate Health Minister David Seymour has announced that Medsafe has approved 11 cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine. Pharmaceutical suppliers have indicated they may be able to supply the first products in June. “This is much earlier than the original expectation of medicines being available by 2025. The Government recognised ...5 days ago
- NZ and the US: an ever closer partnershipNew Zealand and the United States have recommitted to their strategic partnership in Washington DC today, pledging to work ever more closely together in support of shared values and interests, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The strategic environment that New Zealand and the United States face is considerably more ...5 days ago
- Joint US and NZ declarationApril 11, 2024 Joint Declaration by United States Secretary of State the Honorable Antony J. Blinken and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs the Right Honourable Winston Peters We met today in Washington, D.C. to recommit to the historic partnership between our two countries and the principles that underpin it—rule ...5 days ago
- NZ and US to undertake further practical Pacific cooperationForeign Minister Winston Peters has announced further New Zealand cooperation with the United States in the Pacific Islands region through $16.4 million in funding for initiatives in digital connectivity and oceans and fisheries research. “New Zealand can achieve more in the Pacific if we work together more urgently and ...5 days ago
- Government redress for Te Korowai o WainuiāruaThe Government is continuing the bipartisan effort to restore its relationship with iwi as the Te Korowai o Wainuiārua Claims Settlement Bill passed its first reading in Parliament today, says Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith. “Historical grievances of Te Korowai o Wainuiārua relate to 19th century warfare, land purchased or taken ...6 days ago
- Focus on outstanding minerals permit applicationsNew Zealand Petroleum and Minerals is working to resolve almost 150 outstanding minerals permit applications by the end of the financial year, enabling valuable mining activity and signalling to the sector that New Zealand is open for business, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “While there are no set timeframes for ...6 days ago
- Applications open for NZ-Ireland Research CallThe New Zealand and Irish governments have today announced that applications for the 2024 New Zealand-Ireland Joint Research Call on Agriculture and Climate Change are now open. This is the third research call in the three-year Joint Research Initiative pilot launched in 2022 by the Ministry for Primary Industries and Ireland’s ...6 days ago
- Tenancy rules changes to improve rental marketThe coalition Government has today announced changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to encourage landlords back to the rental property market, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “The previous Government waged a war on landlords. Many landlords told us this caused them to exit the rental market altogether. It caused worse ...6 days ago
- Boosting NZ’s trade and agricultural relationship with ChinaTrade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay will visit China next week, to strengthen relationships, support Kiwi exporters and promote New Zealand businesses on the world stage. “China is one of New Zealand’s most significant trade and economic relationships and remains an important destination for New Zealand’s products, accounting for nearly 22 per cent of our good and ...6 days ago
- Freshwater farm plan systems to be improvedThe coalition Government intends to improve freshwater farm plans so that they are more cost-effective and practical for farmers, Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay have announced. “A fit-for-purpose freshwater farm plan system will enable farmers and growers to find the right solutions for their farm ...1 week ago
- New Fast Track Projects advisory group namedThe coalition Government has today announced the expert advisory group who will provide independent recommendations to Ministers on projects to be included in the Fast Track Approvals Bill, say RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Regional Development Minister Shane Jones. “Our Fast Track Approval process will make it easier and ...1 week ago
- Pacific and Gaza focus of UN talksForeign Minister Winston Peters says his official talks with the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in New York today focused on a shared commitment to partnering with the Pacific Islands region and a common concern about the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. “Small states in the Pacific rely on collective ...1 week ago
- Government honours Taranaki Maunga dealThe Government is honouring commitments made to Taranaki iwi with the Te Pire Whakatupua mō Te Kāhui Tupua/Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill passing its first reading Parliament today, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “This Bill addresses the commitment the Crown made to the eight iwi of Taranaki to negotiate ...1 week ago
- Enhanced partnership to reduce agricultural emissionsThe Government and four further companies are together committing an additional $18 million towards AgriZeroNZ to boost New Zealand’s efforts to reduce agricultural emissions. Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says the strength of the New Zealand economy relies on us getting effective and affordable emission reduction solutions for New Zealand. “The ...1 week ago
- 110km/h limit proposed for Kāpiti ExpresswayTransport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed news the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) will begin consultation this month on raising speed limits for the Kāpiti Expressway to 110km/h. “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and this proposal supports that outcome ...1 week ago
- New Zealand Biosecurity Awards – Winners announcedTwo New Zealanders who’ve used their unique skills to help fight the exotic caulerpa seaweed are this year’s Biosecurity Awards Supreme Winners, says Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard. “Strong biosecurity is vital and underpins the whole New Zealand economy and our native flora and fauna. These awards celebrate all those in ...1 week ago
- Attendance action plan to lift student attendance ratesThe Government is taking action to address the truancy crisis and raise attendance by delivering the attendance action plan, Associate Education Minister David Seymour announced today. New Zealand attendance rates are low by national and international standards. Regular attendance, defined as being in school over 90 per cent of the ...1 week ago
- World must act to halt Gaza catastrophe – PetersForeign Minister Winston Peters has told the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York today that an immediate ceasefire is needed in Gaza to halt the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe. “Palestinian civilians continue to bear the brunt of Israel’s military actions,” Mr Peters said in his speech to a ...1 week ago
- Speech to United Nations General Assembly: 66th plenary meeting, 78th sessionMr President, The situation in Gaza is an utter catastrophe. New Zealand condemns Hamas for its heinous terrorist attacks on 7 October and since, including its barbaric violations of women and children. All of us here must demand that Hamas release all remaining hostages immediately. At the ...1 week ago
- Government woolshed roadshow kicks offToday the Government Agriculture Ministers started their national woolshed roadshow, kicking off in the Wairarapa. Agriculture Minister Todd McClay said it has been a tough time for farmers over the past few years. The sector has faced high domestic inflation rates, high interest rates, adverse weather events, and increasing farm ...1 week ago
- PM heads to Singapore, Thailand, and PhilippinesPrime Minister Christopher Luxon will travel to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines this week (April 14-20), along with a senior business delegation, signalling the Government’s commitment to deepen New Zealand’s international engagement, especially our relationships in South East Asia. “South East Asia is a region that is more crucial than ever to ...1 week ago
- Prime Minister launches Government TargetsPrime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced further steps to get New Zealand back on track, launching nine ambitious Government Targets to help improve the lives of New Zealanders. “Our Government has a plan that is focused on three key promises we made to New Zealanders – to rebuild the economy, ...1 week ago
- Natural hydrogen resource should be free of Treaty claims entanglementNatural hydrogen could be a game-changing new source of energy for New Zealand but it is essential it is treated as a critical development that benefits all New Zealanders, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones is seeking to give regulatory certainty for those keen to develop natural, or geological, ...1 week ago
- Job cuts at Oranga Tamariki hit more than 400 roles
More than 400 jobs are likely to go at the children's ministry, RNZ understands. ...54 mins ago - Women MPs Acknowledge Report Highlighting Increased Harassment Of MPs
“The research reflects the real experiences of women in politics, and I would like to acknowledge the mahi by the researchers in highlighting this,” Ikaroa-Rawhiti MP Cushla Tangaere-Manuel said. ...2 hours ago - Choice and control: the NDIS was designed to give participants choice, but mandatory registration co...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sam Bennett, Disability Program Director, Grattan Institute Shutterstock/Benjamin Crone Many Australians with disability feel on the edge of a precipice right now. Recommendations from the disability royal commission and the NDIS review were released late last year. Now a draft NDIS ...2 hours ago - Introducing some of our 100 new sea friends
A scientific expedition has found 100 previously unknown New Zealand marine species. Who are these creatures from the depths of the Bounty Trough? A big lipped, dark eyed, slimy limp fish. A juicy, elongated orb with 16 little legs, four bouncing from its topside and a mouth pouting with stubby ...2 hours ago - Is a 24-hour Home and Away channel the answer to subscription fatigue?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexa Scarlata, Research Fellow, Media & Communications, RMIT University Do you find yourself endlessly scrolling through streaming channels, wondering what to watch among the hundreds (or thousands) of options? Do you worry about spending more money on yet another subscription just to ...2 hours ago
- Light pollution affects coastal ecosystems too – this underwater ‘canary’ is warning of the im...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kathleen Laura Sterup, Postgraduate in Marine Biology, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Wikimedia Commons/Luca Davenport-Thomas, CC BY-SA In the early 20th century, canaries were used as early warning systems in coal mines to alert miners to rising levels ...3 hours ago
- Biden is cancelling millions of student debts – here’s what to expect from AlbaneseSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University So weighed down have Americans become by student debt, and so potent a political issue has it become in the US, that President Biden plans to waive interest or write ...3 hours ago
- Melissa Lee ‘really, really happy’ about deal to keep the news on ThreeStuff will provide a news service for Warner Brothers Discovery on Three. As the industry awaits much-anticipated work to address sector-wide issues, the responsible minister says she’s very happy about the deal. News to continue but job losses likely to be significant News will continue ...3 hours ago
- Contractor and consultant bill still high in police and NZTAThe government is pushing to cut spending, but money was still going out of non-core areas in the latest figures. ...4 hours ago
- Stuff takes a big risk on Newshub
The bosses of Stuff and TV3 have been lauding their newly minted deal as a win for democracy and something to celebrate during a grim period for local media. While it is true that a slimmed down news service on Three is better than nothing, it is hardly strengthening our ...5 hours ago - Public service cuts: Number of job losses set to rise to more than 2000Oranga Tamariki and the Ministry of Education are to make announcements about their plans for meeting demands to save money. ...5 hours ago
- Abuse of MPs increased to 98% in 2022 – studyHarassment of MPs increased on nearly every measure over eight years, with 98 percent now reporting some kind of harassment, a study has found. ...5 hours ago
- Massey takes risk in bid for international studentsCash-strapped Massey University is taking a risk in Singapore, as it looks for ways to claw back lucrative international students The post Massey takes risk in bid for international students appeared first on Newsroom. ...6 hours ago
- Could Te Kuha coal mine be a candidate for ‘goodbye Freddy’?Expert evidence gathered over years shows what might be lost if a proposed West Coast coal mine gets Government approval The post Could Te Kuha coal mine be a candidate for ‘goodbye Freddy’? appeared first on Newsroom. ...6 hours ago
- Why aren’t vulnerable babies being protected from RSV in Aotearoa?Each year, hundreds of New Zealand babies are hospitalised with this common respiratory virus, and health experts are concerned that preventative drugs used overseas are not being funded here. As winter approaches and people spend more time indoors, respiratory viruses start circulating. One common bug is RSV, or respiratory syncytial ...6 hours ago
- Australia’s cash availability crisis creating an NZ monopolyHit by low demand for physical money, Australian cash-in-transit giant Armaguard is selling its NZ wing after rejecting an A$26m bailout The post Australia’s cash availability crisis creating an NZ monopoly appeared first on Newsroom. ...6 hours ago
- What the Post Office scandal can teach the Christchurch attacks inquiryOpinion: It only needs one person to stand up against injustice, but it requires a culture of inquiry for the truth to come out The post What the Post Office scandal can teach the Christchurch attacks inquiry appeared first on Newsroom. ...6 hours ago
- Health education contracts on the chopping blockPharmac has opted not the renew the contract for educational resource He Ako Hiringa The post Health education contracts on the chopping block appeared first on Newsroom. ...6 hours ago
- Olympic sailor doubles as Am Cup gamerAs a kid, Erica Dawson never owned one of those annoying little Tamagotchi digital pets. As a teen, she wasn’t the slightest bit interested in home video games and wasn’t addicted to playing Angry Birds on her phone, either. But now, on the cusp of entering her 30s, Dawson has ...6 hours ago
- Daily crossword, Wednesday 17 AprilThe post Daily crossword, Wednesday 17 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...6 hours ago
- Newsroom daily quiz, Wednesday 17 AprilLoading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[quiz],DIV[quiz],A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Wednesday 17 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...6 hours ago
- From colour to climate change – a scientist’s journeyOpinion: I find myself now spending most of my academic retirement period explaining the science behind climate change to my local communities. What was the life journey that brought me to this role? As a young child I remember being fascinated first thing in the morning by the pure blues ...6 hours ago
- The dark side of the beauty industryThere is nothing to stop someone from buying a laser machine online and setting up a shop offering treatments for skin. Or injecting derma filler into a client’s face. No qualifications are needed for either treatment, but when it goes wrong the results can be life changing, even life threatening. ...6 hours ago
- Govt urged to protect seabirds on the brink of extinctionAlbatross are being accidentally caught and killed by NZ fishing vessels at a rate 350 percent higher than previously reported The post Govt urged to protect seabirds on the brink of extinction appeared first on Newsroom. ...6 hours ago
- 14 (!) crucial questions about Stuff replacing Newshub, asked and (mostly) answeredBased on interviews with the heads of Stuff and Warner Bros Discovery, along with staff across both organisations, Duncan Greive presents an in-depth primer on the biggest news media deal in years. With additional reporting by Stewart Sowman-Lund Why did Stuff win out over NZME? This is in many ways ...6 hours ago
- Critical minerals receive multi-million dollar support under Future Made in Australia policySource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Two major critical minerals projects in Queensland and South Australia are to receive hundreds of millions of dollars in federal government loans as part of the Albanese government’s new Future Made in Australia policy. ...10 hours ago
- Water theft laws and penalties in the Murray-Darling Basin are a dog’s breakfast. Here’s how we ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adam James Loch, Associate Professor, University of Adelaide Water is one of Australia’s most valuable commodities. Rights to take water from our nation’s largest river system, the Murray-Darling Basin, are worth almost A$100 billion. These rights can be bought and sold or ...13 hours ago
- Massey University signs agreement confirming plan to set up Singapore branchMassey University says its Singapore campus will provide education services to students who do not want to study in New Zealand. ...13 hours ago
- After a second knife attack in Sydney, how can parents talk to their kids and help them feel safe?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elizabeth Westrupp, Associate Professor in Psychology, Deakin University In the space of three days, there have been two devastating knife attacks in Sydney. Your child may have seen these on the news or social media. Or they might be hearing about it ...15 hours ago
- Why is the Sydney church stabbing an act of terrorism, but the Bondi tragedy isn’t?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Greg Barton, Chair in Global Islamic Politics, Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University Just days after the deadly Westfield Bondi attacks, a second knife attack in Sydney has generated widespread shock and grief. This time, a 16-year-old entered an ...16 hours ago
- Masses of scalloped hammerheads have returned to one of Australia’s busiest beaches. But we don’...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Olaf Meynecke, Research Fellow in Marine Science and Manager Whales & Climate Program, Griffith University A juvenile hammerhead at Burleigh Beach, watched by snorkellers Olaf Meynecke, CC BY-NC-ND For the second year in a row, over 100 hammerheads have gathered at one ...16 hours ago
- Have New Zealanders been misled about AUKUS, is involvement a foregone conclusion?Analysis - New Zealand involvement in pillar two of the military deal would represent a seismic shift. ...17 hours ago
- How the Lehrmann v Channel 10 defamation case shone an unflattering light on commercial news gatheri...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Denis Muller, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Advancing Journalism, The University of Melbourne Network Ten and Lisa Wilkinson’s victory in the defamation action brought against them by Bruce Lehrmann is the second big win inside a year for the Australian media using ...18 hours ago
- Pharmacists should be able to dispense nicotine vapes without a prescription. Here’s whySource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Coral Gartner, Director, NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence on Achieving the Tobacco Endgame, The University of Queensland Zamrznuti tonovi/Shutterstock The Australian government is currently considering a bill to implement the next stage of reforms to vaping regulation. At present, vaping products ...18 hours ago
- For 600 years the Voynich manuscript has remained a mystery. Now we think it’s partly about sexSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Keagan Brewer, Macquarie University Research Fellow, Macquarie University Yale University Library The Voynich manuscript has long puzzled and fascinated historians and the public. This late-medieval document is covered in illustrations of stars and planets, plants, zodiac symbols, naked women, and blue ...19 hours ago
- Can AI read our minds? Probably not, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be worriedSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sam Baron, Associate Professor, Philosophy of Science, The University of Melbourne Iconic Bestiary / Shutterstock Earlier this year, Neuralink implanted a chip inside the brain of 29-year-old US man Noland Arbaugh, who is paralysed from the shoulders down. The chip has ...20 hours ago
- 5 reasons why the Fast-track Approvals Bill threatens NZ’s already fragile ecosystemsSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Margaret Stanley, Professor of Ecology, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Getty Images Conservation “good news” stories – the release of native birds into new habitats, for example – are always welcome. They recognise the work of conservation staff and volunteers ...20 hours ago
- Stuff to provide news bulletins to replace Newshub on ThreeBy Colin Peacock, RNZ Mediawatch presenter Warner Bros Discovery has done a deal with Stuff to provide news to replace Newshub. It will keep news on TV channel Three from July 6 and help Three retain some viewers. It also means important income for Stuff, but it will also stretch ...20 hours ago
- Stuck in fight-or-flight mode? 5 ways to complete the ‘stress cycle’ and avoid burnout or depres...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Theresa Larkin, Associate professor of Medical Sciences, University of Wollongong Shutterstock Can you remember a time when you felt stressed leading up to a big life event and then afterwards felt like a weight had been lifted? This process – the ...20 hours ago
- Ministry of Education job cuts may affect school lunch programmeThere is concern the team delivering the programme could be halved, while RNZ has also been told it will be "decimated". ...20 hours ago
- From forced kisses to power imbalances, violence against women in sport is endemicSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Fiona Giles, Research Fellow, La Trobe Rural Health School, La Trobe University Former Spanish football federation chief Luis Rubiales may face significant consequences for his non-consensual kiss of Spanish soccer star Jenni Hermoso. But this is not the norm for perpetrators ...21 hours ago
- As China’s influence on Pacific media intensifies, Australia can’t afford to lose the region’s...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lucy Morieson, Lecturer in Politics and Communication , RMIT University When the people of Solomon Islands go to the polls on Wednesday, they will be voting for more than just a new prime minister. The election will also be a referendum on ...21 hours ago
- The best moments from the outrageous final episodes of MAFS AUFrom the Jono and Ellie bombshell to the return of Collins, we look at back at the final episodes of Married at First Sight Australia 2024. When John Aiken told us back in February that we were in for a “quite shocking” season of Married at First Sight Australia, little ...21 hours ago
- Expanding Coal Mining In 21st Century An “absurd, Selfish Decision” Says WWFResources Minister Shane Jones announced today that the Government will ease the consenting process for setting up new coal mines or expanding existing ones. ...21 hours ago
- The Boy in the Water nominated for best podcastNewsroom has received five nominations for the 2024 Voyager Media Awards, including best podcast for Melanie Reid’s popular nine-part in depth investigation The Boy in the Water. ReadingRoom’s Steve Braunias has been nominated for best columnist, opinion or critique, and Aaron Smale is up for the Te Tohu Kairangi award. ...21 hours ago
- Watch: Christopher Luxon faces questions in SingaporeThe Prime Minister is speaking to media on his second day of a tour around South East Asia. ...21 hours ago
- Watch live: Christopher Luxon faces questions in SingaporeThe Prime Minister is speaking to media on his second day of a tour around South East Asia. ...22 hours ago
- How The Lost Boys of Dilworth brought a ‘horrendous nightmare’ to lifeAlex Casey talks to the makers of TVNZ’s new docudrama retelling the stories of Dilworth survivors. This story contains reference to sexual abuse, please take care. When she first saw the child actors that would be playing the young versions of Dilworth survivors, Mary Durham nearly burst into tears on ...22 hours ago
- Pro-independence activist issues dire warning to France over Kanaky New CaledoniaBy Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist A pro-independence activist in New Caledonia is warning France to immediately halt its planned constitution amendments or face “war”. The call for a u-turn follows proposed constitutional changes to voting rights which could push the number of eligible anti-independence voters up. Pacific Independence Movement ...23 hours ago
- The last days of motorsport at Pukekohe Park Raceway | Checkered Flag | The SpinoffIn the final months of the Pukekohe Park Raceway, the father and daughter duo managing the grassroots racecourse want to give everyone a last chance to go fast. This asphalt has been a part of New Zealand’s motorsport community and history for 60 years. Checkered Flag is made with the ...23 hours ago
- Watch: David Seymour announces early childhood education centre changesACT's leader read to children while sitting next to a book featuring Jacinda Ardern, before telling reporters the former prime minister was an authoritarian. ...23 hours ago
- Smaller agencies cutting deepest into staffing, data to date showsSmaller agencies are making deepest cuts as they look to save costs, RNZ data shows. ...23 hours ago
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I mostly agree with Ad but occasionally do not but he does forcefully argue his point as in this post. My personal view is that we still do not understand the complexity of what we are dealing with and to announce plans while still trying to deal with a crisis is premature.
You are a scholar and a gentleman.
You too comrade.
Sticking to the current course is wise. Any mentioning of a change in direction could confuse some people and this could cause people to not be as committed to following the lockdown rules.
This lockdown is buying time for people to get vaccinated to avoid the health system not coping.
https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/government-releases-expert-advice-reconnecting-new-zealanders
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/126047550/the-covid-road-map-underpromising-overdelivering-and-keeping-options-open
https://businessdesk.co.nz/article/opinion/newsflash-this-is-the-roadmap
Good and relevant links thankyou.
No worries! There is a plan, and I think it is as definite as it can be under the circumstances…
Thanks Rob, says it all really. Ad you are a great "Devil's Advocate" and stop us from navel gazing. The truth is our PM and her cabinet have seen us safely through many a crisis, and still plotted a path. It is early days in this one, come back in 3 weeks time and ask those questions.
We’re being attacked, as always, like clockwork, as a distraction from the Liberal party f&&ing up.
If ScoMos Liberal buddy in NSW had locked down hard and early and eliminated, we’d be hearing how great we are and the opening of the trans Tasman bubble.
It is nothing to do with any longstanding principle or health reason. They have to attack us to cover their f**^#^ up.
Not only would we be reopening the bubble, but there'd be no delta in NZ and family in Melbourne probably wouldn't still be in lockdown.
Tried to edit twice, but it didn’t save.
The UK is still seeing 100 plus COVID related deaths a day.
A wait and see approach is still perfectly valid when you see that we don’t understand the limits of vaccine coverage life, what other countries will or can do and the possibility of other variants on top of this extremely transmissible one.
You can start planning and getting ready, but if we don’t know the parameters, what the rules of the game will be, and delta has already changed them, we can’t make any clear assumptions about safe ways to re-open former industries.
Scomo’s 70% is apparently based on stats that don’t fully account for the delta virus: ie hokkum.
Be clear- like Sweden at the start, the costs are deaths, if we get anything wrong. I mean many countries, including us, are happy to do that- OxyContin addiction, wars, health and safety etc, but Kiwis have shown little appetite for that blithely sacrificing other people that other brave leaders are doing.
The trend on deaths in the UK is a clear increase in the last month. 600 this week, 500 last week and 400 the week before.
Except that’s not what the modeller said and neither are modellers making ‘the calls’. Do you like setting fire to strawmen?
With 62 news cases today the cluster has grown to 210 cases already. Luckily, nobody in ICU.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/covid-19-coronavirus-delta-outbreak-cases-could-reach-200-to-1000-expert-shaun-hendy-expects-auckland-in-lockdown-for-weeks/EHUZ6HLMPAEF7YIQZZTCBJ7WBE/
With the amount of contacts involved it's not assured we'll not achieve those numbers mate.
Agree. A healthy skepticism of modellers is in order.
Still not sure on what you're saying. Are you saying that the modelling is looking "wrong" because we will have well in excess of 1000 cases from this outbreak?
The ultimate call must be for political leaders, not modellers.
The ultimate call is already with the leaders. But they should base their information on the best knowledge of the situation. This includes outcome projections.
So why is the 200-1000 case projection looking wrong to you? What do you base that on?
If it's wrong and you can explain why, fair call. But if it's correct, it should clearly be a fundamental part of the decision-making process used by the leadership, no?
Sure, look at other factors – whether lockdown will result in mass protests and flauting, even economic projections from the usually-inaccurate Treasury (maybe their projections should just be reported as the bounds, not a firm number). Throw all that into the decision-making pot. But the expected outbreak size is part of it, too.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_models_are_wrong
So, Hendy didn’t say that we were heading for 1,000 cases.
Which is again confirmed in this link: https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2021/08/covid-19-disease-modelling-expert-shaun-hendy-warns-nz-outbreak-could-grow-to-1000-cases.html
To be more precise, Hendy said this on Monday 23 Aug:
No wonder you are sceptic of modellers.
Demanding the PM makes predictions, particularly without sufficient information says more about you than it says a bout her…..fools jump in where angels are wise enough not to tread….and patience is not only a virtue, but also sensible (though like wisdom not very prevalent)
There are people who are alive today in New Zealand, who would not be alive if NZ had steered a different course. Yes, people are adapting to living with Covid elsewhere. NZ is coming from a different place, and have not experienced societal trauma as other countries have. So medium term planning, and building hope into society is not something that Ardern "should" necessarily be doing. It's a different starting point, and Covid is not winning in NZ yet. Give lockdown time to work.
70-80% vaccinated isn't going to give us herd immunity it needs to be more like 90% or we'll not only need more ICU's but morgue space.