Meanwhile, omicron and delta in New Zealand

Written By: - Date published: 12:20 pm, February 18th, 2022 - 73 comments
Categories: covid-19, long covid - Tags: ,

While our attention is elsewhere, Jamie Morton reported in the Herald this morning that New Zealand is still experiencing a significant percentage of delta variant covid cases. These are over-represented in sequenced hospitalisations,

The latest data from ESR showed up to seven per cent of cases being genomically sequenced in New Zealand were Delta, which was still making up the majority of sequenced hospital cases.

Around the world, dominant Omicron has effectively squashed Delta: in England, it took just a month to push Delta down from 98 per cent of recorded cases to just 4 per cent of them.

But experts have remained worried that Omicron’s predecessor could linger strongly enough to have an out-sized impact.

As of last month, Delta cases still made up around a third of those in New South Wales intensive care units – yet just a small portion of those found in the community.

…

Of all Covid-19 cases sequenced in New Zealand over the past two weeks, 5 to 7 per cent of them were Delta, which appeared to be “holding steady”, ESR’s Dr Joep de Ligt said.

One of the issues here is New Zealand’s relatively unique position. Because of our low omicron rates, that variant hasn’t been able to take over to the same extent as overseas. Some of the delta variant infections specific to social events in Auckland have now spread outside the original infection areas to Wellington. This is in effect two epidemics in New Zealand.

ESR’s De Ligt,

Noting Delta’s higher risk of severe disease, de Ligt urged people to get boosted and wear masks.

He said New Zealand would be wise to “keep a wary eye out” and maintain our best efforts to curb the variant.

I want to stop and emphasise this because there are still a number of narratives in various media and among the population that ignore the risk, namely ‘omicron is mild’ and ‘best to let it rip and get it over with’. We don’t know how this is going to play out in New Zealand, we are in a unique position, and there is no evidence yet that ‘let it rip’ is wise.

In addition to the hospitalisation rates from delta, there is the issue of long covid. We don’t know yet how omicron will impact on long covid, and we barely know how delta does. We do however know that vaccination and boosting lowers the risk of contracting covid, and thus lowers transmission rates, and that all our other tools lower both the risk of contracting and transmitting covid as well:  well fitted masks, hand washing/sanitising, social distancing, self isolation, testing.

For those that think that long covid is some vague illness over there that is unlikely to affect them, read Lprent’s post The long cost of Covid-19 about post-covid heart disease,

It should be noted that Omicron and Delta won’t be present in these results as they looked at people a year after being infected. But because the causation of these longer-term cardiovascular system effects from Covid-19 isn’t understood at a clinical level and in particular how they manifest long after infection and recovery, I wouldn’t be particularly hopeful that Omicron is any more benign.

For those feeling especially bullet-proof, consider the impact on the health and welfare systems in NZ (not to mention the Budget) of an increase in diseases that require substantial high tech and high costs medical intervention over the next years and decades.

The more people we have infected, the more risk of health care system overload and deaths in the short term, and the more likelihood of increasing numbers of post-viral chronically ill people in our families and communities and systems over the coming months and years.

Otago University virologist Dr Jemma Geoghegan said contact tracing services should give any detected Delta cases priority – although that wouldn’t be so easy with Omicron spreading our resources more thinly.

…

With New Zealand having had little prior exposure to either variant, she said it was difficult to say just how Omicron and Delta might compete in the community.

Because being infected with one didn’t stop people from contracting the other, it was all the more important that Kiwis ensured they were boosted.

Now is not the time to give up our best protections.

Mod note: if you want to comment under this post, please post back up for any claims of fact at the time you make a comment. Back up means a quote, your own explanation were relevant, and a direct link. Time stamps are needed for audio and video. This moderator is sick of asking. Quotes without links will be deleted.

Please keep on topic, discussion about the Convoy protests can happen in these posts, (some overlap in this post is ok)

https://thestandard.org.nz/why-havent-the-police-acted/

https://thestandard.org.nz/convoy-protest-18-2-22/

73 comments on “Meanwhile, omicron and delta in New Zealand ”

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  1. Molly 1
    18 February 2022 at 12:35 pm

    My partner's co-workers are being contacted after fairly long delays (up to five days after exposure) to go and get tested. It makes me think, as suggested in the article that they may be prioritising getting in contact with Delta infections as they are currently still a significant portion of our daily positives.

    I'm all good with that approach, it makes sense to me if the indications regarding hospitalisations and care between strains given in the article remain true.

    • Molly 1.1
      18 February 2022 at 1:41 pm

      The RAT access for essential workers requires several back and forths between worker, employer and Ministry.

      This needs to be streamlined, it's hard to expect it to run efficiently in its current form, particularly as other pressures from the Covid outbreak increase.

      • Gypsy 1.1.1
        18 February 2022 at 8:37 pm

        'Streamlined'? I'd say the government needs to get out of the way. When a RAT that has a sensitivity of 80%, is approved in the US and Australia, can't be imported into NZ, we've lost the plot.

        • Molly 1.1.1.1
          19 February 2022 at 8:36 am

          "Get out of the way" works too.

          Co-worker going for a RAT test at opening time told that testers wouldn't be there for another hour and a half. In the end it took two and a half hours (sans travelling time) to get RAT tested.

          This slippage at the beginning of this outbreak doesn't bode well. Unless it's addressed.

        • AB 1.1.1.2
          19 February 2022 at 12:28 pm

          80% is virtually useless. Using one is merely a performative act of virtue signalling – simply pretending to care about public health and one's employees. If the government "gets out of the way" there will however be numerous opportunities for price gouging and profit taking – so all good eh?

          • Gypsy 1.1.1.2.1
            19 February 2022 at 3:06 pm

            If 80% is virtually useless, then don’t get vaccinated. After all, the vaccine doesmt’t stop 100% of people getting covid either. The ‘RAT’s’ are ineffective is a silly argument.

    • ghostwhowalksnz 1.2
      19 February 2022 at 3:01 pm

      'co-workers are being contacted after fairly long delays (up to five days after exposure) to go and get tested'

      Incubation period . A positive person can be a number of days before symptoms and getting tested and then results.

      They work backwards from day of test to allow for this. hence the up to five days you speak about for those at same location at same time.

  2. Matiri 2
    18 February 2022 at 1:16 pm

    Jenene Crossan, one of NZs earliest COVID cases who has been vocal on the long term effects, tweeted this sad news a few days ago:

    https://twitter.com/Jenene/status/1493119648057163776?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

    • Molly 2.1
      18 February 2022 at 1:46 pm

      That's a devastating outcome.

      Do you have any links to the Long Covid community in NZ?

      • Matiri 2.1.1
        18 February 2022 at 6:10 pm

        No I don't fortunately, but Jenene Crossan has been sharing her story very articulately. Her recovery from Covid has been long and difficult.

    • Barfly 3.1
      18 February 2022 at 2:47 pm

      Ouch! 2% with long covid I imagine NZ s response will mean ours is a far lower %

      100,000 cases of long covid in NZ would be a bloody nightmare

      • GreenBus 3.1.1
        19 February 2022 at 10:35 am

        There's already at least 25,000 cases of CFS/ME/Long Covid in NZ.

        They are invisible, so another lot will be similar, I guess.

        It's not a problem now, why should that change?

        "In New Zealand, it is estimated that there are at least 25,000 sufferers. This equates to 1 in 250 adults and 1 in 134 youth."

        https://anzmes.org.nz/

    • Molly 3.2
      18 February 2022 at 3:36 pm

      I suspect my sister in Oz, who contracted Covid in both the Delta strain (dble vaccinated) and then the Omicron (boosted) has symptoms that point to long-Covid remaining after the Delta infection.

      It is a concern, and I'm hoping that Ministry will compile data and report on it as soon as they can.

      • Patricia Bremner 3.2.1
        18 February 2022 at 4:40 pm

        Hello Molly, my son says they are called Long Haulers. He is getting better, and today Robyn recognised him. To our great relief. Yes this is a real outcome for some who get the virus. If you get it please drink fluids endlessly and rest totally.

        The Dr in Robyn's covid ward told Grant "If you sweat you have overdone it. Ten minutes work then two hours rest."

        We don't seem to be giving out that information.

        Grant has been told to be very careful as he has two other conditions. …and….

        Long haulers can take 6 to 8 weeks to get over the symptoms, and do not recover their fitness due to poor oxygen transfer and organ damage Hence the easy exhaustion.

        • Molly 3.2.1.1
          18 February 2022 at 6:12 pm

          Thanks Patricia. I'm talking to my sister on the weekend and will pass this on.

          Sounds like your family have been at the pointy end of the stick, on this. Hope the improvement continues.

          • Patricia Bremner 3.2.1.1.1
            18 February 2022 at 8:18 pm

            Glad to help Molly.

            Robyn has lost her brain fog and may be well enough to come home to Grant where they will rest and recuperate. We are hugely relieved.

            Good wishes to your sister and family. As you said it is being far away and feeling helpless makes it all worse.

  4. Poission 4
    18 February 2022 at 4:44 pm

    There are three variants of concern,delta,and Omicron BA1.BA2.

    https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/8737786/?utm_source=showcase&utm_campaign=visualisation/8737786

    The problematic issue is not delta/omicron it is decreasing immunity with effectiveness decreasing from 69% after the booster (2-4 weeks) to 49% after 10 weeks for BA1 and from 74% after (2-4 weeks) to 46 % after 10 weeks for BA2

    https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1054071/vaccine-surveillance-report-week-6.pdf

    hence we have a problem of national significance that is being overlooked,and it will be enhanced by the mandate removal for MIQ and overseas travel especially from NSW.

    • The Chairman 4.1
      18 February 2022 at 7:28 pm

      The problematic issue is not delta/omicron it is decreasing immunity with effectiveness decreasing from 69% after the booster (2-4 weeks) to 49% after 10 weeks for BA1 and from 74% after (2-4 weeks) to 46 % after 10 weeks for BA2

      Additionally, have you seen this: https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-trial-worlds-first-finds-4th-dose-not-good-enough-against-omicron/

      But don't worry. Pfizer CEO says omicron vaccine will be ready in March

      https://www.cnbc.com/2022/01/10/covid-vaccine-pfizer-ceo-says-omicron-vaccine-will-be-ready-in-march.html

    • weka 4.2
      18 February 2022 at 7:41 pm

      given we currently have no vaccine that is highly effective, my understanding is that the government is simply trying to flatten the curve to protect the health system and flow ons from that. I hope it's also trying to limit the number of people that get covid generally because of various risk factors.

      Removing the MiQ mandate seems a wrong move, would have been better to improve that system.

      • Poission 4.2.1
        18 February 2022 at 7:59 pm

        Living with covid is a lethal policy,and a very expensive health cost going forward.

        https://twitter.com/yaneerbaryam/status/1493585689430134789?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1493585689430134789%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fpublish.twitter.com%2F%3Fquery%3Dhttps3A2F2Ftwitter.com2Fyaneerbaryam2Fstatus2F1493585689430134789widget%3DTweet

        Scenario assumptions also suggest (strongly) that variants will emerge faster then new vaccines,the old adage of still fighting the last battle ,when the new one starts.Protective behaviour,from non pharmaceutical interventions such as masks need to be maintained,and mandated in close situations such as flight travel with no exceptions.

        https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/academics-viral-evolution-scenarios-10-february-2022

        see pdf.

        • weka 4.2.1.1
          18 February 2022 at 8:28 pm

          yes, the sooner we stop treating this as something that will be over soon and start adapting the better.

          Maybe Labour think we can soak up the disability costs.

        • Gypsy 4.2.1.2
          18 February 2022 at 8:28 pm

          The head of the Royal NZ College of GP's seems to disagree with you.

          • Poission 4.2.1.2.1
            18 February 2022 at 8:52 pm

            Someone who has done no research and is a practitioner of cookbook science,I prefer analysis of those who have both published predictive outcomes with scientific rigor,and provided early warnings of risk,where if enacted would have been insurance in the billions vs trillions of dollars and millions of deaths.

            https://necsi.edu/systemic-risk-of-pandemic-via-novel-pathogens-coronavirus-a-note

            • Gypsy 4.2.1.2.1.1
              18 February 2022 at 9:02 pm

              A good many of those predictive outcomes have so far been well wide of the mark. I'd have thought the careful considerations of the Royal NZ College of GP's worth listening to. They are actual doctors, at the coal face. Not theorists with pointy hats making up data that at times has no connection with reality.

              • Poission …
                18 February 2022 at 9:35 pm

                2006

                https://necsi.edu/longrange-interaction-and-evolutionary-stability-in-a-predatorprey-system

                The report addresses such diseases as Ebola, SARS and avian flu, the last of which is currently spreading among birds across the globe, and may mutate to infect people. If current trends continue, these might be just the first of many pandemic threats that we will face. “Due to increasing global transportation,” the authors warn, “human beings may cross the transition into the realm of pandemics unless preventive actions are taken that either limit global transportation or its impact.”

                2015.

                https://twitter.com/nntaleb/status/1478716709473239042

              • lprent …
                18 February 2022 at 10:52 pm

                Then perhaps you should read material from experts in the fields of epidemics and the history of them rather than GPs.

                GPs are as you say, on the coalface – that of daily medicine. But most know fuckall about epidemics in places like NZ apart what was taught as part of brief history in medical schools and if they did oversess work where epidemics are commonplace and medical infrastructure is rare.

                Most GPs here and theoughout the developed nations haven't faced epidemics before in a developed nation. In NZ they pretty well died out in the 1960s. So to have dealt with one here, GPs would have be freaking old.

                Plus GPs are at the coalface. Bloody useless place to learn about the type of logistics that actually defeat epidemics.

                The theorists, historians, civil defense hospitals and even the military medical system will know far more about how to deal with epidemics than any society of GPs. They are all deal with the history of previous epidemics and train in the responses required to deal with it.

                Use your common sense.

                Incidently Poisson's links about how obvious a pandemic was are just the tip of the iceberg. I was reading material that was pointed out how inevitable it was that we would get repeated global spreads back in the early 90s. I even wrote a history paper based on it.

                The worst case was always something like covid-19. Not too lethal, easy infection, late symptoms, endemic, and air travel.

                It settles into populations asnd knocks a decade off average working life through repeated waves for decades.

                • Gypsy …
                  19 February 2022 at 9:52 am

                  My comment was in response to the claim that "Living with covid is a lethal policy". Living with Covid is in fact an inevitability, and the government now fully accepts that.

                  "But most know fuckall about epidemics in places like NZ apart what was taught as part of brief history in medical schools "
                  But what they do know about is the serious health consequences from other diseases of continuing with the current strategy. That is partly what the RC is addressing.

                  • lprent …
                    19 February 2022 at 5:26 pm

                    Living with Covid is in fact an inevitability, and the government now fully accepts that.

                    Sure and I accepted that back in May 2020. I wrote a post on it "Covid-19: may be endemic" – where I said

                    While I’m not a doctor, over the years I have looked at the history of diseases in human populations in my reading and courses. That is where I think that this disease will wind up. If I had to bet, and assuming a vaccine, I’d say this will eventually be more prevalent than measles, and less frequent outbreaks than the annual flu. It will be endemic.

                    I followed up with "Pandemic to endemic covid-19" in Feb 2021 once we had a better idea on how the vaccines were working which essentially said what the target was going to be in the world of waves of variants.

                    Personally I doubt that anyone in this Labour government ever thought that it was possible to eliminate Covid-19 long-term.

                    It was a short-term strategy for a few years until we got a vaccine and got whatever proportion of the population was required to limit spread or or effective preventative treatment.

                    Certainly I have never heard of any of Labour MP saying that it was a long-term. The elimination strategy was short-term until we got a vaccine and got whatever proportion of the population was required to limit spread or or effective preventative treatment.

                    Why? Because anyone who wasn't feeble-minded and who read anything about vaccine development would have been aware that a sterilising vaccine takes decades to refine.

                    A long -term elimination was pretty much the fantasy meme of the media and the feeble-minded in National/Act who were trying to say that was the governments long-term policy.

                    Mind you, a significiant number of the Nat/Act MPs, members, and supporters brought into the bullshit of Cameron Slater and co – so I guess there are people in there with fragile grasp of reality. After all they were the feeble-minded short-term idiots who cut back dramatically on our hospital and medical resources to give themselves a tax-cut – twice.

                    I have zero sympathy for them as they now whine that their crony capitalism internal economy in the low wage part of the economy is being damaged by a lack of cheap labour. They should have paid for more resources to handle a pandemic when it came.

                    Back in the 1990s I wrote a history paper on the effects of pandemics and the forward probability of them happening. After that I got out of the internal economy and shifted to the export sector based on the net.

                    To be precise I dropped out of working on code for our local manufacturing and telecom companies here and started putting my time into startups and engineering. It was more fun, and obviously helps me on my personal goal of being NZ's oldest working productive programmer. I haven't stopped working all the way through the pandemic. Worst I got were some delayed R&D hardware.

                    That is partly what the RC is addressing.

                    Having now read the article in question, it appears to be all that one GP was addressing (it didn't appear to be a RC statement). Even that only really showed up in the last few paragraphs.

                    But ongoing vaccinations of kids is a moot point while border is closed. It is hard for other diseases to spread in anything like our current environment. This isn't hard to tell – just look at the instances of reported diseases at the MoH website. Turns out that quarantines are good at reducing the risks of epidemics – 'who'd have thunk dat'.

                    Sure the down-stream effects of covid-19 having been causing issues for people who have other medical issues. However for the last 10 months or so, the entire vaccination effort has been targeted around making sure that we maintained medical capability to deal with an outbreak while we vaccinate.

                    If short-term idiots had wanted to be able to live reasonably normally during a pandemic than they shouldn't have voted for stupid tax-cuts. We have a medical system that normally runs at about 90% capacity and frequently tips over 100% under normal non-pandemic loads. The countries who have been coming out of the pandemic and settling back into a semblance of normal life – tey are one ones with working health systems taht aren't starved of funds and resources

                    It is the National/Act party public health system that means that we have had a problem retaining NZ trained nurses, doctors, and even nursing aides because they get better pay and better conditions almost anywhere else they go. Where we have had problems importing staff because Nat/Act are more concerned about tax cuts in every election than dealing with potential disasters.

                    This GP seems to be saying the same thing as many dimwits (Mike Hosking being a prime example) that they'd like to get back to their normal lives right now – regardless of the consequences to others in the whole population.

                    That isn't going to be an option for quite a number of years yet. There are going to be more variant waves of covid-19 for at least several more years.

                    Plus we have scraped by with potential pandemics since the 90s – on average there has been a novel candidate for that about every 5 years. several avian flus, pig flu, Ebola, SARS, Nile disease, MERS etc. This time we got less lucky. The diseases was too 'mild' and couldn't be contained and suppressed easily. But I'd bet we get another novel pandemic within a decade. The cheap air-travel makes it too easy to spread.

                    National/Act voters will have to get used to 'non-normal life' supporting a pandemic level medical system which we are going to need for an ageing population anyway. Also to actually paying their way forward rather than throwing their costs back on the kids. In other words – start paying adequate taxes rather than getting the children and poor to pay the bulk of it.

                    • Gypsy …
                      19 February 2022 at 8:49 pm

                      "This GP seems to be saying the same thing as many dimwits (Mike Hosking being a prime example) that they'd like to get back to their normal lives right now…"

                      That's not what he's saying. He's saying we have other health issues that are not being addressed in the background of all the noise over covid. Like mental health issues. And the backlog of cancer screening. We can count the covid deaths, but the neglect of other diseases will be with us as silent killers for decades.

                      "(it didn't appear to be a RC statement)."

                      Yes, it was. The article includes this "However, we will learn to live with it in the same way we do with colds and flu,” Betty said in a statement issued by the Royal NZ College of GPs."

                      "start paying adequate taxes rather than getting the children and poor to pay the bulk of it."

                      That's factually incorrect. "What they show is that it is only when we get to around the top 50 per cent of households is there any net income tax paid. Below that income level no net tax is paid, as those households receive more in transfers than they pay in tax."

                    • lprent []
                      20 February 2022 at 1:14 am

                      Actually a good catch on the first few bits. The last however is completely incorrect.

                      Income tax is just one part of the tax structure. It isn’t even the most important one. That is company taxes.

                      However the largest tax after income tax is GST at 15% ie about half the current top income tax rate. It cuts in on all disposable income apart from accomadation costs. Since almost all of these costs for low to median income are inescapable, it means that the nominal tax rate on someone at just below the median income is roughly the same rate as almost all of the people above it.

                      The actual tax system with GST is savagely regressive.

                      Then there are other taxes like car registration and WOF which weigh heavily on people already short of cash because they are over taxed.

                      If you then multiply it out by the number if people in the various income bands you’ll find that the bulk of the personal tax take including GST comes from people with incomes of well less than median income of around $50k. This isn’t exactly hard to dig out. You can find that information if you look at the publications of the IRD and NZStats. The bulk of the tax from individuals in NZ including GST is paid by people barely hitting the 30% tax bracket.

                      Sure there are tax based support systems like working for families and accomadation costs. But both are largely done for societal reasons and effectively are subsidies to have future taxpayers and not to overload public housing waiting lists respectively.

                      Neither help that much with either task. Accomadation costs wind up as a subsidy to low end landlords ratcheting rentals. Our birth rate is still declining because having kids is freaking expensive.

                      But also the amouny of money going into those programs is small when you compare it with tax taken from the same groups. What the lazy bugger in the article you cited didn’t look into was the disparities within the deciles and the people within them.

                      For instance the vast majority of the transfer payments going into the very low income deciles was in fact superannuation. Something as any super recipient will tell you that they have prepaid. This isn’t hard to dig out. Just look at the MSD budget.

                      This is how you tell lies in propoganda. You just leave outvthe inconvienient facts. It js specifically what happens when an accountant wants to tell rich folk what they would like to hear. If you remove the superannuation payments as being ‘benefit’ and instead treat that as an existing liability that Muldoon government started incurring back in 1975, then the picture changes.

                      But even that isn’t the full picture. Because currently there are vast swathes of untaxed personal income. For instance the untaxed income from selling of existing property and taking the capital gain being the main one.

                      For many people with higher incomes, this is often their main source of actual income over their lifetime as they move through a series of houses or land.

                      The effect of this overall is that most people on the top 5% of higher nominal incomes who have land or houses is that the effective tax rate that they pay on their whole income is typically going to be well less than the someone on the median income.

                      For instance between the end of 2017 and the end of 2021 I made a paper gain on my one bedroom apartment of about $300k. If I realised it, I would pay zero tax on it. This means that when I take into account my income, income tax, paid GST, stuff I didn’t pay GST on (mostly paying my partners mortgage as I live in her apartment), investments return and their PIR that “modest capital”, rental, and took the capital gain – my effective tax rate including income tax and GST over that period would be around 15-18%.

                      Less than half on my nominal rate includibg GST of just below 40% if I had no mortage or rental. That is why your link is pure fabrication. It simply glosses over the the details.

                      It soes illustrate why untaxed capital gains income is a massive market and tax distortion.

                      I know people who have made paper profits of well over a million dollars from their housing over the last 5 years, on an annual income that barely hits the 70k. That income when realised is hardly a “modest capital gain” as the lying by omission acountant in your link put it.

                      It isn’t hard to realise it. Many of the older engineers in my last job did that. They left Auckland and moved to the country to raise prices elsewhere while also remoting into their work. Because my partner still needs Auckland (despite mostly working virtually in New York and Invercargill) I just remote to my work in Hamilton and Silicon Valley.

                      Basically your linked article is just complete horseshit. It just wrote what a particular audience (including you apparently) wanted to hear, and glossed over or aggregated some serious basic flaws in its analyis. It js simply stupid propaganda written for the credulous.

                    • Gypsy …
                      20 February 2022 at 9:55 am

                      " the effective tax rate that they pay on their whole income is typically going to be well less than the someone on the median income."

                      There are two ways to measure this – a> the quantum of tax paid, and b> tax paid as a proportion of income. Your original post simply stated "start paying adequate taxes rather than getting the children and poor to pay the bulk of it." I took that to mean a>. There is no question that higher income earners pay more income tax, under both measures, than lower earners. That is the simple reality of a progressive tax system. As for GST etc, higher income earners own cars, purchase goods and services, and likely according to their incomes. There is no data that I'm aware of that can possibly demonstrate lower income earners pay a higher quantum of tax than those with higher incomes.

                      As for proportionality, you may well be right. GST is the main culprit, as you point out. But GST is an entrenched part of our tax system, and a highly efficient revenue earner, so what are the options?

                    • lprent …
                      21 February 2022 at 12:29 pm

                      As for proportionality, you may well be right. GST is the main culprit, as you point out. But GST is an entrenched part of our tax system, and a highly efficient revenue earner, so what are the options?

                      Generally people on higher incomes pay less GST as a proportion of their income.

                      The biggest factor is because the affluent pay larger amounts of personal financial transactions – on capital and interest payments. – mostly for property. I know that I do. Payments to to banks on mortgages account for roughly 35% of my largish net income (after income tax and kiwisaver contributions). It also accounts for about 75% of the income from my apartment that I rent out. None of that collects GST.

                      People like me will only pay tax once on a very large chunk of income rather than the taxation twice (PAYE + GST) as people who expend almost all of their non-housing income.

                      The obvious way to get an tax revenue earner like than GST would be to put in a financial transactions tax specifically on capital and interest payments against loans.

                      This is pretty much the same as GST in that it taxes a service. It is also a consumption tax. Doing that will probably nicely get the most of the affluent paying similar indirect taxation to the less affluent.

                      You could exclude payment of housing rentals from such as tax on the same basis as GST. The renters are not the end -user of the service. The mortgagee is. So to exclude double taxation you'd apply it only to the end user who receives the capital benefit.

                      Of course it'd have a side-effect of making it more expensive to buy property. But it'd mean that cost is up-front throughout the process of holding property. Which is way more sensible than trying to tax it x years later as a capital gain.

                      It'd also reduce the profit of landlords, and decrease their income tax. However it would effectively tax their capital gains as well and provide more of an incentive to pay off rather than leverage property.

                      You then get rid of the difficult tax accounting for capital gains and can dump the ineffectual capital gains taxes. Bearing in mind the collection effect of such a tax, you will probably also be able to do tax-cuts on income taxes, just as happened when the indirect GST got added to the tax mix.

              • KJT …
                19 February 2022 at 10:18 pm

                "A good many of those predictive outcomes have so far been well wide of the mark". Link?

                Repetition does not make something true.

                I know it is a bit hard for to fit it in with your cognitive bias, but the local predictions on the whole have been remarkedly accurate.

                A range of predictions is given from no protective responses, to strict lockdown and isolation. The predicted result for the first two variants, allowing for the measures NZ took, were within the a few digits of the actual result. The predicted deaths, for example, with lockdowns and MIQ for the initial variant was very close.,

                https://resources.stuff.co.nz/content/dam/images/2/0/0/g/v/k/image.related.StuffLandscapeSixteenByNine.1240×700.200grg.png/1586465106481.png?format=pjpg&optimize=medium

                Of course if you simply compare the prediction made with absolutely no protective measures taken, which hasn't happened anywhere in the world, with results, you won't get the same numbers.

                And. I'm inclined to trust researchers in the field,who have spent their lives studying it, over someones reckons. No matter how well credentialed they may be in their own field.

                • Gypsy …
                  20 February 2022 at 9:26 am

                  "I know it is a bit hard for to fit it in with your cognitive bias, but the local predictions on the whole have been remarkedly accurate."
                  No, they have been miles out.

                  "I'm inclined to trust researchers in the field,who have spent their lives studying it, over someones reckons. "

                  When that 'someone' is the nZ Royal College of Doctors, I'd take their opinion over a group of pointy heads any day.

          • weka 4.2.1.2.2
            18 February 2022 at 9:04 pm

            nothing in there about long covid, so hard to take his opinion seriously.

              • joe90 …
                19 February 2022 at 10:44 am

                Do we accept burdening the health system with thousands of newly disabled folk as inevitable, too?

                Long COVID symptoms of any severity were reported by 9.5% of double-vaccinated study participants, compared with 14.6% of socio-demographically similar participants who were unvaccinated when infected; the corresponding estimates for long COVID symptoms severe enough to result in limitation to day-to-day activities were 5.5% and 8.7% respectively.

                https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/conditionsanddiseases/bulletins/selfreportedlongcovidaftertwodosesofacoronaviruscovid19vaccineintheuk/26january2022

                From the beginning of this pandemic, people with disabilities understood that the disease would target them and would swell their ranks. Disability historians knew that there was a penumbra of ill health to previous mass-death events. Health economists warned that, as with tuberculosis, HIV and other diseases, morbidity would stalk mortality. Too many others have clung stubbornly to a belief that COVID-19 is something from which a minority of people die, and that most bounce back quickly and intact, with only their immune system updated. The longer the pandemic drags on, the harder it is to maintain that fiction.

                https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-00414-x

              • weka …
                19 February 2022 at 11:18 am

                is there anything in that NZ govt link about long covid?

              • Poission …
                19 February 2022 at 12:56 pm

                Betty is not even wrong.

                Living with covid is a dangerous policy,endemic diseases are not be benign,and cause significant strain on the health system,including a reduction in non acute disease mitigation,decreasing the quality of life for a large proportion of the population.

                Thinking that endemicity is both mild and inevitable is more than wrong, it is dangerous: it sets humanity up for many more years of disease, including unpredictable waves of outbreaks. It is more productive to consider how bad things could get if we keep giving the virus opportunities to outwit us. Then we might do more to ensure that this does not happen.

                https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-00155-x

                The Danes just removed all Non pharmaceutical interventions,and the penalty payment is severe.

                https://twitter.com/DrEricDing/status/1494700102904131586?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1494767912418222092%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es3_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fpublish.twitter.com%2F%3Fquery%3Dhttps3A2F2Ftwitter.com2Fyaneerbaryam2Fstatus2F1494767912418222092widget%3DTweet

                Nsw removed most yesterday,and this government relaxed the MIQ constraints to allow a second wave to arrive.

                • Gypsy …
                  19 February 2022 at 3:18 pm

                  Living with covid is what just about every government in the world is adopting.

                  • ghostwhowalksnz …
                    19 February 2022 at 6:02 pm

                    Thats because their weekly death tolls were so much higher and had a poor covid response.

                    Ireland for example has had 6000 dead, yet similar population to NZ, or Denmark 4200.

                    Even now with Omicron in times of high vaccination living with Covid ( as in NSW) will lead to 120-150 covid deaths per week here.

                  • Drowsy M. Kram …
                    19 February 2022 at 9:01 pm

                    So many ways to live with COVID-19, informed by prior experience.

                    • Gypsy …
                      19 February 2022 at 10:07 pm

                      Ah, that’s why this discussion is so interesting. And important.

                    • ghostwhowalksnz …
                      21 February 2022 at 12:26 pm

                      Big difference between NSW and NZ on omicron.

                      Many restrictions and mandates still in operation and others in waiting to be introduced.

                      Like these for the highest risk areas

                      Under the framework localised lockdowns and protections can be used to control high rates of transmission.

                      The restrictions implemented will consider specific circumstances and the nature of the public health response.

                      They could include:

                      • stay at home orders
                      • closure of premises, for example schools and retail
                      • restrictions on gatherings
                      • restrictions on movement in and out of the lockdown area.
                  • Drowsy M. Kram …
                    19 February 2022 at 11:23 pm

                    Yep – interesting and important. Imho, ways of "living with Covid" should endeavour to keep the number of Covid-19 deaths per million as low as possible for as long as possible. The strategies to achieve this will probably vary across countries with NZ-sized populations, such as:

                    Hungary (4477 Covid-attributed deaths per million)
                    Latvia (2750 deaths per million)
                    Belgium (2563)
                    Paraguay (2494)
                    Greece (2435)
                    Portugal (2046)
                    Uruguay (1962)
                    Panama (1808)
                    Serbia (1697)
                    Sweden (1648)
                    Austria (1599)
                    Costa Rica (1527)
                    Switzerland (1498)
                    Lebanon (1465)
                    Jordan (1314)
                    Ireland (1276)
                    Albania (1195) [cut-off is Covid death rates >100-times that of NZ's]
                    Aotearoa New Zealand (11)

                    Might apparent enthusiasm for relaxing NZ's cautious approach to safeguarding public health now, when new case numbers are (much) higher than ever before, be due to a desire to lift our enviably low Covid-19 death rate to a point where surviving Kiwi's , i.e. most of the population, can get back to a BAU lifestyle? Callous and selfish maybe, but then it takes all kinds.

                    We don't know how lucky we are to live in this 'shambles' of a country.

                    • Gypsy …
                      20 February 2022 at 9:28 am

                      " Imho, ways of "living with Covid" should endeavour to keep the number of Covid-19 deaths per million as low as possible for as long as possible."

                      …while also ensuring we don't create a crisis across the remainder of the health sector. One is brewing, one that may take far more lives than Covid.

                  • Drowsy M. Kram …
                    20 February 2022 at 10:11 am

                    One is brewing, one that may take far more lives than Covid.

                    Intriguing – do tell.

                    Edit – got it (@8:49 pm). Will future excess mortality analyses indicate the extent to which these ‘deferred treatment’ concerns are well founded, and will the pandemic and the health response be confounding factors?

                    • Gypsy …
                      20 February 2022 at 10:40 am

                      Excess mortality may show the impact, although not necessarily. For example we have a mental health crisis here and now, yet the suicidal numbers are down.

                  • Drowsy M. Kram …
                    20 February 2022 at 1:52 pm

                    For example we have a mental health crisis here and now…

                    Some of the more committed protesters?

      • The Chairman 4.2.2
        18 February 2022 at 8:54 pm

        My understanding is that the government is simply trying to flatten the curve

        Removing the MiQ mandate seems to suggest otherwise.

        • weka 4.2.2.1
          18 February 2022 at 9:05 pm

          you obviously haven't been paying attention.

          • The Chairman 4.2.2.1.1
            18 February 2022 at 9:09 pm

            Can you explain what you mean? I didn't understand your reply

            • weka 4.2.2.1.1.1
              18 February 2022 at 9:17 pm

              no. I cannot be bothered explaining the governments current covid strategy to you. Whatever way you choose to interpret the changes to MIQ, it's incredibly clear that what we are trying to achieve currently is slowing the spread to protect the health system and give people time to get boostered. They've talked about this openly.

              • The Chairman …
                18 February 2022 at 9:27 pm

                I see what you mean now

                Whatever way you choose to interpret the changes to MIQ, it's incredibly clear…

                Yes, I took removing the MiQ mandates as a sign Labour were looking at letting it rip.

    • Treetop 4.3
      19 February 2022 at 9:32 am

      decreasing immunity with effectiveness

      This is why I will not line up for a fourth jab unless there is immunity and effectiveness. I can see mandates falling away due to decreasing immunity and effectiveness.

      I have not been boostered yet, due to a couple readings on my last complete blood count being out of range and the effectiveness of a booster.

      In the meantime until mandates are reduced or go I would like to see exemptions for vaccination to be widened. Just as there are conscientious objectors to war there are conscientious objectors to Covid vaccination.

      The Covid vaccine is not mandatory, but the mandates are. If a person will not get vaccinated the mandate is the problem. People will chose to go to high risk venues or not whether they are vaccinated or not.

  5. The Chairman 5
    18 February 2022 at 5:51 pm

    My concern is the fear factor as numbers grow and how that could be used to drive through bad policy.

    We need to keep clam, not let the shock doctrine take hold and allow the use of bad policy.

    Be vigilant people.

  6. Shanreagh 6
    19 February 2022 at 9:01 am

    Govt with the long experience of policy around flattening the curve, protecting the hospitals from overload and now with lots of advice/policy around Omicron is surely not suddenly going to launch into bad policy based on fear.

  7. Shanreagh 7
    19 February 2022 at 9:40 am

    Here is a link to a study following US Veterans long term health after catching Covid. Because the US has a focus on looking after the health of their vets there is a pool of data that can be investigated.

    https://www.science.org/content/article/covid-19-takes-serious-toll-heart-health-full-year-after-recovery

    'The results are “stunning … worse than I expected, for sure,” says Eric Topol, a cardiologist at Scripps Research. “All of these are very serious disorders. … If anybody ever thought that COVID was like the flu this should be one of the most powerful data sets to point out it’s not.” He adds that the new study “may be the most impressive Long Covid paper we have seen to date.” "

    NB This covered the time of Covid Alpha. March 2020 January 2021

  8. ghostwhowalksnz 8
    19 February 2022 at 3:09 pm

    For those who are missing the whole point anout Omicron

    This is latest NSW weekly report ( for last week of january , its not released till mid february)

    https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/covid-19/Pages/weekly-reports.aspx

    'There were 220 deaths in people diagnosed with COVID-19'. 110,000 news cases in a week.

    Pro rata for NZs smaller population of 5 mill compared to NSW 8 mill that would scaled down to around 140 per week

    Thats scary as we are only at 50 for the last 2 years . Its politically unaceptable to let it rise to over 100 per week

  9. adam 9
    19 February 2022 at 7:13 pm

    NZ is crap with long term illness. The lack of funding for pain clinics and other long term treatments is just the tip of the iceberg. Long Covid is just going to join the list of lack of support, aid and help this society gives to the long term ill.

    Just look at how crappy our medical cannabis laws have panned out. It's worse now for people with long term condition to obtain medical cannabis than it was before the law change. A law that we were told would make it better, just one more example of our utter crap treatment of people with long term illness.

  10. Subliminal 10
    20 February 2022 at 9:43 pm

    Well, if you thought that omicron was going to be the end and now focus on getting back to normal, think again. Its starting to look like a new variant of omicron, BA.2, is becoming dominant, with infection rates up to 1.4 times the current BA.1, higher viral loads and increased ability to infect lungs, meaning more covd induced pneumonia and the resulting longer stays in hospital that overload health systems and of course, more deaths. At least we havent quite thrown out our mask wearing yet because the vaccine and previous infection appear to have little effect. MIQ may be needed for a little longer too.

  11. McFlock 11
    20 February 2022 at 9:51 pm

    On the plus side, there is research underway on pan-coronavirus vaccines. One jab, many strains.

    And just for the wellington rabble, one of 'em is being developed by the US military and actually involves nanoparticles. lol

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    In our increasingly digital world, home computers have become essential tools for work, communication, entertainment, and more. However, this increased reliance on technology also exposes us to various cyber threats. Understanding these threats and taking proactive steps to protect your home computer is crucial for safeguarding your personal information, finances, ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • Server-Based Computing Powering the Modern Digital Landscape
    In the ever-evolving world of technology, server-based computing has emerged as a cornerstone of modern digital infrastructure. This article delves into the concept of server-based computing, exploring its various forms, benefits, challenges, and its impact on the way we work and interact with technology. Understanding Server-Based Computing: At its core, ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    2 days ago

  • Vroom vroom go the big red trucks
    The absolute brass neck of this guy.We want more medical doctors, not more spin doctors, Luxon was saying a couple of weeks ago, and now we’re told the guy has seven salaried adults on TikTok duty. Sorry, doing social media. The absolute brass neck of it. The irony that the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago

  • Jones finds $410,000 to help the government muscle in on a spat project
    Buzz from the Beehive Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones relishes spatting and eagerly takes issue with environmentalists who criticise his enthusiasm for resource development. He relishes helping the fishing industry too. And so today, while the media are making much of the latest culling in the public service to ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago

  • Again, hate crimes are not necessarily terrorism.
    Having written, taught and worked for the US government on issues involving unconventional warfare and terrorism for 30-odd years, two things irritate me the most when the subject is discussed in public. The first is the Johnny-come-lately academics-turned-media commentators who … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    2 days ago

  • Despair – construction consenting edition
    Eric Crampton writes – Kainga Ora is the government’s house building agency. It’s been building a lot of social housing. Kainga Ora has its own (but independent) consenting authority, Consentium. It’s a neat idea. Rather than have to deal with building consents across each different territorial authority, Kainga Ora ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Coalition promises – will the Govt keep the commitment to keep Kiwis equal before the law?
    Muriel Newman writes – The Coalition Government says it is moving with speed to deliver campaign promises and reverse the damage done by Labour. One of their key commitments is to “defend the principle that New Zealanders are equal before the law.” To achieve this, they have pledged they “will not advance ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • An impermanent public service is a guarantee of very little else but failure
    Chris Trotter writes –  The absence of anything resembling a fightback from the public servants currently losing their jobs is interesting. State-sector workers’ collective fatalism in the face of Coalition cutbacks indicates a surprisingly broad acceptance of impermanence in the workplace. Fifty years ago, lay-offs in the thousands ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • What happens after the war – Mariupol
    Mariupol, on the Azov Sea coast, was one of the first cities to suffer almost complete destruction after the start of the Ukraine War started in late February 2022. We remember the scenes of absolute destruction of the houses and city structures. The deaths of innocent civilians – many of ...
    Open ParachuteBy Ken
    2 days ago

  • Babies and benefits – no good news
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – Ten years ago, I wrote the following in a Listener column: Every year around one in five new-born babies will be reliant on their caregivers benefit by Christmas. This pattern has persisted from at least 1993. For Maori the number jumps to over one in three.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Should the RBNZ be looking through climate inflation?
    Climate change is expected to generate more and more extreme events, delivering a sort of structural shock to inflation that central banks will have to react to as if they were short-term cyclical issues. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours, as of 9:16 am on Thursday, April 18 are:Housing: Tauranga residents living in boats, vans RNZ Checkpoint Louise TernouthHousing: Waikato councillor says wastewater plant issues could hold up Sleepyhead building a massive company town Waikato Times Stephen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on the public sector carnage, and misogyny as terrorism
    It’s a simple deal. We pay taxes in order to finance the social services we want and need. The carnage now occurring across the public sector though, is breaking that contract. Over 3,000 jobs have been lost so far. Many are in crucial areas like Education where the impact of ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    2 days ago

  • Meeting the Master Baiters
    Hi,A friend had their 40th over the weekend and decided to theme it after Curb Your Enthusiasm fashion icon Susie Greene. Captured in my tiny kitchen before I left the house, I ending up evoking a mix of old lesbian and Hillary Clinton — both unintentional.Me vs Hillary ClintonIf you’re ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago

  • How extreme was the Earth's temperature in 2023
    This is a re-post from Andrew Dessler at the Climate Brink blog In 2023, the Earth reached temperature levels unprecedented in modern times. Given that, it’s reasonable to ask: What’s going on? There’s been lots of discussions by scientists about whether this is just the normal progression of global warming or if something ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago

  • Backbone, revisited
    The schools are on holiday and the sun is shining in the seaside village and all day long I have been seeing bunches of bikes; Mums, Dads, teens and toddlers chattering, laughing, happy, having a bloody great time together. Cheers, AT, for the bits of lane you’ve added lately around the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • Ministers are not above the law
    Today in our National-led authoritarian nightmare: Shane Jones thinks Ministers should be above the law: New Zealand First MP Shane Jones is accusing the Waitangi Tribunal of over-stepping its mandate by subpoenaing a minister for its urgent hearing on the Oranga Tamariki claim. The tribunal is looking into the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago

  • What’s the outfit you can hear going down the gurgler? Probably it’s David Parker’s Oceans Sec...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point  of Order first heard of the Oceans Secretariat in June 2021, when David Parker (remember him?) announced a multi-agency approach to protecting New Zealand’s marine ecosystems and fisheries. Parker (holding the Environment, and Oceans and Fisheries portfolios) broke the news at the annual Forest & ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago

  • Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Bryce Edwards writes  – Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Matt Doocey doubles down on trans “healthcare”
    Citizen Science writes –  Last week saw two significant developments in the debate over the treatment of trans-identifying children and young people – the release in Britain of the final report of Dr Hilary Cass’s review into gender healthcare, and here in New Zealand, the news that the ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • A TikTok Prime Minister.
    One night while sleeping in my bed I had a beautiful dreamThat all the people of the world got together on the same wavelengthAnd began helping one anotherNow in this dream, universal love was the theme of the dayPeace and understanding and it happened this wayAfter such an eventful day ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • Texas Lessons
    This is a guest post by Oscar Simms who is a housing activist, volunteer for the Coalition for More Homes, and was the Labour Party candidate for Auckland Central at the last election. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    3 days ago

  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links at 6:06 am
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours as of 6:06 am on Wednesday, April 17 are:Must read: Secrecy shrouds which projects might be fast-tracked RNZ Farah HancockScoop: Revealed: Luxon has seven staffers working on social media content - partly paid for by taxpayer Newshub ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Fighting poverty on the holiday highway
    Turning what Labour called the “holiday highway” into a four-lane expressway from Auckland to Whangarei could bring at least an economic benefit of nearly two billion a year for Northland each year. And it could help bring an end to poverty in one of New Zealand’s most deprived regions. The ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago

  • Bernard's six-stack of substacks at 6:26 pm
    Tonight’s six-stack includes: launching his substack with a bunch of his previous documentaries, including this 1992 interview with Dame Whina Cooper. and here crew give climate activists plenty to do, including this call to submit against the Fast Track Approvals bill. writes brilliantly here on his substack ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • At a glance – Is the science settled?
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago

  • Apposite Quotations.
    How Long Is Long Enough? Gaza under Israeli bombardment, July 2014. This posting is exclusive to Bowalley Road. ...
    Bowalley Road
    4 days ago

  • What’s a life worth now?
    You're in the mall when you hear it: some kind of popping sound in the distance, kids with fireworks, maybe. But then a moment of eerie stillness is followed by more of the fireworks sound and there’s also screaming and shrieking and now here come people running for their lives.Does ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • Howling at the Moon
    Karl du Fresne writes –  There’s a crisis in the news media and the media are blaming it on everyone except themselves. Culpability is being deflected elsewhere – mainly to the hapless Minister of Communications, Melissa Lee, and the big social media platforms that are accused of hoovering ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Newshub is Dead.
    I don’t normally send out two newsletters in a day but I figured I’d say something about… the news. If two newsletters is a bit much then maybe just skip one, I don’t want to overload people. Alternatively if you’d be interested in sometimes receiving multiple, smaller updates from me, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • Seymour is chuffed about cutting early-learning red tape – but we hear, too, that Jones has loose...
    Buzz from the Beehive David Seymour and Winston Peters today signalled that at least two ministers of the Crown might be in Wellington today. Seymour (as Associate Minister of Education) announced the removal of more red tape, this time to make it easier for new early learning services to be ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. Our political system is suffering from the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    4 days ago

  • Was Hawkesby entirely wrong?
    David Farrar  writes –  The Broadcasting Standards Authority ruled: Comments by radio host Kate Hawkesby suggesting Māori and Pacific patients were being prioritised for surgery due to their ethnicity were misleading and discriminatory, the Broadcasting Standards Authority has found. It is a fact such patients are prioritised. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • PRC shadow looms as the Solomons head for election
    PRC and its proxies in Solomons have been preparing for these elections for a long time. A lot of money, effort and intelligence have gone into ensuring an outcome that won’t compromise Beijing’s plans. Cleo Paskall writes – On April 17th the Solomon Islands, a country of ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Climate Change: Criminal ecocide
    We are in the middle of a climate crisis. Last year was (again) the hottest year on record. NOAA has just announced another global coral bleaching event. Floods are threatening UK food security. So naturally, Shane Jones wants to make it easier to mine coal: Resources Minister Shane Jones ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago

  • Is saving one minute of a politician's time worth nearly $1 billion?
    Is speeding up the trip to and from Wellington airport by 12 minutes worth spending up more than $10 billion? Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me in the last day to 8:26 am today are:The Lead: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • Long Tunnel or Long Con?
    Yesterday it was revealed that Transport Minister had asked Waka Kotahi to look at the options for a long tunnel through Wellington. 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 ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    4 days ago

  • Smoke And Mirrors.
    You're a fraud, and you know itBut it's too good to throw it all awayAnyone would do the sameYou've got 'em goingAnd you're careful not to show itSometimes you even fool yourself a bitIt's like magicBut it's always been a smoke and mirrors gameAnyone would do the sameForty six billion ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • $41m to support clean energy in South East Asia
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    15 hours ago

  • Minister releases Fast-track stakeholder list
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    17 hours ago

  • Judicial appointments announced
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago

  • Education Minister heads to major teaching summit in Singapore
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago

  • Value of stopbank project proven during cyclone
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago

  • Anzac commemorations, Türkiye relationship focus of visit
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago

  • Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac Day
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours 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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Taupō takes pole position
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Cost of living support for low-income homeowners
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Government backing mussel spat project
    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 - ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Government focused on getting people into work
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Clean energy key driver to reducing emissions
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forward
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Government consults on extending coastal permits for ports
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Inflation coming down, but more work to do
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • School attendance restored as a priority in health advice
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sector
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Patterson promoting NZ’s wool sector at International Congress
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Removing red tape to help early learners thrive
    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, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • RMA changes to cut coal mining consent red tape
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • McClay reaffirms strong NZ-China trade relationship
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Prime Minister Luxon acknowledges legacy of Singapore Prime Minister Lee
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • PMs Luxon and Lee deepen Singapore-NZ ties
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Antarctica New Zealand Board appointments
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Finance Minister travels to Washington DC
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Pet bonds a win/win for renters and landlords
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Long Tunnel for SH1 Wellington being considered
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • New Zealand condemns Iranian strikes
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Huge interest in Government’s infrastructure plans
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Health Minister thanks outgoing Health New Zealand Chair
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Roads of National Significance planning underway
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Navigating an unstable global environment
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • NZ welcomes Australian Governor-General
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Pseudoephedrine back on shelves for Winter
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • NZ and the US: an ever closer partnership
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Joint US and NZ declaration
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • NZ and US to undertake further practical Pacific cooperation
    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 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

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