the nice thing about the wikipedia posts is that it's easy to go back to the same page for the 2017 election (and previous), and get a sense of the trends and change points from a wider perspective.
It's still just navel-gazing at the moment, but I doubt Todd is sleeping well. Probably eponymously mulling over September's approach into the morning.
Or maybe he's not, and that's why he's so crap.
It does seem that Winston is positioning NZ1 as a coalition lifeline for the tories this time, though. I think they're going well beyond just making themselves distinct from Labgrn.
Yes Dennis. And I bet there will be a drop in support for the Government and "expert" commentators will revel in the 2 or 5 or 20+% drop. The Opposition will claim a big win after destroying public confidence, while some of us will despise their approach.
They had Lab 59 Nat 29 last time, so the closing of the gap is certain. Labour's numbers were unsustainable. I'd guess around Lab 51 Nat 35 this time. ACT might gain from Nats.
NZF were only on 3, and they've really gone for headlines since then. Maybe back above 5. Greens will do well to be 5+.
It would be funny if NZF get a bump and Muller has to do the rule in/out dance yet again.
No surprise that’s Jamie Morton. He’s been one of the few voices of reason at the Herald since the crisis started.
The point of the article is really good too. You can test all you like but the best way to prevent spread into the community is just to impose the bloody quarantine properly and for the 14 days.
'In the week after the new testing rules were brought in, 54 people were allowed to leave early on compassionate grounds. But almost all – 50 people – left without being tested.
There were 2159 released generally from quarantine and at least 449 were allowed out without a test – and counting.'
One of Muller's many tactical mistakes is that for short-term gain (probably seen in the poll tomorrow) he is now lumping in the DG of Health with the Minister.
National will either have to say how the system would work better under the same boss, or say they want him removed, and explain how.
Thanks observer. Jamie Morton is showing healthy signs of keeping information in perspective and applying good science. He based his column on a group of experts, though he didn't seem to use Todd Muller as an informed resource.
(Experts:Te Punaha Matatini investigators, Professor Michael Plank and Dr Alex James of the University of Canterbury, Professor Shaun Hendy and Nic Steyn at University of Auckland, and Dr Rachelle Binny and Dr Audrey Lustig at Manaaki Whenua-Landcare Research.)
I’m one of the people that were let out of 2 week hotel isolation without being tested. They know how to contact me and where I am living but as of yet there has been no contact from any government agency. Not a call or an email – nothing. Tomorrow I’m going to make myself known to the agencies responsible but I’m still shocked I haven’t received as much as a text message.
Actually James the test isn't the crucial thing. If John was well isolated for 14 days and had no symptoms, then risk very low. The tests aren't 100%…..Its the social isolation that counts. That's why our lockdown worked.
I see you are back now after there has been what the PM termed an "unacceptable failure"….So here to stir.
And of the couple of thousand people isolated and possibly not tested – how many were isolated well?
mixing in the exercise room with new arrivals, children’s birthday parties etc – no reason some could have been infected by new arrivals. Of course we don’t know because the government won’t.
yeah sorry to be back when this circus of a government make a muck up that could cost the country tens of billions.
And people might get sick. You forgot to be outraged by that, too. But when I lose money, I generally find it down the couch. NZ will get its money back, don't worry yourself too much on that account.
As for your generalised, panic, if there's community spread in a couple of week, I'll be grumpy at govt. Until then [brushes off tory phrasebook] "I'm pretty relaxed. It's a dinnamik envronment".
At the hotel they had an instruction that you MUST visit the nurses floor (Level 6 of the hotel) on the third day. But instead of me going down to be tested they come to my room, asked if I had symptoms and then left again. Also as a smoker I could only smoke, between the hours of 7am – 10pm in a small glass cubicle with max 3 other people. To get there I had to take the elevator which was strictly one bubble – you could only get in the elevator if you were by yourself or with those you were quarantined with but once you got to the smoking area you were mingling with other in a 1 metre by 5 metre cubicle. So can’t get in the elevator with anyone else but CAN smoke with them in a similar space.
I mean, cohort control is part of running a quarantine/iso facility. So what sort of spread was there in people in the smokers room at any one time – were you dog-end to dog-end with fresh arrivals when you were on day 12?
Yes there were always new people in different stages of isolation mingling with everyone else. There was an outside exercise yard but you weren't allowed to smoke there
"Yes there were always new people in different stages of isolation mingling with everyone else."
In the smoker's cubicle? That's the first thing I've seen that's alarmed me. Like many I think the risk of community transmission from not testing a full 14 days is low. But having new arrivals in close contact with people about to leave is daft.
haven't followed closely but the whole thing does make me wonder what's been happening with the contracting with the hotels and then supervising to make sure it's being done properly. Has this been covered in the MSM?
eg in this case, would the MoH have inspected the smoking room and set the rules for use?
Assuming everything as described is correct and there are no other considerations that were made outside the knowledge of returnees, on the face of it it looks like the MoH staff MAY (massive speculation here) have considered things like where people are roomed, how they are checked in and transported, their scheduled access for medical supervision, their use of lifts for exercise/access to communal areas and med rooms, how they are fed, and so on.And the hotel operators do the bulk of the daily work, like they would normally do – schedule cleaning, check people in and out, lifts and halls cleaned, etc.
My suspicion is that the MoH is not culturally in the habit of including smokers in their consideration. So the communal areas like lifts, pools, and gyms might have been specifically mentioned for management (maybe most other hotels had balconies on each room that smokers used on the sly), but the smoking area might not. And without specific consideration, the hotel folk just ignored it. And the smokers did whatever they wanted.
Or they might just have done the math of smoker numbers and size of the area, and figured it was fine. Or there was mingling allowed for people with negative tests or people most of the way through without symptom. Or the story has a wrong end or two that means there was no actual problem.
But if it's true, it's a stupid oversight that needs to be corrected as soon as possible.
If you completed 14 day isolation do you think it is necessary to be tested? Appears as if the MoH placed importance on the isolation rather than the testing. This would have been fine had the National Party not insisted on compassionate exemptions which they were using to beat the government with for political purposes.
In short, when National gets involved, everything turns to crap.
Could just quit smoking I guess. The team of 5 million were quite thorough disciplined. We plated by the rules of Level 4 lockdown. Shame some returnees have ruined it for everyone else.
The way I see it, National were searching hard for sticks with which to beat the government. One of them was the compassionate exemptions for funerals. They even started a petition about it, authorised by Paula Bennett. This was all Bridges policy.
For whatever reason the government decided to relax the rules, presumably to avoid National gaining traction with this risky policy.
Rather than 'blaming' National, it does illustrate how very very poor the pandemic response would be if National were in charge. There would be exemptions all over the place for anyone who tweeted their needs to Chris Bishop!
Labour is the government and they have to take responsibility. National are the opposition. You’re basically saying Labour take their marching orders from National. You think Ardern is that weak?
You know what’s worse than Labour screwing this up? Labour screwing it up because they were scared of National. Because that is what you’re saying.
I find it interesting the very policy which was relaxed, and which led to the Covid-Karens being able to lie their way out of quarantine, was National Party policy.
National wears none of the blame. The government shoulders it all. They made the decisions. What you imply is this government is weak and are so venal they follow opposition policy.
What you’re saying is labour are so craven for victory they’ll follow the policies of the opposition party.
That’s great. But given I was talking about current policies the measures currently in place by the government of today, and not about what the opposition says, I fail to see the relevance of your commentary.
It has basically come down to:
John says “the current isolation situation is a bit of a messed per my experience with it”
Muttonbird says “yeah but fuck National”
You knew you were going to be isolated, if you didn’t like the idea why didn’t you just stay where the fuck you were. I am getting so fucking annoyed at you whinging ungrateful arseholes who with a lottery winning passport to the best lifeboat in the world carry on like the self-entitled shits you are. We were all here and we made the sacrifices to make this the world leading refuge it is. So shut the fuck up, the rest of us have had a gutsful of you.
Well, the government has said they want to test everyone who left managed isolation from June 9th and beyond. I left June 10th so am part of that group.
Social distancing was patchy. We all sat together on the plane but then socially distanced on the ground. At the hotel I was to to social distance on the elevator but there was mingling at reception and in the smoking and exercise area. It wasn’t a comprehensive rule. It was completely muddled. You can only go in the elevator one at a time but can mingle out the front in the exercise area. It was a bit of a disaster
At the hotel I was to to social distance on the elevator but there was mingling at reception and in the smoking and exercise area. It wasn’t a comprehensive rule. It was completely muddled …. it was a bit of a disaster
It is individual responsibility to keep socially distant as much as possible. That is a comprehensive rule, it is quite simple to understand, and that individuals should follow as much as possible. To imply otherwise, and refer to it as completely muddled, infers that people were not responsible for failing to do their best at social distancing.
The shopping members of our team of 5 million kiwis tried very hard to achieve good social distancing when shopping for food (the most dangerous thing to do) during the lockdown. It would have been no more 'muddled' than at supermarkets, but everyone I saw, and I went three times, were acting as if they carried Covid, or they were the only person in the place without it.
I think new arrivals just don't get it. What we've been able to do. They have come from places where the response has been as best slack and muddled, and at worst disastrous for tens or hundreds of thousands.
They then seek to import that slack and muddled response by not doing what they are told.
And just to make myself clear, I think if areas look a little crowded then people should not add to those crowds. It's necessary to make sacrifices when social distancing, and that may mean not socialising at all if you, and others, cannot met the distance guidelines. Many people I know didn't go into supermarkets if they arrived and there were a lot of people.
yeah I owe you an apology. I think it sounds o.k for the virus point of view what went on. You were isolated for 2 weeks and the smoking room is big enough, just. I remember the experts saying that you need to be around someone for 15 minutes for virus to be transmitted. That is of course unless you are symptomatic, coughing etc.
I have just read an account of isolation in Queensland where they have controlled the virus very well. It sounds a really tough gig especially on your own. They don’t test there if there are no symptoms.I think people need to see that travelling should only be done if absolutely essential.
I have a relative overseas whose lifespan has been cut short by cancer. Its very sad. She has great support over there thankfully, but I know it is a real possibility I won't see her again.
JohnSelway, you have had more than your 15 minutes of fame. If it has been so bad, f**k off back to Melbourne. Despite the shockingly bad way you were treated, NZ doesn't have community transmission – unlike the place you escaped from. On the way out, feel free to drop some cash inn the donations bin to subsidise your hotel stay.
I spent two weeks in quarantine in Brisbane and wasn't tested before leaving the hotel. The quarantine was strict and as far as I know, still strict, but only those with symptoms are tested in Oz. I think up to Level 1 in NZ, people weren't tested before leaving in quarantine unless they were symptomatic because it was the 14 day stay that was intended to clear any virus, even from asymptomatics. The more rigorous testing system (day 3 and day 12) was brought in in NZ because there was far more danger of the very odd person leaving quarantine still infectious passing it on with no social distancing etc. Considering the challenges involved, I think that despite a few hiccoughs the government in NZ has responded quickly and closed as many possible gaps as possible. Is it foolproof? No,but a damn sight more foolproof than just about anywhere else in the western world!
Yep, which is what Dr Souxie explained, oh, many times. But lets give the RWs plenty of rope, time will tell. Like I said above, nothing stopping any of us getting ourselves tested if we really want to.
I don't think having a go at people in the isolation/quarantine is helpful. (I know I took the mickey out of the late breakfast story, but that was too ridiculous to pass up).
This process is going to continue for months, and obviously it needs to be done right, but it also needs a bit of empathy on all sides. People returning need to be aware of the sacrifices made in NZ (from jobs to lives), and to appreciate why they're now able to return to one of the least restricted societies in the world. But those of us based in NZ shouldn't jump to conclusions about how/why people have been overseas, which could be anything from work, family, etc. It's not all a junket.
I have less empathy for those who are hoping things go bad, for political gain. They can do one.
Agree. There needs to be mandatory education for new arrivals about what we have achieved here, what advantages there are in an open NZ society once through quarantine, and most importantly what is expected from them under quarantine.
And who caused this present round of hysteria? The National Party. They have muddied the waters to such an extent people can't see through the labyrinth of lies and disinformation and don't understand there is no community spread so they are as safe as they were a month ago. They certainly don't need to rush out all at once and clog up the roads so people can’t get to where they need to go.
I hope they are done over big time this election for their unprincipled and dangerous behaviour.
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New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
The Government’s newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealand’s urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...
The Government must commit to the Maitai School building project for students with high and complex needs, to ensure disabled students from the top of the South Island have somewhere to learn. ...
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey and his Government colleagues have made a meal of their mental health commitments, showing how flimsy their efforts to champion the issue truly are, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...
Māori are yet to see anything from this Government except cuts, reversals and taking our people backwards, Māori Development spokesperson Willie Jackson said. ...
The Coalition Government’s refusal to commit to ongoing funding for social housing is seeing the sector pull back on developments and families watch their dreams of securing a home fade away, says Labour Housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty. ...
Changes to minimum wage and benefit indexation means many New Zealanders will get less this year, as the Government gives a big tax break to landlords instead. ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner. The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. “I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...
The coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...
State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iran’s shocking and illegal strikes against Israel. “These attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says. "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...
Hundreds of people in little over a week have turned out in Northland to hear Regional Development Minister Shane Jones speak about plans for boosting the regional economy through infrastructure. About 200 people from the infrastructure and associated sectors attended an event headlined by Mr Jones in Whangarei today. Last ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board. “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti. “I have asked her to ...
The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has signalled their proposed delivery approach for the Government’s 15 Roads of National Significance (RoNS), with the release of the State Highway Investment Proposal (SHIP) today, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to ...
New Zealand is renewing its connections with a world facing urgent challenges by pursuing an active, energetic foreign policy, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “Our country faces the most unstable global environment in decades,” Mr Peters says at the conclusion of two weeks of engagements in Egypt, Europe and the United States. “We cannot afford to sit back in splendid ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced the Australian Governor-General, His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley and his wife Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley, will make a State visit to New Zealand from Tuesday 16 April to Thursday 18 April. The visit reciprocates the State visit of former Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced that Medsafe has approved 11 cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine. Pharmaceutical suppliers have indicated they may be able to supply the first products in June. “This is much earlier than the original expectation of medicines being available by 2025. The Government recognised ...
New Zealand and the United States have recommitted to their strategic partnership in Washington DC today, pledging to work ever more closely together in support of shared values and interests, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The strategic environment that New Zealand and the United States face is considerably more ...
April 11, 2024 Joint Declaration by United States Secretary of State the Honorable Antony J. Blinken and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs the Right Honourable Winston Peters We met today in Washington, D.C. to recommit to the historic partnership between our two countries and the principles that underpin it—rule ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced further New Zealand cooperation with the United States in the Pacific Islands region through $16.4 million in funding for initiatives in digital connectivity and oceans and fisheries research. “New Zealand can achieve more in the Pacific if we work together more urgently and ...
Māori representation brings a perspective that encompasses not only the interests of Māori communities but also a broader, holistic approach to environmental stewardship and community well-being, principles deeply embedded in Te Ao Māori (the Māori ...
This week in Auckland, a group of young people took over the microphone at a ministerial press conference, to explain why they oppose the Fast-Track Approvals Bill. One young woman said, ‘We’re here because we love Aotearoa New Zealand. We want to raise our children in an environment that’s thriving, ...
The summer was wonderful. Evie was wonderful, too; finally a teenager, finally worthy of long, hot days. She shaved her legs for the first time and bought cut-off shorts from the op-shop that made them look long. She got a Warehouse singlet so tight on her new shape that her ...
When Thomas James was on his solo camp as part of Outward Bound, the keen outdoorsman didn’t find it too challenging, as others often do. In what might just be the perfect illustration of his character, he saw it as a great opportunity to solve a few problems. “I thought, ...
From the unstable and drippy to the hi-tech and pretty, here’s our ranking of all the tunnels you can drive through in this country. The first tunnel seems to have been built in 2200BC in Babylonia, kicking off a global phenomenon for digging holes in order to get places more ...
Lucinda Bennett on the art of being greedy but resourceful. This is an excerpt from our weekly food newsletter, The Boil Up. When I picture the market, it is always this time of year. Crisp air, dripping nose, counting coins with cold fingers. Sunlight pale, filtered through specks of dew still ...
Zoë Colling’s favourite piece in the ‘That’s So Last Century’ collection is a lubrication chart for a sewing machine from the ’60s. It’s about the size of a postcard, and carefully maintained. “I like it that this piece of ephemera highlights that manual and technical side of the skill involved ...
Kia Ora Gaza A passionate haka reverberated through Auckland International Airport as a medical team of three New Zealand doctors received an emotional farewell from a big crowd of supporters before flying to Turkey to join the international Freedom Flotilla to Gaza. The doctors, who left Auckland yesterday, hope to ...
With submissions closing today, Macassey-Pickard says groups around the country have been supporting a huge range of people to make their submissions. ...
Our response to the new legislation is informed by targeted conversations with practitioners working in the system and through an implementation lens. ...
The new ‘Fast-track Approvals Bill’ would give just three Ministers the power to approve or deny development projects. They would avoid the usual checks and balances that are in place to protect rivers, land, the ocean, and communities. ...
COMMENTARY:By Eugene Doyle Helen Clark, how I miss you. The former New Zealand Prime Minister — the safest pair of hands this country has had in living memory — gave a masterclass on the importance of maintaining an independent foreign policy when she spoke at an AUKUS symposium held ...
The government's released the list of organisations provided with information on how to apply - just hours before public submissions on the bill close. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milton Speer, Visiting Fellow, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney Before climate change really got going, eastern Australia’s flash floods tended to concentrate on our coastal regions, east of the Great Dividing Range. But that’s changing. Now ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elizabeth Finkel, Vice-Chancellor’s Fellow, La Trobe University Sia Duff / South Australian Museum In February, the South Australian Museum “re-imagined” itself. In the face of rising costs and inadequate government funds, CEO David Gaimster, who took the reins last June, declared ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alan Pearce, Professor, School of Allied Heath, Human Services & Sport, La Trobe University, La Trobe University This week, Collingwood AFL player Nathan Murphy announced his retirement, brought on by his concussion history and ongoing issues. The 24-year-old’s seemingly sudden retirement, ...
The Mental Health Foundation provides support and resources for those facing the loss of their job, so it’s wrong in the very week the Government adds another 1000 jobs to its tally of cuts, that this is happening. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Howard, Senior Lecturer, Discipline of English and Writing, University of Sydney Daniel Boud/Sydney Theatre Company Decay, terror, revulsion. These are three of the central themes of Thomas Bernhard’s rarely performed play The President. The Austrian is one of the greatest ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ye In (Jane) Hwang, Postdoctoral Research Associate at School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney Shutterstock You’d be hard pressed to find any aspect of daily life that doesn’t require some form of digital literacy. We need only to look back ten ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says threats by ministers Shane Jones and David Seymour to reform or close down the Waitangi Tribunal were “ill-considered”, as legal experts say the ministers may have breached Cabinet Manual conventions. “I think those comments are ill-considered and we expect all ministers to actually exercise good ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rob Newton, Professor of Exercise Medicine, Edith Cowan University Pexels/RDNE stock project You’re not in your 20s or 30s anymore and you know regular health checks are important. So you go to your GP. During the appointment they measure your waist. ...
A new poem by Evangeline Riddiford Graham. Mitochondrial Problem I. It was long drive to Kansas for the man and his dog but you have to understand he said She doesn’t fly. Which calls to mind not carsick shitting barking or whining but a dog who chooses not to as ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Hemingway’s Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38)Hot off the press, this debut ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laura Wajnryb McDonald, PhD candidate in Criminology, University of Sydney Less than 24 hours after Ashlee Good was murdered in Bondi Junction, her family released a statement requesting the media take down photographs they had reproduced of Ashlee and her family without ...
Chief executive Shaun Robinson said it has not had any government funding cut, but government-funded contracts have not kept pace with rising costs. ...
The Ministry of Health has delayed the release of its evidence brief on the safety, reversibility and mental health and wellbeing outcomes for puberty blockers. While we wait, Julia de Bres speaks to those with firsthand experience. Best practice gender-affirming healthcare is based on trans people’s self-determination and agency. The ...
Barcelona’s city streets have gone from traffic-clogged to pedestrian-friendly. How? Superblocks. Ellen Rykers explains. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week I read a great interview with renowned urbanist Janette Sadik-Khan by The Spinoff’s Wellington editor Joel MacManus: “You can reimagine streets, ...
Student groups ‘Climate Action VUW’, Schools Strike 4 Climate and VUWSA will be on the street in Wellington today, the last day for submissions on the Fast-track Approvals Bill, with a message that the fight against the Government’s ‘War on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sofia Ammassari, Research Fellow, Griffith University Since 2014, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popularity has grown exponentially – and so has the formidable organisational machine of his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). These two factors will be key to delivering the BJP a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brendon Hyndman, Associate Professor of Education (Adjunct) & Senior Manager (BCE), Charles Sturt University During COVID almost all Australian students and their families experienced online learning. But while schools have long since gone back to in-person teaching, online learning has not gone ...
Yes, they’re better for the environment. No, that’s not a good enough reason for me to use them. Once every 26 days or so, my period arrives, and if struck by an act of God, I am caught red-crotched without products. How, after 17 years of this, do I still ...
“It will cause significant harm to our environment and communities. It is completely at odds with New Zealanders’ relationship with nature and our need for a low-carbon, sustainable economic future." ...
The Chair of the National Maori Authority, Matthew Tukaki, has warned a Parliamentary Select Committee that fast-tracking legislation is a perilous practice that undermines the core tenets of democracy, transparency, and accountability. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Tenbensel, Associate Professor, Health Policy, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Getty Images Since coming into power, the coalition government has adopted a simple but shrewd see-how-fast-we-can-move political strategy. However, in the health sector this need for speed entails ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Hronis, Clinical Psychologist, University of Technology Sydney Darya Sannikova/Pexels Whether you’re watching TV, attending a footy game, or eating a meal at your local pub, gambling is hard to escape. Although the rise of gambling is not unique to Australia, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Wong, Forrest Fellow, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia Have you ever wondered if there are more insects out at night than during the day? We set out to answer this question by combing through the scientific ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Carol T Kulik, Research Professor, University of South Australia IR Stone/Shutterstock In Australia, it’s not the done thing to know – let alone ask – what our colleagues are paid. Yet, it’s easy to see how pay transparency can make pay ...
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) is sounding a warning to migrants, that running foul of the law may see them leaving the country prematurely. ...
The government’s plan to get 50,000 people off jobseeker support by 2030 has had a rocky start, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Beneficiary numbers are up – and so are ...
Raglan Roast is a staple of Wellington coffee culture. But with five branches across the capital, which one is the best? I am a die-hard Raglan Roast fan. It’s consistently the most affordable cafe in Wellington, and one of the only places you can get a coffee after 3pm. So, ...
Residents of University of Auckland halls are being urged to withhold their accommodation fees from May 1, in a bid to force the university to take student concerns over rent hikes seriously.The University of Auckland is facing a strike from students over the cost of on-campus accommodation. The Students ...
New Zealand and the Philippines have signed a new maritime security agreement and stated their concerns over activity in the South China Sea, as Chinese vessels continue to flout international law. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Philippines President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos committed to signing a Mutual Logistics Supporting Arrangement by ...
The thousands of government “back-office” job cuts are causing widespread pain in the capital city. In today’s episode of The Detail, we speak to three journalists and a think tank researcher, looking at the larger picture around the cuts and what effect it will have on Wellington, a city that’s ...
Opinion: The famed American architect and urban designer Daniel Burnham once said, “Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men’s blood!” Burnham wouldn’t have been referring to the transport plans in Aotearoa New Zealand over the past five years; projects so big they hadn’t the credibility to ...
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Opinion: With maths understanding at 42 percent for Year 8 students, there’s no doubt something has to be done. But how? The post Financial literacy should be on all of us appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Hineaupounamu ‘Missy’ Nuku has been scaling mountains in Canada for her college basketball team, the Lakeland Rustlers. Alberta is currently home for the 20-year-old point guard, who is in her first year of a scholarship at Lakeland College, where she is studying for a business degree. She has certainly made ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra When ASIO boss Mike Burgess delivered his annual threat assessment earlier this year, he stressed the rising danger posed by espionage and foreign interference. “In 2024, threats to our way of life have surpassed ...
The Tribunal had called on Minister for Children Karen Chhour to provide evidence at an urgent inquiry into the repeal of Section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By T.J. Thomson, Senior Lecturer in Visual Communication & Digital Media, RMIT University Midjourney image by T.J. Thomson As more than half of Australian office workers report using generative artificial intelligence (AI) for work, we’re starting to see this technology affect every ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lisa Nicole Sharwood, Injury epidemiologist | Expert Witness, UNSW Sydney Sergey Novikov/Shutterstock Injuries are the leading cause of disability and death among Australian children and adolescents. At least a quarter of all emergency department presentations during childhood are injury-related. Injuries can ...
Next Colmar Brunton poll: tomorrow night. Just heard it on One News.
Thanks for that news; handy graphical summary of NZ political poll results here.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polling_for_the_2020_New_Zealand_general_election
Not as sophisticated as Matthew Whitehead's Pollwatch posts, but still worth a look.
the nice thing about the wikipedia posts is that it's easy to go back to the same page for the 2017 election (and previous), and get a sense of the trends and change points from a wider perspective.
It's still just navel-gazing at the moment, but I doubt Todd is sleeping well. Probably eponymously mulling over September's approach into the morning.
Or maybe he's not, and that's why he's so crap.
It does seem that Winston is positioning NZ1 as a coalition lifeline for the tories this time, though. I think they're going well beyond just making themselves distinct from Labgrn.
Yes Dennis. And I bet there will be a drop in support for the Government and "expert" commentators will revel in the 2 or 5 or 20+% drop. The Opposition will claim a big win after destroying public confidence, while some of us will despise their approach.
They had Lab 59 Nat 29 last time, so the closing of the gap is certain. Labour's numbers were unsustainable. I'd guess around Lab 51 Nat 35 this time. ACT might gain from Nats.
NZF were only on 3, and they've really gone for headlines since then. Maybe back above 5. Greens will do well to be 5+.
It would be funny if NZF get a bump and Muller has to do the rule in/out dance yet again.
Thanks Dennis 🙂 That's going to be interesting.
Credit where it's due: this is a really good, concise summary of NZ's current Covid-19 reailty. from the Herald/NZME.
Makes a welcome change from hysterical headlines.
No surprise that’s Jamie Morton. He’s been one of the few voices of reason at the Herald since the crisis started.
The point of the article is really good too. You can test all you like but the best way to prevent spread into the community is just to impose the bloody quarantine properly and for the 14 days.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2020/06/health-minister-david-clark-brutally-throws-dr-ashley-bloomfield-under-the-bus-while-standing-right-next-to-him.html
'In the week after the new testing rules were brought in, 54 people were allowed to leave early on compassionate grounds. But almost all – 50 people – left without being tested.
There were 2159 released generally from quarantine and at least 449 were allowed out without a test – and counting.'
Gee, which of those two would most New Zealanders want gone?
One of Muller's many tactical mistakes is that for short-term gain (probably seen in the poll tomorrow) he is now lumping in the DG of Health with the Minister.
National will either have to say how the system would work better under the same boss, or say they want him removed, and explain how.
You probably should have read the link in my comment first.
Easy bet that most New Zealanders would prefer to have Dr Bloomfield as Minister of Health than would have Mr Clark remain there.
Doubt he would want the job; just to work with a politician who has cabinet’s respect.
Thanks observer. Jamie Morton is showing healthy signs of keeping information in perspective and applying good science. He based his column on a group of experts, though he didn't seem to use Todd Muller as an informed resource.
(Experts:Te Punaha Matatini investigators, Professor Michael Plank and Dr Alex James of the University of Canterbury, Professor Shaun Hendy and Nic Steyn at University of Auckland, and Dr Rachelle Binny and Dr Audrey Lustig at Manaaki Whenua-Landcare Research.)
I’m one of the people that were let out of 2 week hotel isolation without being tested. They know how to contact me and where I am living but as of yet there has been no contact from any government agency. Not a call or an email – nothing. Tomorrow I’m going to make myself known to the agencies responsible but I’m still shocked I haven’t received as much as a text message.
John – amazing and disgusting at the same time.
Actually James the test isn't the crucial thing. If John was well isolated for 14 days and had no symptoms, then risk very low. The tests aren't 100%…..Its the social isolation that counts. That's why our lockdown worked.
I see you are back now after there has been what the PM termed an "unacceptable failure"….So here to stir.
And of the couple of thousand people isolated and possibly not tested – how many were isolated well?
mixing in the exercise room with new arrivals, children’s birthday parties etc – no reason some could have been infected by new arrivals. Of course we don’t know because the government won’t.
yeah sorry to be back when this circus of a government make a muck up that could cost the country tens of billions.
And people might get sick. You forgot to be outraged by that, too. But when I lose money, I generally find it down the couch. NZ will get its money back, don't worry yourself too much on that account.
As for your generalised, panic, if there's community spread in a couple of week, I'll be grumpy at govt. Until then [brushes off tory phrasebook] "I'm pretty relaxed. It's a dinnamik envronment".
At the hotel they had an instruction that you MUST visit the nurses floor (Level 6 of the hotel) on the third day. But instead of me going down to be tested they come to my room, asked if I had symptoms and then left again. Also as a smoker I could only smoke, between the hours of 7am – 10pm in a small glass cubicle with max 3 other people. To get there I had to take the elevator which was strictly one bubble – you could only get in the elevator if you were by yourself or with those you were quarantined with but once you got to the smoking area you were mingling with other in a 1 metre by 5 metre cubicle. So can’t get in the elevator with anyone else but CAN smoke with them in a similar space.
Go find a testing station and get tested if you're so concerned. Or you need the state to help?
Oh I plan to go get tested. Tomorrow I’m calling the authorities to let them know of my situation.
I have no reason to suspect I have contracted it though.
Good on you.
I mean, cohort control is part of running a quarantine/iso facility. So what sort of spread was there in people in the smokers room at any one time – were you dog-end to dog-end with fresh arrivals when you were on day 12?
Yes there were always new people in different stages of isolation mingling with everyone else. There was an outside exercise yard but you weren't allowed to smoke there
"Yes there were always new people in different stages of isolation mingling with everyone else."
In the smoker's cubicle? That's the first thing I've seen that's alarmed me. Like many I think the risk of community transmission from not testing a full 14 days is low. But having new arrivals in close contact with people about to leave is daft.
yup
haven't followed closely but the whole thing does make me wonder what's been happening with the contracting with the hotels and then supervising to make sure it's being done properly. Has this been covered in the MSM?
eg in this case, would the MoH have inspected the smoking room and set the rules for use?
Assuming everything as described is correct and there are no other considerations that were made outside the knowledge of returnees, on the face of it it looks like the MoH staff MAY (massive speculation here) have considered things like where people are roomed, how they are checked in and transported, their scheduled access for medical supervision, their use of lifts for exercise/access to communal areas and med rooms, how they are fed, and so on.And the hotel operators do the bulk of the daily work, like they would normally do – schedule cleaning, check people in and out, lifts and halls cleaned, etc.
My suspicion is that the MoH is not culturally in the habit of including smokers in their consideration. So the communal areas like lifts, pools, and gyms might have been specifically mentioned for management (maybe most other hotels had balconies on each room that smokers used on the sly), but the smoking area might not. And without specific consideration, the hotel folk just ignored it. And the smokers did whatever they wanted.
Or they might just have done the math of smoker numbers and size of the area, and figured it was fine. Or there was mingling allowed for people with negative tests or people most of the way through without symptom. Or the story has a wrong end or two that means there was no actual problem.
But if it's true, it's a stupid oversight that needs to be corrected as soon as possible.
Pretty sure 'disgusting' isn't the right word for this.
John are you disappointed that you are not infected or are you thrilled that you were kept safe?
If you completed 14 day isolation do you think it is necessary to be tested? Appears as if the MoH placed importance on the isolation rather than the testing. This would have been fine had the National Party not insisted on compassionate exemptions which they were using to beat the government with for political purposes.
In short, when National gets involved, everything turns to crap.
If you are jammed in a small room with other people – it’s not isolation.
and blaming national for this is beyond pathetic.
James work out the space if:
3 square metres for up to 3 people? Really James and John!
Could just quit smoking I guess. The team of 5 million were quite thorough disciplined. We plated by the rules of Level 4 lockdown. Shame some returnees have ruined it for everyone else.
I did play by the rules. I did everything I was told to do
I'm sure you did. I was referring to the Covid-Karens.
Well, it has turned to shit since they've been pushing for relaxations. Cleary this is what happens with relaxations.
It can't be coincidence.
Wait – are you blaming National for Labour’s decision to relax the levels?
If so that’s a bit weird. If not – I’m sorry for misunderstanding
The way I see it, National were searching hard for sticks with which to beat the government. One of them was the compassionate exemptions for funerals. They even started a petition about it, authorised by Paula Bennett. This was all Bridges policy.
For whatever reason the government decided to relax the rules, presumably to avoid National gaining traction with this risky policy.
Rather than 'blaming' National, it does illustrate how very very poor the pandemic response would be if National were in charge. There would be exemptions all over the place for anyone who tweeted their needs to Chris Bishop!
Dude, come on. Really?
Labour is the government and they have to take responsibility. National are the opposition. You’re basically saying Labour take their marching orders from National. You think Ardern is that weak?
You know what’s worse than Labour screwing this up? Labour screwing it up because they were scared of National. Because that is what you’re saying.
I find it interesting the very policy which was relaxed, and which led to the Covid-Karens being able to lie their way out of quarantine, was National Party policy.
Hell, Chris Bishop even helped them escape.
So you’re saying Labour isn’t at fault because they were following National policy?
I guess I'm saying the government is at fault for following National policy.
Let's hope New Zealand never does so again.
National wears none of the blame. The government shoulders it all. They made the decisions. What you imply is this government is weak and are so venal they follow opposition policy.
What you’re saying is labour are so craven for victory they’ll follow the policies of the opposition party.
No, I'm saying National's pandemic policy is dangerous and should be avoided at all costs. We know that now.
That’s great. But given I was talking about current policies the measures currently in place by the government of today, and not about what the opposition says, I fail to see the relevance of your commentary.
It has basically come down to:
John says “the current isolation situation is a bit of a messed per my experience with it”
Muttonbird says “yeah but fuck National”
You knew you were going to be isolated, if you didn’t like the idea why didn’t you just stay where the fuck you were. I am getting so fucking annoyed at you whinging ungrateful arseholes who with a lottery winning passport to the best lifeboat in the world carry on like the self-entitled shits you are. We were all here and we made the sacrifices to make this the world leading refuge it is. So shut the fuck up, the rest of us have had a gutsful of you.
Hear hear!
I guess we will get community transmission in the next few weeks then if this is the case.
Hi John, so you were isolated for two weeks. May I ask where you came from and when?
Also was social distancing well maintained in your facility
What date were you 'let out'. I cannot quite see the point in testing anyone who left isolation 2 weeks ago, for example.
Well, the government has said they want to test everyone who left managed isolation from June 9th and beyond. I left June 10th so am part of that group.
Social distancing was patchy. We all sat together on the plane but then socially distanced on the ground. At the hotel I was to to social distance on the elevator but there was mingling at reception and in the smoking and exercise area. It wasn’t a comprehensive rule. It was completely muddled. You can only go in the elevator one at a time but can mingle out the front in the exercise area. It was a bit of a disaster
It is individual responsibility to keep socially distant as much as possible. That is a comprehensive rule, it is quite simple to understand, and that individuals should follow as much as possible. To imply otherwise, and refer to it as completely muddled, infers that people were not responsible for failing to do their best at social distancing.
The shopping members of our team of 5 million kiwis tried very hard to achieve good social distancing when shopping for food (the most dangerous thing to do) during the lockdown. It would have been no more 'muddled' than at supermarkets, but everyone I saw, and I went three times, were acting as if they carried Covid, or they were the only person in the place without it.
I think new arrivals just don't get it. What we've been able to do. They have come from places where the response has been as best slack and muddled, and at worst disastrous for tens or hundreds of thousands.
They then seek to import that slack and muddled response by not doing what they are told.
And just to make myself clear, I think if areas look a little crowded then people should not add to those crowds. It's necessary to make sacrifices when social distancing, and that may mean not socialising at all if you, and others, cannot met the distance guidelines. Many people I know didn't go into supermarkets if they arrived and there were a lot of people.
I came from Melbourne
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12342706
This is good information. I suggest John and James read it.
So John did you consider not smoking while you were in isolation?
Hang on – why the attitude? I’m just telling you my experience. I’m not on board with James.
Fair enough John, but gotta understand the suspicion, re Woodhouse etc & trolling, I appreciate your honesty and assume your good faith.
Ok John,
yeah I owe you an apology. I think it sounds o.k for the virus point of view what went on. You were isolated for 2 weeks and the smoking room is big enough, just. I remember the experts saying that you need to be around someone for 15 minutes for virus to be transmitted. That is of course unless you are symptomatic, coughing etc.
I have just read an account of isolation in Queensland where they have controlled the virus very well. It sounds a really tough gig especially on your own. They don’t test there if there are no symptoms.I think people need to see that travelling should only be done if absolutely essential.
I have a relative overseas whose lifespan has been cut short by cancer. Its very sad. She has great support over there thankfully, but I know it is a real possibility I won't see her again.
JohnSelway, you have had more than your 15 minutes of fame. If it has been so bad, f**k off back to Melbourne. Despite the shockingly bad way you were treated, NZ doesn't have community transmission – unlike the place you escaped from. On the way out, feel free to drop some cash inn the donations bin to subsidise your hotel stay.
I’m a NZ citizen you fucking halfwit – I was coming home after flying to Melbourne for work 2 weeks before everything was locked.
I spent two weeks in quarantine in Brisbane and wasn't tested before leaving the hotel. The quarantine was strict and as far as I know, still strict, but only those with symptoms are tested in Oz. I think up to Level 1 in NZ, people weren't tested before leaving in quarantine unless they were symptomatic because it was the 14 day stay that was intended to clear any virus, even from asymptomatics. The more rigorous testing system (day 3 and day 12) was brought in in NZ because there was far more danger of the very odd person leaving quarantine still infectious passing it on with no social distancing etc. Considering the challenges involved, I think that despite a few hiccoughs the government in NZ has responded quickly and closed as many possible gaps as possible. Is it foolproof? No,but a damn sight more foolproof than just about anywhere else in the western world!
Yep, which is what Dr Souxie explained, oh, many times. But lets give the RWs plenty of rope, time will tell. Like I said above, nothing stopping any of us getting ourselves tested if we really want to.
Yes Koff. ZNZ appears to be the only country with such firm isolation and the only one with such strong testing systems.
Opposition works on the belief that no matter how strong our system is, they will create a fault as if to blame the Government.
I don't think having a go at people in the isolation/quarantine is helpful. (I know I took the mickey out of the late breakfast story, but that was too ridiculous to pass up).
This process is going to continue for months, and obviously it needs to be done right, but it also needs a bit of empathy on all sides. People returning need to be aware of the sacrifices made in NZ (from jobs to lives), and to appreciate why they're now able to return to one of the least restricted societies in the world. But those of us based in NZ shouldn't jump to conclusions about how/why people have been overseas, which could be anything from work, family, etc. It's not all a junket.
I have less empathy for those who are hoping things go bad, for political gain. They can do one.
Agree. There needs to be mandatory education for new arrivals about what we have achieved here, what advantages there are in an open NZ society once through quarantine, and most importantly what is expected from them under quarantine.
I have empathy for this case.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12342669
And who caused this present round of hysteria? The National Party. They have muddied the waters to such an extent people can't see through the labyrinth of lies and disinformation and don't understand there is no community spread so they are as safe as they were a month ago. They certainly don't need to rush out all at once and clog up the roads so people can’t get to where they need to go.
I hope they are done over big time this election for their unprincipled and dangerous behaviour.
Though I'm not sure that 'hey, I didn't want to come back here' is a great way to garner sympathy.