Covid review due today

Written By: - Date published: 8:37 am, September 12th, 2022 - 45 comments
Categories: covid-19, health, uncategorized - Tags:

Covid country comparison

I have not written about Covid for a while, which is I think a good thing.

Yesterday there were 981 new reported cases and no deaths.  It looks like we are through the surge that has happened over the last few months.

And our international performance continues to hold up.  Per million people New Zealand’s covid death rate is 380, slightly behind Japan whose figure is 340, and Singapore whose figure is 290. We are also ahead of Taiwan, whose performance was previously exceptional (430) and Australia (557).  Those countries have strongly adhered to mask wearing habits.  The world should take note.

Our figure compares vary favourably with the United States and the United Kingdom, both of which are over 3,000 deaths per million people.  And if you want a stop you in your tracks figure US life expectancy is crashing and New Zealand’s life expectancy is 6 years higher.

Hospitalisation rates are well down with 243 people with Covid in Hospital.  This figure is down by over two thirds.

The hospital system was creaking and groaning but we did not witness the types of events in Australia and the UK amongst others were hospitals were overrun.

So overall we are in as good a position as we could hope for.

Meanwhile China is still trying lockdowns in the hope that the disease can be eradicated.  I think the horse has well and truly bolted.

There is speculation that the Government will scrap the traffic light system and mandates today and let them expire on Wednesday when the legal instrument relied on expires.

I suspect this will be the case.

I hope that there is a strong campaign to support the use of masks in well frequented internal areas and on public transport.  This is not an attack on fundamental human rights.  It is a very practical measure that has shown to work.

The opposition are yet ahead getting in and demanding an end to mandates.  Just so they can crow if the decision is actually made and claim credit.

This is not over however.  Earlier indications that mutations tended to lessen the severity of the disease have shown to be correct.  And elimination and an outstanding vaccination drive gave the time and the resilience to be prepared.

But we are one adverse mutation away from another crisis.  Stay tuned …

45 comments on “Covid review due today ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. Tiger Mountain 1
    12 September 2022 at 9:35 am

    Good summary Micky. We have likely not seen the end of COVID yet–as you say “we are one adverse mutation away from another crisis. Stay tuned …”

    Everyone it seems has something to bitch about with COVID, but if you are still here in reasonable health, rather than cremated ashes in a cupboard somewhere, a bit of reflection might be in order for thousands of you.

    The Govt. initial response was amazing, putting public health before private profit for many months. Some of my grumps were political rather than personal–not paying workers direct via IRD but via employers, second tier more generous benefit for middle class, media concentrating on SMEs and international travellers plight while virtually ignoring the local working class experience.

    Various things have changed for ever after lockdowns and the existential question of why and how do pandemics happen. Globalisation and ‘just in time’ if not history, are severely dented. You do not have to be on company premises to work. There are things to do other than work. Aided by social media, the long alienated and non participants have come out into daylight and adopted a form of politics e.g. Wellington Parliament occupation.

    Micky’s prediction is quite likely right, be good to see the entire COVID framework simplified but not dispensed with. I will still be wearing a mask as appropriate.

    • Tricledrown 1.1
      12 September 2022 at 10:32 am

      Weekend covid updates are rarely accurate as are the numbers in the community, people are not reporting covid infections as they may only have slight symptoms or have become fatigued by the Covid measures. The rolling average death rates up until the weekend have been around 10 plus a day with higher figures Monday through Tuesday as unreported weekend numbers come in.

      • lprent 1.1.1
        12 September 2022 at 12:07 pm

        The death rates will still be there, and are likely to be the most accurate stats.

        However they don't look like they are on an upward trend, and as far as I can tell are largely where people have complications with other medical conditions. They don’t point to a widespread epidemic with the vaccine immunity and societal behavioural changes throttling it.

        Complications like my need to take pills every day to stop the stent in a heart artery blocking up. A respiratory disease is contra-indicated for that.

        Fortunately I haven't had covid-19 yet, nor has my partner. We try to protect ourselves with our behaviour. My 83yo father was not enthusiastic about the experience after he got it in July.

        Doesn't matter what the settings are, we'll continue to protect ourselves.

    • PsyclingLeft.Always 1.2
      12 September 2022 at 12:32 pm

      I will still be wearing a mask as appropriate.

      As someone who…(before the Covid was even a thing) suffered double pneumonia ! ..if was ever something like Covid ? I NEVER want to experience again.

      And Long Covid problems? All to come. But seems Scientists/Researchers getting stuck into it. Hope for success.. A link

      https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/world/474423/top-scientists-join-forces-to-study-leading-theory-behind-long-covid

      • joe90 1.2.1
        12 September 2022 at 2:01 pm

        Same. I had the actual flu once and lost a week. I recall waking up in the early hours swimming in sweat and freezing cold but I don't recall anything leading up to that morning and nek minnit, a week had passed. Never again.

        • PsyclingLeft.Always 1.2.1.1
          12 September 2022 at 2:11 pm

          hi. Yea I was shiver/shaking so bad my teeth were chattering. I got a bit better (I thought !) ..and biked..to Dr. "HOW did you get here?" she asked. . Got a ride home lol and heavy duty antibiotics. Medicine. etc.

          And..Never Again a good rule..to live by.

        • Tiger Mountain 1.2.1.2
          12 September 2022 at 2:40 pm

          Yes, you can get hallucinations, shifting pains, change in perception, all sorts of weird effects.

    • aj 1.3
      12 September 2022 at 2:27 pm

      Mask wearing is an IQ test and an empathy test.

  2. Patricia Bremner 2
    12 September 2022 at 10:07 am

    Cremated ashes in a cupboard somewhere.

    This is so true. So many who now moan over every perceived hardship and lay blame, wanting a sacrifice of some sort to appease their anger.

    Talking incessantly of overworked staff and damaged businesses, but not recognising the help offered by the Public Service and the Government.

    Very little comment that our lifespan has increased while in USA it has crashed.

    Then to top off the negativity, "No, no need to recognise the Queen's 70 years" says The Business Forum. We can't afford that…. but we do want Trade with Britain!!" Self serving BAU. No actual surprise there.angry

    We will be wearing our masks in enclosed areas, and getting our vaccinations. Keep safe folks, our son’s lingering symptoms of covid are miserable and incapacitating.

  3. Tricledrown 3
    12 September 2022 at 10:23 am

    looking at Japans figures and why they are lower is because of Masks.We need to continue to wear masks .The Mask worn properly and consistently is a very very cheap effective health measure.Our Health workforce is still under huge pressure taking away the mask mandate is the Stupidest idea we could do .

  4. weka 4
    12 September 2022 at 12:14 pm

    NZ hasn't gotten to grips yet with what multiple infections mean. Is the government talking at all about long covid? Is the MSM asking questions? Do we have a massive level of denial and cognitive dissonance on this?

    https://twitter.com/Writagal/status/1569073009692131329

    • weka 4.1
      12 September 2022 at 12:16 pm

      don't get yet what the problem is? Follow #longcovid on twitter and read the tweet threads from doctors, journalists and people with LC.

      https://twitter.com/search?q=longcovid&src=typed_query

    • joe90 4.2
      12 September 2022 at 1:47 pm

      The outlook is pretty much shit all round but especially for those with disabilities.

      https://twitter.com/scottdlandes/status/1567570796800884740

      Even a mild case of COVID-19 can increase a person’s risk of cardiovascular problems for at least a year after diagnosis, a new study1 shows. Researchers found that rates of many conditions, such as heart failure and stroke, were substantially higher in people who had recovered from COVID-19 than in similar people who hadn’t had the disease.

      What’s more, the risk was elevated even for those who were under 65 years of age and lacked risk factors, such as obesity or diabetes.

      […]

      Troubled hearts

      People who had recovered from COVID-19 showed stark increases in 20 cardiovascular problems over the year after infection. For example, they were 52% more likely to have had a stroke than the contemporary control group, meaning that, out of every 1,000 people studied, there were around 4 more people in the COVID-19 group than in the control group who experienced stroke.

      The risk of heart failure increased by 72%, or around 12 more people in the COVID-19 group per 1,000 studied. Hospitalization increased the likelihood of future cardiovascular complications, but even people who avoided hospitalization were at higher risk for many conditions.

      “I am actually surprised by these findings that cardiovascular complications of COVID can last so long,” Hossein Ardehali, a cardiologist at Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois, wrote in an e-mail to Nature. Because severe disease increased the risk of complications much more than mild disease, Ardehali wrote, “it is important that those who are not vaccinated get their vaccine immediately”.

      https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-00403-0

  5. Leighton 5
    12 September 2022 at 1:08 pm

    I'm a bit puzzled about what was the point of including a "green" setting in the Traffic Light Framework if they never intended to use it. Seems odd to just throw away the entire regulatory framework as soon as there's a lull and then have to start over again if/when there's another flare-up.

    • Nordy 5.1
      12 September 2022 at 2:14 pm

      It's not clear anyone is proposing to 'throw away' the regulatory framework. Rather, it seems, and we will find out later today, that the govt will remove most if not all the restrictions. The framework will still exist, even if modified. The point of any framework is that it is a tool to address a situation. Even if modified by science/experience, as is required, it is still a tool.

    • mpledger 5.2
      13 September 2022 at 1:12 pm

      There could have been different settings in different regions. I suspect the South Island was pretty close to going green at one stage.

  6. Jimmy 6
    12 September 2022 at 2:32 pm

    The shopping centre I walked through, it was about 50/50 masks/no mask.

    I would have thought they would keep masks for public transport, hospitals, rest homes, but maybe just optional everywhere else.

    • Ad 6.1
      12 September 2022 at 2:37 pm

      Still holding firm in airports and Air NZ.

      I'd like it to stay that way.

      • lprent 6.1.1
        12 September 2022 at 4:57 pm

        I'm not planning on going on any planes for any reason. Didn't like them much before covid (waste of my time, limited data, disease vector). Really don't trust them now.

        I didn't bother flying internationally from 1991 to 2013. Did a lot between 2014 and 2019 for work because of where I was working – no net access.

        Now I don't even want to hop on a local flight.

        • Belladonna 6.1.1.1
          12 September 2022 at 8:17 pm

          Agree. I've had several friends Covid-free until they had to (or chose to) fly somewhere. It seems that airports/airplanes are just natural virus circulating grounds – regardless of mask-wearing [all of them were flying while masks were mandatory… but it seemed to make no difference]

          • Tiger Mountain 6.1.1.1.1
            13 September 2022 at 7:52 am

            Ditto. Friends who had been very careful for two years due to one having cancer treatment, took an Air NZ flight recently and developed COVID. Luckily things went ok after a few rough days, which is good considering Patricia’s comment @ #2.

      • Craig H 6.1.2
        12 September 2022 at 5:21 pm

        Air NZ has removed reference to requirements to masks from the rest of the website and have dropped the requirement from tomorrow (https://www.airnewzealand.co.nz/travel-requirements-international?redirectedfrom=covid19-international-travel). No reference to masks on the main page of the Christchurch Airport website either.

      • Patricia Bremner 6.1.3
        12 September 2022 at 5:21 pm

        I agree. yes

  7. Jimmy 7
    12 September 2022 at 4:31 pm

    Sounds like masks now optional everywhere including public transport. Masks only required in healthcare and aged facilities.

    • Craig H 7.1
      12 September 2022 at 5:22 pm

      Correct, and traffic light system ends 23:59 tonight.

    • Belladonna 7.2
      12 September 2022 at 8:18 pm

      It will be interesting to compare mask-wearing today and tomorrow & see what the difference on the ground is. [Of course, only anecdata, not an actual statistically valid survey.]

      • Jack 7.2.1
        12 September 2022 at 8:22 pm

        Will be no difference. Most haven’t worn masks for months. Most won’t tomorrow. Only thing that has changed is that the rules have finally caught up with really.

  8. Mat Simpson 8
    12 September 2022 at 9:14 pm

    " The hospital system was creaking and groaning "

    Why ! After five years of neo liberal Labour policies.

  9. Grey Area 9
    12 September 2022 at 9:22 pm

    Idiot/Savant tells it like it is. We're on our own.

    http://norightturn.blogspot.com/2022/09/labour-abandons-us-to-covid.html

    I really rated this government's earlier actions against Covid-19 and used to defend them from criticism when I could in some settings, but once they lost their nerve and started making political, rather than public health decisions, I also felt they had abandoned us.

    I also used to rate Jacinda Ardern but seeing her on TV tonight justifying this move by saying it would bring "certainty" was the last straw, so no more.

    • Mat Simpson 9.1
      12 September 2022 at 9:32 pm

      " I also used to rate Jacinda Ardern but seeing her on TV tonight justifying this move by saying it would bring "certainty" was the last straw, so no more "

      Yes she has zero credibility with her promise of the most open and transparent government ever and the best one , climate change is our generation's nuclear free moment or doing anything meaningful for so many who live in hardship and economic degradation due to Adern and the others continuing to implement neo liberal policies.

      My advice is to NOT WATCH HER or her colleagues unless you enjoy being lied to and having the subject misrepresented.

      Its actually offensive receiving the people’s choice personally photocopied letters in the local body election’s promising to ( LOL listen and do better ) for the local constituents .

      How many times over and over have we heard that.

      It is outrageous and obscene .

      • Grey Area 9.1.1
        12 September 2022 at 9:50 pm

        There's the rub though. Despite my great disappointment in Ardern and Labour, Covid under Nactional would have been far, far worse.

        But if I stop listening to Ardern at least I'll have more time on my hands, because I already ignore anything Luxon or Seymour say.

    • Craig H 9.2
      12 September 2022 at 9:50 pm

      Masks only really bring population benefits if most of the population wears them. If mask-wearing is too low to be useful or realistically enforceable, there's not much point retaining a requirement for the whole population.

    • Jester 9.3
      12 September 2022 at 10:57 pm

      We are just catching up with the rest of the world finally. No one wears masks over in Australia or Europe.

      • Hanswurst 9.3.1
        13 September 2022 at 12:18 am

        Bullshit. Here in Germany, they are still compulsory on all public transport, and that is observed apart from the occasional dickhead who considers themself exceptional for whatever reason. I have seen people kicked off trams, and told that they could happily board the next one, simply because they hadn't put on the mask that they had in their hand. In supermarkets etc., most tend to leave their masks off, but by no means everybody.

        When I was in Korea recently, everybody wore masks when going out, including outdoors.

        A large part of the problem with the world today is naive numpties like you, who seem to have an in-built assumption that the rest of the world must behave like they do themselves, because they are clearly so evidently sensible, and who seem to congregate in a sort of circle-jerk of mutual confirmation bias, attempting to spread out their idiot certainty onto the rest of the populace. Well, it's a load of crap.

        • Jester 9.3.1.1
          13 September 2022 at 7:03 am

          Where we were in France you would have been the only one wearing a mask. As far as they are concerned, Covid has been over for a long time and they have all moved back to a more normal life. The surgical mask most people wear are bugger all use any way as they don't even fit properly on the face so are a very limited protection. But it's always amusing to see people like yourself wearing a mask while alone in their car or out in the fresh air. It identifies who they vote for.

          • Hanswurst 9.3.1.1.1
            13 September 2022 at 7:34 am

            Still not getting it, I see. 'Where we were in France' indeed. You spend a bit of time somewhere outside New Zealand and come back an expert on the entire world. Just because there may be places that operate that way (and have been since the beginning of the pandemic) doesn't mean that adopting their approaches is 'catching up with the rest of the world'. Your second comment only serves to underline the ignorance of your first.

          • Patricia Bremner 9.3.1.1.2
            13 September 2022 at 1:54 pm

            Oh so Korea (Sth) Japan and Taiwan will be voting for the Left?

            Good Their figures are great Jester, and putting politics on mask wearing is your stupid interpretation.

            Many will wear them in confined spaces because of age related conditions. So your statement is as silly as my first premise.

      • RedLogix 9.3.2
        13 September 2022 at 9:37 am

        I am in Brisbane – and since at least May this year there are almost no masks seen in public. I think they are still technically required on public transport, but few bother. The only significant exception is medical settings and air travel where they are still required.

        And yes a cursory glance shows many people wear them so badly they are effectively useless.

    • Tiger Mountain 9.4
      13 September 2022 at 5:53 am

      Yes, “certainty” is an ugly term now thanks to two years whinging, via media, from the SME, petit bourgeois, corporate and hard done by international traveller sectors.

      The Govt. waved the white flag months ago on COVID and it is now back to “BAU”.

      I got abused in the Far North recently because I was wearing a mask!-admittedly by a Sovereign supporter as I later found out.

      While it seems little compensation now, if you check out some Natzo and ACT statements from 2020/1, a lot more deaths would likely have occurred on their watch.

      • Grey Area 9.4.1
        13 September 2022 at 8:38 am

        I agree and said up thread, Covid would have been a real disaster under Nactional. Labour did great and then lost their nerve. I wonder what part that played in the resignations of Bloomfield and McElnay.

        One humorous spot for us is that term "certainty". Once I'd got over firmly telling idiots on the TV news from the hospitality, business, education and tourism sectors etc that them wanting "certainty" in the midst of a global pandemic was moronic and selfish, it has become a buzzword for us.

        Now if I'm undecided about anything I just say I want some "certainty".

  10. SPC 10
    13 September 2022 at 10:21 am

    They should have kept it for public transport – some people (those at risk) will be dependent on commuter transport being supplied to them.

    It will be the first thing brought back when*** case numbers increase.

    It will be interesting to note what impact the end of mask use has on case numbers***.

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    I live my life (woo-ooh-ooh)With no control in my destinyYea-yeah, yea-yeah (woo-ooh-ooh)I can bleed when I want to bleedSo come on, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)You can bleed when you want to bleedYea-yeah, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)Everybody bleed when they want to bleedCome on and bleedGovernments face tough challenges. Selling unpopular decisions to ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Casey Costello gaslights Labour in the House

    Please note:To skip directly to the- parliamentary footage in the video, scroll to 1:21 To skip to audio please click on the headphone icon on the left hand side of the screenThis video / audio section is under development. ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    3 days ago
  • Why is the Texas grid in such bad shape?

    This is a re-post from the Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler Headline from 2021 The Texas grid, run by ERCOT, has had a rough few years. In 2021, winter storm Uri blacked out much of the state for several days. About a week ago, Hurricane Beryl knocked out ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on a textbook case of spending waste by the Luxon government

    Given the crackdown on wasteful government spending, it behooves me to point to a high profile example of spending by the Luxon government that looks like a big, fat waste of time and money. I’m talking about the deployment of NZDF personnel to support the US-led coalition in the Red ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Wednesday, July 24

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:40 am on Wednesday, July 24 are:Deep Dive: Chipping away at the housing crisis, including my comments RNZ/Newsroom’s The DetailNews: Government softens on asset sales, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • LXR Takaanini

    As I reported about the city centre, Auckland’s rail network is also going through a difficult and disruptive period which is rapidly approaching a culmination, this will result in a significant upgrade to the whole network. Hallelujah. Also like the city centre this is an upgrade predicated on the City ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    3 days ago
  • Four kilograms of pain

    Today, a 4 kilogram report will be delivered to Parliament. We know this is what the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care weighs, because our Prime Minister told us so.Some reporter had blindsided him by asking a question about something done by ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Wednesday, July 24

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Wednesday, July 24, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Beehive: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced plans to use PPPs to fund, build and run a four-lane expressway between Auckland ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Luxon gets caught out

    NewstalkZB host Mike Hosking, who can usually be relied on to give Prime Minister Christopher Luxon an easy run, did not do so yesterday when he interviewed him about the HealthNZ deficit. Luxon is trying to use a deficit reported last year by HealthNZ as yet another example of the ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago
  • A worrying sign

    Back in January a StatsNZ employee gave a speech at Rātana on behalf of tangata whenua in which he insulted and criticised the government. The speech clearly violated the principle of a neutral public service, and StatsNZ started an investigation. Part of that was getting an external consultant to examine ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Are we fine with 47.9% home-ownership by 2048?

    Renting for life: Shared ownership initiatives are unlikely to slow the slide in home ownership by much. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:A Deloitte report for Westpac has projected Aotearoa’s home-ownership rate will ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Let's Win This

    You're broken down and tiredOf living life on a merry go roundAnd you can't find the fighterBut I see it in you so we gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsWe gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsAnd I'll rise upI'll rise like the dayI'll rise upI'll rise unafraidI'll rise upAnd I'll ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • Waimahara: The Singing Spirit of Water

    There’s been a change in Myers Park. Down the steps from St. Kevin’s Arcade, past the grassy slopes, the children’s playground, the benches and that goat statue, there has been a transformation. The underpass for Mayoral Drive has gone from a barren, grey, concrete tunnel, to a place that thrums ...
    Greater AucklandBy Connor Sharp
    4 days ago
  • A major milestone: Global climate pollution may have just peaked

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Global society may have finally slammed on the brakes for climate-warming pollution released by human fossil fuel combustion. According to the Carbon Monitor Project, the total global climate pollution released between February and May 2024 declined slightly from the amount released during the same ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Tuesday, July 23 are:Deep Dive: Penlink: where tolling rhetoric meets reality BusinessDesk-$$$’s Oliver LewisScoop: Te Pūkenga plans for regional polytechs leak out ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Tuesday, July 23, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Health: Shane Reti announced the Board of Te Whatu Ora- Health New Zealand was being replaced with Commissioner Lester Levy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • HealthNZ and Luxon at cross purposes over budget blowout

    Health NZ warned the Government at the end of March that it was running over Budget. But the reasons it gave were very different to those offered by the Prime Minister yesterday. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon blamed the “botched merger” of the 20 District Health Boards (DHBs) to create Health ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • 2500-3000 more healthcare staff expected to be fired, as Shane Reti blames Labour for a budget defic...

    Long ReadKey Summary: Although National increased the health budget by $1.4 billion in May, they used an old funding model to project health system costs, and never bothered to update their pre-election numbers. They were told during the Health Select Committees earlier in the year their budget amount was deficient, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    4 days ago
  • Might Kamala Harris be about to get a 'stardust' moment like Jacinda Ardern?

    As a momentous, historic weekend in US politics unfolded, analysts and commentators grasped for precedents and comparisons to help explain the significance and power of the choice Joe Biden had made. The 46th president had swept the Democratic party’s primaries but just over 100 days from the election had chosen ...
    PunditBy Tim Watkin
    5 days ago
  • Solutions Interview: Steven Hail on MMT & ecological economics

    TL;DR: I’m casting around for new ideas and ways of thinking about Aotearoa’s political economy to find a few solutions to our cascading and self-reinforcing housing, poverty and climate crises.Associate Professor runs an online masters degree in the economics of sustainability at Torrens University in Australia and is organising ...
    The KakaBy Steven Hail
    5 days ago
  • Reported back

    The Finance and Expenditure Committee has reported back on National's Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Bill. The bill sets up water for privatisation, and was introduced under urgency, then rammed through select committee with no time even for local councils to make a proper submission. Naturally, national's select committee ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Vandrad the Viking, Christopher Coombes, and Literary Archaeology

    Some years ago, I bought a book at Dunedin’s Regent Booksale for $1.50. As one does. Vandrad the Viking (1898), by J. Storer Clouston, is an obscure book these days – I cannot find a proper online review – but soon it was sitting on my shelf, gathering dust alongside ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell On The Biden Withdrawal

    History is not on the side of the centre-left, when Democratic presidents fall behind in the polls and choose not to run for re-election. On both previous occasions in the past 75 years (Harry Truman in 1952, Lyndon Johnson in 1968) the Democrats proceeded to then lose the White House ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    5 days ago
  • Joe Biden's withdrawal puts the spotlight back on Kamala and the USA's complicated relatio...

    This is a free articleCoverageThis morning, US President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the Presidential race. And that is genuinely newsworthy. Thanks for your service, President Biden, and all the best to you and yours.However, the media in New Zealand, particularly the 1News nightly bulletin, has been breathlessly covering ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    5 days ago
  • Why we have to challenge our national fiscal assumptions

    A homeless person’s camp beside a blocked-off slipped damage walkway in Freeman’s Bay: we are chasing our tail on our worsening and inter-related housing, poverty and climate crises. Photo: Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Existential Crisis and Damaged Brains

    What has happened to it all?Crazy, some'd sayWhere is the life that I recognise?(Gone away)But I won't cry for yesterdayThere's an ordinary worldSomehow I have to findAnd as I try to make my wayTo the ordinary worldYesterday morning began as many others - what to write about today? I began ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • A speed limit is not a target, and yet…

    This is a guest post from longtime supporter Mr Plod, whose previous contributions include a proposal that Hamilton become New Zealand’s capital city, and that we should switch which side of the road we drive on. A recent Newsroom article, “Back to school for the Govt’s new speed limit policy“, ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Monday, July 22 are:Today’s Must Read: Father and son live in a tent, and have done for four years, in a million ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Monday, July 22, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:US President Joe Biden announced via X this morning he would not stand for a second term.Multinational professional services firm ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #29

    A listing of 32 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, July 14, 2024 thru Sat, July 20, 2024. Story of the week As reflected by preponderance of coverage, our Story of the Week is Project 2025. Until now traveling ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago
  • I'd like to share what I did this weekend

    This weekend, a friend pointed out someone who said they’d like to read my posts, but didn’t want to pay. And my first reaction was sympathy.I’ve already told folks that if they can’t comfortably subscribe, and would like to read, I’d be happy to offer free subscriptions. I don’t want ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • For the children – Why mere sentiment can be a misleading force in our lives, and lead to unex...

    National: The Party of ‘Law and Order’ IntroductionThis weekend, the Government formally kicked off one of their flagship policy programs: a military style boot camp that New Zealand has experimented with over the past 50 years. Cartoon credit: Guy BodyIt’s very popular with the National Party’s Law and Order image, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • A friend in uncertain times

    Day one of the solo leg of my long journey home begins with my favourite sound: footfalls in an empty street. 5.00 am and it’s already light and already too warm, almost.If I can make the train that leaves Budapest later this hour I could be in Belgrade by nightfall; ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • The Chaotic World of Male Diet Influencers

    Hi,We’ll get to the horrific world of male diet influencers (AKA Beefy Boys) shortly, but first you will be glad to know that since I sent out the Webworm explaining why the assassination attempt on Donald Trump was not a false flag operation, I’ve heard from a load of people ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • It's Starting To Look A Lot Like… Y2K

    Do you remember Y2K, the threat that hung over humanity in the closing days of the twentieth century? Horror scenarios of planes falling from the sky, electronic payments failing and ATMs refusing to dispense cash. As for your VCR following instructions and recording your favourite show - forget about it.All ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Bernard’s Saturday Soliloquy for the week to July 20

    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts being questioned by The Kākā’s Bernard Hickey.TL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 20 were:1. A strategy that fails Zero Carbon Act & Paris targetsThe National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government finally unveiled ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Pharmac Director, Climate Change Commissioner, Health NZ Directors – The latest to quit this m...

    Summary:As New Zealand loses at least 12 leaders in the public service space of health, climate, and pharmaceuticals, this month alone, directly in response to the Government’s policies and budget choices, what lies ahead may be darker than it appears. Tui examines some of those departures and draws a long ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    1 week ago
  • Flooding Housing Policy

    The Minister of Housing’s ambition is to reduce markedly the ratio of house prices to household incomes. If his strategy works it would transform the housing market, dramatically changing the prospects of housing as an investment.Leaving aside the Minister’s metaphor of ‘flooding the market’ I do not see how the ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    1 week ago
  • A Voyage Among the Vandals: Accepted (Again!)

    As previously noted, my historical fantasy piece, set in the fifth-century Mediterranean, was accepted for a Pirate Horror anthology, only for the anthology to later fall through. But in a good bit of news, it turned out that the story could indeed be re-marketed as sword and sorcery. As of ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā's Chorus for Friday, July 19

    An employee of tobacco company Philip Morris International demonstrates a heated tobacco device. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy on Friday, July 19 are:At a time when the Coalition Government is cutting spending on health, infrastructure, education, housing ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 8:30 am on Friday, July 19 are:Scoop: NZ First Minister Casey Costello orders 50% cut to excise tax on heated tobacco products. The minister has ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Roundup 19-July-2024

    Kia ora, it’s time for another Friday roundup, in which we pull together some of the links and stories that caught our eye this week. Feel free to add more in the comments! Our header image this week shows a foggy day in Auckland town, captured by Patrick Reynolds. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Climate Wrap: A market-led plan for failure

    TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. A discussion recorded yesterday is in the video above and the audio of that sent onto the podcast feed.The Government released its draft Emissions Reduction ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Tobacco First

    Save some money, get rich and old, bring it back to Tobacco Road.Bring that dynamite and a crane, blow it up, start all over again.Roll up. Roll up. Or tailor made, if you prefer...Whether you’re selling ciggies, digging for gold, catching dolphins in your nets, or encouraging folks to flutter ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Trump’s Adopted Son.

    Waiting In The Wings: For truly, if Trump is America’s un-assassinated Caesar, then J.D. Vance is America’s Octavian, the Republic’s youthful undertaker – and its first Emperor.DONALD TRUMP’S SELECTION of James D. Vance as his running-mate bodes ill for the American republic. A fervent supporter of Viktor Orban, the “illiberal” prime ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 19, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:The PSA announced the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) had ruled in the PSA’s favour in its case against the Ministry ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago

  • Joint statement from the Prime Ministers of Canada, Australia and New Zealand

    Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue.  We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago
  • AG reminds institutions of legal obligations

    Attorney-General Judith Collins today reminded all State and faith-based institutions of their legal obligation to preserve records relevant to the safety and wellbeing of those in its care. “The Abuse in Care Inquiry’s report has found cases where records of the most vulnerable people in State and faith‑based institutions were ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago
  • More young people learning about digital safety

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government’s online safety website for children and young people has reached one million page views.  “It is great to see so many young people and their families accessing the site Keep It Real Online to learn how to stay safe online, and manage ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    22 hours ago
  • Speech to the Conference for General Practice 2024

    Tēnā tātou katoa,  Ngā mihi te rangi, ngā mihi te whenua, ngā mihi ki a koutou, kia ora mai koutou. Thank you for the opportunity to be here and the invitation to speak at this 50th anniversary conference. I acknowledge all those who have gone before us and paved the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    24 hours ago
  • Employers and payroll providers ready for tax changes

    New Zealand’s payroll providers have successfully prepared to ensure 3.5 million individuals will, from Wednesday next week, be able to keep more of what they earn each pay, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Revenue Minister Simon Watts.  “The Government's tax policy changes are legally effective from Wednesday. Delivering this tax ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Experimental vineyard futureproofs wine industry

    An experimental vineyard which will help futureproof the wine sector has been opened in Blenheim by Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson. The covered vineyard, based at the New Zealand Wine Centre – Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa, enables controlled environmental conditions. “The research that will be produced at the Experimental ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Funding confirmed for regions affected by North Island Weather Events

    The Coalition Government has confirmed the indicative regional breakdown of North Island Weather Event (NIWE) funding for state highway recovery projects funded through Budget 2024, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Regions in the North Island suffered extensive and devastating damage from Cyclone Gabrielle and the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Floods, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Indonesian Foreign Minister to visit

    Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, will visit New Zealand next week, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced.   “Indonesia is important to New Zealand’s security and economic interests and is our closest South East Asian neighbour,” says Mr Peters, who is currently in Laos to engage with South East Asian partners. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Strengthening partnership with Ngāti Maniapoto

    He aha te kai a te rangatira? He kōrero, he kōrero, he kōrero. The government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the aspirations of Ngāti Maniapoto, Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka says. “My thanks to Te Nehenehenui Trust – Ngāti Maniapoto for bringing their important kōrero to a ministerial ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Transport Minister thanks outgoing CAA Chair

    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has thanked outgoing Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority, Janice Fredric, for her service to the board.“I have received Ms Fredric’s resignation from the role of Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority,” Mr Brown says.“On behalf of the Government, I want to thank Ms Fredric for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Test for Customary Marine Title being restored

    The Government is proposing legislation to overturn a Court of Appeal decision and amend the Marine and Coastal Area Act in order to restore Parliament’s test for Customary Marine Title, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says.  “Section 58 required an applicant group to prove they have exclusively used and occupied ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Opposition united in bad faith over ECE sector review

    Regulation Minister David Seymour says that opposition parties have united in bad faith, opposing what they claim are ‘dangerous changes’ to the Early Childhood Education sector, despite no changes even being proposed yet.  “Issues with affordability and availability of early childhood education, and the complexity of its regulation, has led ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Kiwis having their say on first regulatory review

    After receiving more than 740 submissions in the first 20 days, Regulation Minister David Seymour is asking the Ministry for Regulation to extend engagement on the early childhood education regulation review by an extra two weeks.  “The level of interest has been very high, and from the conversations I’ve been ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government upgrading Lower North Island commuter rail

    The Coalition Government is investing $802.9 million into the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines as part of a funding agreement with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), KiwiRail, and the Greater Wellington and Horizons Regional Councils to deliver more reliable services for commuters in the lower North Island, Transport Minister Simeon ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government moves to ensure flood protection for Wairoa

    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced his intention to appoint a Crown Manager to both Hawke’s Bay Regional and Wairoa District Councils to speed up the delivery of flood protection work in Wairoa."Recent severe weather events in Wairoa this year, combined with damage from Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 have ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • PM speech to Parliament – Royal Commission of Inquiry’s Report into Abuse in Care

    Mr Speaker, this is a day that many New Zealanders who were abused in State care never thought would come. It’s the day that this Parliament accepts, with deep sorrow and regret, the Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care.  At the heart of this report are the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government acknowledges torture at Lake Alice

    For the first time, the Government is formally acknowledging some children and young people at Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital experienced torture. The final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care “Whanaketia – through pain and trauma, from darkness to light,” was tabled in Parliament ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government acknowledges courageous abuse survivors

    The Government has acknowledged the nearly 2,400 courageous survivors who shared their experiences during the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in State and Faith-Based Care. The final report from the largest and most complex public inquiry ever held in New Zealand, the Royal Commission Inquiry “Whanaketia – through ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Half a million people use tax calculator

    With a week to go before hard-working New Zealanders see personal income tax relief for the first time in fourteen years, 513,000 people have used the Budget tax calculator to see how much they will benefit, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis.  “Tax relief is long overdue. From next Wednesday, personal income ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Paid Parental Leave improvements pass first reading

    Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says a bill that has passed its first reading will improve parental leave settings and give non-biological parents more flexibility as primary carer for their child. The Regulatory Systems Amendment Bill (No3), passed its first reading this morning. “It includes a change ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Rebuilding the economy through better regulation

    Two Bills designed to improve regulation and make it easier to do business have passed their first reading in Parliament, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. The Regulatory Systems (Economic Development) Amendment Bill and Regulatory Systems (Immigration and Workforce) Amendment Bill make key changes to legislation administered by the Ministry ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • ‘Open banking’ and ‘open electricity’ on the way

    New legislation paves the way for greater competition in sectors such as banking and electricity, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Competitive markets boost productivity, create employment opportunities and lift living standards. To support competition, we need good quality regulation but, unfortunately, a recent OECD report ranked New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Charity lotteries to be permitted to operate online

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says lotteries for charitable purposes, such as those run by the Heart Foundation, Coastguard NZ, and local hospices, will soon be allowed to operate online permanently. “Under current laws, these fundraising lotteries are only allowed to operate online until October 2024, after which ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Accelerating Northland Expressway

    The Coalition Government is accelerating work on the new four-lane expressway between Auckland and Whangārei as part of its Roads of National Significance programme, with an accelerated delivery model to deliver this project faster and more efficiently, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “For too long, the lack of resilient transport connections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Sir Don to travel to Viet Nam as special envoy

    Sir Don McKinnon will travel to Viet Nam this week as a Special Envoy of the Government, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced.    “It is important that the Government give due recognition to the significant contributions that General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong made to New Zealand-Viet Nam relations,” Mr ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Grant Illingworth KC appointed as transitional Commissioner to Royal Commission

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says newly appointed Commissioner, Grant Illingworth KC, will help deliver the report for the first phase of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 Lessons, due on 28 November 2024.  “I am pleased to announce that Mr Illingworth will commence his appointment as ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ to advance relationships with ASEAN partners

    Foreign Minister Winston Peters travels to Laos this week to participate in a series of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-led Ministerial meetings in Vientiane.    “ASEAN plays an important role in supporting a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” Mr Peters says.   “This will be our third visit to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Backing mental health services on the West Coast

    Construction of a new mental health facility at Te Nikau Grey Hospital in Greymouth is today one step closer, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “This $27 million facility shows this Government is delivering on its promise to boost mental health care and improve front line services,” Mr Doocey says. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ support for sustainable Pacific fisheries

    New Zealand is committing nearly $50 million to a package supporting sustainable Pacific fisheries development over the next four years, Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones announced today. “This support consisting of a range of initiatives demonstrates New Zealand’s commitment to assisting our Pacific partners ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Students’ needs at centre of new charter school adjustments

    Associate Education Minister David Seymour says proposed changes to the Education and Training Amendment Bill will ensure charter schools have more flexibility to negotiate employment agreements and are equipped with the right teaching resources. “Cabinet has agreed to progress an amendment which means unions will not be able to initiate ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Commissioner replaces Health NZ Board

    In response to serious concerns around oversight, overspend and a significant deterioration in financial outlook, the Board of Health New Zealand will be replaced with a Commissioner, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti announced today.  “The previous government’s botched health reforms have created significant financial challenges at Health NZ that, without ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
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  • Minister to speak at Australian Space Forum

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