Really not looking forward to the media frenzy of sanctimonious lecturing and 20/20 hindsight that will now ensue after yesterdays events in New Lynn. Probably just won't read any of it until about next Wednesday, like a lot of people I suspect I get my COVID news from watching the 1pm briefing and my other news from publications (LRB, TLS, The Atlantic, several reputable Youtube channels) other than most of the NZ MSM.
Kim Hill dealt with the central scandal in the first ten minutes of her show this morning – the glacial pace of progress of anti-terror law changes under successive governments. That is a failure that must now be immediately rectified. The rest of the coverage will be either right wing partisan flacks frantically trying to pin it on the government or "how do you feel" ghouls.
His point about the law change not necessarily preventing what happened yesterday was well made. For the earlier offending he may not have received any extra time. Yesterday appears to have been a completely opportunistic act.
Yesterday appears to have been a completely opportunistic act.
My sentiments too. The fact he presumably didn't come with a knife on him and grabbed one off a supermarket shelf suggests it was a spur of the moment act.
He may well have been incentifised to take some form of action by the ISIS terrorist attack on Kabul Airport a few days ago.
Nothing spur of the moment about it. He needed to be carrying a cutting tool like scissors to help remove the knife from its packaging. Had also been charged with planning exactly that sort of attack in exactly that sort of place.
Let's focus our kindness on the people affected by his actions.
He took advantage of a situation. That, in my book, constitutes a spur of the moment act. It doesn't mean he didn't intend to commit such an act, but rather took the opportunity when it presented itself.
Let's focus our kindness on the people affected by his actions.
If you are inferring… by my response to part of mickysavage's comment @ 2.2.1, that I am somehow not "focusing our kindness on the people affected by his actions" then I take that as a personal insult.
Who said mickey's comment or mine were in any way "finding reasons to excuse this guy."
Its a sad world if one cannot contemplate what may have (note: mayhave) gone through the perpetrator's mind at the precise moment he began to attack without it being interpreted as "making excuses".
Understanding how the minds of these types of people work is part of the prevention process the appropriate authorities have to take into account.
I tend to think of oppertunist crime being more like, I was driving home and I saw someone was moving house and had left their property unattended, so I nicked their coffee table (please excuse the trite example under these sad circumstances0.
I haven't read a lot of the details, but it seems the guy had been planning a terrorist attack and had homicial ideation over many years. He may have decided yesterday was the day, or he may have just reached a point where he acted on his thoughts.
I know very little about the legislation but surely planning a terrorist attact or planning to kill someone should land you in jail????
My sympathies to the victims and their families.
My thanks to the police, who would have had a very tedious job of tailing this guy over a long period of time and then acted promptlywhen they needed. to
What bad luck that he carried out his mad action yesterday. In a couple of weeks the new law would have been in place. How sad that the urgency was just a bit late.
The complete let down here is that he was never assessed on his mental health status. If he would have, he might never have been in the supermarket in the first place but behind closed doors. This was a neglect of protocol and no amount of deflection will steer away from that. This does not excuse what he did but it would explain that he had the opportunity and it might well have been preventable. No fault to anybody but perhaps follow protocol if known on the outset that a fanatic is being held. I hope there is something to be learned here.
Nothing can be changed now but the families affected and the people who were traumatized by it all need our support and help.
if you edit your comment and add width="100%" to inside the end of the tag, the image will fit the screen instead of being oversized. I've edited it now.
Critics of Texas’s new law have been filing hundreds of fake reports to the whistleblowing website in hopes of crashing it
The law makes it illegal to help women in Texas access abortion after the sixth week of pregnancy. To help enforce it, anti-abortion group Texas Right to Life established the digital tipline where people can send anonymous information about potential violations.
“Any Texan can bring a lawsuit against an abortionist or someone aiding and abetting an abortion after six weeks,” the website reads, and those proved to be violating the law can be fined a minimum of $10,000. An online form allows anyone to submit an anonymous “report” of someone illegally obtaining an abortion, including a section where images can be uploaded for proof.
But pro-choice users had other ideas, bombarding the site with false reports and fabricated data through a campaign primarily organized on Reddit and TikTok.
Though the site was launched a month ago, the fake reports came flooding in on the eve of the bill’s enactment. One TikTok user said they had submitted 742 fake reports of the governor, Greg Abbott, getting illegal abortions.
Many if not all organisations in NZ are starting to confront the issue of vaccination requirements for their staff and customers.
Lawyerly consensus seems to be that requiring vaccination for new hires is fairly straightforward. But imposing it as a new condition on existing employees is somewhat problematic.
Seems to me that here is where the government could help out by passing legislation specifically enabling the addition of a vaccination clause to existing employment contracts, as a health and safety measure for the workplace.
I find it interesting that in 'murica, land of freedumb and lawsuits, employers aren't the slightest bit shy about imposing vaccine mandates.
I'm just grateful that everyone I work with on even a semi-regular basis is already vaccinated. Mostly they're young immigrants that grew up seeing the devastation widespread disease causes and how vaccinations really do prevent that devastation.
Can we presume now that some of the most malicious propagandists in the world will now be shunned, instead of given a free platform, by Kim Hill?
RNZ National, Saturday 4 September 2021, 10:10 a.m.
In the course of an interesting discussion about the evolution of ethics, Kim Hill mentioned to her guest, the moral philosopher Tim Dean, that a certain "shock jock" in New Zealand regularly provokes outrage, and upsets people. Dr Dean counselled against wasting our time getting outraged about such provocateurs. It was better, he said, to not amplify them by retweeting their nonsense.
I hope Kim Hill took that advice to heart. I sent her the following email to encourage her in her resolve….
So no more free platforms for guests who use the media to destroy people?
Dear Kim,
Your guest Tim Dean this morning advised us to avoid giving publicity to people who seek to destroy others via Twitter and other media platforms. You seemed to agree with that. I take it that we can therefore presume that you will no longer give a free platform to the likes of Jonathan Freedland and Simon Schama, both of whom used your show in 2019 to spray evidence-free accusations against Jeremy Corbyn, and Alex Gibney, who in 2013 used your show to pour ridicule on the political dissident Julian Assange.
The epidemiologist guy on Kim Hill, RNZ at 9am this morning, was clearly in favour of saliva testing, saying it is accurate. He is sitting on the panel advising the government and was (while being diplomatic) clearly surprised these tests were not yet in use in NZ.
It occurs to me that this might work well as a border control mechanism. Negative Covid test 72 hours before flying and an instant saliva test on arrival.
I thought the saliva tests were really fast…I may be wrong on this. Having said that I head a doctor say on RNZ a couple of weeks ago that they can turn round a nasal test in 90 minutes in a hospital.
90 minutes will be because they have labs onsite and probably push the covid test to top of the work queue. And maybe the hardware they're working with in that particular lab.
If you're doing, say, 200 people off a plane and need to courier the samples across town, then process those samples and use limited lab resources while prioritising other contracted tests, the time per test might be the same or less but the time between swab and notification could be considerably longer.
Because Jetstar would still manage to offload the passengers and tests at different airports? lol
There'd still be the courier and bulk processing problems, and we'd also be ceding control of test administration to someone else.
Frankly, airport testing isn't even something I'd support with 30sec turnaround. It's a level up from preflight tests, but still insufficient in time-sensitivity to do away with MIQ (i.e. Jimjane might be exposed in a transit lounge and still have a low enough load that they don't ping a test when they get off the plane). And we already do 2 tests in MIQ, so extra testing isn't really needed.
I meant, why not process the samples on board? A PCR instrument is just a small benchtop instrument and could easily fit in a plane. Airlines handle a lot of official paperwork already.
Sure, why not? Many testing kits contain positive, negative, and other quality controls. Refrigeration is available, if necessary. Anything could be tested in theory: air (filters), saliva samples, and wastewater. Methodology and protocols will have to be developed, optimised, and validated, of course. Plenty of time too during intercontinental flights.
“Frequent testing using COVID-19 rapid tests could have curbed the pandemic and spared us multiple lockdowns, saved thousands of lives, and billions of dollars by keeping the economy running. Rapid self-tests are now available in many European countries in pharmacies and supermarkets, while in Canada, we are still debating their use. Even as we are vaccinated, rapid testing will still be needed because of people refusing or not eligible for vaccination, waning immunity for the ones vaccinated, the emergence of new COVID-19 variants, and seasonality aligned with the one of influenza.”
– David Juncker, Full Professor and Chair, Department of Biomedical Engineering, McGill University https://www.mcgill.ca/newsroom/channels/news/experts-covid-19-309919
Eliminate the wasted time and risks associated with securing pre-arrival COVID tests on international missions. Maximize your operational flexibility by self-administering your tests – safely and discretely – onboard your own aircraft.
You and Your Passengers Will Love It
Useful addition, but obviously no substitute for pre-flight testing.
Mustn't jeopardize the 'mission'
More tools, diverse tools, complementary tools, smarter use of existing tools (e.g., two shots of different vaccines instead of the same), innovative thinking, so-called ‘out of the box’ thinking, for example, don’t need to deter from ‘the mission’, but they could help it. IMHO.
Please don’t get sidetracked by the market segment to which they are pitching. It is about the principle and technical feasibility of in-flight PCR testing. It can be done, apparently 🙂
Anything can be done for enough money – that's where the segment comes in.
But clinical managers are not likely to rely on self-analysed tests unless solid pre-launch validation tells them otherwise. I would say even self-administration variability is one reason they require a handful of saliva tests to equate to one nasal swab test using the same PCR process, let alone if untrained airline staff are running the analysis process.
How much money is NZ already spending on testing? The enormous queues at the beginning of the outbreak were unnecessary and avoidable, IMO. Testing willy-nilly just as jabbing willy-nilly is not smart use of precious resources and money.
Clinical managers should have no or very little say in this!
Keeping abreast of new approaches/tools – all good. NZ's lucky – for any relatively resource-hungry implementation phase, we can select from a (diverse) range of tools already tested by others.
Time will tell if the (technically feasible) in-flight PCR testing of passengers for COVID is implemented on bog-standard international flights. I'm guessing not, but have been well wrong before.
Routine pre/post-flight COVID testing of passengers and crew will continue for a while in our South Pacific bubble.
In other regions some countries have already relaxed pre-flight COVID test requirements, particularly for the fully-vaccinated.
Personally, I don’t think we can afford the ‘luxury’ of being picky & choosy, but many good and not so good ideas end up in the bin without any due consideration because they are deemed: too hard, too costly, too threatening to fragile egos of control freaks running their little fiefdoms.
Relaxing pre-flight Covid testing is not a smart thing to do, IMO, and it will send a wrong message of false security from vaccination. What numpties!
The intricacies of it aren't my field. But it's a lot to put into a transtasman run between swabbing and testing the swabs, we'd need lab techs on the planes, and the obvious questions are around how the process and the machine itself will deal with turbulence.
But even then, we'd still have the "infected, but too early to detect" problem. So if we ramp up to even just 10k arrivals a week, how long before a positive [insert here the next variant that will make the sky fall if these trends continue] passenger starts wandering around the community? At 95% sensitivity and even 0.1% of passengers with an infection (lowballing the MIQ proportion of +tests to people going through), that's a hundred a week and 5 false negatives resulting in community exposure.
People taking their masks off to spit into a spoon to transfer to a vial or just spitting into a vial with dribble going every where. Not as good as a nasal swab going straight into a vial.
Saliva tests have many advantages over nasal swabs. For example, you can do it yourself without having to travel to a testing station where you might come into closer contact with many others.
You don’t actually “spit” into a spoon, you drool.
Great factsheet, thank you. Also confirms the current saliva test is not fast:
The processing of a saliva sample at the lab is very similar to the processing conducted for swab testing – the
analysis takes the same length of time.
Yes, the PCR assay is the same, once the sample has been pre-processed. Logistics & admin always add more time too. Downside of current saliva tests is that genomic testing is not possible, as mentioned in the fact sheet.
Which saliva test the quick test has a 60% efficay rate and to be accurate needs several tests to bring up its efficacy to the PCR nasal or saliva test .saliva being spat into spoons or vials is far more messy and risks the testers health.
Does anyone else think about this issue (and/or want to read about it)?
"The colonial project is the ongoing strategic occupation and exploitation of Indigenous lands for the purposes of the colonizers. 2 Africa, Australia, the Americas, Southeast Asia, and New Zealand are the Indigenous lands to which I refer. As part of the imperial project, these continents and countries were respatialized. 3 Entire landscapes were re-ordered to fragment, disorient, and ultimately destroy the social ecologies of the peoples who inhabited them. Now the question is unignorable: How, in the umbra of decolonization, should these landscapes be redesigned? How can environmental designers participate in the struggle of peoples who have lived through a brazen confiscation of their precolonial spatialities in order to reimagine the way they live together, within the vast re-ordering of planet earth that is the Anthropocene? And is this not itself, after all, the hugest of all hyperobjects? The most ambitious and most thorough colonization of the globe by a hegemonic mentalité to date? Demanding nothing less than the co-option of all peoples to a planetary master narrative that is by its very nature out of control?
I’m hardly the only landscape architect currently mobilizing concepts from theories and practices of decolonization (or decol). 4 But since I’ve recently relocated to my homeland Aotearoa New Zealand, in this essay I’m using Aotearoa as my example. Therefore Māori, the Indigenous people of Aotearoa, are central to my inquiry."
I have often thought our fisheries needed decolonizing – locals scarcely see any seafood these days unless they catch it themselves. The artisanal fishers that supported and enriched local families and communities have largely faded away like the eels above the elver-proof Waitaki dams.
Yep – and the ability to catch it yourself doesn't come cheap. With the denuding of inshore stocks you need a boat (or a decent kayak at a minimum) to catch fish reliably. This further limits its availability.
Colonisers had a system to disenfranchise indigenous people .De humanize dislocate etc.Keep indigenous people on the bottom of the heap impoverished and powerless.
The British Empire used Ireland as a template for its world wide imperial conquests.
Buying off leaders,making the indigenous language illegal ,starving the population,stealing their land.
And even after Ireland gained independence tariff's were imposed from 1922 till 1972 when Ireland became a member of the EU.Britain sided with the free market side in the civil war in Ireland .
Similar tactics to breakdown Maori by portraying them as inferior keeping Maori poor systematically imprisoning Maori continually making Maori look bad.All the while profiteering out stolen land and land they were conned and bullied off,insider trading and fraud it's called today .Then only compensating Maori 1%to3% not including the loss of income and economic status caused by the illegal dispossesion.
While others had 100% legal rights to illegal land transactions Maori were denied.
The latest issue contains pieces by two of their most experienced journalists – and both Clare Trevett and Fran O’Sullivan make no bones about their conviction that Judith Collins’ recent mistakes and false steps mean that her fate is sealed.
…
The scenario they apparently see unrolling is that Bridges will replace Collins and lead National to yet another election defeat, whereupon there will be yet another leadership coup, which will bring forward the untested Christopher Luxon, supported by one of the “young Turks” as his deputy.
Indeed wonderful & encouraging news. I'm sitting at the jab drive thru at the Edgar Centre & I'm so impressed with the people running this! Music, sun, professional. Very happy to be living in NZ right now.
It would be like NSW and all the numbskulls out there (and there's plenty of them) would be expressing their sympathy for the Nat. government…convinced it was not their fault.
Given just about all conservative constituencies have uncontrollable outbreaks ,no mask wearing,slow or no lockdown ,much lower comparative vaccination rates,low tax poor public health funding.
With National in charge we would have hospitals over run a complete melt down especially given they can't even organize their own caucus.
Then look at the number of Cock ups in the Canterbury earthquake rebuild the South Canterbury Finance debacle National is a hands off govt.
Private contractors like in Australia's response to border control is the reason why they are in such a mess.
Family in NSW are really worried. They already have two 18 year olds sick with Delta.
Their whole family is fully vaccinated, and the girls are through the worst, but were really sick.
The failure to contain Delta in NSW and the attitude of the leadership is really upsetting, with casual throw away lines of "living with the virus", 8 million having freedom to decide!!
My brother's family consisting of 17 people, are really at risk. They say the lock downs were late and light, and really useless.
Patricia part of the Problem is that no one wanted to follow Gladys's orders because of her Morality she had been outed cheating on her husband for up to 10 yrs and implicated in corruption.
If you want people to follow you have to set an example.
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Eric Crampton writes – A fashion industry group is lobbying for protections. They make the usual arguments and a newer one. None of it makes sense. An industry group says it pumped $7.8 billion into the economy last year – that’s 1.9 percent of New Zealand’s GDP. ...
In December 2006, Fiji's military leader Voreqe Bainimarama overthrew the elected government in a coup. He ruled Fiji for the next 16 years, first as dictator, then as "elected" Prime Minister. But now, he's finally been sent to jail where he belongs. Sadly, this isn't for his real crime of ...
Don't like National's corrupt Muldoonist "fast-track" law? Aotearoa's environmental NGO's - Greenpeace, Forest & Bird, WWF, Coromandel Watchdog, Coal Action Network Aotearoa, Kiwis Against Seabed Mining, and others - have announced a joint march against it in Auckland in June: When: 13:00, 8 June, 2024 Where: Aotea Square, Auckland You ...
Seymour describes sushi as too woke for school meals. There are no fish sushi meals recommended by the School Lunches programme. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / Getty ImagesTL;DR: The Government will swap out hot meals for packaged sandwiches to save $107 million on school lunches for poor kids. MSD has pulled ...
I don't mind stealin' bread from the mouths of decadenceBut I can't feed on the powerless when my cup's already overfilled, yeahBut it's on the table, the fire's cookin'And they're farmin' babies, while slaves are workin'The blood is on the table and the mouths are chokin'But I'm goin' hungry, yeahSome ...
The Ardern Government’s chickens came home to roost yesterday with the news that the country is short of natural gas. In 2018, Labour banned offshore petroleum exploration, and industry executives say that the attendant loss of confidence by the industry impacted overall investment in onshore gas fields. Energy Resources Minister ...
Hi,If you’ve been digging through the newly launched Webworm store (orders are being dispatched worldwide as I type!) you’ll have noticed the best model we had was Calvin.This is Calvin.Calvin.Calvin is 7, and is the son of my producer over on Flightless Bird, Rob — aka “Wobby Wob”. Rob also ...
This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Adam Levy. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). Climate change is everywhere. And when something's everywhere it can feel like it's nowhere. So how do we get our heads ...
Its a law like gravity: whenever a right-wing government is elected, they start attacking democracy. And now, after talking to their Republican and Tory and Fidesz chums at the International Democracy Union forum in Wellington, National is doing it here, announcing plans to remove election-day enrolment. Or, to put it ...
Yesterday Winston Peters focussed his attention on the important matter at hand. Tweeting. Like the former, and quite possibly next, orange POTUS, from whom he takes much of his political strategy, Winston is an avid X’er.His message didn’t resemble an historic address this time. In fact it was more reminiscent ...
Buzz from the Beehive A significant decline in natural gas production has given Resources Minister Shane Jones an opportunity to reiterate his enthusiasm for the mining and burning of coal. For good measure, he has praised an announcement from Genesis Energy that it will resume importing coal. He and Energy ...
“Follow the money” is the classic directive to journalists trying to understand where power and influence lie in society. In terms of uncovering who influences various New Zealand political parties and governments, it therefore pays to look at who is funding them. The political parties are legally obliged to make ...
Rob MacCullough writes – Here is my subjective ranking on a “most-left” to “most-right” scale of most of our major NZ Universities, with some anecdotal (and at times amusing) evidence to back up the claim.Extreme Left Auckland University of TechnologyEvidenceThe ...
Eric Crampton writes – I hadn’t thought about this one until a helpful email showed up in my inbox.It’s pretty obvious that income tax thresholds should automatically index with inflation – whether to anchor the thresholds in percentiles of the income distribution, or to anchor against a real ...
Jacqui Van Der Kaay writes – Parliament’s speaker had no option but to refer Green MP Julie Anne Genter to the Privileges Committee for her behaviour in the House last Wednesday evening. The incident, in which she crossed the floor to wave a book and yell at National ...
Gary Judd writes – The Dean of the law school at the Auckland University of Technology is someone called Khylee Quince. I have been sent her social media posting in which she has, over the LawNews headline “Senior King’s Counsel files complaint about compulsory tikanga Maori studies for ...
Cleo Paskal writes – WASHINGTON, D.C.: ‘Many of us have received phone calls from [the opposing camp] telling them if they join the camp they will be given projects for their wards and $300,000 [around US$35,000] each’, says former Malaita Premier Daniel Suidani. The elections in Solomon Islands aren’t ...
With hindsight, it was inevitable that (a) Hamas would agree to the ceasefire deal brokered by Egypt and Qatar and that ( b) Israel would then immediately launch attacks on Rafah, regardless. We might have hoped the concessions made by Hamas would cause Israel to desist from slaughtering thousands more ...
Today’s justification from the Minister for Children for scrapping protections for our tamariki was either a case of ignorance or deliberate deception. ...
The Green Party says the Government’s misguided policy on gangs will fail, following the announcement of the establishment of a national gang unit and district gang disruption units to target gang activities. ...
“With Police pay negotiations still unresolved after six months in Government, Mark Mitchell has today rolled the Commissioner out for a rebrand of their approach to gang crime,” Labour police spokesperson Ginny Andersen said. ...
The Government bringing back 50 charter schools will not increase achievement and is a distraction from the core mission of the education system, Labour education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
Te Pāti Māori is showing extreme concern over the Environment Select Committees adoption of a lucky dip draw to determine hearings for the Fast Track Approvals bill. Of the 27,000 submissions, 2,900 requested to present. All organisations will be heard; however, the remaining 2,350 submitters will be subject to a ...
Today New Zealand First will introduce a Member’s Bill that will protect women’s spaces. The ‘Fair Access to Bathrooms Bill’ will require, primarily in the interest and safety of women and girls, that all new non-domestic publicly accessible buildings provide separate, clearly demarcated, unisex and single sex bathrooms. This Bill ...
The Green Party is welcoming Climate Change Minister Simon Watts’ continuation of Hon. James Shaw’s cross-party work on climate adaptation, now in the form of a Finance and Expenditure Committee Inquiry. ...
The National Government plans to cut 390 jobs at ACC, including roles in the areas of prevention of sexual violence, road safety and workplace safety. ...
The Government has been caught in opposition to evidence once again as it looks to usher in tried, tested and failed work seminar obligations for job-seeking beneficiaries. ...
The Green Party is welcoming the announcement by the Minister Responsible for RMA Reform Chris Bishop to approve most of the Wellington City Council’s District Plan recommendations. ...
David Seymour has failed to get the sweeping cuts he wanted to the free and healthy school lunch programme, Labour education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
Hon Willie Jackson has been invited by the Oxford Union to debate the motion “This House Believes British Museums are not Very British’ on May 23rd. ...
Green Party MP Hūhana Lyndon says her Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill is an opportunity to right some past wrongs around the alienation of Māori land. ...
A senior, highly respected King’s Counsel with decades of experience in our law courts, Gary Judd KC, has filed a complaint about compulsory tikanga Māori studies for law students - highlighting the utter depths of absurdity this woke cultural madness has taken our society. The tikanga regulations will compel law ...
The Government needs to be clear with the people of the Nelson Marlborough region about the changes it is considering for the Nelson Hospital rebuild, Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...
Ministers must front up about which projects it will push through under its Fast Track Approvals legislation, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and President Emmanuel Macron of France today announced a new non-governmental organisation, the Christchurch Call Foundation, to coordinate the Christchurch Call’s work to eliminate terrorist and violent extremist content online. This change gives effect to the outcomes of the November 2023 Call Leaders’ Summit, ...
Distinguished public servant and former diplomat Sir Maarten Wevers will lead the independent review into the disability support services administered by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. The review was announced by Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston a fortnight ago to examine what could be done to strengthen the ...
Today’s announcement by Police Commissioner Andrew Coster of a National Gang Unit and district Gang Disruption Units will help deliver on the coalition Government’s pledge to restore law and order and crack down on criminal gangs, Police Minister Mark Mitchell says. “The National Gang Unit and Gang Disruption Units will ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today expressed regret at North Korea’s aggressive rhetoric towards New Zealand and its international partners. “New Zealand proudly stands with the international community in upholding the rules-based order through its monitoring and surveillance deployments, which it has been regularly doing alongside partners since 2018,” Mr ...
Air Vice-Marshal Tony Davies MNZM is the new Chief of Defence Force, Defence Minister Judith Collins announced today. The Chief of Defence Force commands the Navy, Army and Air Force and is the principal military advisor to the Defence Minister and other Ministers with relevant portfolio responsibilities in the defence ...
Legislation to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act has been introduced to Parliament. The Bill’s introduction reaffirms the Coalition Government’s commitment to the safety of children in care, says Minister for Children, Karen Chhour. “While section 7AA was introduced with good intentions, it creates a conflict for Oranga ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins will this week travel to the UK and Italy to meet with her defence counterparts, and to attend Battles of Cassino commemorations. “I am humbled to be able to represent the New Zealand Government in Italy at the commemorations for the 80th anniversary of what was ...
The upcoming Budget will include funding for up to 50 charter schools to help lift declining educational performance, Associate Education Minister David Seymour announced today. $153 million in new funding will be provided over four years to establish and operate up to 15 new charter schools and convert 35 state ...
“The results of the public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has now been received, with results indicating over 13,000 submissions were made from members of the public,” Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “We heard feedback about the extended lockdowns in ...
Foreign Minister, Defence Minister, other Members of Parliament Acting Chief of Defence Force, Secretary of Defence Distinguished Guests Defence and Diplomatic Colleagues Ladies and Gentlemen, Good afternoon, tēna koutou, apinun tru It’s a pleasure to be back in Port Moresby today, and to speak here at the Kumul Leadership ...
Health, infrastructure, renewable energy, and stability are among the themes of the current visit to Papua New Guinea by a New Zealand political delegation, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “Papua New Guinea carries serious weight in the Pacific, and New Zealand deeply values our relationship with it,” Mr Peters ...
The coalition Government is launching Roads of Regional Significance to sit alongside Roads of National Significance as part of its plan to deliver priority roading projects across the country, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The Roads of National Significance (RoNS) built by the previous National Government are some of New Zealand’s ...
A high-level New Zealand political delegation in Honiara today congratulated the new Government of Solomon Islands, led by Jeremiah Manele, on taking office. “We are privileged to meet the new Prime Minister and members of his Cabinet during his government’s first ten days in office,” Deputy Prime Minister and ...
New Zealand voted in favour of a resolution broadening Palestine’s participation at the United Nations General Assembly overnight, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The resolution enhances the rights of Palestine to participate in the work of the UN General Assembly while stopping short of admitting Palestine as a full ...
Introduction Good morning. It’s a great privilege to be here at the 2024 Infrastructure Symposium. I was extremely happy when the Prime Minister asked me to be his Minister for Infrastructure. It is one of the great barriers holding the New Zealand economy back from achieving its potential. Building high ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced the upcoming Budget will include new funding of $571 million for Defence Force pay and projects. “Our servicemen and women do New Zealand proud throughout the world and this funding will help ensure we retain their services and expertise as we navigate an increasingly ...
New Zealand’s ability to cope with climate change will be strengthened as part of the Government’s focus to build resilience as we rebuild the economy, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “An enduring and long-term approach is needed to provide New Zealanders and the economy with certainty as the climate ...
Jobseeker beneficiaries who have work obligations must now meet with MSD within two weeks of their benefit starting to determine their next step towards finding a job, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “A key part of the coalition Government’s plan to have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker ...
A new standalone Social Investment Agency will power-up the social investment approach, driving positive change for our most vulnerable New Zealanders, Social Investment Minister Nicola Willis says. “Despite the Government currently investing more than $70 billion every year into social services, we are not seeing the outcomes we want for ...
Check against delivery Good morning. It is a pleasure to be with you to outline the Coalition Government’s approach to our first Budget. Thank you Mark Skelly, President of the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce, together with your Board and team, for hosting me. I’d like to acknowledge His Worship ...
Your Excellency Ambassador Meredith, Members of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassadors from European Union Member States, Ministerial colleagues, Members of Parliament, and other distinguished guests, Thank you everyone for joining us. Ladies and gentlemen - In diplomacy, we often speak of ‘close’ and ‘long-standing’ relations. ...
The Therapeutic Products Act (TPA) will be repealed this year so that a better regime can be put in place to provide New Zealanders safe and timely access to medicines, medical devices and health products, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The medicines and products we are talking about ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop, today released his decision on twenty recommendations referred to him by the Wellington City Council relating to its Intensification Planning Instrument, after the Council rejected those recommendations of the Independent Hearings Panel and made alternative recommendations. “Wellington notified its District Plan on ...
Rape Awareness Week (6-10 May) is an important opportunity to acknowledge the continued effort required by government and communities to ensure that all New Zealanders can live free from violence, say Ministers Karen Chhour and Louise Upston. “With 1 in 3 women and 1 in 8 men experiencing sexual violence ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government will be delivering a more efficient Healthy School Lunches Programme, saving taxpayers approximately $107 million a year compared to how Labour funded it, by embracing innovation and commercial expertise. “We are delivering on our commitment to treat taxpayers’ money ...
New research on the impacts of extreme weather on coastal marine habitats in Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay will help fishery managers plan for and respond to any future events, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. A report released today on research by Niwa on behalf of Fisheries New Zealand ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will lead a broad political delegation on a five-stop Pacific tour next week to strengthen New Zealand’s engagement with the region. The delegation will visit Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and Tuvalu. “New Zealand has deep and ...
There has been a material decline in gas production according to figures released today by the Gas Industry Co. Figures released by the Gas Industry Company show that there was a 12.5 per cent reduction in gas production during 2023, and a 27.8 per cent reduction in gas production in the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins tonight announced the recipients of the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry, saying they all contribute to New Zealanders’ security and wellbeing. “Congratulations to this year’s recipients, whose innovative products and services play a critical role in the delivery of New Zealand’s defence capabilities, ...
Welcome to you all - it is a pleasure to be here this evening.I would like to start by thanking Greg Lowe, Chair of the New Zealand Defence Industry Advisory Council, for co-hosting this reception with me. This evening is about recognising businesses from across New Zealand and overseas who in ...
It is a pleasure to be speaking to you as the Minister for Digitising Government. I would like to thank Akolade for the invitation to address this Summit, and to acknowledge the great effort you are making to grow New Zealand’s digital future. Today, we stand at the cusp of ...
New Zealand is urging both Israel and Hamas to agree to an immediate ceasefire to avoid the further humanitarian catastrophe that military action in Rafah would unleash, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The immense suffering in Gaza cannot be allowed to worsen further. Both sides have a responsibility to ...
A new online data dashboard released today as part of the Government’s school attendance action plan makes more timely daily attendance data available to the public and parents, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. The interactive dashboard will be updated once a week to show a national average of how ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced Rosemary Banks will be New Zealand’s next Ambassador to the United States of America. “Our relationship with the United States is crucial for New Zealand in strategic, security and economic terms,” Mr Peters says. “New Zealand and the United States have a ...
The Government is considering creating a new tier of minerals permitting that will make it easier for hobby miners to prospect for gold. “New Zealand was built on gold, it’s in our DNA. Our gold deposits, particularly in regions such as Otago and the West Coast have always attracted fortune-hunters. ...
Minister for Trade Todd McClay today announced that New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will commence negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA). Minister McClay met with his counterpart UAE Trade Minister Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi in Dubai, where they announced the launch of negotiations on a ...
New Zealand Sign Language Week is an excellent opportunity for all Kiwis to give the language a go, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. This week (May 6 to 12) is New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week. The theme is “an Aotearoa where anyone can sign anywhere” and aims to ...
Six tertiary students have been selected to work on NASA projects in the US through a New Zealand Space Scholarship, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today. “This is a fantastic opportunity for these talented students. They will undertake internships at NASA’s Ames Research Center or its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where ...
New Zealanders will be safer because of a $1.9 billion investment in more frontline Corrections officers, more support for offenders to turn away from crime, and more prison capacity, Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell says. “Our Government said we would crack down on crime. We promised to restore law and order, ...
The OECD’s latest report on New Zealand reinforces the importance of bringing Government spending under control, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The OECD conducts country surveys every two years to review its members’ economic policies. The 2024 New Zealand survey was presented in Wellington today by OECD Chief Economist Clare Lombardelli. ...
What happens when cash is king – and then your bank leaves. A businessman in a town that hasn’t had a bank for three years says the Reserve Bank’s plans to put more cash in the hands of its people and introduce digital cash could save hours of time. John ...
The people have spoken, in their hundreds. Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton has been overwhelmingly voted the favourite New Zealand book of 2023 as nominated by ReadingRoom readers. The vote can informally be regarded as the People’s Choice award – ahead of tonight’s Ockham book awards, where Catton’s novel is competing ...
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matt Garrow, Editorial Web Developer The government has handed down its budget for 2024–25. It’s delivered a $9.3 billion surplus for the financial year just about to finish but is forecasting a $28.3 billion deficit for next year. Here’s the key points: ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Jim Chalmers has produced a benign third budget aimed at soothing hard-pressed voters agitated about their high cost of living and punishing interest rates. At the same time he has walked a tightrope, trying ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Wes Mountain/The Conversation, CC BY-ND A $300 energy rebate for all households from July 1 and a 10% increase in Commonwealth Rent Assistance are key measures in a budget targeting cost-of-living relief that put ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra Treasurer Jim Chalmers promised an “inflation-fighting and future-making budget” and he has delivered by introducing measures aimed at directly bringing down inflation. Combined, his A$300-per-household energy rebate and ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra Treasurer Jim Chalmers promised an “inflation-fighting and future-making budget” and he has delivered by introducing measures aimed at directly bringing down inflation. Combined, his A$300-per-household energy rebate and ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Bartos, Professor of Economics, University of Canberra Treasurer Jim Chalmers has been bitten by the giveaway bug. This budget contains not only the well-foreshadowed tax cuts for all taxpayers, but a range of new spending measures in health, education, infrastructure, aged ...
By Stephen Wright and Stefan Armbruster of BenarNews French authorities have imposed a curfew on New Caledonia’s capital Nouméa and banned public gatherings after supporters of the Pacific territory’s independence movement blocked roads, set fire to buildings and clashed with security forces. Tensions in New Caledonia have been inflamed by ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Greste, Professor of Journalism and Communications, Macquarie University Governments and their agencies wield awesome power. At times, it is quite literally the power over life and death. That is why in any functioning democracy, we have robust checks and balances designed ...
As the world commemorates the 71st Everest Day, it's not just a celebration of human achievement but also a reflection of the enduring bond between New Zealand and Nepal. This day marks the historic feat of Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa ...
Individuals in Wellington, led by City Councillor Nīkau Wi Neera, are working to use the ‘hecklers veto’ to shut down Inflection Point , a gender-critical event to be held at a Te Papa venue this weekend featuring speakers such as Bob McCoskrie ...
The transgender community, whānau & allies will rally outside Tākina/Wellington Convention Centre against anti-trans confederation “Inflection Point NZ,” who are hosting a conference to encourage parliamentarians to restrict trans people’s ...
A strategic asset for Auckland that has been fought over for years as either sacrosanct or a sacred cow looks certain to be sold and the proceeds of around $1.3 billion put in a new investment fund. A year after bitter political struggle ended in a compromise in which Auckland ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards – the Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. The number of voices raising concerns about the Government’s Fast-Track Approvals Bill is rapidly growing. This is especially apparent now that Parliament’s select committee is listening to submissions from the public to evaluate the ...
RNZ Pacific New Caledonians lined up in long queues outside shopping centres to buy supplies in the capital Nouméa today amid political unrest in the French territory Demonstrations, marches and clashes with security forces erupted yesterday and French High Commissioner Louis Le Franc told the public broadcaster he had called ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Samuel Chalmers, Senior Lecturer in Human Movement, University of South Australia The tragic death of Manly rugby league player Keith Titmuss in 2020 due to exertional heat stroke is a reminder of the life-threatening nature of the condition. Titmuss died after ...
Internet Governance Project founder Milton Mueller asked “is the Christchurch Call accomplishing anything?” Increasingly it seems the only thing it hopes to achieve is killing off free expression. ...
New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has cancelled his visit to New Caledonia due to pro-independence unrest throughout the French Pacific territory. Peters and a delegation of other ministers was due to visit the capital Nouméa later this week. Nouméa’s La Tontouta International Airport is expected to remain closed ...
Audition by Pip Adam and Lioness by Emily Perkins are both shortlisted for the fiction award at the 2024 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards. Here the authors discuss awards, writing, Selling Sunset, review culture, Zoolander and more.Pip Adam: Whenever I think about writers and our ambitions, I can’t help ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Susan Broomhall, Director, Gender and Women’s History Research Centre, Australian Catholic University Andrea Mantegna, Minerva (Athena) expelling Vices from the Garden of Virtue, from the Studiolo of Isabella d’Este, Palazzo Ducale, Mantua (c. 1499–1502).Louvre Museum/Wikimedia Commons Wartime has often presented opportunities ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Olli Hellmann, Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Waikato Getty Images The stories Aotearoa New Zealand tells itself about the history of Te Tiriti o Waitangi/the Treaty of Waitangi have evolved considerably over time. For many decades, starting with the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brett Carter, Associate Professor, RMIT University Aurora visible from Cope Cope, Victoria on May 11 2024.cafuego/Flickr, CC BY-SA On Saturday evening before Mother’s Day, Australians witnessed a rare celestial spectacle: a breathtaking display of aurora australis, also known as the southern ...
Tara Ward watches as TVNZ’s long-running current affairs show bows out with humility and grace.We have just 12 days left to view the final episode of Sunday on TVNZ+. In just over a week, there will be no more evidence of the award-winning current affairs show on the digital ...
To celebrate New Zealand Music Month, Sophie Ricketts wears a different band T-shirt every day. Here she picks her top 20. I love music. I love listening to it, I love seeing it live, and I love buying a T-shirt from the band or artist I’ve enjoyed. Every year, during ...
Research from AA Insurance reveals more and more people are taking pride in their garage. Meet three New Zealanders using their space in creative ways.If you think of a garage, you might picture a dark room with a parked car. There might be some tools on the wall, or ...
Government spending cuts have forced Scion, the dedicated Crown research institute charged with growing forestry exports, to propose shedding a significant number of scientists. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yasir Arafat, Senior Research Associate, Edith Cowan University asharkyu, Shutterstock As electric vehicle (EV) demand accelerates, so does the need for lithium batteries. But these batteries contain valuable critical minerals, as well as toxic materials, so they should not be treated ...
NZDF personnel will support the New Zealand National Commemorative Service at the Cassino War Cemetery and a New Zealand Service of Remembrance at the Cassino Railway Station, next week. ...
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a masseuse tells us how much she earns and where she spends it. Want to be part of The Cost of Being? Fill out the questionnaire here.Gender: Female Age: 33 Ethnicity: NZ EuropeanRole: ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Liam Byrne, Honorary Fellow, School of Historical and Philosophical Studies, The University of Melbourne For many reasons, the 2024 US presidential election will be like no other. Republican nominee Donald Trump’s campaign is unprecedented. Never before has a former president who ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Meru Sheel, Associate Professor and Epidemiologist, Infectious Diseases, Immunisation and Emergencies Group, Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney We know vaccines have been a miracle for public health. Now, new research led by the World Health Organization has found vaccines ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Chrissy Severinsen, Associate Professor in Public Health, Massey University Getty Images Becoming a mother is a significant identity shift, and many new mums struggle. Up to 18% of New Zealand mothers experience depression and anxiety after giving birth. The first ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Aaron Teo, Lecturer in Curriculum and Pedagogy, University of Southern Queensland ABC Much has been written and produced about white men’s fetishisation of Asian women (crudely nicknamed “yellow fever”). The ABC’s comedy series White Fever breaks new ground by exploring an ...
The children’s minister could have been legally brought before the tribunal after all, writes Stewart Sowman-Lund in this extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. The end of ...
Seen comments on social media about eating bugs? Byron Clark explains the short history of our latest conspiracy. “No, Bill Gates nor Klaus Schwab has not funded the research done here,” reads an August 2023 Facebook post from Otago Locusts, the first farm in Aotearoa rearing insects for human consumption. ...
Rural post is essential but expensive, and residents are worried about its future. It’s 9.30am on a Monday morning in rural Manawatū, and farmer Mairi Whittle is on an all-terrain vehicle with her two young sons. After moving sheep from one slope to another, she swings by the letterbox. Opening ...
Remediating Mt Ruapehu if things go pear-shaped could cost more than $80m – and the new operators aren’t on the hook for any of it The post DoC responsible for $87.5m Ruapehu remediation appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Opinion: Unfortunately, the term ‘woke’ is back in the news and for the most stupid of reasons: Act leader David Seymour is now designating certain types of food as ‘woke’ or not. As the Government makes cuts to school lunches, let us consider what ‘woke’ might mean here. ...
Analysis: The Government’s decision to return to a mega-style prison seems to be missing a clear business case The post Mega-prison’s missing business case appeared first on Newsroom. ...
New Zealand authors hate houseplants. They are frightened of them, have nightmares about them, regard them as bad omens; they are afraid, too, of the responsibility of caring for them, and think of them as an alien species that will take over the selfish planet of their interior lives. There ...
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Really not looking forward to the media frenzy of sanctimonious lecturing and 20/20 hindsight that will now ensue after yesterdays events in New Lynn. Probably just won't read any of it until about next Wednesday, like a lot of people I suspect I get my COVID news from watching the 1pm briefing and my other news from publications (LRB, TLS, The Atlantic, several reputable Youtube channels) other than most of the NZ MSM.
It's like sadness overload.
Few ppl are boycotting the sites that screened the video of the man being shot. I've not seen it, bloody ghoulish really.
Kim Hill dealt with the central scandal in the first ten minutes of her show this morning – the glacial pace of progress of anti-terror law changes under successive governments. That is a failure that must now be immediately rectified. The rest of the coverage will be either right wing partisan flacks frantically trying to pin it on the government or "how do you feel" ghouls.
Gosh Sanctuary, is it Wednesday already?
Rip Van Winkling. 🙂
Her chat with Law professor Andrew Geddes was interesting subsequently. Clips will be here eventually: https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/saturday/20210904
His point about the law change not necessarily preventing what happened yesterday was well made. For the earlier offending he may not have received any extra time. Yesterday appears to have been a completely opportunistic act.
Specific link inside tweet:
https://twitter.com/BMHayward/status/1433906979446018051
My sentiments too. The fact he presumably didn't come with a knife on him and grabbed one off a supermarket shelf suggests it was a spur of the moment act.
He may well have been incentifised to take some form of action by the ISIS terrorist attack on Kabul Airport a few days ago.
Nothing spur of the moment about it. He needed to be carrying a cutting tool like scissors to help remove the knife from its packaging. Had also been charged with planning exactly that sort of attack in exactly that sort of place.
Let's focus our kindness on the people affected by his actions.
He took advantage of a situation. That, in my book, constitutes a spur of the moment act. It doesn't mean he didn't intend to commit such an act, but rather took the opportunity when it presented itself.
If you are inferring… by my response to part of mickysavage's comment @ 2.2.1, that I am somehow not "focusing our kindness on the people affected by his actions" then I take that as a personal insult.
I am saying let's not find reasons to excuse this guy. I disagree with both you and Greg that there is any evidence this was opportunistic.
Who said mickey's comment or mine were in any way "finding reasons to excuse this guy."
Its a sad world if one cannot contemplate what may have (note: may have) gone through the perpetrator's mind at the precise moment he began to attack without it being interpreted as "making excuses".
Understanding how the minds of these types of people work is part of the prevention process the appropriate authorities have to take into account.
I tend to think of oppertunist crime being more like, I was driving home and I saw someone was moving house and had left their property unattended, so I nicked their coffee table (please excuse the trite example under these sad circumstances0.
I haven't read a lot of the details, but it seems the guy had been planning a terrorist attack and had homicial ideation over many years. He may have decided yesterday was the day, or he may have just reached a point where he acted on his thoughts.
I know very little about the legislation but surely planning a terrorist attact or planning to kill someone should land you in jail????
My sympathies to the victims and their families.
My thanks to the police, who would have had a very tedious job of tailing this guy over a long period of time and then acted promptlywhen they needed. to
I agree with you Anne
He may well have had homicidal urges and contemplated how he would execute such an attack as well as taken the opportunity there and then
I dont see how such a notion is excusing the guy
Thanks francesca. To contemplate the state of mind of the individual at the time is a valid point of discussion.
My apologies. Police now saying it could be considered that way. https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/126285369/prime-minister-jacinda-ardern-says-government-was-hurrying-new-terror-laws-after-supermarket-terrorist-was-released-into-the-community
"She also said the Government had sought to hurry changes to the terrorism laws in the months after the man was released into the community. The justice minister made a phone call to make this happen the day the attack happened.".
What bad luck that he carried out his mad action yesterday. In a couple of weeks the new law would have been in place. How sad that the urgency was just a bit late.
The complete let down here is that he was never assessed on his mental health status. If he would have, he might never have been in the supermarket in the first place but behind closed doors. This was a neglect of protocol and no amount of deflection will steer away from that. This does not excuse what he did but it would explain that he had the opportunity and it might well have been preventable. No fault to anybody but perhaps follow protocol if known on the outset that a fanatic is being held. I hope there is something to be learned here.
Nothing can be changed now but the families affected and the people who were traumatized by it all need our support and help.
Therapeutic. Best read out loud.
https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/oh-my-fucking-god-get-the-fucking-vaccine-already-you-fucking-fucks
if you edit your comment and add width="100%" to inside the end of the tag, the image will fit the screen instead of being oversized. I've edited it now.
Good, so 100% is working now?
I think it always was, I just could never remember how to do it. I have the code saved now.
The kids are alright:
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/sep/02/texas-abortion-law-tiktok-reddit-whistleblower
Thanks for posting Arkie
That's hilarious, the kids are alright!
Many if not all organisations in NZ are starting to confront the issue of vaccination requirements for their staff and customers.
Lawyerly consensus seems to be that requiring vaccination for new hires is fairly straightforward. But imposing it as a new condition on existing employees is somewhat problematic.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/126254100/covid19-employers-seek-help-to-navigate-vaccination-minefield
Seems to me that here is where the government could help out by passing legislation specifically enabling the addition of a vaccination clause to existing employment contracts, as a health and safety measure for the workplace.
I find it interesting that in 'murica, land of freedumb and lawsuits, employers aren't the slightest bit shy about imposing vaccine mandates.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/vaccine-mandates-are-lawful-effective-and-based-on-rock-solid-science/
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/majority-us-companies-may-mandate-covid-19-vaccine-coming-months-survey-2021-09-01/
I'm just grateful that everyone I work with on even a semi-regular basis is already vaccinated. Mostly they're young immigrants that grew up seeing the devastation widespread disease causes and how vaccinations really do prevent that devastation.
Can we presume now that some of the most malicious propagandists in the world will now be shunned, instead of given a free platform, by Kim Hill?
RNZ National, Saturday 4 September 2021, 10:10 a.m.
In the course of an interesting discussion about the evolution of ethics, Kim Hill mentioned to her guest, the moral philosopher Tim Dean, that a certain "shock jock" in New Zealand regularly provokes outrage, and upsets people. Dr Dean counselled against wasting our time getting outraged about such provocateurs. It was better, he said, to not amplify them by retweeting their nonsense.
I hope Kim Hill took that advice to heart. I sent her the following email to encourage her in her resolve….
So no more free platforms for guests who use the media to destroy people?
Dear Kim,
Your guest Tim Dean this morning advised us to avoid giving publicity to people who seek to destroy others via Twitter and other media platforms. You seemed to agree with that. I take it that we can therefore presume that you will no longer give a free platform to the likes of Jonathan Freedland and Simon Schama, both of whom used your show in 2019 to spray evidence-free accusations against Jeremy Corbyn, and Alex Gibney, who in 2013 used your show to pour ridicule on the political dissident Julian Assange.
Yours sincerely,
Morrissey Breen
Northcote Point
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/saturday
The epidemiologist guy on Kim Hill, RNZ at 9am this morning, was clearly in favour of saliva testing, saying it is accurate. He is sitting on the panel advising the government and was (while being diplomatic) clearly surprised these tests were not yet in use in NZ.
It occurs to me that this might work well as a border control mechanism. Negative Covid test 72 hours before flying and an instant saliva test on arrival.
The saliva tests I have seen mentioned use the same PCR testing as current nasal swabs. Far from instant.
If there is indeed an 'instant' variety, how accurate is that compared with the PCR tests?
I thought the saliva tests were really fast…I may be wrong on this. Having said that I head a doctor say on RNZ a couple of weeks ago that they can turn round a nasal test in 90 minutes in a hospital.
Covid Yesterday just reported:
NSW 1533 cases (Pop 8.2m)
NZ 20 cases (Pop 5.1m)
90 minutes will be because they have labs onsite and probably push the covid test to top of the work queue. And maybe the hardware they're working with in that particular lab.
If you're doing, say, 200 people off a plane and need to courier the samples across town, then process those samples and use limited lab resources while prioritising other contracted tests, the time per test might be the same or less but the time between swab and notification could be considerably longer.
Why not run the tests on the plane and in-flight?
Because Jetstar would still manage to offload the passengers and tests at different airports? lol
There'd still be the courier and bulk processing problems, and we'd also be ceding control of test administration to someone else.
Frankly, airport testing isn't even something I'd support with 30sec turnaround. It's a level up from preflight tests, but still insufficient in time-sensitivity to do away with MIQ (i.e. Jimjane might be exposed in a transit lounge and still have a low enough load that they don't ping a test when they get off the plane). And we already do 2 tests in MIQ, so extra testing isn't really needed.
I meant, why not process the samples on board? A PCR instrument is just a small benchtop instrument and could easily fit in a plane. Airlines handle a lot of official paperwork already.
Could reliable sample preparation and PCR testing with +ve and -ve controls be performed in-flight? Is the process is more streamlined now?
Coronavirus testing – how does it work?
Or 'sample' the plane's cabin air filters – turn the flight around if positive?
Sure, why not? Many testing kits contain positive, negative, and other quality controls. Refrigeration is available, if necessary. Anything could be tested in theory: air (filters), saliva samples, and wastewater. Methodology and protocols will have to be developed, optimised, and validated, of course. Plenty of time too during intercontinental flights.
'Why not?' is the question. Air turbulence?
Maybe ASSURED PCR-based COVID-19 in-flight tests will be developed and used routinely at some stage, but I'm not holding my breath.
Antigen-based testing seems more likely, at least for the symptomatic, but who knows? It's an active market – time will tell.
https://www.finddx.org/covid-19/
https://www.nbcnews.com/shopping/wellness/best-home-covid-tests-n1275687
https://www.fiercebiotech.com/medtech/nih-study-suggests-rapid-antigen-and-pcr-tests-for-covid-19-are-equally-reliable-when-used
Development of a new field-deployable RT-qPCR workflow for COVID-19 detection [pdf]
Portable RT-PCR System: a Rapid and Scalable Diagnostic Tool for COVID-19 Testing
https://www.universalweather.com/products-and-services/aircraft-pcr-testing/
Some people have been tested 2 to 3 times with the PCR test and haven't shown a positive result yet after a 3 or 4 th test have tested positive.
Saliva testing is messy and creates risks for those testing spitting into spoon then transferring that to vial.
This information might help:
https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/covid-19-health-advice-public/assessment-and-testing-covid-19/how-covid-19-testing-works#timing
https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/covid-19-health-advice-public/assessment-and-testing-covid-19/covid-19-test-results-and-their-accuracy#accuracy
https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/covid-19-health-advice-public/assessment-and-testing-covid-19/covid-19-test-results-and-their-accuracy#what
Google is your friend.
Useful addition, but obviously no substitute for pre-flight testing.
Mustn't jeopardize the 'mission'
More tools, diverse tools, complementary tools, smarter use of existing tools (e.g., two shots of different vaccines instead of the same), innovative thinking, so-called ‘out of the box’ thinking, for example, don’t need to deter from ‘the mission’, but they could help it. IMHO.
"onboard your own aircraft"
quite
Please don’t get sidetracked by the market segment to which they are pitching. It is about the principle and technical feasibility of in-flight PCR testing. It can be done, apparently 🙂
Anything can be done for enough money – that's where the segment comes in.
But clinical managers are not likely to rely on self-analysed tests unless solid pre-launch validation tells them otherwise. I would say even self-administration variability is one reason they require a handful of saliva tests to equate to one nasal swab test using the same PCR process, let alone if untrained airline staff are running the analysis process.
One word: accreditation.
How much money is NZ already spending on testing? The enormous queues at the beginning of the outbreak were unnecessary and avoidable, IMO. Testing willy-nilly just as jabbing willy-nilly is not smart use of precious resources and money.
Clinical managers should have no or very little say in this!
Keeping abreast of new approaches/tools – all good. NZ's lucky – for any relatively resource-hungry implementation phase, we can select from a (diverse) range of tools already tested by others.
Time will tell if the (technically feasible) in-flight PCR testing of passengers for COVID is implemented on bog-standard international flights. I'm guessing not, but have been well wrong before.
Routine pre/post-flight COVID testing of passengers and crew will continue for a while in our South Pacific bubble.
In other regions some countries have already relaxed pre-flight COVID test requirements, particularly for the fully-vaccinated.
Vive la diversité!
Personally, I don’t think we can afford the ‘luxury’ of being picky & choosy, but many good and not so good ideas end up in the bin without any due consideration because they are deemed: too hard, too costly, too threatening to fragile egos of control freaks running their little fiefdoms.
Relaxing pre-flight Covid testing is not a smart thing to do, IMO, and it will send a wrong message of false security from vaccination. What numpties!
Yes – hope Kiwis will be encouraged not to relax too soon. It’s prudent to keep our guard up for at least a few months more, imho.
The intricacies of it aren't my field. But it's a lot to put into a transtasman run between swabbing and testing the swabs, we'd need lab techs on the planes, and the obvious questions are around how the process and the machine itself will deal with turbulence.
But even then, we'd still have the "infected, but too early to detect" problem. So if we ramp up to even just 10k arrivals a week, how long before a positive [insert here the next variant that will make the sky fall if these trends continue] passenger starts wandering around the community? At 95% sensitivity and even 0.1% of passengers with an infection (lowballing the MIQ proportion of +tests to people going through), that's a hundred a week and 5 false negatives resulting in community exposure.
People taking their masks off to spit into a spoon to transfer to a vial or just spitting into a vial with dribble going every where. Not as good as a nasal swab going straight into a vial.
Saliva tests have many advantages over nasal swabs. For example, you can do it yourself without having to travel to a testing station where you might come into closer contact with many others.
You don’t actually “spit” into a spoon, you drool.
For your information and edification: https://www.health.govt.nz/system/files/documents/pages/saliva-testing-general-faqs-9aug21.pdf
Great factsheet, thank you. Also confirms the current saliva test is not fast:
Yes, the PCR assay is the same, once the sample has been pre-processed. Logistics & admin always add more time too. Downside of current saliva tests is that genomic testing is not possible, as mentioned in the fact sheet.
Google is our friend.
Which saliva test the quick test has a 60% efficay rate and to be accurate needs several tests to bring up its efficacy to the PCR nasal or saliva test .saliva being spat into spoons or vials is far more messy and risks the testers health.
Does anyone else think about this issue (and/or want to read about it)?
"The colonial project is the ongoing strategic occupation and exploitation of Indigenous lands for the purposes of the colonizers. 2 Africa, Australia, the Americas, Southeast Asia, and New Zealand are the Indigenous lands to which I refer. As part of the imperial project, these continents and countries were respatialized. 3 Entire landscapes were re-ordered to fragment, disorient, and ultimately destroy the social ecologies of the peoples who inhabited them. Now the question is unignorable: How, in the umbra of decolonization, should these landscapes be redesigned? How can environmental designers participate in the struggle of peoples who have lived through a brazen confiscation of their precolonial spatialities in order to reimagine the way they live together, within the vast re-ordering of planet earth that is the Anthropocene? And is this not itself, after all, the hugest of all hyperobjects? The most ambitious and most thorough colonization of the globe by a hegemonic mentalité to date? Demanding nothing less than the co-option of all peoples to a planetary master narrative that is by its very nature out of control?
I’m hardly the only landscape architect currently mobilizing concepts from theories and practices of decolonization (or decol). 4 But since I’ve recently relocated to my homeland Aotearoa New Zealand, in this essay I’m using Aotearoa as my example. Therefore Māori, the Indigenous people of Aotearoa, are central to my inquiry."
https://placesjournal.org/article/redesigning-colonial-landscapes/
Thanks Robert, sounds interesting
I have often thought our fisheries needed decolonizing – locals scarcely see any seafood these days unless they catch it themselves. The artisanal fishers that supported and enriched local families and communities have largely faded away like the eels above the elver-proof Waitaki dams.
Yep – and the ability to catch it yourself doesn't come cheap. With the denuding of inshore stocks you need a boat (or a decent kayak at a minimum) to catch fish reliably. This further limits its availability.
Colonisers had a system to disenfranchise indigenous people .De humanize dislocate etc.Keep indigenous people on the bottom of the heap impoverished and powerless.
The British Empire used Ireland as a template for its world wide imperial conquests.
Buying off leaders,making the indigenous language illegal ,starving the population,stealing their land.
And even after Ireland gained independence tariff's were imposed from 1922 till 1972 when Ireland became a member of the EU.Britain sided with the free market side in the civil war in Ireland .
Similar tactics to breakdown Maori by portraying them as inferior keeping Maori poor systematically imprisoning Maori continually making Maori look bad.All the while profiteering out stolen land and land they were conned and bullied off,insider trading and fraud it's called today .Then only compensating Maori 1%to3% not including the loss of income and economic status caused by the illegal dispossesion.
While others had 100% legal rights to illegal land transactions Maori were denied.
From the sidebar, Bryan Gould very briefly says the Herald has decided Judith's time has come: https://bryangould.com/a-grim-future-for-national/
Bring back Siomon ?
Yeah the gossip is swirling
https://twitter.com/David_Cormack/status/1434027727745474563?s=20
Several people whose sources have been good in past, yes.
Trev will be aswoon at the prospect of Ponyboy (or a clone thereof) resuming his rightful place on the throne.
Some good news only 20 community cases today Thanks my fellow 5 million.
Indeed wonderful & encouraging news. I'm sitting at the jab drive thru at the Edgar Centre & I'm so impressed with the people running this! Music, sun, professional. Very happy to be living in NZ right now.
Imagine what the number would be if National were in power.
None on paper and 2000 odd on or waiting for ventilators.
touché
They wouldn’t be counted because they’re no longer part of the community.
It would be like NSW and all the numbskulls out there (and there's plenty of them) would be expressing their sympathy for the Nat. government…convinced it was not their fault.
Given just about all conservative constituencies have uncontrollable outbreaks ,no mask wearing,slow or no lockdown ,much lower comparative vaccination rates,low tax poor public health funding.
With National in charge we would have hospitals over run a complete melt down especially given they can't even organize their own caucus.
Then look at the number of Cock ups in the Canterbury earthquake rebuild the South Canterbury Finance debacle National is a hands off govt.
Private contractors like in Australia's response to border control is the reason why they are in such a mess.
testing
Family in NSW are really worried. They already have two 18 year olds sick with Delta.
Their whole family is fully vaccinated, and the girls are through the worst, but were really sick.
The failure to contain Delta in NSW and the attitude of the leadership is really upsetting, with casual throw away lines of "living with the virus", 8 million having freedom to decide!!
My brother's family consisting of 17 people, are really at risk. They say the lock downs were late and light, and really useless.
Sorry about the "really"!! The edit feature vanished.
Patricia part of the Problem is that no one wanted to follow Gladys's orders because of her Morality she had been outed cheating on her husband for up to 10 yrs and implicated in corruption.
If you want people to follow you have to set an example.