Jacinda is not like Muldoon
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- Date published:
9:49 am, May 13th, 2020 - 97 comments
Categories: health, health and safety, jacinda ardern, law, law and "order", national, same old national, Simon Bridges, uncategorized -
Tags: covid-19, Covid19
National has decided to play politics with Covid 19 and is opposing the Government’s attempt to pass legislation to secure level 2 arrangements. From Charlie Dreaver at Radio New Zealand:
The Covid-19 Public Health Response Bill, which grants extraordinary powers to both the government and police to combat Covid-19, has been debated under urgency this evening.
The National Party opposed the Bill, raising concern about the speed at which it was being pushed through, and the lack of trust being afforded to New Zealanders.
However, the government said the Bill was necessary to ensure the rules could be enforced without relying on a National State of Emergency.
One point of contention had been the rules under level 2 that allowed a maximum of only 10 people at a tangi or church service at any given time.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said she, like other world leaders, struggled with the decision, but had to play it safe.
”I have always said through all this that the thing I’ve found, as a human, the hardest in all this is funerals and tangihanga,” Ardern said.
“I’ve known people who have lost very close family members and I can’t imagine trying to grieve through a global pandemic for a loved one without being able to be together with others.”
She said funerals and tangi were places where you wanted to comfort people – it was natural instinct, that was why people come together.
“The idea that we force people to not be able to comfort one another, to support one another, is equally a very hard thing to comprehend.”
Ardern gave clarification that people could pay their respects in groups, as long as there were no more than 10 people present at the same time.
National Party leader Simon Bridges said the public had been writing to him raising the point that people could still go to a restaurant or movies with 100 people at the venue.
“Yet at one of the most tragic defining points of life, at a funeral, direct family members cannot attend them under those rules. That’s not just unkind, it’s inhumane, and I think we can do better than that,” he said.
Bridges said the restrictions on places of worship was also a concern for the party.
“You just look at it and say it’s not right, that for what is – in a sense – much less important and even trivial; the movies, a bar, a restaurant, sport is of course important to so many New Zealanders, but for a portion for New Zealanders for whom worship is the most important thing, they are unable to do that,” he said.
Does the bill give the police extraordinary powers? You bet. But these are extraordinary times. Rights are not sacrosanct and are subject to such reasonable limits prescribed by law as can be demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society.
Social distancing is still vital and the need will continue until we reach level one. The power for police to regulate gatherings at private residences is a vital aspect of this. Most people will voluntarily abide by the requirement. Some will require more direct persuasion.
National has also expressed concern at the reduction in size of gatherings for funerals and tangis.
The brutal rationale behind the decision to limit attendance at funerals and tangi is that otherwise the risk of transmission is heightened. Social distancing is still to be adhered to and it would be effectively impossible to achieve at large tangi or funerals.
And what are we trying to prevent? This chilling description from the New York Times of what happened in Italy is a grim reminder of what could still happen here:
Giorgio Valoti, the mayor of nearby Cene, died last Friday. He was 70. His son, Alessandro, said that 90 people died the same day in Bergamo’s main hospital. The virus “is massacring this valley, every family is losing someone dear to them,” he said. “In Bergamo, so many bodies are piling up they don’t know what to do with them.”
“I am sorry that they are still there,” he said. “Still alone.”
Luca di Palma, 49, said his father, Vittorio, 79, died on Wednesday night, and that the funeral home he called told him that they had no space for the body. Instead, they delivered to his house a coffin, some candles, a cross and a mortuary refrigerator so that he could lay his father out in the living room. He said nobody came to pay respects, out of fear of contagion, though his father had died before he could be confirmed as a coronavirus case, and doctors had refused to perform a post-mortem swab test.
On Saturday, Mr. di Palma followed a hearse carrying his father’s body to a cemetery in Bergamo, where a caretaker let them in and locked the gates behind. A priest arrived to offer a brief prayer over the hearse, its trunk lifted. Mr. di Palma said his father wanted to be cremated, but the wait was long. “Painful,” he said.
In a country where many learn in school about the dreaded Monatti who, preceded by the ringing of a little bell, retrieved corpses on carts during the 17th-century Milan plague, the amassing of dead bodies seems out of another time.
In Fiobbio, a small village outside Bergamo, an ambulance came to collect Luca Carrara’s father, 86, on Saturday. On Sunday, another one came for his mother, 82. Mr. Carrara, 52, couldn’t visit them in hospital and stayed home in quarantine, where he has begun showing symptoms of the virus. On Tuesday, his parents died. Their bodies are held in the hospital morgue awaiting cremation.
The Government’s response is not dissimilar what happened straight after the Canterbury Earthquake and the passing of urgent legislation. Except at that time we were dealing with the aftermath of a disaster, not the potential of one.
The CERA legislation gave the state wide powers to enter private premises without warrant.
The provision in the Covid Bill is stronger but not much so. A “reasonably practicable” rider would probably have had a similar effect in practice.
The CERA legislation was sent to a select committee, for 24 hours. I suspect there is little appetite for the change to level 2 being delayed for select committee oversight for this to happen. And as I write this changes are being made to the bill, particularly as it applies to marae.
Simon Bridges’ earlier commitment to putting politics aside and working constructively is well and truly over. Remember when he said this?
We are where we are and we’re all in this together. And today, on the big questions in this House and in New Zealand, we agree. There’s no National or Labour or Green or ACT or New Zealand First; just New Zealanders. We should be going to level 4 lockdown this evening, and we are putting in all the economic resources and investments required to defeat this common enemy.
In regard to level 4, none of us can, of course, see the future. It’s possible—though, I entirely agree with the Prime Minister, not at all likely—that we come through this somewhat quickly. Some will say, “Well, shutdown—it was an over-reaction.” I’d prefer that that was the case, because it means people didn’t die needlessly. But if the models and the charts and the workings that I’ve seen, that Jacinda Ardern’s seen, and that this House is seeing are right, or even, actually, half or a quarter right, and if we follow the international examples to date, broadly speaking, level 4 and shutting down is clearly right.
We are now at a stage where again we had a day where there are no new infections. While overseas the disease rages unabated New Zealand still has the possibility of eradicating the virus locally.
And National’s current position jars with Bridges’ earlier campaign suggesting that the Government does not have the legal authority to impose the lockdown. A long, long time ago Simon Bridges said this:
National Party leader Simon Bridges said he would support expanding police powers – even if it took a law change to do so.
“It’s increasingly clear that neither the guidelines or the law allows police to enforce the lockdown,” he said.
National’s biggest rhetorical reach is to suggest that Jacinda Ardern is like Rob Muldoon but with slogans. It is good to acknowledge that Muldoon was a power hungry megalomaniac. Who never had to face a pandemic that had the potential to completely undermine the country’s health system.
National is doing what National does. But now is not a time to play political games.
Update: As pointed out by Graeme Edgler on twitter the warrant less search powers are nothing new. Section 71A of the Health Act already provides for some pretty extensive powers.
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1. Which of these acronyms describes the experience of travelling on a Cook Strait ferry?a. ROROb. FOMOc. RAROd. FMLAramoana, first boat ever boarded by More Than A Feilding, four weeks after the Wahine disaster2. What is the acronym for the experience of watching the government risking a $200 million break ...7 days ago
- Release: Dark day for Kiwi kids as a third of Govt cuts affect them
News that 1000 jobs at the Ministry of Education and Oranga Tamariki could go is devastating for future generations of New Zealanders. ...2 days ago - Release: Alarm as Government signals further blow to school lunchesMore 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. ...2 days ago
- Release: Quick, submit – stop Govt’s dodgy approvals billThe 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. ...3 days ago
- Government throws coal on the climate crisis fire
The Government’s policy announced today to ease consenting for coal mining will have a lasting impact across generations. ...3 days ago - Release: Public transport costs to double as National looks at unaffordable roading project insteadCancelling 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. ...4 days ago
- Release: Cost of living in Auckland still not a priorityA 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. ...4 days ago
- Greens look to fast-track submissions on harmful lawThe 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. ...7 days ago
- Release: Govt should stop making people’s lives harder and build more homesThe 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. ...1 week ago
- Release: Melissa Lee missing in action on mediaThe action Melissa Lee promised to protect democracy and the media sector is missing, Media and Communications spokesperson Willie Jackson said. ...1 week ago
- Landlord Government leaves little hope for rentersThe Government’s announcement on tenancy rules prove that it does not care about renters. ...1 week ago
- Opportunity to build a more sustainable economyGreen 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. ...1 week ago
- Significant step forward in fixing cruel and unjust pastA 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. ...1 week ago
- Missed opportunity but NZ will surely one day recognise the right to a sustainable environmentNew 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. ...1 week ago
- Release: Don’t cut our lunches – clear message sent to GovernmentTens of thousands of people are demanding the Government commits to fully funding free and healthy school lunches. ...1 week ago
- Release: Govt makes U-turn on Suicide Prevention OfficeLabour welcomes the Government’s U-turn on the closure of the Suicide Prevention Office, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...1 week ago
- CCC issues warning over further climate delayToday’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. ...1 week ago
- Luxon targets lame and lousy example of leadershipIf talk is cheap, Chris Luxon’s “targets” are bankrupt. ...2 weeks ago
- Luxon targets are lousy example of leadershipIf talk is cheap, Chris Luxon’s “targets” are bankrupt. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Commitment to disability communities missing from Govt prioritiesMinister 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. ...2 weeks ago
- Methane target review is dangerous duplicationThe 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. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Government must commit to school building project for disabled studentsThe Government must commit to the Maitai School building project for students with high and complex needs, to ensure disabled students from the top of the South Island have somewhere to learn. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: National must take mental health seriouslyMental Health Minister Matt Doocey and his Government colleagues have made a meal of their mental health commitments, showing how flimsy their efforts to champion the issue truly are, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...2 weeks ago
- Referendums for Māori wards a racist step backwardsThe Government's imposed referendum on Māori wards is a racist step backwards for Māori representation, and disregards Te Tiriti o Waitangi. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Job losses at Health not worth it for tax cutsNew Zealand will feel the harm of the National Government’s reckless cuts to jobs at the health ministry for generations, says Ayesha Verrall. ...2 weeks ago
- Press release: No Māori initiatives in Government’s nothing planMāori are yet to see anything from this Government except cuts, reversals and taking our people backwards, Māori Development spokesperson Willie Jackson said. ...2 weeks ago
- Thirty six point PR spinThe Government’s ‘36 point’ plan for the next three months is as pointless as it is hollow. ...2 weeks ago
- Thirty six point PR spinThe Government’s ‘36 point’ plan for the next three months is as pointless as it is hollow. ...2 weeks ago
- Thirty six point PR spinThe Government’s ‘36 point’ plan for the next three months is as pointless as it is hollow. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Social housing off Government’s to-do listThe Coalition Government’s refusal to commit to ongoing funding for social housing is seeing the sector pull back on developments and families watch their dreams of securing a home fade away, says Labour Housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Less money in most people’s pockets this AprilChanges to minimum wage and benefit indexation means many New Zealanders will get less this year, as the Government gives a big tax break to landlords instead. ...3 weeks ago
- Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
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 ...8 hours ago - Government commits $20m to Westport flood protectionThe 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 ...13 hours ago
- Taupō takes pole positionThe 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 ...14 hours ago
- Cost of living support for low-income homeownersLocal 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 ...16 hours ago
- Government backing mussel spat projectThe 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 - ...17 hours ago
- Government focused on getting people into workBenefit 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 ...20 hours ago
- Clean energy key driver to reducing emissionsThe 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 ...21 hours ago
- Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forwardThe 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 ...1 day ago
- Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic PartnershipPrime 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 ...2 days ago
- Government consults on extending coastal permits for portsRMA 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 ...2 days ago
- Inflation coming down, but more work to doToday’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 ...2 days ago
- School attendance restored as a priority in health adviceRefreshed 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 ...2 days ago
- Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sectorOceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...2 days ago
- Patterson promoting NZ’s wool sector at International CongressAssociate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...3 days ago
- Removing red tape to help early learners thriveThe Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...3 days ago
- RMA changes to cut coal mining consent red tapeChanges to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...3 days ago
- McClay reaffirms strong NZ-China trade relationshipTrade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...3 days ago
- Prime Minister Luxon acknowledges legacy of Singapore Prime Minister LeePrime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...3 days ago
- PMs Luxon and Lee deepen Singapore-NZ tiesPrime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...4 days ago
- Antarctica New Zealand Board appointmentsForeign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner. The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...4 days ago
- Finance Minister travels to Washington DCFinance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. “I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...4 days ago
- Pet bonds a win/win for renters and landlordsThe coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...4 days ago
- Long Tunnel for SH1 Wellington being consideredState Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...4 days ago
- New Zealand condemns Iranian strikesPrime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iran’s shocking and illegal strikes against Israel. “These attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says. "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...4 days ago
- Huge interest in Government’s infrastructure plansHundreds of people in little over a week have turned out in Northland to hear Regional Development Minister Shane Jones speak about plans for boosting the regional economy through infrastructure. About 200 people from the infrastructure and associated sectors attended an event headlined by Mr Jones in Whangarei today. Last ...7 days ago
- Health Minister thanks outgoing Health New Zealand ChairHealth Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board. “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti. “I have asked her to ...7 days ago
- Roads of National Significance planning underwayThe NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has signalled their proposed delivery approach for the Government’s 15 Roads of National Significance (RoNS), with the release of the State Highway Investment Proposal (SHIP) today, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to ...7 days ago
- Navigating an unstable global environmentNew Zealand is renewing its connections with a world facing urgent challenges by pursuing an active, energetic foreign policy, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “Our country faces the most unstable global environment in decades,” Mr Peters says at the conclusion of two weeks of engagements in Egypt, Europe and the United States. “We cannot afford to sit back in splendid ...7 days ago
- NZ welcomes Australian Governor-GeneralPrime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced the Australian Governor-General, His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley and his wife Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley, will make a State visit to New Zealand from Tuesday 16 April to Thursday 18 April. The visit reciprocates the State visit of former Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy ...7 days ago
- Pseudoephedrine back on shelves for WinterAssociate Health Minister David Seymour has announced that Medsafe has approved 11 cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine. Pharmaceutical suppliers have indicated they may be able to supply the first products in June. “This is much earlier than the original expectation of medicines being available by 2025. The Government recognised ...7 days ago
- NZ and the US: an ever closer partnershipNew Zealand and the United States have recommitted to their strategic partnership in Washington DC today, pledging to work ever more closely together in support of shared values and interests, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The strategic environment that New Zealand and the United States face is considerably more ...7 days ago
- Joint US and NZ declarationApril 11, 2024 Joint Declaration by United States Secretary of State the Honorable Antony J. Blinken and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs the Right Honourable Winston Peters We met today in Washington, D.C. to recommit to the historic partnership between our two countries and the principles that underpin it—rule ...1 week ago
- NZ and US to undertake further practical Pacific cooperationForeign Minister Winston Peters has announced further New Zealand cooperation with the United States in the Pacific Islands region through $16.4 million in funding for initiatives in digital connectivity and oceans and fisheries research. “New Zealand can achieve more in the Pacific if we work together more urgently and ...1 week ago
- Government redress for Te Korowai o WainuiāruaThe Government is continuing the bipartisan effort to restore its relationship with iwi as the Te Korowai o Wainuiārua Claims Settlement Bill passed its first reading in Parliament today, says Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith. “Historical grievances of Te Korowai o Wainuiārua relate to 19th century warfare, land purchased or taken ...1 week ago
- Focus on outstanding minerals permit applicationsNew Zealand Petroleum and Minerals is working to resolve almost 150 outstanding minerals permit applications by the end of the financial year, enabling valuable mining activity and signalling to the sector that New Zealand is open for business, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “While there are no set timeframes for ...1 week ago
- Applications open for NZ-Ireland Research CallThe New Zealand and Irish governments have today announced that applications for the 2024 New Zealand-Ireland Joint Research Call on Agriculture and Climate Change are now open. This is the third research call in the three-year Joint Research Initiative pilot launched in 2022 by the Ministry for Primary Industries and Ireland’s ...1 week ago
- Tenancy rules changes to improve rental marketThe coalition Government has today announced changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to encourage landlords back to the rental property market, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “The previous Government waged a war on landlords. Many landlords told us this caused them to exit the rental market altogether. It caused worse ...1 week ago
- Boosting NZ’s trade and agricultural relationship with ChinaTrade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay will visit China next week, to strengthen relationships, support Kiwi exporters and promote New Zealand businesses on the world stage. “China is one of New Zealand’s most significant trade and economic relationships and remains an important destination for New Zealand’s products, accounting for nearly 22 per cent of our good and ...1 week ago
- Freshwater farm plan systems to be improvedThe coalition Government intends to improve freshwater farm plans so that they are more cost-effective and practical for farmers, Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay have announced. “A fit-for-purpose freshwater farm plan system will enable farmers and growers to find the right solutions for their farm ...1 week ago
- New Fast Track Projects advisory group namedThe coalition Government has today announced the expert advisory group who will provide independent recommendations to Ministers on projects to be included in the Fast Track Approvals Bill, say RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Regional Development Minister Shane Jones. “Our Fast Track Approval process will make it easier and ...1 week ago
- Brakes on transport and logistics sector as demand for freight slows
The transport sector is currently in the slow lane The post Brakes on transport and logistics sector as demand for freight slows appeared first on Newsroom. ...1 hour ago - Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 19 AprilLoading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[quiz],DIV[quiz],A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 19 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...1 hour ago
- Financial literacy should be on all of usOpinion: 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. ...1 hour ago
- Missy rustles to stardom in CanadaHineaupounamu ‘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 ...1 hour ago
- Emissions fall again – now NZ needs to up the paceOfficial figures confirm New Zealand produced less climate pollution in 2022 than in any other year in the 21st century The post Emissions fall again – now NZ needs to up the pace appeared first on Newsroom. ...1 hour ago
- Warning of death from a million cuts as Oceans Secretariat dissolvedShane Jones says people voted for change, but opponents say small cuts such as ending a special oceans secretariat are starting to add up The post Warning of death from a million cuts as Oceans Secretariat dissolved appeared first on Newsroom. ...1 hour ago
- Defence deal to counter Beijing’s aggression in South China SeaNew 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 ...1 hour ago
- Wellington’s ebb and flow of public servantsThe 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 ...1 hour ago
- New Zealand transport planning has gone off the railsOpinion: 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 ...1 hour ago
- Daily crossword, Friday 19 AprilThe post Daily crossword, Friday 19 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...1 hour ago
- Grattan on Friday: Ethnic tensions will complicate the Albanese government’s multicultural policy ...
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 ...7 hours ago - Group plans work to improve safety of female MPs
New research shows harassment of elected officials - especially women - is on the rise. ...8 hours ago - Ukraine warns of WW3 ahead of long-stalled Congress aid voteUkraine's Prime Minister says his country desperately needs the US to approve long-stalled security assistance. ...9 hours ago
- Crown lawyers attempt to block Waitangi Tribunal summons to Minister for ChildrenThe 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. ...12 hours ago
- Luxon refuses to guarantee public consultation on AUKUS Pillar 2Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says it's "far too premature" to be confirming whether the public would be consulted on joining AUKUS Pillar 2. ...13 hours ago
- Visualising the 1800s or designing wedding invitations: 6 ways you can use AI beyond generating textSource: 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 ...13 hours ago
- Falls, fractures and self-harm: 4 charts on how kids’ injury risk changes over time and differs fo...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 ...13 hours ago
- Choice and control: will NDIS reforms mean people with disability don’t get to decide who they liv...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Di Winkler, Adjunct Associate Professor, Living with Disability Research Centre, La Trobe University Shutterstock/Ground Picture Many Australians with disability feel on the edge of a precipice right now. Recommendations from the disability royal commission and the NDIS review were released late ...13 hours ago
- Asbestos in playground mulch: how to avoid a repeat of this circular economy scandalSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Salman Shooshtarian, Senior Lecturer, School of Property, Construction and Project Management, RMIT University Salman Shooshtarian Asbestos has been found in mulch used for playgrounds, schools, parks and gardens across Sydney and Melbourne. Local communities naturally fear for the health of their ...13 hours ago
- Could Albanese’s bet on homegrown green industries be the boost our regions deserve?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Madeline Taylor, Senior Lecturer, Macquarie University Cloudy Designs/Shutterstock Right now, there’s a global race underway. The goal: bring back manufacturing and energy jobs as the energy transition speeds up. In 2022, America launched its mammoth Inflation Reduction Act and the ...13 hours ago
- Watch: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon won't say if government will consult public on joining ...Asked multiple times if the public will be consulted on joining the defence pact, Luxon repeatedly said that was yet to be worked through. ...14 hours ago
- Watch live: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon speaks in PhilippinesPrime Minister Christopher Luxon is speaking to reporters on the third leg of his Southeast Asia trip, from Manila in the Philippines. ...14 hours ago
- Māori lawyers call Shane Jones' Waitangi Tribunal comments 'inappropriate'The Māori Law Society says his comments breach the principle of the separation of powers and the Cabinet Manual. ...15 hours ago
- Abortions Increase 25% Since Law Change
Family First says that the latest abortion statistics make grim and upsetting reading, with a 25% increase in abortions since the decriminalisation of abortion in March 2020. According to an Official Information Act request received by Right to Life ...15 hours ago - Over Half Of New Zealanders Feel That The Country Is In Decline And That Our Society Is BrokenIpsos New Zealand's inaugural participation in a global study on populism reveals a pervasive sense of societal and economic decline among New Zealanders. MORE DETAILS AND FULL REPORT HERE Ipsos New Zealand's inaugural participation in a global study ...16 hours ago
- Australia’s new defence strategy is big on ideas, but lacks one key ingredient: well-trained soldi...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Layton, Visiting Fellow, Strategic Studies, Griffith University There have been a lot of defence announcements recently about buying new equipment, building up Australia’s manufacturing capabilities, creating local jobs, new legislation to support AUKUS and even a new defence chief. In ...16 hours ago
- What does Steve Smith’s Stateside signing mean for cricket in the US – and Australia?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Harcourt, Industry Professor and Chief Economist, University of Technology Sydney Steve Smith, one of this generation’s finest batters, has conquered much of the cricketing world during his career, and he now has set his sights on a new frontier: the United ...16 hours ago
- A love letter to Wellington: when i open the shop by romesh dissanayake, reviewed
Madeleine Ballard reviews the debut novel from romesh dissanayake. when I open the shop, the debut novel by Naarm-based Aotearoa writer romesh dissanayake (Sri Lankan, Koryo Saram), is a narrative of grief. Devendra loses his mother, opens a noodle shop on The Terrace, grieves, and emerges changed. But just as ...16 hours ago - Minister Concedes Contractors Will Be Hired To Do Work Of Axed Ministry Of Education StaffThe PSA can’t believe that the Minister of Education is happy for her ministry to hire contractors at the same time it is dismissing 565 workers. ...16 hours ago
- Attempt to bar diplomat from Myanmar military junta failsMyanmar community members applied to the courts to bar the diplomat from attending the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. ...17 hours ago
- LGNZ Welcomes Govt Earthquake-prone Buildings DecisionLGNZ has advocated for this decision as part of a remit led by Manawatū District Council. ...17 hours ago
- AUKUS Pillar 2 a 'fragrant, methane-wrapped bull***' – Bob CarrThe former Australian Foreign Minister has continued to warn New Zealand against joining the defence pact. ...17 hours ago
- Enforceable undertaking issued to abc accounting services limited after continued non-compliance.The Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) has accepted an enforceable undertaking agreement from ABC Accounting Services Limited (ABC) under section 81 of the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act 2009 (AML/CFT Act). ...18 hours ago
- REVEALED: RNZ’s Hypocrisy Over Fair Digital News Bargaining BillThe Taxpayers’ Union can reveal that Radio New Zealand (RNZ) spent $71,842.53 on Facebook advertising over the past 12 months, despite earlier this year coming out in support of the Fair Digital News Bargaining Bill , which would force the likes ...18 hours ago
- Police rejected 'very good offer' – Mark MitchellPolice Minister Mark Mitchell says the pay offer rejected by police was the best the government could put forward under difficult financial circumstances. ...18 hours ago
- How can we have truth-telling without the Voice? Our research shows a way forwardSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Heidi Norman, Professor, Faculty of Arts, Design and Architecture, Convenor: Indigenous Land & Justice Research Group, UNSW Sydney Shutterstock The Uluru Statement from the Heart set out the aspirations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples for “Voice, Treaty, Truth”, in ...18 hours ago
- NZ education scores must improve – but another polarising ideological pivot isn’t the answerSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bronwyn E Wood, Associate Professor in Education, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Getty Images You don’t need to look hard right now to see concerns about Aotearoa New Zealand’s education system. Declining performance in international testing has been ...18 hours ago
- An updated tally of the public sector job cutsThe coalition government has made it well known it expects departments to cut roles. We break down the numbers as they currently stand. Updated: 12pm, April 18 Before last year’s election, both National and Act made it clear that the public service was squarely in their crosshairs. Both parties, now ...18 hours ago
- Confessions of an unlikely petrolheadCheckered Flag director Natalie Wilson on her lifelong love of motorsport, and the allure of Pukekohe Park Raceway. One childhood summer when my world revolved around winning stuff off the radio, I bagged tickets to Western Springs Speedway and then to Waikaraka Park in what was a dream season for ...18 hours ago
- 'Ambitious' trade pledge headlines Luxon's Thailand stopThe Prime has announced a commitment to triple two-way trade with Thailand by 2045, but it only requires maintaining current growth. ...19 hours ago
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Playing populist politics at the risk of our lives is cynicism at its very worst. Words fail me!
Simon Bridges is like Muldoon a loud mouthed Bully
But unlike Bridges Muldoon was highly intelligent and did care about ordinary New Zealanders
Yes. That was my thought as well. Muldoon, for all his faults, was intensely nationalistic. He wanted what he thought was the best for this country, and I'm pretty sure he'd be ashamed of this current pack of lightweights who call themselves National.
Bridges wants to trust NZers? Does this mean the nats want to treat beneficiaries with a bit more respect?
Dunno about churchiness, but people hug each other at funreals. There was a case in the Andes about 20 years back when a village was decimated by cholera. Only had a couple of cases, but everyone went to the funerals and it all went downhill from there. Couldn't find it on google though.
The rituals around death in parts of Africa have been responsible for the rapid spread of Ebola in places.
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2015/01/150130-ebola-virus-outbreak-epidemic-sierra-leone-funerals/
NZ is currently one of a small handful of nations widely admired for our response and management of this crisis, but for purely political reasons, this foolish little man would trash it all if he thought it might gain him power.
A smart party in this circumstance would be seen to assiduously support the govt of the day, positioning their leaders to take some of the credit for sharing in difficult decisions. But Bridges is too dumb to realise the ground has shifted under him, and the political games he's used to playing now look cheap and sleazy.
Oh and an excellent OP Greg. People who argue that the economy is more important than lives, are cold-blooded amoral creeps who are telling anyone over the age of 60 to fuck off and die. I wonder what their own parents might think of this.
They kill them off to get the inheritance.
My angle is saving lives is saving the economy.
+100 people over profit as economies can be rebuilt, refocused and repurposed.
That's the next stage, what nz does around energy, food and other basic needs.
Bridges trumpian parody shows how captive national has become to ‘win at any cost’.
Absolutely correct there @ I Feel Love (4.1.1) … dead people are in no position to stimulate the economy by spending money! People first. Keep Kiwis well and healthy.
'People who argue that the economy is more important than lives, are cold-blooded amoral creeps who are telling anyone over the age of 60 to fuck off and die. I wonder what their own parents might think of this.'
So most of Treasury, PHARMAC etc etc
It is Bridges and the National Party playing the Muldoon fear game – remember the dancing cossacks – they will be reappearing soon. An appalling tactic in these times.
I'm sure Natz's Dancing Cossacks can be found in the party's dark and odious archives, be dusted off and used by Simon et al at the upcoming election campaign!
National's inability to elevate the public good above private interest is landing it in trouble. Under normal circumstances this just makes them irritating right-wingers, during a pandemic it makes them a danger to public health.
Not mentioned is Nationals CERA legislation ( not to save lives) had provisions to restrict review by the courts
Appeal
(1)There is no right of appeal against a decision of the Minister or the chief executive acting, or purporting to act, under this Act, except as provided in sections 69, 70, 79, and 80.
(2)A proceeding must not be brought, and a court must not hear any proceeding, that is in breach of this section.
And yes , often the effect of some decisions was to 'take away property rights'
A great effort Micky. Simon has picked the wrong time to claim loss of freedom. He did a poor job of explaining his position on Morning Report this morning. It did cross my mind that Simon's rhetoric is very similar to Trumps. Both will appeal to rednecks.
Group gatherings are the most difficult to manage. There needs to be a clear line drawn when it comes to potential exposure with the virus and the enforcement of what the law is with gatherings.
Funerals are always a sad event and it is natural that physical contact is used to express grief and to give support.
Preventing a cluster from forming is the goal.
I do not see the need for movie theatres to reopen as there is an alternative. When it comes to contact with sport this is risky as well and I would delay this.
Covid-19 is a horrible bastard in so many ways and this bastard cannot be taken for granted.
ditching the "movie" bit, we've been running through the options for eventually reopening a theatre I'm involved with.
It's actually much safer than contact sports. Seating arrangements lend themselves to spacing (e.g. alternate rows), online ticketing means contactless entry, and everything can be disinfected between shows. And to be frank, packed houses aren't all that common anyway lol
The logistics of opening a movie theatre will need to be carefully managed. From tracing to closing.
I agree that the risk is not as high as contact sport.
For me it is about the decisions I make for myself to stay well and to not transmit the virus were I to get it. Having and taking personal responsibility.
Yes, it's certainly not open slather. But online ticketing is awesome for contact tracing, and there a few other things that equally transfer to pandemic controls.
Like the existing practise of chocking doors open so people can enter and leave – it means people can come from street to auditorium without ever touching a doorknob.
But all this is basically for when things actually come up – I doubt we'll have any houses for a month or two at the earliest.
And Air conditioning ? I dont think its a big risk but thats until it is. Some say UV light in the main ducts is possible as the right UV frequencies are used now to kill viruses.
don't have it.
Besides, we're trying to figure out and work to NZ L2 specs rather than putting disco lights or sunlamps in ducting. What are the MoH guidelines?
Drive through movies providing you have a car. Probably someone would complain about the noise. Sound systems and screens have come a long way. A pizza business close by might do ok.
I like the small run theatres as they tend to have the most ethnic and pre 1965 movies which I like.
hmmm – if we weren't heading into winter, theatre in the park might have been an opion
Theatre in the park has some strange by-play. In Perth I saw "Romeo and Juliet" in a park at dusk. When some chararcter referred to the moon, well, there it was, high above us. But the strangest part for a New Zealander was to be in the middle of a drama in Italy and have the dialogue backed by a kookaburra!
I did hear of a King Lear where a thunderstorm broke with directorial timing 🙂
McFlock, I attended a concert in our small drama theatre quite close to the fire station. The performer was a Geordie named Vin Garbutt who was just finishing the last notes of a tin whistle tune when the siren for the fire brigade started up. The look on his face when he realised what was happening.
Being Vin Garbutt though he was not short of a quip. He was a folk singer who was the funniest artist, with rare and clever impromptu wit, I have ever seen with a repertoire of songs which were the exact opposite- with political and social themes, like Hymn to El Salvador or Turning Steel. His humour leavened the message with contrast and another kind of humanity.
The notion that large gatherings is how this virus spreads is beyond them.
Seventy-two individuals who tested positive for Covid-19 in Wisconsin recently attended a “large-gathering” before their diagnosis, according to a report.
According to The Progressive, the state's Department of Health Services (DHS) confirmed that they had gathered tracing data on a number of people who had contracted the virus.
“We were able to pull some limited data—out of 1,986 cases with onset/diagnosis on or after 4/26, there were seventy-two cases who reported attending a large gathering," DHS spokesperson Jennifer Miller was quoted as saying in an email to The Progressive.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/coronavirus-wisconsin-protests-test-positive-department-of-health-services-a9509486.html
They will not let let facts get in the way of a good meme/rant/spin.
A Danish expert reckoned there are no actual second waves yet, the new bursts are reinfection from first wave……some triggered by relaxed restrictions.
Thank F national luddites are in opposition !
A transport worker in the UK was spat on by a person infected with covid 19, she got infected and later passed away. you would think half the UK would have liked to go to her funeral only 10 could go— Just happened
I am not sure what you are advocating.
The vast majority of New Zealanders supported the lockdown and continue to support these almost unprecedented restrictions on the way we live our lives,
However it is fundamentally important in a democratic society that the restrictions and government's decisions are prodded, interrogated and challenged like never before. You might call that political games but I don't.
Even if the opposition supports what the government is doing, I would expect them to challenge and question every piece of legislation, as they are doing. This is how we get good law that is supported by the country.
It was mere months ago that Nat fans were slobbering all over Mr Bridges support for “Task Force Raptor” and armed Police units in working class suburbs-and now they claim concern about civil liberty!
Not a squeak from Nashnull loyalists either when Mr Key presided over the biggest extension in a generation, of surveillance powers, and budget, for SIS, GCSB, and Police Special units.
Opportunism in all its filthy glory-when cross party cooperation would be more appropriate.
Oh no. Jacinda's pushing legislation through under urgency. In the face of a global pandemic. National never did that whole urgency thing. Ever. Not even one time.
Some people believe they're special. That the rules don't apply to them. That they have some God-given exemption. It doesn't matter a jot that these rules are designed to prevent their premature and wholly unnecessary demise at the hands of a virus for which there is currently no vaccine. They don't care. Those people, as sad as it is, must be compelled to comply for the sake of the majority who do understand the imminent danger and are quite willing to abide by the rules. Does this herald the beginnings of a police state or creeping totalitarianism? I don't believe so… but then I'm not Simon Bridges. (For which I shall be eternally grateful.)
Well put Wensleydale.
The record shows National’s penchant for Parliamentary urgency comes to the fore particularly when it involves worker and Union rights i.e. clawing them back!
And we do need to remember that at least one of our clusters came about because air crew were given an exemption from self isolating – which the disease didn't recognize.
The amount of stuff that partisan centre left voters are willing to justify if their own side are doing it is really quite depressing.
Well done EisE – not a political partisan bone in your body? Makes a change
"Like never before" because there's no precedent (really?), or "like never before" because it's sneaky Labour (and NZ1st, with support from the Greens), and you can't really trust Labour? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_of_emergency#New_Zealand
Never waste a crisis.
Indeed, a crisis can be used and abused. But it will take an analytical mind, educated in world history and able to separate propaganda from truth. Otherwise, NZ will enter into a realm that is akin to a police state. How is it possible, and indeed acceptable to have recognition software running "on trial"? How can it be ok for police to enter homes without a warrant because there is a party? How can it be just fine that human rights and common law is being overruled like that? And whilst we are at it, it seems perfectly OK to "dob" in your neighbour. Can we expect that his/her home will see the armed squad ramming in doors?
I am sure New Zealanders are capable of handling themselves without having to have to forgo human rights and basic laws taken away.
No question, a large majority of NZers are capable of handling/behaving themselves in, and capable of recognising appropriate responses to, a pandemic. For example, I was impressed by just how many NZers would have been OK with staying at Covid-19 alert levels four and three longer than our Government deemed necessary.
Some will believe a government of whatever flavour has over- or under-reacted to a given problem (pandemic, housing crisis, etc.), while others may feel the response has been about right. IMHO it's good that our current government is not planning to delay the next general election (and associated referenda), as this affords us all the opportunity to register an objection to any perceived unnecessary loss of “human rights and basic laws“.
Police can already enter homes without a warrant if they smell or claim to smell cannabis. Don't see you moaning about that. But which is the greater public health concern?
They can also enter if they have reasonable cause to believe you have illegal firearms or are destroying evidence. All these warrantless searches are abominations, as is this law.
The reason civil liberty defenders haven't kicked up more of a stink than voicing objections to these sorts affronts, is that we've had a lot to lose and feared losing it and that is to our shame, but no more, a lot of us have had enough and will be protesting at level 1 and organising political opposition.
" a lot of us have had enough and will be protesting at level 1"
At level 1? That's hilarious!
"Will we stage a protest, Dr King?"
"Sure, just as soon as it's allowed. Otherwise there might be water cannon and beatings and such. Our heroic protest must wait until Alabama agrees that we can."
Come on, if your principles mean anything, and there's "a lot" of you, then march today. What's the worst that could happen? You're arrested on TV? That would lead the news, and be gold for your cause.
Bastion Point, Springbok Tour … those were protests. Not the online rants of 2020.
great response – thanks observer
Where were you, when National was retrospectively legalising spooks breaking the law, and extending police powers?
Or when WINZ was spying on people's sex lives?
You talk as though that has happened. Got you for over acting.
Patricia
It was NOT over acting nor overreacting.
This is an excerpt of an article written by David Landau from the University in Florida. It covers far more eloquently what I like to say:
There are countless articles on abusive constitutionalism. Perhaps the law that is being proposed does not have the severity of some countries and hasn't gone through parliament yet but if it does the horse has bolted.
This does not mean that the current PM is not doing an excellent job and providing good leadership. But it does not imply that such fact allows for ever increasing circles of power.
We need to think about consequences and reasoning. This is the task of every good citizen.
[Added quotation marks to make clear what is quoted text and what are your words.
Here is the link to Abstract: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/256056551_Abusive_Constitutionalism
Have you read the full article? If not, why not?
Please do these simple things yourself next time. Thanks in advance – Incognito]
Yes that's right, next thing will be a law to make level 2 permanent – then cancelled elections..
But seriously, what is this "constitutional change" that you talk of? There are already instances where police can enter residences without a warrant. You have chosen not to address this point. What are the constitutional changes in the countries you mention?
See my Moderation note @ 7:26 AM.
I am thankful we have a leader who can look at all the facts over ride her natural kindness to make the hard calls this situation requires.
Jacinda has a fine moral compass and compassion. That can not be said about Simon, who is on record as being disparaging about the usefulness of ethnicities and people who were working for his party.
This is a move to electioneering. Theme …"Jacinda is a tyrant in the making"
There must be others here who remember Muldoon supporters trying to ram down our throats that Muldoon was God, Muldoon had the answers, Muldoon was an economic genius and whizz. National people were wrong then, they're wrong now.
It is the party of the blighted future so ya gotta stay on brand.
the last thing I remeber about muldoon ,is that trevor decleene (lab m.p.) had to arrange a parliamentary service for muldoon because his own dear nat party had turned its back on him. so, for bridges to use muldoon in this way is sad, funny, and shameful all at the same time. simon, finally multitasking..
Dunno about anybody else but I made it perfectly clear to the family that if it was me electronic means would be sufficent pre-demise and don't bother about a post demise gathering. I mean would I want my last gesture in life/death to be infecting my own family/gene pool with a nasty often fatal disease?
I did also make it clear that when the infection receded that they should take some of the money and have a decent knees up in my memory (even by zoom if they had too).
But for Bridges who hasn't bothered to bring too many maori organisations before his committee he has suddenly discovered this? Hypocrite much?
BTW does this piece of legislation have a sunset clause after which it has to be renewed or dumped?
Yes – every three months, if it's not revoked by parliament sooner.
David Parker was on RNZ earlier today and advised that the legislation would have to be reviewed every 3 months
ask simon about 29 families who havent been able to have a proper funeral, and his attempts to block those 29 families….
Here here woodart (19).
Jacinda Ardern repeated today Norman Kirk's famous quote;
My abiding memory of Norman Kirk. A great orator and a compassionate man.
Jacinda is like Norman Kirk.
My memory of Kirk was being a young teenager with a group of friends walking past him lying in state. Even at that age I knew he was a great politician.
Agree Anne.
The comparison is nonsense because Muldoon was a populist.
Now, it could reasonably be argued that Ardern has been wrong about the limit for tangis and funerals. But she's hardly doing it in order to be more popular, is she? Can't imagine the PM giving a tub-thumping campaign speech … "And we stopped the gatherings at funerals and weddings!" (waits for applause). I doubt her advisers sat down and said "I know what the public will want to hear! Pain and grief, it's a vote-winner!".
She might be wrong, but her reasons are obviously right.
Jacinda is not like Muldoon
I agree.
Muldoon t least had some,not many but some, conservative values while Jacinda Ardern is an out and out socialist with no work life outside of Politics. Muldoon at least was a partner in a successful Accountancy business.
"out and out socialist"
Tee hee. Also, Donald Trump has valuable business experience, which has been the foundation of his impressive leadership. Sure.
Ardern is an out and out socialist
lol
Are you the same deluded guy who was holding up that "pretty communist" placard a while back?
I believe pdm may be a troll from way back. They copped a lengthy ban in the previous Election Year in 2017. I have the ban-axe handy 😉
LOL.
Accountancy, along with Law, are the two professions most dependant on Government.
So not counting out-and-out motherhood with much value then pdm?
Here is an example of why we need to continue to exercise caution with social gatherings:
https://twitter.com/MaxKennerly/status/1260310739690151938
More.
Choir: The community choir in Washington State. Even though people were aware of the virus and took steps to minimize transfer; e.g. they avoided the usual handshakes and hugs hello, people also brought their own music to avoid sharing, and socially distanced themselves during practice. They even went to the lengths to tell choir members prior to practice that anyone experiencing symptoms should stay home. A single asymptomatic carrier infected most of the people in attendance. The choir sang for 2 1/2 hours, inside an enclosed rehearsal hall which was roughly the size of a volleyball court.
Singing, to a greater degree than talking, aerosolizes respiratory droplets extraordinarily well. Deep-breathing while singing facilitated those respiratory droplets getting deep into the lungs. Two and half hours of exposure ensured that people were exposed to enough virus over a long enough period of time for infection to take place. Over a period of 4 days, 45 of the 60 choir members developed symptoms, 2 died. The youngest infected was 31, but they averaged 67 years old. (corrected link)
Indoor sports: While this may be uniquely Canadian, a super spreading event occurred during a curling event in Canada. A curling event with 72 attendees became another hotspot for transmission. Curling brings contestants and teammates in close contact in a cool indoor environment, with heavy breathing for an extended period. This tournament resulted in 24 of the 72 people becoming infected. (ref)
https://www.erinbromage.com/post/the-risks-know-them-avoid-them
https://www.erinbromage.com/post/about-the-author-professor-erin-bromage
Jacinda is not Muldoon. Bridges would like to be but does not have comparable experience. His sudden change from cross-party consensus may suggest leadership challenges from majorr players.
Covid-19 mortality in US and UK is higher than in NZ according to publicly available data – but its true extent may take time to emerge. The virus has been described as 'tricky'.
Google it, there's heaps out there.
The powers assigned under the CERA legislation were an abomination that Labour should never have agreed to. (Remember King Henry Brownlie VIII?)
This isn't even close to being in the same league.
As an aside. the worship angle is reminding me of an interview with a woman in the US leaving an evangelical church who insisted she was immune because "covered in the blood of Christ".
edit . And Muldoon was no advocate for liberalism – which is to his credit.
The last social democrat
Is that the same American woman I saw on TV last month saying "If speaking English was good enough for Jesus Christ, it's good enough for me."
Is that JC over there with his head in his hands muttering " Jesus Christ !
"If speaking English was good enough for Jesus Christ, it's good enough for me."
Ther's a song in that…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kIFTHoc-H0
No.
Here you go.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jiWl0XRYbY
If Jacinda Ardern was like Muldoon she would have commissioned some long term thinking on the new direction that the country is clearly headed. And certainly not just a few fresh papers out of Treasury.
In April 1976 Muldoon established a Taskforce on Economic and Social Planning which was chaired by Sir Frank Holmes. These guys consulted widely across New Zealand, and what they came up with was a document deliberately entitled "New Zealand At The Turning Point".
The very long list of individuals, organisations and companies consulted shows that there was a high level of commitment to the development of a national consensus.
Ardern and Roberston have both told us this is going to be a "jobs budget".
This better not be all the imagination they have in the tank.
"In April 1976 Muldoon established a Taskforce on Economic and Social Planning which was chaired by Sir Frank Holmes. These guys consulted widely across New Zealand, and what they came up with was a document deliberately entitled "New Zealand At The Turning Point".
I think Don Brash was on that panel. Where can I find a pdf copy of that report? Or do I have to actually go to one of this big buildings that are full of books?
People don't seem to realise how fascinating NZ history from 1970-1984 is/was.
If they have real imagination like Muldoon they'll find some big knife to plunge in like he did with the Super scheme?
New Zealand at the Turning Point? You got it. That was such a turning point in our economic history. Pity he had the wrong map. Pity he went the wrong way. Pity he had the illiterates and other National wasters under their beds looking for reds.
Any plan right now would be great.
We need a good plan, not necessarily the best plan.
Well we now know that the National Party has been de-Muldoonised.
Here is more evidence that Ardern is not like Muldoon.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/300011679/coronavirus-up-to-50-people-to-be-allowed-at-funerals-and-tangi
I doubt, once having made a decision, Muldoon would reconsider it.
Our resident tories may shriek about a victory for 'Wanna buy a' Bridges.
Let 'em, after all, they haven't sung that song before.
I see it as good leadership, taking feedback and reconsidering their position
It was a predictable problem, though. It should have been avoided.
I don't expect the PM to be on top of every detail, but you'd think her staff would be able to see where it would end up. If you're going to back down, do it in advance. Because they were always going to.
(that's not hindsight, I could see the problem on Monday when it was announced, and so could most people I'm sure).
They need to stick to their guns on the other issues now, like bars waiting a week. Public health is the rationale, and it should be defended.
They probably backed themselves to explain the differences between the different sorts of groups and assumed people would understand the higher risk of the funeral groups? But you’re probably right, the backdown could have been avoided.
To be honest, there are probably a lot of families out there who wouldve be glad of the 10 person limit.
Sometimes fewer people = fewer dramas and less tension.
Millsy, ha!
& my 2c, jeez, we're talking a few weeks here, a friend of mine died a month ago, he had a quiet, family only funeral, when the time is right I'm sure a bunch of us will get together and celebrate my mates life.
Desperation from Simon – a man with nothing to lose.
In which case, moving to Level 2 so early is probably not the greatest idea in the world. Nor is the official downplaying of the importance of face-mask wearing, esp for indoor public spaces.
Research NZ polling suggests the NZ public are more cautious & more prepared to make the necessary sacrifices than an apparently timid Govt caving in to pressure from the business community & political Right.
Rather than eradication, it looks like they've going to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory and (much like European Countries in far weaker positions) are prepared to tolerate an "acceptable" wave of new cases & new deaths … as they greatly ease the lockdown without adequate infrastructure for the degree of testing & tracing required.
Who knows Swordfish, not you, not I, not the govt, not the 5g anti vaxxers, not the whiney RWs, no one. Maybe NZ got it right, maybe we haven't, but look around, no country has, we're doing a fucking best here, trying to please everyone, no one, there's no framework, it's a dynamic ever changing situation.
I just read Hollywood big wigs are wanting to come here, I do hope they get quarantined and don't get special treatment, I'm just recalling the Nats going gaga over WB, that would disappoint me if Labour get sucked into that.
You're singing from the same nihilistic songsheet as Doris Day:
Que sera sera
What will be will be
The future's not ours to see
Que sera sera
Whereas I'm a Roarer, a Rogerer, a Gorger and a Puker, I'm young, I'm firm buttocked and I believe in learning from other Countries' mistakes & then throwing caution to the wind by modifying our strategy & behaviour accordingly.
I'm reasonably confident the move to L2 is not a knee-jerk response, but has some logical, specific, and preceding rationale (rather than a retrospective & half-arsed justification for said knee-jerk response).
If that is the case but the rationale is incorrect, masks will not be much use anyway. We'll all still end up going back to L4 for another damned month.
I ain't no nihilist, I just figure those with expertise and medical nous area bit (in fact a lot) brighter than me, so I'm happy to let them make the biggly decisions regarding control of a pandemic. If they ever need to know how to record their own composition using a home computer or how to construct a comic, then I'm the expert there, but until that day comes, I'll just look after my and mine.
And if perfect certainty in health were possible and the only consideration for the government, that would be fine.
But let's say the perfect criteria was two solid weeks of dot balls in new cases, or even of zero active cases. I honestly don't think that would even be enforceable, let alone any other factors that might be relevant.
While the public may have told the pollsters they would stay at level3/4 for longer if necessary their actual behaviour in the last 2 weeks of level 3 suggested a different outcome. Time will tell if we’ve done the right thing.
This comparison of Ardern to Muldoon recalled an incident at a public meeting held at election time in 1972 when Muldoon attacked various political opponents in a pretty nasty way. One old questioner made his way to the front of the packed hall in order to ask his question and then made his way back so that he would not be left standing rudely at the front while Muldoon replied. Halfway down the aisle, a man sitting on the aisle stuck out his knee so that the old man shuffling back could sit down on it, which he did. Muldoon of course made a homophobic reference to this. That was the instinctive nature of the man, to denigrate his opposition. Comparison of Ardern to this man is odious.
At this meeting, one man kept on calling out, in response to the continued Muldoon personal attacks, "Give us your policy! Give us your policy!" Muldoon was obviously rattled by this and after the meeting made a comment to a reporter.
The headline read next day, "Blenheim worst yet: Muldoon". National did not win the Marlborough seat that election.
The power of one man to oppose poor or wrong behaviour and have much larger consequences. The man who was the interjector later lost his life saving his son from being buried in a freak land slide on the West Coast. A true hero. His example lives in memory.
Thank you for that. Saying Ardern is like Muldoon is like saying "I have no brain, I don't know what I'm talking about so I'll spout some shit."