Daily review 20/08/2020

Written By: - Date published: 5:30 pm, August 20th, 2020 - 89 comments
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Daily review is also your post.

This provides Standardistas the opportunity to review events of the day.

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89 comments on “Daily review 20/08/2020 ”

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  1. Muttonbird 1
    20 August 2020 at 5:51 pm

    There's plenty wrong with Reti's border policy:

    A negative test days before flying is no guarantee of being uninfected on arrival. So where is the extra security there?

    The negative test requirement adds burden to lower income people and is either not possible in some countries, or it is expensive. This is the Nats through and through. If you're not wealthy then we don't want you back.

    Refusing entry to people who have Covid-19 demonises them. All people with Covid 19 are 'dangerous' in Reti's eyes. The compassionate thing is to repeat, “people aren't the problem, the virus is”. No surprise National missed this crucial point.

    'One hour wait for testing' is a ridiculous fast-food meme which is unlikely to be achieved in surge situations of which there would be many until any National/ACT government.

    https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2020/08/covid-19-national-s-border-policy-slammed-as-fraught-by-labour-deeply-disappointing-by-greens.html

    • indiana 1.1
      20 August 2020 at 6:16 pm

      How is the current requirement for people to pay for their 14 day mandatory quarantine working out for low income returnees? Is that cheaper than the current free Covid test people can get now?

      • Muttonbird 1.1.1
        20 August 2020 at 6:22 pm

        Hey moron. First time returnees are not charged.

        This is the kind of thing that gets lost with the stupid right and they will try to push falsehoods.

        Unbelievably, it is still necessary to stand up to this rampant idiocy whenever it appears.

  2. Muttonbird 2
    20 August 2020 at 6:10 pm

    Venezuela is the right wing's favourite whipping boy.

    This article is paywalled by our own right wing press so I can't read it, but the similarities between Venezuela's policy of criminalising Covid-19 suffers, and the National party's policy of denying entry to Covid-19 sufferers are hard to ignore.

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=12358072

  3. anker 3
    20 August 2020 at 6:18 pm

    National's border policy…………a relative of mine is flying back from the UK in November. They have been told by the airline they have to have a covid test 4 days before travel……………..Its a good idea as a bit of protection but we all know that there are false negatives, that what happens in the three days between flying and the test? And also it seems likely some people are picking up the virus in transit…………So not much use. would still have to quarantine etc, otherwise risk quite high

    • Pat 3.1
      20 August 2020 at 6:23 pm

      Indeed….looks like more pointless bureaucracy…something National constantly rail against

    • ScottGN 3.2
      20 August 2020 at 6:24 pm

      I think both Emirates and Etihad both have that requirement if you are transiting through their hubs.

    • greywarshark 3.3
      20 August 2020 at 7:27 pm

      The airline wants to reduce risk. It is just trying to be practical and care for its passengers and staff.

  4. Muttonbird 4
    20 August 2020 at 6:18 pm

    Great to see Heather Duplicity-Allan finally come around to the idea that the border and its integrity is critical to the way New Zealand navigates Covid-19.

    Not weeks ago she was criticising the government for not creating a travel bubble with the Cook Islands. She will also have been keen on relaxing restrictions for international students, and for wealthy Americans to build bunkers. Her own sugar-daddy husband told us the government's warnings about resurgence were purely political.

    I guess for Heather epiphanies come fast and cheap. Let us pray she has a few more.

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12358297

    • In Vino 4.1
      20 August 2020 at 8:42 pm

      Heather does not strike me as the most aware of people… Judith C has A similar quality, to my mind. Why else would she make such a preposterously silly suggestion, fatuously thinking that the majority of folks will agree…

      Already, every critcism I have seen pointing out all the blatantly obvious failings of her policy read far better than her vacuous justification.

      I think the Nats will have to quietly drop this idea. Now that the election date is another month away, they also have the possibility of not-so-quietly dropping Judith herself.

      How many of them will be bright enough to seize the opportunity?

      • Draco T Bastard 4.1.1
        20 August 2020 at 8:51 pm

        Already, every critcism I have seen pointing out all the blatantly obvious failings of her policy read far better than her vacuous justification.

        I wonder if this pandemic is going to wake people up to the fact that National doesn't really do policy – that what they do is uncosted, untested, and uncontestable reckons.

  5. RosieLee 5
    20 August 2020 at 6:21 pm

    I am in a quandary. My 4 yr old phone, which does everything I want it to, is rated as too old to take the covid tracing app. Do I now have to spend mega bucks on a new phone in order to be a responsible citizen? Maybe this is part of the reason why the uptake of the app is low. It's not lack of civic duty.

    • McFlock 5.1
      20 August 2020 at 6:28 pm

      keep a log of where you go and use sign-in sheets where possible.

      It's not our fault the default for the tech industry is "people who can buy new phones every year".

      if your phone does the net, you can log your activity manually at https://tracing.covid19.govt.nz

      • weka 5.1.1
        20 August 2020 at 6:39 pm

        it's becoming a problem, I don't get the civil defence warnings either. My phone is starting to not work for some websites too. It's 6 years old, nothing wrong with it other than Apple don't update the OS and thus it's not supported by developers.

        None of which would bother me except I'm not that confident that society and its systems is not going to centre itself around late model phones. I can't tell if the CD siren thing is an issue or not, and I shouldn't even have to be thinking about that.

        • McFlock 5.1.1.1
          20 August 2020 at 6:52 pm

          The CD thing doesn't worry me so much – chances are we know someone who will get it and be all "wtf", or we'd notice the traffic heading for the hills.

          But the covid tracer is a bit worse. Either make a single version that's retro-compatible, or do a version for the last ten year's or so of OS. And then there's the entire expectation that everyone has a phone of some sort anyway.

          The economic demographic most likely to have incompatible phones quite possibly overlaps the demographic most likely to spend most of their time working all hours for f-all pay, getting their roster texted to them because they're casualised disposable. But they're also the ones most likely to still be having contacts when everyone else is zoom-working from home.

          • weka 5.1.1.1.1
            20 August 2020 at 7:48 pm

            The CD thing doesn't worry me so much – chances are we know someone who will get it and be all "wtf", or we'd notice the traffic heading for the hills.

            She'll be right Trev, lol.

            It's more that I don't know if CD are relying on the phones and not focusing on the other systems now. I can't tell if we even still have sirens. That your answer didn't mention them suggests I'm not alone in that. Bad luck for people that live on their own I guess or happen to be around people with old phones. Hmm I wonder who that will affect most.

            • gsays 5.1.1.1.1.1
              20 August 2020 at 9:00 pm

              I caught the tail end of a conversation on RNZ about a lanyard with a card on it. I assume this registers via Bluetooth or some other witchcraft and automatically logs yr movements.

              I am having similar issues as my Huawei doesn't support the app.

              • weka …
                20 August 2020 at 9:55 pm

                the privacy issues never got addressed adequately for me (app or card).

                • gsays …
                  21 August 2020 at 7:12 am

                  I missed where they were addressing the privacy/data side of things.

                  I have been reflecting on my own shift in attitudes over the last few years. 5 years ago I would have agreed with you. Now, not so much.

                  Not saying your concerns are unfounded or wanting to argue with you. I see it as a good solution for the 'electronically impaired' or the elderly who can get a bit flustered with these new processes.

                  • weka …
                    21 August 2020 at 10:57 am

                    Before they lost the last election National were already rolling out major plans to remove privacy rights in NZ (they were intending to reform our privacy laws), and they started with beneficiaries and low income people. As part of the beneficiary class, I take that very seriously. Until National change how they operate, and/or the left parties put some major Tory-proofed protections in, then *everything that involves tech and privacy should be viewed through the lens of what will National do? It's too hard to claw back rights after National destroys them.

                    Less of an issue, but still an issue, is I don't particularly trust government ICT security given the number of fails we've had.

          • weka 5.1.1.1.2
            20 August 2020 at 7:50 pm

            Future-proofing IT seems like a no brainer, but not many people seem to be thinking about it. Maybe there's a niche there for some of the geeky people.

            Would love to know if it's a tech issue, a cultural issue or a money one. How hard would it be to have produced a basic app that worked on all phones?

            • Incognito 5.1.1.1.2.1
              20 August 2020 at 7:54 pm

              Not everybody’s got a phone.

              • woodart …
                20 August 2020 at 8:30 pm

                some of us still have a phone tied to the wall.

                • Incognito …
                  20 August 2020 at 8:37 pm

                  Point taken 🙂

                  I should have qualified it as meaning mobile phone.

                  • In Vino …
                    20 August 2020 at 8:54 pm

                    I have an iphone 5c. It said it needed some funny-numbered thing to download the Govt Covid tracker. I gave up. Unless I am working, I leave the thing next to my bed for the entire day anyway.

                    I await a better system, like that card, which I would happily take with me.

                    • Incognito …
                      20 August 2020 at 9:06 pm

                      I’ll wait for National to microchip me when they get back in power 😉

                      I’ve very little understanding of it but the CovidCard seems like something that could work well, at least for me.

              • weka …
                20 August 2020 at 9:47 pm

                quite. Emergency systems shouldn't be so dependent on a small thing.

            • McFlock 5.1.1.1.2.2
              20 August 2020 at 9:42 pm

              Not so much "future proofing" as "past proofing".

              The further back you want to take it, the more difficult it can be.

              An app programmer would be able to comment about how far off the track I am, but apps aren't generally typed linearly in one big file. The operating system isn't just a translator between the app and the transistors on the chips, it has libraries of subroutines that apps can call. They all operate the same way across different manufacturers, and they save a LOT of programming time. But each new edition of an operating system introduces new subroutines, so you need to write ones that work for older systems.

              But also the other issue is that new editions also deprecate inefficient or insecure subroutines, so they no longer work on newer versions. It can be difficult to program to suit an old version and expect it to work on newer systems. It needs to be as simple as possible, which might reduce functionality that saves power or is needed for a covid tracer.

              There would eventually be a hard line where it goes to before there was cross-company standards and even getting equivalent-generation phones to work would be massively difficult.

              But some location apps were around in Android 3 or earlier, so the tech would seem to be feasible for that level. I suspect they took an industry estimate and figured "95% is good enough", but it isn't. We need everyone who can to do, to make up for those who can't or won't.

              • weka …
                20 August 2020 at 9:49 pm

                tbh, I never sorted out the privacy issues, so I'm not even sure I would use it if I could. The CD one irks though.

                How much of the problems with past proofing are a trade off to get more and new exiting developments. I'm guessing in a sane world the balance would sit somewhere else.

                • McFlock …
                  20 August 2020 at 10:39 pm

                  A lot of it's legitimate – anyone going to a website that hasn't been updated in 20 years can see that.

                  And once someone finds a security hole in a subroutine, it needs to go.

                  I suspect some apps use only later generation versions to target their customers, too. They don't necessarily want late adopters, either because their product doesn't warrant close examination or because they don't want broke people skewing their data.

                  Like uber and lime are too modern for my phone. But my banking app works fine and google maps does too (if slow). So it's not impossible to write it for me, but they probably figure someone with a phone >3years old is unlikely to be inclined or have the credit rating to use their service – and my using it might make their service look bad, anyway.

                  There was also at least one phone manufacturer caught issuing software updates that demonstrably slowed their phones, just before their nextgen phones hit the shelves. Planned obsolescence has been replaced by obsolescence-on-command.

                  • lprent …
                    21 August 2020 at 1:07 am

                    My partner’s iPhone 7 with 128Gb of storage is just starting to do the usual Apple death – the available RAM is a running short doing routine tasks. This is pretty much the usual pattern. It has 2Gb RAM and it has been interesting watching the memory bloat creep up. The support with either stop for it this September or next year in the usual fashion.

                    Since this is the third iPhone that she has had that has died or started dying in the same manner (iPhone 3G, iPhone 5(?), and iPhone 7) I’m hoping she is going to do what I did after the 3G and do the switch to a large capacity android.

                    I have given up on Apple multiple times now. Writing code for the bloody horrible iOS made it lose the sheen of the front-end interface for me. Paying for excessive annual developer licenses and the equipment upgrades doesn’t help either. But the real kicker is the planned obsolescence in their APIs which essentially makes most code bases using Apple systems obsolete within a few years and almost invariably inside a decade.

                    At least windows provides some strong backwards compatibility and open development tools.

                    But mostly I do open source Linux wherever possible and Android kotlin/NDK if I need to work on mobiles.

        • greywarshark 5.1.1.2
          20 August 2020 at 7:35 pm

          You have not the right phone so therefore you can't reguster as a citizen and you must then be treated as an alien. Is that how it will be?

          The PTB did that when we first got computers, and wiped some people out of existence causing them great hardship. Some were registered as dead, and it was no use saying it's me here are my docs. NZ Post and others have established Real Me presumably to prevent that happening. But I do not like the tech takeover, I do not like it at all.

          • weka 5.1.1.2.1
            20 August 2020 at 7:51 pm

            I won't be using Real Me as long as we have a Labour and a National that treat beneficiaries as second class citizens. Nat's plans around data are particularly scary.

            • greywarshark 5.1.1.2.1.1
              20 August 2020 at 8:22 pm

              Uh well that's out for me. I don't want to lay down in the road and let technology run over me – decision it is more efficient in fuel to run over this person and drag them away, than to stop and swerve round. Don't laugh anybody, we already have gummint departments thinking like that about beneficiaries, you might have need but can't get anything done while you can still struggle to your feet.

        • The Al1en 5.1.1.3
          20 August 2020 at 7:57 pm

          I hear how your phone won't work, but there is a civil defence alert compatible phone list to check. Mine doesn't work either.

          https://getready.govt.nz/prepared/stay-informed/emergency-mobile-alert/capable-phones/

      • Anne 5.1.2
        20 August 2020 at 6:57 pm

        keep a log of where you go and use sign-in sheets where possible.

        Sound advice.

        I am becoming increasingly concerned that a whole generation of young people are growing up reliant on bits of plastic technology to do all their thinking and communicating for them.

        Once upon a time there were no cell phones and people relied on their own sensibilities when it came to solving problems and keeping themselves and others safe from harm. I suspect we are creating generations of young people who will grow up having no idea how to do that for themselves.

        This is no reflection on Rosielee who obviously can think for herself, but its something I feel strongly about. My young relatives frequently get a 'sermon' on the subject from me although I fear they take no notice. 🙁

        • McFlock 5.1.2.1
          20 August 2020 at 7:03 pm

          There's a joke that years ago we figured folks would make better decisions if they had more information, but now they have all human information available at their fingertips and we're more stupid than ever.

          But I'm not so sure about that. The stupid is just louder, but young 'uns seem about the same – even smarter, maybe.

          • Andre 5.1.2.1.1
            20 August 2020 at 7:11 pm

            Dunno about that.

            When it comes to adrenaline sports, you get to see everything that could go wrong, in endless slo-mo detail. No imagination needed for that "is this really a good idea?" moment. But the young'uns are doing shit many levels up from anything we were doing back when I wasn't far from being near the top of one of those sports.

            • McFlock 5.1.2.1.1.1
              20 August 2020 at 7:25 pm

              Yeah, but that's the selected extreme population. Not sure base jumpers are pushing the envelope any further than the wing-walkers of the 1920s.

              But the day to day stupidity seems about the same. Uni student disorder was getting out of hand about 15 years ago, but there were some decent riots 15 years before that, and skyrocket wars and burned fences in the 80s. If anything the student parties are a bit less hazardous than the drinking horns from back in the day.

              My niece's cohort seems pretty sensible – still dramas, but fewer hospital admissions lol

              So I can't fault 'em too much where I am, anyway. We still have hoons and wannabe thugs and drunken dickheads who think daddy's wallet acts as a force-field against a broken jaw, but not any worse than back in my day.

          • Draco T Bastard 5.1.2.1.2
            20 August 2020 at 9:04 pm

            The problem isn't that we have all the information available but that all the stupid things that are just plain wrong are also available and many people only accept what they believe as factual anyway.

        • ScottGN 5.1.2.2
          20 August 2020 at 8:07 pm

          Jeez. Have I wandered into teatime at the old folks home…?

          • greywarshark 5.1.2.2.1
            20 August 2020 at 8:17 pm

            Yeah, we can't stand that new-fangled rock'n'roll either.

          • Anne 5.1.2.2.2
            20 August 2020 at 8:53 pm

            No.

            But to give you an idea what I mean…

            25 years ago it was part of my duties in a particular government agency to train new recruits how to put their newly acquired knowledge into practice. It included making simple calculations in one's head. Not one of them could do it without a calculator. In the end I made them put their calculators away and learn how to work it out for themselves.

            • McFlock 5.1.2.2.2.1
              20 August 2020 at 10:51 pm

              Why? Calculators/computers are quicker, and if the calculations are that important, there'll be an additional checking process anyway.

              I can't claim any ability to do long division in my head. But I read a paper from the 1950s that took 105 person-years of collation and analysis to produce. I can literally replicate updated results of that information within half an hour.

              We develop the skillsets we need, and we let the unneeded ones become boutique curiosities.

          • Incognito 5.1.2.2.3
            20 August 2020 at 10:14 pm

            Don’t be an age-ist 😉

      • RosieLee 5.1.3
        20 August 2020 at 7:34 pm

        Thanks for that. Will try it.

        [Fixed typo in user name]

    • Barfly 5.2
      20 August 2020 at 6:29 pm

      house brand phones are reasonably powerful , large and cheap I suggest checking them last time I bought one was a vodafone with a 5" screen about 3-4 years ago cost $100

    • weka 5.3
      20 August 2020 at 6:37 pm

      mine is too old too. I use a manual system and my eftpos transactions.

      • RosieLee 5.3.1
        20 August 2020 at 7:32 pm

        Yes. That's what i do already. I'm old but tech savvy and equipped so i thought the app was a great idea. but i am not buying a new phone.

        • Draco T Bastard 5.3.1.1
          20 August 2020 at 8:59 pm

          Have you tried updating your phones operating system?

          The app requires Android 6.0 or OS11.

          A phone that old may require you to manually do it (if it can do it at all). My phone was released in 2014 and can only update to Android 7.1.1

          • McFlock 5.3.1.1.1
            20 August 2020 at 11:11 pm

            If I'm not going to buy a new phone and transfer all my apps & shit, I'm definitely not going spend even more time seeing if I can root my phone without trashing all my apps and shit.

            Looking online, the thing’s only 5 years old and already secondhand in that time lol. Regardless of generation of OS, it shouldn’t be so obsolete.

            • Draco T Bastard 5.3.1.1.1.1
              21 August 2020 at 4:30 am

              I'm definitely not going spend even more time seeing if I can root my phone without trashing all my apps and shit.

              Not talking about putting in after market OS. Just seeing if it can be updated to a later version. My phone came out standard with Android 5 but its now running 7.1.1 but I had to tell it to update. It wouldn't do it automatically because it did a full reset of the data.

              All your apps can be reinstalled and you should have backups of data.

              Looking online, the thing’s only 5 years old and already secondhand in that time lol.

              Tech changes and moves on but the big one for me is the security vulnerabilities in an old OS that are no longer being fixed.

              • McFlock …
                21 August 2020 at 3:25 pm

                no, it can't be updated, and reinstalling all the apps would be bloody annoying.

              • greywarshark …
                21 August 2020 at 3:34 pm

                That confirms to me that this is all a big con, the obsolescence thing, a forced sale of device or you will lose out on communication. To put it crudely the techs have got us by the short and curlies.

                • Draco T Bastard …
                  21 August 2020 at 4:07 pm

                  So, you would prefer to have you as an open book for the criminals?

                  The techs and the upgrades go a long way to thwarting them from doing so. To get those benefits does require you to upgrade though.

                  • McFlock …
                    21 August 2020 at 4:29 pm

                    My bank doesn't think I'm an open book to cybercriminals.

                    What do the covid app designers know that my bank app designers don't?

                    • Draco T Bastard …
                      21 August 2020 at 4:35 pm

                      /facepalm

                      Really, the phone has one OS that applies across many makes and models. It's not specifically customised for you – its for everyone which means that each OS has every protection it can built in whether you think you want it or not. The fact that you obviously think that you don't probably does mean that you're an open book to the cyber criminals.

                      That software needs processing power and so, as the OS develops, so to does the hardware. You can't, effectively, run a new OS on old hardware.

                    • lprent []
                      21 August 2020 at 5:59 pm

                      The relationship between hardware and software is pretty arbitrary. The most obvious example is Linux. I just upgraded my old Sony laptop circa 2009 to kubuntu 20.04. No problems. No particular loss of speed since I first dropped ubuntu on in 2009.

                      I mowtly write code, read email, and read the net on it. Nothing fancy. Had a external USB wifi as that chip failed on the board.

                      But it had a full HD screen on it when I got it and 3GB Ram. Replaced the hdd with a ssd.

                      Still using both the origonal lithium batteries and they still last for about 3 hours.

                      The software issues on cell phones are mostly and issue with design and marketing.

                    • McFlock …
                      21 August 2020 at 4:48 pm

                      I know they're not tailored for me.

                      And yes, I've seen some apps stop working after they got "updated" to newer OS.

                      But all major banks in NZ seem to still be happy giving their customers apps that work on my OS. So they don't think I'm wide open to cyber criminals, otherwise they'd have gone the way of… the wikipedia app (obviously in need of higher security than banking apps, that).

                      Now, my suspicion is that the banks know their apps are secure enough on an older OS, and because it helps them keep customers they put the work into updating their apps in such a way to keep them working for their customers. Whereas it's in the interests of other apps to simply ignore compatibility issues with older phones because of cost, and because the market information apps gather is most valuable for data gathered on people who are early/midlevel adopters.

                      But you can always explain why a bank will leave customers wide open to cyber criminals while the wikipedia app developers are so much more cautious.

    • Gabby 5.4
      20 August 2020 at 11:13 pm

      Take a pic wherever you go, somebody suggested.

    • xanthe 5.5
      21 August 2020 at 9:01 am

      you could just photograph the qr code or just the shop frontage photo metadata will give time

      no alerts but simple

  6. ScottGN 6
    20 August 2020 at 6:21 pm

    Professor Rod Jackson on Radio NZ this afternoon made the observation that the best takeout from National’s border policy release today is that finally we’ve got broad consensus across the political spectrum that what we are doing is the right thing to do. All the gang that have been advocating open borders and open slather have effectively been sidelined. It’s only taken 6 months!

    • Muttonbird 6.1
      20 August 2020 at 6:24 pm

      +1. See my post at 4.

      Finally the opposition has come around. Only took a second outbreak to do it…

      • ScottGN 6.1.1
        20 August 2020 at 6:27 pm

        Yeah just saw that. I was thinking more of Thornley and the Plan B gang. And the Unis. National have quietly dropped their plan to let tertiary education providers manage quarantine for international students.

        • greywarshark 6.1.1.1
          20 August 2020 at 8:10 pm

          edit
          Unis will have to attend closely to students' pastoral needs and not have any dying unnoticed, alone. Well that was Canterbury and perhaps all of them have fallen for factory education – have you caught up with Chch's latest distasteful disaster? I think that should be enough to have his contract broken.

          https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/122499126/senior-engineering-lecturer-investigated-after-posting-insensitive-comments-online
          (Guess where he comes from – Paranoia Central.)

          Senior lecturer in chemical engineering Luke Schneider posted answers suggesting that beneficiaries should commit suicide, that he would “shoot to kill” looters in a riot to protect private property and that a virus which killed “the lowest IQ people” would help get back a “sustainable planet”.

          The comments were among about 600 posted by Schneider to American question-and-answer website Quora, which lists Schneiders full name, job title and where he studied in the United States.
          One answer from a question about social security wealth redistribution on August 11, read: “If you can’t survive without the largess of others, it’s your patriotic duty to commit suicide”. ..

          Schneider’s LinkedIn profile says he was educated at South Florida and Princeton universities in the United States, and has worked in both the Unites[d] States and New Zealand.

          Also late last year there was this:
          Oct//19 https://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/116288238/law-lecturer-outs-himself-as-subject-of-unjustified-harassment-complaint

    • Pat 6.2
      20 August 2020 at 6:26 pm

      Not all….theres still a vocal and enabled minority pushing a different agenda….and National's position is loose enough to continue to support that agenda

      • Draco T Bastard 6.2.1
        20 August 2020 at 9:14 pm

        Yep. If National gets power expect the borders to be open within 6 months and a massive surge of the pandemic in NZ within 6 months of that.

  7. ScottGN 7
    20 August 2020 at 6:29 pm

    Lisa’s giving Judith a hard time on Checkpoint. “How are you going to deliver this, you couldn't even build the bridges in Northland!” Ouch!

  8. ScottGN 8
    20 August 2020 at 6:33 pm

    Judith also said that if there was Bill of Rights implications for the pre-travel Covid testing she would legislate to override it ‘within the first hundred days’. So there you go April at the very earliest.

    • UncookedSelachimorpha 8.1
      20 August 2020 at 6:39 pm

      Hopefully at least April 2024

    • Devo 8.2
      20 August 2020 at 6:44 pm

      It won't negate the need for 14 day quarantine and day 3 and 12 testing, while creating headaches for kiwis in countries where test results can take over a week to come back, or where limited test stocks are reserved for symptomatic people only. So then the question is why?

      Basically, National like to have the appearance of being tough on stuff by taking measures that don't make any difference. You could even call it virtue signalling LOL

  9. ScottGN 9
    20 August 2020 at 7:24 pm

    This is great. The PM in her element with people. But also the way the the PMO is cleverly contrasting the PM with the Leader of The Opposition. Sheer brainpower.

    https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/masked-pm-praises-esr-team-critical-work-in-mapping-covid-19-cases

  10. I Feel Love 10
    20 August 2020 at 7:36 pm

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/checkpoint/audio/2018760413/we-ll-make-sure-it-s-legal-collins-on-compulsory-testing-before-flying-to-nz

    GOnna be interesting to see the mental gymnastics over the freedom loving Nat supporters supporting this, if Collins doesn't like a law she will just change it.

    • I Feel Love 10.1
      20 August 2020 at 7:49 pm

      It's quite a slippery slope isn't it? Why not test for any infectious disease? A eugenics wet dream.

      • Incognito 10.1.1
        20 August 2020 at 7:52 pm

        Carrying an infectious disease and eugenics are unrelated AFAIK but I love to be educated.

        • McFlock 10.1.1.1
          21 August 2020 at 12:36 am

          not sure "eugenics" is the right word, but I'm sure someone could figure out a way to exclude or alienate groups they don't like. Having about fifty diseases to make the testing costs prohibitive, for example, or targeting diseases common in potus' s-hole countries even if we don't have effective vectors for those diseases here.

          Even if they keep "infectious" in the legislation.

          I find myself double-thinking quite a few reasonable or harmless ideas with "now, what if Judith Collins were in charge of this policy?"

  11. Muttonbird 11
    20 August 2020 at 7:39 pm

    Apparently in Taiwan new arrivals can choose to isolate in hotels, Air BnBs, or private homes but they are monitored by cell phone.

    Student politician, David Seymour, wants to do the same thing here.

    Curious he's picked Taiwan as a model. It is a country living under extreme paranoia and has done for several decades. A country pre-loaded for isolation, its citizens have been told to distrust anyone since birth in case they are infiltrated. A country which cannot get legitimacy from the West for fear of repercussion from China via a cutting off of cheap and under represented labour which makes the West’s 1%, and 10% so rich.

    David Seymour also wants to re-open The Rock to house his scheme's rule breakers. Me-thinks another riot wouldn't be far behind that decision.

    Question: Would New Zealand be better off without student politician, David Seymour?

    Answer: Computer says yes.

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/424035/covid-19-act-wants-to-ditch-government-run-isolation-hotels

    • Ad 13.1
      20 August 2020 at 8:21 pm

      If the next government hasn't figured out how to corral state entities like NZSuper to stop actively undermining NZTA, then they just don't have the muscle for the job to happen.

      Twyford expressing "preferences" at this point in the election cycle has far less credence than when he announced the same thing three years ago at the same time.

      Woods, Simpson and Roche are busy with other stuff. Time for a Cabinet with a really powerful integrated infrastructure portfolio set.

      • greywarshark 13.1.1
        21 August 2020 at 4:44 pm

        edit
        Juli Ann Genter sounds confident in that stuff link. What about heavy goods? Is there something left in the kitty and space on the ground to ensure a good run for that to where it should deliver? Getting people round, getting goods around, they are both important.

        Surface light rail on the Dominion Rd route will be more accessible, and quicker and cheaper to put in place. That means more money to invest in more rapid transit lines around Auckland, like rail to the North Shore and northwest,” Genter said.

        She said her party was the party to trust when it comes to transport infrastructure. “The Green Party has a history of campaigning for successful public transport projects well before other parties pick them up, like the Northern Busway, electrification of Auckland’s rail network, and the CRL [City Rail Link],” Genter said.

        “The Greens are the party people can trust to deliver when it comes to excellent public transport.”

        • Ad 13.1.1.1
          21 August 2020 at 5:45 pm

          Kiwirail is the key to that.

          We are now in construction for Auckland's Third Main line. Also electrification of Papakura to Pukekohe is underway, which is close to completing full electrification from Auckland to Hamilton to Wellington. That's also the secret to Kiwirail getting a fully electrified fleet for the North Island.

          Most of the multiple billions Kiwirail are getting this term have come through New Zealand First cabinet advocacy at the Budget table.

          • greywarshark 13.1.1.1.1
            22 August 2020 at 10:19 am

            That would be a big up for NZFirst, that allows them to retire with good wishes and a gold watch, or similar.

  14. Ad 14
    20 August 2020 at 8:15 pm

    I'm guessing minimal poll bump for the Democrats after that Convention.

    Which would be a first.

  15. Peter 15
    20 August 2020 at 10:17 pm

    Modular houses built in China because they're much cheaper to built there. Fancy that eh. We can scrap our home building industry and just import houses. Be terrible if we export logs there to have them turned into houses and returned here mind you. We could probably bring in workers from offshore to assemble and finish them though. Long hours, low wages, imagine the money someone could make.

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12358131

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  • A Voyage Among the Vandals: Accepted (Again!)

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    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
    21 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
    5 days ago
  • Minister to speak at Australian Space Forum

    Minister for Space and Science, Innovation and Technology Judith Collins will travel to Adelaide tomorrow for space and science engagements, including speaking at the Australian Space Forum.  While there she will also have meetings and visits with a focus on space, biotechnology and innovation.  “New Zealand has a thriving space ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Climate Change Minister to attend climate action meeting in China

    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts will travel to China on Saturday to attend the Ministerial on Climate Action meeting held in Wuhan.  “Attending the Ministerial on Climate Action is an opportunity to advocate for New Zealand climate priorities and engage with our key partners on climate action,” Mr Watts says. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Oceans and Fisheries Minister to Solomons

    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is travelling to the Solomon Islands tomorrow for meetings with his counterparts from around the Pacific supporting collective management of the region’s fisheries. The 23rd Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Committee and the 5th Regional Fisheries Ministers’ Meeting in Honiara from 23 to 26 July ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Government launches Military Style Academy Pilot

    The Government today launched the Military Style Academy Pilot at Te Au rere a te Tonga Youth Justice residence in Palmerston North, an important part of the Government’s plan to crackdown on youth crime and getting youth offenders back on track, Minister for Children, Karen Chhour said today. “On the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Nine priority bridge replacements to get underway

    The Government has welcomed news the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has begun work to replace nine priority bridges across the country to ensure our state highway network remains resilient, reliable, and efficient for road users, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“Increasing productivity and economic growth is a key priority for the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Update on global IT outage

    Acting Prime Minister David Seymour has been in contact throughout the evening with senior officials who have coordinated a whole of government response to the global IT outage and can provide an update. The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has designated the National Emergency Management Agency as the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • New Zealand, Japan renew Pacific partnership

    New Zealand and Japan will continue to step up their shared engagement with the Pacific, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “New Zealand and Japan have a strong, shared interest in a free, open and stable Pacific Islands region,” Mr Peters says.    “We are pleased to be finding more ways ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • New infrastructure energises BOP forestry towns

    New developments in the heart of North Island forestry country will reinvigorate their communities and boost economic development, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones visited Kaingaroa and Kawerau in Bay of Plenty today to open a landmark community centre in the former and a new connecting road in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • 'Pacific Futures'

    President Adeang, fellow Ministers, honourable Diet Member Horii, Ambassadors, distinguished guests.    Minasama, konnichiwa, and good afternoon, everyone.    Distinguished guests, it’s a pleasure to be here with you today to talk about New Zealand’s foreign policy reset, the reasons for it, the values that underpin it, and how it ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

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