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notices and features - Date published:
6:05 am, March 1st, 2022 - 94 comments
Categories: covid-19 -
Tags: anti-mandate, convoy protest discussion posts, convoy2022nz, protest
The current rise of populism challenges the way we think about people’s relationship to the economy.We seem to be entering an era of populism, in which leadership in a democracy is based on preferences of the population which do not seem entirely rational nor serving their longer interests. ...
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Peace Aotearoa
Can the anti-mandate protest in Wellington be ended peacefully?
I think it can
Rather than directly confronting the anti-mandate protesters are there other options?
The government have used legal mechanisms to threaten to seize the funds of unions and of Greenpeace if they take illegal actions.
Left wing organisations that engage in Illegal actions like unlawful strikes or blockading oil exploration and off-shore drilling vessels can face massive fines and/or have their funds and assets seized.
In this respect the Employment Relations Act is particularly harsh, allowing the authorities not just to seize the funds and assets of the union but also the funds and assets of the workers involved in illegal strikes. Not excluding their personal car and family home.
The laws which allow the authorities to seize funds and assets of Left law breakers have proved very effective in disciplining the unions. And recently Greenpeace as well.
if these laws can be used against Left wing activists, why can’t they be used against Right wing activists.
The police have said that they are looking into the option of seizing the funds and assets of the protesters' funds and assets.
The police need to follow throught.
I have suggested that the other way to end this protest peacefully is to tow all the illegally parked vehicles.
How long could this well funded glamping protest last without all the support vehicles like campers and caravans and even private cars?
The police have also said they are looking into this option as well, and say plans are well in place to remove all the illegally parked vehicles.
How long could this glamping protest last without their camper vans and caravans and other support vehicles?
The authorities could start with seizing the illegal parked shower block, as well as the illegally parked donut franchise that supplies the protesters with free donuts.
No Left wing protest has been so well catered.
Peace Aotearoa
Blessed are the peace makers
What, and risk howls of police brutality from outraged right whingers?
Shower block removed!
https://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/wellington/127914677/occupation-day-22-shortlived-shower-block-gone-after-latenight-police-mission
"No Left wing protest has been so well catered" until now
This is a right wing protest.
Sure it is.
Hi felix
Looks pretty right wing to me.
Have I missed anything?
https://www.odt.co.nz/opinion/selfish-idea-freedom-stuff-nightmares
I rate Jean Balchin’s writing…( I have followed for a while) and she hits here.
Onya Jean
From your link:
Yea, Jean is definitely on to it
I should have 'bolded' this sentence, for this is the crux of the vaccine programme!
I shudder to think how worse this might have been had I not been fully vaccinated.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/462487/more-than-13-percent-of-counties-manukau-dhb-staff-off-work-due-to-covid-19
Yea humour aside ( Im a fan of surreal…but ! : ( The shit is soon gonna hit the fan. Those anti vaxx fuckwits. !!
Errrmm… 11 October 2021
Large parts of two workforces critical to preventing the spread of COVID-19 will be required to be vaccinated, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said today.
“Our education and health and disability workforces have done an incredible job throughout this pandemic to keep themselves and people safe,” Chris Hipkins said.
“Vaccination remains our strongest and most effective tool to protect against infection and disease, and we need as many workers as possible to be vaccinated to allow sectors to respond to the pandemic and deliver everyday services with as little disruption as possible.
“While most people working in these sectors are already fully or partially vaccinated we can’t leave anything to chance and are making it mandatory.
https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/mandatory-vaccination-two-workforces
I have no doubt that pro-mandate folk will be able to spin this as a success.
And ? You think the situation would be better without vaccination? Oh yea Ivermectin. vitamin D.
And? Do you think that two or three shots of the Pfizer product imposed on all staff in the health and disability sector has been a success in terms of the expressed aims from October 2021?
You know, a few days before this…the root cause of the protest?
As usual, Rosemary, you're missing the point, either wilfully or . . .
Vaccines are not totally effective in stopping people from getting covid, but far reduce the risk of getting seriously ill.
And that, to my mind, is worth doing.
Vaccines are not totally effective in stopping people from getting covid,
They're not very effective at preventing infection from Delta…and just about no protection from Omicron.
So why continue the mandates?
Also….how come we have seen no stories in MSM about how the unjabbed are handling Omicron?
"They're not very effective at preventing infection from Delta…and just about no protection from Omicron."
Of course you have a source for this which we would all agree is reliable.
to Nic
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/covid-19-omicron-pfizer-vaccine-far-less-effective-in-ages-5-11-than-in-older-kids/KQ6PNSGUCLCTBZXMCLJLMVBMHI/
While protection against hospitalisation is still strong, the vaccine offered almost no protection against infection, even just a month after full vaccination.
The coronavirus vaccine made by Pfizer-BioNTech is much less effective in preventing infection in children ages 5-11 than in older adolescents or adults, according to a large new set of data collected by health officials in New York state — a finding that has deep ramifications for these children and their parents.
The Pfizer vaccine is the only Covid shot authorised for that age group in the United States. It still prevents severe illness in the children, but offers virtually no protection against infection, even within a month after full immunisation, the data, which were collected during the omicron surge, suggest.
The sharp drop in the vaccine's performance in young children may stem from the fact that they receive one-third the dose given to older children and adults, researchers and federal officials who have reviewed the data said.
Experts worried that the news would further dissuade hesitant parents from immunising their children. Other studies have shown the vaccine was not powerfully protective against infection with the omicron variant in adults, either.
"Experts" worried that folks won't keep injecting novel pharmaceutcals into children who are in the vast majority unaffected by the disease the shots are supposed to prevent. WTF?
What was that adage about keeping on doing the thing that doesn't work despite the risks?
See, I kind of saw this comment thread where Jenny and Molly were both accusing you of being a liar. Not just lying but sneakily writing stuff you can retract the parts you couldn't get away with, and leaving the stuff you actually could get away with. So I'll let you retract the parts of your original claim "They're not very effective at preventing infection from Delta…and just about no protection from Omicron." which are not supported by your source.
Looking forward to the correction – thanks in advance.
@Nic the NZer
"See, I kind of saw this comment thread where Jenny and Molly were both accusing you of being a liar."
I don't think this was me. I try not to use words like 'liar' on TS.
(I also appreciate links for alternative viewpoints, even if I don't end up agreeing. Saves me from my Google algorithm echo chamber.)
I lost track of a previous convo, but this is funny given the argument for natural immunity. Which is likewise partial.
Some of us think we should use all the tools.
(How the government has managed impacts of mandates on disabled people is appalling, as per usual)
tend to agree with Nic here. If you're original comment had specified children it would have been more accurate (according to the paywalled NZH).
You're all over the place in this thread.
Also that the vaccination program would be sufficient for opening up with Delta. Especially relevant as it really started in earnest when Delta was the latest variant.
Its more rewriting the recent history of the country to go along with the claims that "lockdowns don't work" despite NZ (later merely parts of NZ) being essentially covid free for multiple months at a time when there were few other protections available.
Rosemary you are telling big porkies again.
That was before Omricon.When Delta was dominant.
You know very well that Omricon is different but can be deadly for the immune compromised yet your anti vax anti mandate.
Reducing the load on the health system so people like your partner can be safer.
Encouraging those undermining these public health initiatives is self sabotage.
You would prefer our health system to collapse.
You have a partner at home who is immune compromised you wouldn't care if he wasn't treated because the health system is completely overun.
The hospital run by infectious practitioners .
Rosemary you are telling big porkies again.
Be very specific when you show where I lied.
I wouldn't call it lying, but it is misrepresentation,
Rosemary without any vaccination many of the protestors are heading home taking omricon or even Delta.
Starting a superspeader nightmare for those who are immune compromised and those without any vaccinations.
Your futile nit picking is admirable but your in the very very small minority.
Obsessively looking for any excuses.
John Hopkins University has praised NZs response.
McKinsey and Co also praising our health and economic response.
Then our Death rate hospitalisations are the lowest.
yet you keep banging on with out any credibility.
how long are you going to self isolate as Omricon becomes endemic.
ive
your in the very very small minority.
Yes. And oh, how the Left just love to hate on minorities.
Not sure if you noticed, but Omicron kicked off when those of us who rejected the Pfizer product were not the ones flying untested all over the country and were not going to music festivals and bars and nightclubs and universities and working in hospitals and rest homes and other places which forced the vaccine on all their workers and had outbreaks.
I think the obsessiveness is coming from you lot…practically every other sane and rational country did not impose the mandates we have here, and have lifted most other restrictions. Realizing that the current crop of mRNA shots don't prevent infection. Realizing that both variants of Omicron are mild for most people and provide long lasting and robust immunity.
Time to let go of this OCD behaviour and move on.
Omicron is not ‘Nature’s vaccine’ – ‘vaccination’ by infection, be it Delta, Omicron, or whatever, is far more risky than an actual vaccine designed to train immune systems to produce antibodies to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein.
Risk-taking behaviour during a pandemic is not for me.
Yep. That's what I said.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/covid-19-omicron-pfizer-vaccine-far-less-effective-in-ages-5-11-than-in-older-kids/KQ6PNSGUCLCTBZXMCLJLMVBMHI/
Risk-taking behaviour during a pandemic is not for me.
Drowsy –
Your flying all over the place in the face of facts.
Vaccines reduce your chances of dying long covid (heart attacks strokes debilitating tiredness.
Now Omricon is here you are way more likely to be seriously infected but for those 94% fully vaccinated you are living on borrowed health provided by the 94% plus boosted bravery and efforts.
By the time your preferred vaccine rolls out it will be to late for you to get immunity Omricon will be endemic.
It takes 4 to 5 months to build that immunity by that time the wave will be over and the only hope will be super careful isolation.
No. You have not been specific in detailing where I lied.
Put up or retract and apologize.
Wrong again.
https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/countries-making-covid-19-vaccines-mandatory-2021-08-16/
https://www.statista.com/chart/25326/obligatory-vaccination-against-covid-19/ [NZ is not even highlighted on the map]
You make up a lot BS here, still, because you think you can get away with it. You’re wrong about this too. Time for you to retract and apologise.
lol, those are the insane and irrational countries Incog 😉
Yeah, I know. I couldn’t find the Wikipedia page listing all insane and irrational countries in the World. This was the closest I could find: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mentally_ill_monarchs. My bad.
Sigh.
The first link is from an article dated 1st January.
Omicron.
Lets move on eh?
FWIW. I do not always see replies.
I did not have the option of relying as the the 'button' disappears.
None of you have actually pointed out where I have lied.
Linking and quoting from a published piece does not make it my lie.
Do you have anything to say about the piece from the Herald saying the Pfizer shot does fuck all to prevent infection or transmission in 5-12 yer olds? Is that the BS I'm accused of spreading?
Have you not seen the studies that state that this age group is largely unaffected by Covid…any variant..unless they have severe underlying health conditions?
can you please explain why for both of those? Understanding technical context can help. eg what device are you using, and are the reply buttons there sometimes and not others?
You going to ban me again Incognito?
What was it for last time? Oh, that's right, back in September when the BBC wrote about the JCVI in the UK being reluctant to advise rolling out the Pfizer shot to 12-15 year olds
https://www.bbc.com/news/health-58438669
The UK's vaccine advisory body has refused to give the green light to vaccinating healthy children aged 12-15 years on health grounds alone.
The JCVI said children were at such a low risk from the virus that jabs would offer only a marginal benefit.
Lies? Bullshit? Or simply not what you and others want to see?
That was the moment that I realized that moderation on TS was dictated by some weird ideology rather than science.
[take the day off. I don’t have time or patience for commenters who want to pick fights with moderators – weka]
[Sure, happy to ban you for your BS comments and disingenuous behaviour if you choose to continue this way.
Let’s start with you accusing me of banning you previously, shall we? I’ve never banned you before, never ever, AFAIK (and I checked a long way back, trust me on that). On 1 Sep 2021 I put you in Pre-Mod after a long series of exchanges and warnings (https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-01-09-2021/#comment-1812865). You lingered there for a while because you didn’t engage with the Mod notes.
I value and welcome other views that go against the prevailing winds and currents. In fact, I positively encourage it here when I can get the chance. I’ve been called antagonistic by others (not on this forum) and I know how it feels like. I also know that you have to have a strong case if you want to go against the majority view.
To allow for some kind of fairness and balance here, disagreeable comments are welcome but they are not an excuse to spout BS and nonsense. If you use your long comments with vague and slippery language as a Trojan horse to enter BS on this forum, you’ll get called out on it, as a few commenters have already done today (e.g. https://thestandard.org.nz/convoy-protest-29-2-22/#comment-1869734). You demand specific examples from others but you fail to comment by your own standard. This is not acceptable behaviour.
I have no idea what “ideology” you’re thinking of when clearly there’s a strong consensus among (NZ) scientists and health experts about vaccines, even for children – that includes paediatricians in the Starship Hospital. Are you accusing them of being ideologues rather than scientists or doctors?
If you want to argue the science and/or public health measures on scientific grounds you may want to improve your science literacy skills. A few commenters here are highly qualified in science matters, including yours truly, and they tend to give you a hard time and rightly so because that’s what healthy robust debate is all about here. I could say much more about your debating style and my perceptions of you as a commenter, but I don’t think that will help much right now.
You have my respect and sympathy and I do give you the benefit of doubt, believe it or not, but you do wear my patience down with your belligerent responses to others and me. Please take this as encouragement to lift your game here – Incognito
PS Just as well you were already banned for one day by weka judging by your trashed comment @ 12:17 pm. Keep it up and you will receive your ban, as you wish, but it’ll be much longer than one day – Incognito]
ban extended out to a week for the second attack on mods that ended up in Trash. I agree with Incognito, there is considerable effort being made by mods in getting people to up their game. Your ban extension is largely because I don’t want to have to deal with another round of attacks on mods and not listening tomorrow. I’ve said it before, slow down, get the comments right even if it means less of them. If you have a sound argument and it’s made clearly, it will stand even if we all disagree with you. – weka]
mod note. Seriously, moderators have enough on our plate as it is at the moment without having to deal with deliberate fights.
Another Mod not for you.
third mod note.
' Omicron are mild for most people' Those that I know that have had Omicron would be mightily pissed off at such a ridiculous claim.
But assuming you're correct, it's also a fact that the Pfizer vaccine has produced only a mild reaction in most people.
You just don't seem to be able to apply logic to your arguments.
Omicron is not mandated by govt though is it?
It kind of would be if we caved into the protesters demands.
Dishonest reply as usual.
Thanks PLA for linking to Balchin's writing. Sums the whole deal so well. Glad I read it.
Thanks for that introduction to another sane voice.
1/3/22!!!
OMG Its the EMF !!
Wasn't it a full moon on the 2nd of the 2nd 22?
My chakras momentarily re-aligned their poles.
Who knew 2022 was a leap year?
Well tbf, 2022 has been a jump the shark kind of year.
Yet more criminal activity associated with the mob at Parliament.
Police car tyres slashed.
Cctv will no doubt find out who the culprits are.
On that note like the Jan 6 investigations helped by people all over the US identifying rioters 750 out of 2,000 have been prosecuted the more serious and ring leaders jailed.
We need to do the same here start an online investigation of those at the illegal occupation and charge those who are violent.
Most of the Washington rioters have lost their jobs didn't think they would be found out.
So Police cars have been attacked and tyres slashed overnight at the Sheep Paddock in Wellington. Is this going to be a matter of "Oh that's understandable, they must be annoyed ". For fucks sake Coster, grow some balls, this should be a last straw. It is getting to be a case of different laws for different people, if I (tempted as I have may been at times to do something similar ), or any of us had slashed Police tyres, action would have been swift and heavy handed. So what is going on?. Do the cops have information that the Unwashed possess nuclear weaponry and are afraid too much provocation will push them to use it?.
The Police are losing all credibility over this and leads one to wonder that timidity may be why the gang problem has grown to the level it has, yet individuals are still being treated harshly for minor infractions. Are they scared or just cowardly? I had sympathy for Coster initially because it did look like a tricky problem but it just looks so imcompetent now. Shit or get off the pot Coster, its time to Drain The Swamp!
While I agree with most of your post, Adrian, I heard Grant R. as MP for Wellington Central interviewed the other day.
He was asked why the government hasn't sent the police in to clear the protestors, and his answer was quite pertinent: 'We don't live in a police state!'
Soon the mandates will be lifted – they've almost outlived their purpose, though I agree with the government remaining cautious. When that happens, the selfish f*ckwits and assorted weirdos will quietly fade into the footnotes in future history books!
Though we, the taxpayers, will be left to clean up their mess around parliament!
Most of the "online left" have been advocating for something like a police state ever since the wrong people started protesting against the most open and transparent govt in history.
Why hasn't the Wellington Medical Officer of Health issued a Danger to Public Health notice in a bid to clean it up? If it was a burger bar it would be closed down instantly.
It's a public gathering on public land owned and administered by Parliament, not a food premises covered by various health and hygiene regulations administered primarily by local councils. Obviously it's a hazard, but other than shutting down the food trucks, it's not a council matter.
Here's a good, easy-to-read article on debunking covid myths that readers may have missed. Must say, it's easy to see how some of them arose. All supported by evidence, not on the "big pharma payroll", just clear explanation.
https://thelogicofscience.com/2022/01/19/debunking-30-bad-arguments-about-covid-vaccines/
Excellent article.
Some of my standouts from that article:
Auckland council doing the right thing, enforcing a trespass on the Domain campers.
One camper said it was "disrespectful", which perfectly illustrates what a self-absorbed, upside-down world they live in. How do they spell freedom? Me, me, me, me, me.
Or freedumb!
For those who doubted that the protestors at Parliament let contaminated water into the stormwater drains
My Lert of 21/2/22 which is a warning system. For further verification or to argue the toss I guess you could go to the DomPost. I don't tend to argue the toss on these warnings that come frequently and cover all manner of things from road works, traffics delays, tsunami warnings and food recalls.
'Affects: Wellington City
Lert Src= Dom post 15:44
Wellington Harbour has a NO SWIM warning following sewage dumping in the drains at protest site.'
Well buggar me
Will no one think of potential Ark Fleet Ship B passengers and their predicaments.
Indeed, just before she answered the phone, she had been picking up all her unworn evening wear that had fallen to the floor due to a faulty wardrobe rack. “By the time all the parties start again, they will probably all be out of fashion,” she lamented. “Terrible. I’m looking at all these beautiful sparkly dresses and wondering if I am ever going to get to wear them. Terrible.”
[…]
Nonetheless, Batley-Burton did not intend to camp on her visit to the protest. “Oh god no,” she laughed. “I’ve never been into camping, sorry. Definitely no camping, I don’t think I’ve ever been camping in my life.” She intended to wear a wide-brimmed hat, a sensible pair of wedges and a summery dress – “I won’t wear the stilettos on the lawn.”
https://thespinoff.co.nz/society/01-03-2022/why-would-a-real-housewife-of-auckland-go-to-the-wellington-protest
Silly woman will be hoping she gets covid as it'll give her something to rabbit on about. Very mild dose of course which will end up to be, so terrible, so awful, "I could hear angels calling me."
If she really strikes it lucky one of her houses will get done over while she's away and she can give the world months of how terrible the police were: "Too busy doing things on the Harbour Bridge and in the Domain to be doing real police work."
We all are the descendants of the B-ark as they killed off the cave men.?
Also
"later revealed to be because the Ark Ship B Golgafrinchans were a 'bunch of useless idiots'."
But even idiots may be useful… as:
"
Fate of Golgafrincham
A notation in the Guide about Golgafrincham after the departure of the B Ark states that the entire remaining population subsequently died from a virulent disease contracted from a dirty telephone.
"
Canaries to hidden problems in our society?
Don't Panic (in large friendly letters)
Franky and Benjie
Arrived at Wellington Hospital. An arsehole followed through without registering, took off the supplied mask and dived into the lift before the alarm could be raised. No doubt thinks he is a star behaving in such a manner with so many imumo-compromised people around.
[deleted
[wishing harm on people like this, no matter the provocation from arsholes, is stepping over the line. -weka]
mod note
Thanks weka – fair call. The comment was formulated in the heat of the moment whilst in a waiting area surrounded by cancer patients.
Owner of the shower block removed by police defends himself. Rather an 'interesting' read but this bit made me chuckle:
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/127926477/ill-take-this-to-the-end-protest-shower-block-man-colin-wightman-says-police-stole-it
Christchurch. Why is it always Christchurch?
Well, I do hope the Police return the shower block to Mr Whiteman.
As driftwood.
As opposed to the ‘Rothschilds’ who are never on the good side of good and of course isn’t a well known code for something else 🙄
A side order of anti-Semitism to go with all the other crap.
So much for the "fringe elements", supposedly outnumbered by all the lovely peaceful people there – who can't seem to find any voice to condemn the Wightmans among them, not even hiding their obnoxious views.
I guess if you provide a shower for the lovely peaceful people then any amount of bigotry is fine. That is one broken moral compass.
and all he had to do was not tell the media what he really thinks. I'm sure if Mr observer found he was working at the Bullingdon club he could keep schtum long enough to wait for a really worth while event before telling them what he really thought.
I imagine it’s pretty common that once you head down the conspiracy rabbit hole it becomes a package deal and it ultimately ends up back with the original grand daddy of all conspiracies.;
Indeed.
https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/petitions/document/PET_99118/petition-of-colin-wightman-human-rights-violations-return
It always amuses me that the crazies are so obsessed by the Magna Carta, cuz it’s all about those wealth land owners protecting themselves from our absolutely monarchy. 🙄
Wightman was involved in TB racing and became a pariah for his anti establishment rants.
I have been following the Canadian convoy protest per CBC. I have also been following a documentary crew called The fifth Estate from Canada for a couple of months too.
They have released a documentary called 'How anger, faith and conspiracy fuelled the Trucker Convoy'
There are parallels with the NZ protest.
Then there is Pat King, one of the convoy organisers, words fail me about this guy.
Hi Shanreagh. Yep definitely a quite dangerous person. And a real worry if these types are influencing NZ anti vaxxers.
https://www.voanews.com/a/anti-vaccine-protest-in-canada-prompts-outrage-not-sympathy-/6422438.html
Well that sure sounds familiar !