Quantitative easing has been discussed by a handful of commentators here. The reason most evade the topic is likely due to lack of comprehension.
Last week the Reserve Bank printed $1.4 billion. That’s the equivalent of 116 Green Schools at the prevailing rate. This was a typical week. No one cared. There were no headlines. No one asked for Adrian Orr to resign… So you may wonder, where is all of this cash going?
Following the money is real hard. The msm never try to, and rarely even acknowledge that the imaginary money is being made real. Damien Grant has a theory:
Orr’s money-printing programme is making the rich richer in the hope that they will spend some of this cash on frivolities like restaurant meals and herbal supplements, thus benefiting those minions who provide such services who are able to retain their jobs. This is trickle-down economics.
Not dead yet? Then Damian outs himself as cynic:
Under this government and their pliant central banker we are seeing a massive transfer of wealth from the poor and middle class to the 1 per cent. If you want to talk about ‘transformational government’, this is as transformational as it gets.
Wow! So Jacinda is leading by example, and the example is her Nat predecessor. But don't tell anyone!
Maybe the Green Party members demanding James Shaw’s head should turn their focus towards this destructive and deeply regressive policy instead.
Shrill ideologues change their thinking? Hell will freeze over first. Such people could never even think about imaginary money made real, let alone it going to wealthy people, or deduce the political implications.
The Reserve Bank’s current policy settings are designed to keep people in employment, and he is correct in the short term.
Socialism in practice. Too bad about increasing the wealth gap…
Agree Chris T. Finally Winston showed himself up in his true colours. Well done, Jack Tame for keeping the questions flowing even when there were no coherent answers.
The next guest Simon Thornley was equally frightening. Worrying to hear he thinks COVID is no worse than the 'flu. And that only the elderly, Pacific Island and Maori people are vulnerable so we should all learn to live with it.
Even worse is that he is teaching at Auckland University.
I actually felt sorry for Thornley when the interview started as he was obviously nervous being on national tv, and then he went on his flu thing, and my sympathy kind of went away pretty quick.
TBF given the deaths that are happening, I am steering in my opinion to the temporarily shielding the smaller number of most vulnerable over screwing our entire economy every time it will crop up, for everyone else.
What a great idea – lock up all us oldies and brown people and get on with it! And this nonsense doesn't even begin to address the ongoing health issues that people who have supposedly recovered from the virus continue to suffer from.
The so-called 'economy' that we have all been putting up with for far too long is due for a serious makover anyway. Maybe this is our opportunity?
By putting up with, do you mean being large enough to cover, our healthe system, WFF, Benefits, super annuation and all the other things like national infrastructure?
Can you point to anywhere that has successfully used a model of "temporarily shielding the smaller number of most vulnerable over screwing the entire economy"? Because as best as I can tell, locking down fast to get the quickest control of the virus is also the best for the economy.
Given there's already at least 8 vaccines in the final trial stage before approval, at least three of which are credible western efforts following established protocols with open publishing of results, and hundreds more not far behind, plus hundreds of other treatments, I think the reasonable strategy right now is a bit of patience and see what actually works.
Because right now, only places that have locked down hard and gone for elimination look in any way appealing. Everywhere else just looks like shit.
If we get to say March next year and it's clear that all the efforts that look promising right now are all fizzers, then it might be appropriate to look for another strategy.
Actually, you did not say that you disagreed with Dr Thornley. Your subsequent comments @ 2.1.2.1 and 2.1.2.1.2.1 seemed to suggest that you were actually agreeing with Dr Thornley.
Dr Thornley did mutter a lot without answering much but maybe you can tell how we could keep safe an estimated 25% of our population that is deemed vulnerable to infection with Covid-19? These people live among us (i.e. they are interspersed) and in some communities they represent much more than 25% of the total population.
I actually felt sorry for Thornley when the interview started as he was obviously nervous being on national tv, and then he went on his flu thing, and my sympathy kind of went away pretty quick."
What I mean is while I disagree with his comparing it to the flu like an idiot, I am "tending" to think we just can't keep going into level 3 every time something happens, indefinitely, without the country turning to shit.
The recent response had to be stringent because the NZ people had been complacent. It has been argued that we can eliminate the virus without the need for lockdowns.
@Chris T – it's reasonably likely that if the first new case had been the Rydges case, a single case in the community with a clearly plausible connection to the border, then the response would likely have been much less dramatic.
But the Americold outbreak was clearly well underway and spreading widely by the time it was detected, and we still don't have evidence for how it got loose. Hence the stringent response.
Hopefully we have all learned about things we all need to do differently. So an outbreak won't get as widespread before it's detected.
In the community, take it seriously to go get tested as soon as you have symptoms that might be COVID. Track movements. Wear a mask. Test border staff and international aircrew more – don't neglect regular testing on some because they're doing runs to "safe" places or behaving safely on their layovers.
Well, the fantasy seems to be that it will be managed somehow so that only the young and healthy will magically will end up infected, and they will just shrug it off.
Nevermind my late-20s nephew in France that was healthy, active, no pre-existing conditions, that got it in March and has yet to recover enough to return to his medical work.
The idea also seems to be unaware of just how much of the population are dealing with some kind of condition that raises risk. ISTR seeing somewhere a credible estimate that around 25% under the under-65s have some kind of condition that's considered an elevated risk factor for dying of covid.
The idea also seems to be unaware of just how much of the population are dealing with some kind of condition that raises risk.
Perhaps the people right at the top, the ones we can't see, that are suggesting/pushing this policy actually want a 25% die off. It'd be one way to address climate change without addressing the underlying cause which is capitalism.
There are very few medications that have been successfully developed against viruses, whereas vaccines against viruses are fairly common and successful.
There doesn't appear to be anything special about coronaviruses in general that gives reason to believe a vaccine is unlikely to be developed. Indeed, there is a vaccine against a bovine coronavirus in the market now, and has been for years.
That there aren't yet vaccines against human coronaviruses is because they are either too mild to be bothered developing a vaccine against (cold coronaviruses), have burnt out and disappeared in a short time before a vaccine was developed (SARS), or too rare to inspire much vaccine development effort (MERS, although IIRC one is in trials now).
I could be wrong, but I haven't seen any vaccines that have been produced against coronaviruses.
Even if they develop one in good time, and can prove no side affects, given our success in slowing it down we will probably be one of the last on the list getting supplied it, once they work out how to mass produce it, which will take ages.
As it will probably go to worst hit countries first, as it should be, and then you have all the weirdos refusing to take it.
Edit: Apologies Andre. I misread your last paragraph.
I gave you a link to an article that talks about a vaccine against a coronavirus that is in production and widely sold right now. It's just that it's for cows, not humans.
Since it seems you didn't follow up the hint with a search of your own about a vaccine against the MERS coronavirus, here's a link.
That vaccine hasn't had a lot of attention since it's only infected about 2,500 people in the 8 years since it was first detected. Almost all of whom were in the habit of getting up close and personal with camels. So it really wasn't much of a public health priority.
As soon as a vaccine is demonstrated to be adequately safe and effective, production is going to ramp up like has never been seen before. It may be that if we're unhappy with how far down the list we are, we may be able to license the recipe and produce it here. We have an animal health industry that's fairly likely to be able to adapt to the challenge if needed.
Going on about lockdowns is sort of yesterday isn't it? There are already some spit on the paper etc type tests coming over the horizon that are cheap so can be spread widely and be used at home to indicate infection and even if there are excess false positives the better tests then sort those out.
Give it another 6 months and this stuff is likely to be widespread so we then won't need the massive lockdowns. A bit of patience for a bit longer, no need to kill the old geezers and we will be there.
The "we need to have no lockdowns now" should stop preaching their views and be more realistic about the unnecessary death and suffering they would cause with their dated lack of forward thinking
Agree Chris T @ (2) … Winston Peters seemed to be channelling the ghost of his mentor Rob Muldoon to conduct his interview with Jack Tame this morning! Unbelievable!
@Dennis Frank. We should probably not attempt to understand the economy through the eyes of Damian Grant. What the QE policy does for the economy is convert the 'cash' recently accumulated in the banking system and convert it into a low risk state which pays a small amount of interest. That cash is generally accumulated by large NZ financial institutions as these provide the bank accounts to people who received recent govt payments in the first place. But if you want to understand who was paid by the govt Grant is looking in completely the wrong place.
The correct interpretation is that post QE, the govt borrowed money from itself, it paid people with that money as indicated by its fiscal statement, but who ever ended up with that money (many govt payees will have spent it) has it invested in low risk savings form.
Of course its not necessary for the govt to provide a low risk savings investment to facilitate its spending, but that is the rort here, and you wont ever get that from Damian Grants analysis.
Ah, thanks Nic for that clarification. Since he's a libertarian (hence a likely ideologue) I did wonder if he got the analysis right. I take the point re govt finagling. I don't really understand why they are doing it but will have faith in Orr's judgment provisionally, since it maintains public confidence in the system.
Also, as a longtime alternative thinker, I do like that the capitalist powers that be have resorted to magical thinking to keep their system trundling along… 😎
Since he's a libertarian (hence a likely ideologue) I did wonder if he got the analysis right.
I merely assumed that he was lying. Appears I was right to do so.
When it finally dawns on the people that the government can create money at will, not cause massive inflation and can do it with no interest people are going to start to wonder why we have capitalists. That latter part is why the Damian Grants of this world don't like it when the governments create money as they see the end of their bludging in it.
Magical according to current mainstream economists, and Grant of course.
Because they object to "money printing" that doesn't result in more income for banking.
It is just a complicated way of justifying what is really the same as a monarch minting more gold coins, because there are not enough in circulation to keep trade going.
The first Labour Government were more honest about it. "Money printing for State housing and infrastructure. Which paid off in so much we still use today.
“I never imagined that I would live to see our courts condemn the NSA’s activities as unlawful and in the same ruling credit me for exposing them,”
Snowden after US court finds the mass surveilance he revealed was unlawful.
the American Civil Liberties Union, which helped bring the case to appeal, welcomed the judges’ verdict on the NSA’s spy program. “Today’s ruling is a victory for our privacy rights,” the ACLU said in a statement, saying it “makes plain that the NSA’s bulk collection of Americans’ phone records violated the Constitution.”
@Dennis, Its not like Orr has a choice. If the govt is going to make it transparent that its funding itself then that decision rests with Robertson (short term) or parliament.
The magical thinking has been there forever. Think in particular of the following ideas,
1) the RBNZ can raise and lower inflation rates by lowering and raising the OCR.
2) in fiddling with the OCR there are no distributional issues, house prices and wages are both effected in the same way by the OCR shift.
3) in reacting to an unanticipated economic event, an economy which was recently fully employed is equally resiliant to an economy which recently went through a recovery.
Agreed Orr dosnt have a choice…he is (successfully) performing his job and we should be thankful of that but he cannot control distributional issues though he has been calling on the government to do so pretty much since he took over the role….they appear to have a hearing problem.
Do we need a paradigm shift in the understanding (and management ) of certain mental disorders?
Often paradigm shifts are from researchers outside the field of study,here biological anthropologists have reposed the problems of ADHD and others as evolutionary responses,rather then mental disorders ,
ADHD is not a disorder, the study authors argue. Rather it is an evolutionary mismatch to the modern learning environment we have constructed. Edward Hagen, professor of evolutionary anthropology at Washington State University and co-author of the study, pointed out in a press release that “there is little in our evolutionary history that accounts for children sitting at desks quietly while watching a teacher do math equations at a board.”
If ADHD is not a disorder, but a mismatch with a human environment, then suddenly it’s not a medical issue. It’s an issue for educational reform
Yep, really, really pleased to see this. I'd also say that often the start of the paradigm shift comes from within the communities of people most affected. eg the neurodiversity communities have critiqued mainstream framing of neurological conditions, and parents of ADHD kids in alternative sub cultures were doing it before them.
Some of the cleverest and most intelligent buggers I've known were at risk of being diagnosed with ADHD. I'm under the impression that they just think faster than others.
Some very intelligent people are on the continuum. In a school setting they can become unstuck because of their impulsive behaviour, shifting concentration, and often mismatching in social settings. Sadly this can lead to being treated as idiots and made to feel stupid by peers and teachers. Low esteem on tap. Some ADHD kids escape into antisocial/drugs etc.
One lad I know was scooped up by an IT developer after Uni because these kids think outside the square so solve problems that others cannot even imagine.
It's an encouraging step – I'm afraid contemporary education is built more around institutional convenience than student need. If this creates some pressure for change, so much the better.
The problem is, teachers end up being the meat in the sandwich – tasked to produce assessible task-based learning. I had the advantage teaching privately for a while there – if students really are learning, assessment becomes redundant – they can do stuff.
Peter's mentioned a couple of times that the 'horse racing industry donations/ NZ First foundation/partner SFO questioning' weren't included in the questions that were going to be asked. therefore questions he had been briefed on.
He was a lot more coherent about the cow ship sinking/criticising government Covid response questions.
Don't get me wrong, I would like the questions that James asked, answered. It seemed like Tame's line of questioning had fallen to the 'gotcha' category.
Often I hear on RNZ the interviewer ask a question that is often prefaced with an expression that acknowledges the question is not related to the topic the interviewee was asked on to the show to speak about.
I'd be surprised if producers worked off the principle of only pre-arranged questions can be asked, but it would be useful to know in terms of understanding Peters' reactions.
What I really don't like is the continuation of new cases connected to this cluster. Auckland went to L3 on August 12. That is 3 1/2 weeks ago. 25 days. It is assumed everyone isolated at that point and no mixing between family members but we are still seeing new cases.
I feel that there has been severe breaches with family members mixing when they shouldn't have.
When is the message going to get through to people that we all need to play by the rules if we are going to get through this?
It's not that hard to understand how it could happen even with everyone involved trying to do the right thing. Just keep in mind the high proportion of asymptomatic infections and the long period of presymptomatic infectiousness.
To add to that, there is bugger all mask wearing in Auckland. I don't have an issue with no masks outside walking but when you are going inside to a shop makes should be on.
People aren't doing it!
I said to the boy we are doing our duty and the more we do it the more acceptable it will become but I feel like we are pushing shit uphill.
I have an advantage because I naturally hate people so to be distanced from them is natural to me.
The explanation I've given my kids is that first, it's about trying to stop the entire country from copping the bad-luck Powerball much more than it being about individual risk, and that wearing a mask is about normalising mask-wearing. Kinda like when I was their age nobody wore helmets skiing or bike riding, but now almost everyone does because it's been normalised.
I think the mask wearing varies in different parts of Auckland. I live in the Belmont/Devonport area and mask wearing is high. The ones who stand out are the non-maskers. I forgot to put mine on once and someone in the local supermarket informed a close relative of mine. I received a bollocking and have never forgotten since.
The article link below was 31st August; today Sept 6 like everyday since, the 4 new community cases are still members from this sub cluster church group.
Supposedly, this church while already having links to the first Americold case, once level 3 lockdown began they literally took the rule of max. of 10 gathering as permission to still meet for evangelism.
Is it always a government's fault for lockdowns and hardship or are individual's being self gratifying responsible too ?
Auckland went to L3 on August 12. That is 3 1/2 weeks ago. 25 days. It is assumed everyone isolated at that point and no mixing between family members but we are still seeing new cases.
I feel that there has been severe breaches with family members mixing when they shouldn’t have'
Is it just cascading infection among families who are all in managed isolation? I recall if one family member was infected, say 20 days ago, they moved the whole family into managed isolation, so it's called community transmission but not as we think it is.
Won't there always be immediate 'importances' to divert from the real ones? Managing the immediate as the Left has done for all its governmental history — its lasting message from its Depression victory — ends us here.
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Voice Memos is a convenient app on your iPhone that allows you to quickly record and store audio snippets. These recordings can be useful for a variety of purposes, such as taking notes, capturing ideas, or recording interviews. While you can listen to your voice memos on your iPhone, you ...
Laptop screens are essential for interacting with our devices and accessing information. However, when lines appear on the screen, it can be frustrating and disrupt productivity. Understanding the underlying causes of these lines is crucial for finding effective solutions. Types of Screen Lines Horizontal lines: Also known as scan ...
Right-clicking is a common and essential computer operation that allows users to access additional options and settings. While most desktop computers have dedicated right-click buttons on their mice, laptops often do not have these buttons due to space limitations. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on how to right-click ...
Powering up and shutting down your ASUS laptop is an essential task for any laptop user. Locating the power button can sometimes be a hassle, especially if you’re new to ASUS laptops. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on where to find the power button on different ASUS laptop ...
Dell laptops are renowned for their reliability, performance, and versatility. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or just someone who needs a reliable computing device, a Dell laptop can meet your needs. However, if you’re new to Dell laptops, you may be wondering how to get started. In this comprehensive ...
Two-thirds of the country think that “New Zealand’s economy is rigged to advantage the rich and powerful”. They also believe that “New Zealand needs a strong leader to take the country back from the rich and powerful”. These are just two of a handful of stunning new survey results released ...
In today’s digital world, screenshots have become an indispensable tool for communication and documentation. Whether you need to capture an important email, preserve a website page, or share an error message, screenshots allow you to quickly and easily preserve digital information. If you’re an Asus laptop user, there are several ...
A factory reset restores your Gateway laptop to its original factory settings, erasing all data, apps, and personalizations. This can be necessary to resolve software issues, remove viruses, or prepare your laptop for sale or transfer. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to factory reset your Gateway laptop: Method 1: ...
“You talking about me?”The neoliberal denigration of the past was nowhere more unrelenting than in its depiction of the public service. The Post Office and the Railways were held up as being both irremediably inefficient and scandalously over-manned. Playwright Roger Hall’s “Glide Time” caricatures were presented as accurate depictions of ...
Roger Partridge writes – When the Coalition Government took office last October, it inherited a country on a precipice. With persistent inflation, decades of insipid productivity growth and crises in healthcare, education, housing and law and order, it is no exaggeration to suggest New Zealand’s first-world status was ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – In 2022, the Curriculum Centre at the Ministry of Education employed 308 staff, according to an Official Information Request. Earlier this week it was announced 202 of those staff were being cut. When you look up “The New Zealand Curriculum” on the Ministry of ...
Chris Bishop’s bill has stirred up a hornets nest of opposition. Photo: Lynn Grieveson for The KākāTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate from the last day included:A crescendo of opposition to the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill is ...
Monday left me brokenTuesday, I was through with hopingWednesday, my empty arms were openThursday, waiting for love, waiting for loveThe end of another week that left many of us asking WTF? What on earth has NZ gotten itself into and how on earth could people have voluntarily signed up for ...
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.State of humanity, 20242024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?Full story Share ...
Determining the hardest sport in the world is a subjective matter, as the difficulty level can vary depending on individual abilities, physical attributes, and experience. However, based on various factors including physical demands, technical skills, mental fortitude, and overall accomplishment, here is an exploration of some of the most challenging ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
The Government’s newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealand’s urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra In the free-for-all between the Australian government and Big Tech boss Elon Musk this week, the government had to be on a winner. Most people would have little sympathy with Musk’s vociferous opposition to ...
Asia Pacific Report Chief Mandla Mandela, a member of the National Assembly of South Africa and Nelson Mandela’s grandson, has joined the Freedom Flotilla in istanbul as the ships prepare to sail for Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. Mandela is also the ambassador for the Global Campaign to Return to ...
Pacific Media Watch Journalists who report on environmental issues are encountering growing difficulties in many parts of the world, reports Reporters Without Borders. According to the tally kept by RSF, 200 journalists have been subjected to threats and physical violence, including murder, in the past 10 years because they were ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards, Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesn’t normally happen in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra BagzhanSadvakassov/Upsplash, CC BY-SA Australia’s inflation rate has fallen for the fifth successive quarter, and it’s now less than half of what it was back in late 2022. ...
ACT's Rural Communities and Veterans spokesman Mark Cameron responds to cancellations and protests of ANZAC Day commemorations in Wellington. He says, "These pitiful attempts to detract from ANZAC Day are not at all indicative of the feelings of mainstream ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Meighen McCrae, Associate Professor of Strategic & Defence Studies, Australian National University American and Australian stretcher bearers working together near the front line during the Battle of Hamel in 1918.Australian War Memorial While the AUKUS alliance is new, the Australian-American partnership ...
Pōneke based peace activists staged a silent protest at the ANZAC day service to highlight New Zealand’s complicity in war and genocide, and urge the government to take concrete steps to stop the genocide in Palestine. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Magdalena M.E. Bunbury, Postdoctoral Researcher, James Cook University Burial with a horse at the Rákóczifalva site, Hungary (8th century AD).Sándor Hegedűs, Hungarian National Museum, CC BY How do we understand past societies? For centuries, our main sources of information have been ...
Amanda Thompson doesn’t really do Anzac Day. But what she does do is remember the people she knew who had a lifetime to remember stuff they didn’t really want to, because of a war they didn’t ask for. And she does make Anzac biscuits.First published in 2021.All my ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kathryn Willis, Postdoctoral Researcher, CSIRO Xavier Boulenger/Shutterstock In the two decades to 2019, global plastic production doubled. By 2040, plastic manufacturing and processing could consume as much as 20% of global oil production and use up 15% of the annual carbon ...
With our collective remembrance, and steadfast belief in our common humanity, we strengthen our hope and resolve to do what we can to foster dialogue and understanding, and to heal divisions in our pursuit of peace. ...
Principal reasons for the opposition is the loss of the public’s democratic right to have “a fair say” and the vital need for a government free from corruption, said Casey Cravens of Dunedin, president of the New Zealand Federation of Freshwater ...
Never mind the scoreboard – in the 2000 Bledisloe Cup decider, the real trans-Tasman battle was won before kickoff.First published in 2016. The dawn of the new millennium was a dark time for the All Blacks. Their final game pre-Y2K was a 22-18 loss to South Africa in the ...
I’m on the wrong side of 40, I never pursued creative work and now my job is killing my soul. Help! Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nzDear Hera,May I start with the least original conversation opener you’re likely to hear around the motu at the moment, particularly in Wellington: ...
“Never again - No AUKUS” was the message of the wreath laid at this morning’s national ANZAC Day commemorative service at Pukeahu National War Memorial Park this morning by the Stop AUKUS group. ...
Until this month, Auckland swimmer Hazel Ouwehand had never met a qualifying time in an Olympic event for a New Zealand team, even as a junior. Now she’s very likely off to the Paris Olympics after swimming well under the qualifying standard in the 100m butterfly twice – both in ...
While Anzac Day has experienced a resurgence in recent years, our other day of remembrance has slowly faded from view.The Sunday Essay is made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand. Original illustrations by Hope McConnell.First published in 2022.The high school’s head girl and ...
Australian and New Zealand volunteers fought together in the Waikato War, yet still its place in the Anzac tradition is unacknowledged by our defence forces or Returned Services Association.First published in 2018.When I was a boy cub I attended Anzac Day services in the South Auckland suburb of ...
A poem by Wellington writer Tayi Tibble.Hoki Mai She kisses him goodbye with her eyes still wet and alight from their last swim in the Awatere river. At the train station celebration, she leads the Kapa Haka but her voice keeps breaking under and over itself like waves. ...
A poem from Bill Manhire’s 2017 book of verse Some Things to Place in a Coffin.My World War I Poem Inside each trench, the sound of prayer. Inside each prayer, the sound of digging. Image courtesy of Auckland War Memorial Museum. ...
There are three books I have wolfed down in one sitting over the last two years. Colleen Maria Lenihan’s gorgeous and sad debut Kōhine, Noelle McCarthy’s memoir Grand about becoming her mother and then unbecoming her, and now Hine Toa, a staunch yet gentle self-portrait by living legend Ngāhuia te ...
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Asia Pacific Report Students and activist staff at Australia’s University of Sydney (USyd) have set up a Gaza solidarity encampment in support of Palestinians and similar student-led protests in the United States. The camp was pitched as mass graves, crippled hospitals, thousands of civilian deaths and the near-total destruction of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James B. Dorey, Lecturer in Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong Australian teddy bear bees are cute and fluffy, but get a look at that massive (unbarbed) stinger! James Dorey Photography Most of us have been stung by a bee and we ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jen Roberts, Senior Lecturer, School of Humanities and Social Inquiry, University of Wollongong Aussie~mobs/FlickrVictor Farr, a private in the 1st Infantry Battalion, was among the first to land at Anzac Cove just before dawn on April 25 1915. Victor Farr ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Gregory Moore I had the good fortune to care for the sugar gum at The University of Melbourne’s Burnley Gardens in Victoria where I worked for ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra BagzhanSadvakassov/Upsplash, CC BY-SA Australia’s inflation rate has fallen for the fifth successive quarter, and it’s now less than half of what it was back in late 2022. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachel Ong ViforJ, ARC Future Fellow & Professor of Economics, Curtin University Just when we think the price of rentals could not get any worse, this week’s Rental Affordability Snapshot by Anglicare has revealed low-income Australians are facing a housing crisis like ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Meighen McCrae, Associate Professor of Strategic & Defence Studies, Australian National University American and Australian stretcher bearers working together near the front line during the Battle of Hamel in 1918.Australian War Memorial While the AUKUS alliance is new, the Australian-American partnership ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tracey Holmes, Professorial Fellow in Sport, University of Canberra When the news broke last weekend that 23 Chinese swimmers had tested positive to a banned drug in early 2021 and were allowed to compete at the Tokyo Olympic Games six months later ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cally Jetta, Senior Lecturer and Academic Lead; College for First Nations, University of Southern Queensland Australian War MemorialAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised this article contains names and images of deceased people, as well as sensitive historical information ...
RNZ News Melissa Lee has been ousted from New Zealand’s coalition cabinet and stripped of the Media portfolio, and Penny Simmonds has lost the Disability Issues portfolio in a reshuffle. Climate Change and Revenue Minister Simon Watts will take Lee’s spot in cabinet. Simmonds was a minister outside of cabinet. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Lindenmayer, Professor, Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University laurello/Shutterstock Some reports and popular books, such as Bill Gammage’s Biggest Estate on Earth, have argued that extensive areas of Australia’s forests were kept open through frequent burning by ...
Analysis - Christopher Luxon framing the demotion of two ministers as the portfolios getting "too complex" is a charitable way of saying they weren't up to the job. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra With Jim Chalmers’s third budget on May 14, Australians will be looking for some more cost-of-living relief – beyond the tax cuts – although they have been warned extra measures will be modest. As ...
Analysis: Melissa Lee has lost the media portfolio and her spot in Cabinet after multiple failed attempts to find solutions for a media industry in crisis. On Wednesday, the Prime Minister announced Lee would be losing her spot in Cabinet along with her media and communications ministerial portfolio. The job ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Simon Wilmot, Senior Lecturer, Film, Deakin University Among the many Australian who served during the second world war, there is a small group of people whose stories remain largely untold. These are the Muslim men and women who, while small in number, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kelly Saunders, PhD Candidate, University of Canberra There has been much analysis and praise of Justice Michael Lee’s recent judgement in Bruce Lehrmann’s defamation case against Channel Ten. Many people were openly relieved to read Lee’s “forensic” and “nuanced” application of law ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kathy Gibbs, Program Director for the Bachelor of Education, Griffith University zEdward_Indy/Shutterstock Around one in 20 people has attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It’s one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders in childhood and often continues into adulthood. ADHD is diagnosed ...
The Fairer Future coalition of anti-poverty groups say Whaikaha must be properly funded going forward, and that to argue that poor financial management of the new Ministry is a red herring by the Prime Minister. ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is today congratulating Hon. Paul Goldsmith on his appointment as Minister for Media and Communications and urges him to rule out state intervention in the private media sector. ...
Asia Pacific Report The West Papuan resistance OPM leader has condemned Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and US President Joe Biden, accusing their countries of “six decades of treachery” over Papuan independence. The open letter was released today by OPM chairman Jeffrey P Bomanak on the eve of ANZAC Day ...
Welcome to The Spinoff Books Confessional, in which we get to know the reading habits and quirks of New Zealanders at large. This week: writer and one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people of 2024, Lauren Groff.The book I wish I’d writtenIf I wish I’d written a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Fechner, Research Fellow, Social Marketing, Griffith University mavo/Shutterstock Imagine having dinner at a restaurant. The menu offers plant-based meat alternatives made mostly from vegetables, mushrooms, legumes and wheat that mimic meat in taste, texture and smell. Despite being given that ...
“Three Strikes is a dead-end policy proposed by a dead-end government. The Three Strikes law ignores the causes of crime, instead just brutalising people already crushed by the cost of living.” ...
By Don Wiseman, RNZ Pacific senior journalist An Australian-born judge in Kiribati could well face deportation later this week after a tribunal ruling that he should be removed from his post. The tribunal’s report has just been tabled in the Kiribati Parliament and is due to be debated by MPs ...
With its clear mandate for police use, political nuances, and nuanced public trust, Denmark's insights provide valuable considerations for Australia and New Zealand. ...
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Quantitative easing has been discussed by a handful of commentators here. The reason most evade the topic is likely due to lack of comprehension.
Following the money is real hard. The msm never try to, and rarely even acknowledge that the imaginary money is being made real. Damien Grant has a theory:
Not dead yet? Then Damian outs himself as cynic:
Wow! So Jacinda is leading by example, and the example is her Nat predecessor. But don't tell anyone!
Shrill ideologues change their thinking? Hell will freeze over first. Such people could never even think about imaginary money made real, let alone it going to wealthy people, or deduce the political implications.
Socialism in practice. Too bad about increasing the wealth gap…
https://www.stuff.co.nz/opinion/300098580/the-moneyprinting-programme-helping-the-rich-get-richer
Far out.
Winston's interview on Q and A is a bit of a train crash.
How many times can you avoid questions and call someone the wrong name?
Lol
Agree Chris T. Finally Winston showed himself up in his true colours. Well done, Jack Tame for keeping the questions flowing even when there were no coherent answers.
The next guest Simon Thornley was equally frightening. Worrying to hear he thinks COVID is no worse than the 'flu. And that only the elderly, Pacific Island and Maori people are vulnerable so we should all learn to live with it.
Even worse is that he is teaching at Auckland University.
Agree
I actually felt sorry for Thornley when the interview started as he was obviously nervous being on national tv, and then he went on his flu thing, and my sympathy kind of went away pretty quick.
A country where old people or poor ethnic people are not seen lest they catch flu and die.
TBF given the deaths that are happening, I am steering in my opinion to the temporarily shielding the smaller number of most vulnerable over screwing our entire economy every time it will crop up, for everyone else.
What a great idea – lock up all us oldies and brown people and get on with it! And this nonsense doesn't even begin to address the ongoing health issues that people who have supposedly recovered from the virus continue to suffer from.
The so-called 'economy' that we have all been putting up with for far too long is due for a serious makover anyway. Maybe this is our opportunity?
By putting up with, do you mean being large enough to cover, our healthe system, WFF, Benefits, super annuation and all the other things like national infrastructure?
Can you point to anywhere that has successfully used a model of "temporarily shielding the smaller number of most vulnerable over screwing the entire economy"? Because as best as I can tell, locking down fast to get the quickest control of the virus is also the best for the economy.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/300082211/do-the-health-gains-of-lockdown-20-outweigh-economic-pain
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/opinion-analysis/300083404/heres-why-lockdowns-are-the-best-economic-solution-too
Let alone that's it's not just the deaths, it's also the long term disability and suffering caused among quite a few of those that get it but survive.
And then what happens.
We just have a permanently closed border for an unknown amount of years?
Given there's already at least 8 vaccines in the final trial stage before approval, at least three of which are credible western efforts following established protocols with open publishing of results, and hundreds more not far behind, plus hundreds of other treatments, I think the reasonable strategy right now is a bit of patience and see what actually works.
Because right now, only places that have locked down hard and gone for elimination look in any way appealing. Everywhere else just looks like shit.
If we get to say March next year and it's clear that all the efforts that look promising right now are all fizzers, then it might be appropriate to look for another strategy.
https://covid-19tracker.milkeninstitute.org/
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/health-and-human-body/human-diseases/coronavirus-vaccine-tracker-how-they-work-latest-developments-cvd/
Neither you nor Dr Thornley answered Andre’s question although Dr Thornley mentioned Iceland as an example.
Interestingly, according to the Government Response Stringency index (GRSI), the Auckland region in L2.5 is as stringent as Iceland.
https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/covid-stringency-index?tab=chart&year=latest&time=2020-01-22..2020-09-03&country=ISL~NZL
BTW, the NZ border is not closed; your imprecise phrasing is unhelpful.
I have already said I don't agree with Thornley
Actually, you did not say that you disagreed with Dr Thornley. Your subsequent comments @ 2.1.2.1 and 2.1.2.1.2.1 seemed to suggest that you were actually agreeing with Dr Thornley.
Dr Thornley did mutter a lot without answering much but maybe you can tell how we could keep safe an estimated 25% of our population that is deemed vulnerable to infection with Covid-19? These people live among us (i.e. they are interspersed) and in some communities they represent much more than 25% of the total population.
"
Chris T2.1.1
6 September 2020 at 10:07 am
Agree
I actually felt sorry for Thornley when the interview started as he was obviously nervous being on national tv, and then he went on his flu thing, and my sympathy kind of went away pretty quick."
What I mean is while I disagree with his comparing it to the flu like an idiot, I am "tending" to think we just can't keep going into level 3 every time something happens, indefinitely, without the country turning to shit.
Apologies if I was too vague.
No worries and thanks for the clarification.
The recent response had to be stringent because the NZ people had been complacent. It has been argued that we can eliminate the virus without the need for lockdowns.
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/eliminating-covid-19-without-lockdowns
@Chris T – it's reasonably likely that if the first new case had been the Rydges case, a single case in the community with a clearly plausible connection to the border, then the response would likely have been much less dramatic.
But the Americold outbreak was clearly well underway and spreading widely by the time it was detected, and we still don't have evidence for how it got loose. Hence the stringent response.
Hopefully we have all learned about things we all need to do differently. So an outbreak won't get as widespread before it's detected.
In the community, take it seriously to go get tested as soon as you have symptoms that might be COVID. Track movements. Wear a mask. Test border staff and international aircrew more – don't neglect regular testing on some because they're doing runs to "safe" places or behaving safely on their layovers.
Better than thousands of dead.
And don,t forget our health system could not manage if Covid precautions are loosened up to lighten up on the eonomic effects.
Well, the fantasy seems to be that it will be managed somehow so that only the young and healthy will magically will end up infected, and they will just shrug it off.
Nevermind my late-20s nephew in France that was healthy, active, no pre-existing conditions, that got it in March and has yet to recover enough to return to his medical work.
The idea also seems to be unaware of just how much of the population are dealing with some kind of condition that raises risk. ISTR seeing somewhere a credible estimate that around 25% under the under-65s have some kind of condition that's considered an elevated risk factor for dying of covid.
Perhaps the people right at the top, the ones we can't see, that are suggesting/pushing this policy actually want a 25% die off. It'd be one way to address climate change without addressing the underlying cause which is capitalism.
I've had bronchitis twice pneumonia once and childhood lung problems, I also have someone who needs me around for atleast another 15 years .
We need to keep this thing at bay till we have a vaccine or a very good cure .
It would be better to have a better-targeted cull aimed at the biggest polluters and contributors to CC.
That'd most likely be the ones pushing for the die off.
Yes the probably permanent lung damage and possibility of ongoing Chronic Fatigue Syndrome concern me greatly.
But you're steering arse backwards, why do you think the number of deaths happening, are happening?
There will probably be a treatment but there will not be a vaccine.
What's your basis for saying that?
There are very few medications that have been successfully developed against viruses, whereas vaccines against viruses are fairly common and successful.
There doesn't appear to be anything special about coronaviruses in general that gives reason to believe a vaccine is unlikely to be developed. Indeed, there is a vaccine against a bovine coronavirus in the market now, and has been for years.
That there aren't yet vaccines against human coronaviruses is because they are either too mild to be bothered developing a vaccine against (cold coronaviruses), have burnt out and disappeared in a short time before a vaccine was developed (SARS), or too rare to inspire much vaccine development effort (MERS, although IIRC one is in trials now).
I could be wrong, but I haven't seen any vaccines that have been produced against coronaviruses.
Even if they develop one in good time, and can prove no side affects, given our success in slowing it down we will probably be one of the last on the list getting supplied it, once they work out how to mass produce it, which will take ages.
As it will probably go to worst hit countries first, as it should be, and then you have all the weirdos refusing to take it.
Edit: Apologies Andre. I misread your last paragraph.
I gave you a link to an article that talks about a vaccine against a coronavirus that is in production and widely sold right now. It's just that it's for cows, not humans.
Since it seems you didn't follow up the hint with a search of your own about a vaccine against the MERS coronavirus, here's a link.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/04/200422132600.htm
That vaccine hasn't had a lot of attention since it's only infected about 2,500 people in the 8 years since it was first detected. Almost all of whom were in the habit of getting up close and personal with camels. So it really wasn't much of a public health priority.
As soon as a vaccine is demonstrated to be adequately safe and effective, production is going to ramp up like has never been seen before. It may be that if we're unhappy with how far down the list we are, we may be able to license the recipe and produce it here. We have an animal health industry that's fairly likely to be able to adapt to the challenge if needed.
Going on about lockdowns is sort of yesterday isn't it? There are already some spit on the paper etc type tests coming over the horizon that are cheap so can be spread widely and be used at home to indicate infection and even if there are excess false positives the better tests then sort those out.
Give it another 6 months and this stuff is likely to be widespread so we then won't need the massive lockdowns. A bit of patience for a bit longer, no need to kill the old geezers and we will be there.
The "we need to have no lockdowns now" should stop preaching their views and be more realistic about the unnecessary death and suffering they would cause with their dated lack of forward thinking
Agree Chris T @ (2) … Winston Peters seemed to be channelling the ghost of his mentor Rob Muldoon to conduct his interview with Jack Tame this morning! Unbelievable!
Was he puropdly calling him James? Or is he losing it?
Is bush wacking interviewees normal like jack did? Or do they normally script the questions at these?
Think he is just losing it tbh.
I haven't heard of scripted questions in an NZ context. Think some are in the US.
Edit: Should add Hosking does it to Ardern all the time.
The difference is she doesn’t go all arsey, remembers his name and answers as best she can.
Just watched it again.
It is even more cringe worthy the second time
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/winston-peters-defends-not-airing-public-criticism-govts-covid-19-response-earlier-in-fiery-q-exchange
@Dennis Frank. We should probably not attempt to understand the economy through the eyes of Damian Grant. What the QE policy does for the economy is convert the 'cash' recently accumulated in the banking system and convert it into a low risk state which pays a small amount of interest. That cash is generally accumulated by large NZ financial institutions as these provide the bank accounts to people who received recent govt payments in the first place. But if you want to understand who was paid by the govt Grant is looking in completely the wrong place.
The correct interpretation is that post QE, the govt borrowed money from itself, it paid people with that money as indicated by its fiscal statement, but who ever ended up with that money (many govt payees will have spent it) has it invested in low risk savings form.
Of course its not necessary for the govt to provide a low risk savings investment to facilitate its spending, but that is the rort here, and you wont ever get that from Damian Grants analysis.
Ah, thanks Nic for that clarification. Since he's a libertarian (hence a likely ideologue) I did wonder if he got the analysis right. I take the point re govt finagling. I don't really understand why they are doing it but will have faith in Orr's judgment provisionally, since it maintains public confidence in the system.
Also, as a longtime alternative thinker, I do like that the capitalist powers that be have resorted to magical thinking to keep their system trundling along… 😎
I merely assumed that he was lying. Appears I was right to do so.
When it finally dawns on the people that the government can create money at will, not cause massive inflation and can do it with no interest people are going to start to wonder why we have capitalists. That latter part is why the Damian Grants of this world don't like it when the governments create money as they see the end of their bludging in it.
Why does the Govt need to pay interest on their money creation!!!
Why should they call money they created debt they have to pay back?
By lockdown the government reduced the economy, creating money to pay wages so people can meet their bills is not inflationary.
And nor is the money borrowed from anyone.
They don't but they do it to keep up the illusion that people need to pay interest to get money and thus also prop-up the bludging of the capitalists.
@Dennis.
Magical according to current mainstream economists, and Grant of course.
Because they object to "money printing" that doesn't result in more income for banking.
It is just a complicated way of justifying what is really the same as a monarch minting more gold coins, because there are not enough in circulation to keep trade going.
The first Labour Government were more honest about it. "Money printing for State housing and infrastructure. Which paid off in so much we still use today.
Snowden after US court finds the mass surveilance he revealed was unlawful.
@Dennis, Its not like Orr has a choice. If the govt is going to make it transparent that its funding itself then that decision rests with Robertson (short term) or parliament.
The magical thinking has been there forever. Think in particular of the following ideas,
1) the RBNZ can raise and lower inflation rates by lowering and raising the OCR.
2) in fiddling with the OCR there are no distributional issues, house prices and wages are both effected in the same way by the OCR shift.
3) in reacting to an unanticipated economic event, an economy which was recently fully employed is equally resiliant to an economy which recently went through a recovery.
Agreed Orr dosnt have a choice…he is (successfully) performing his job and we should be thankful of that but he cannot control distributional issues though he has been calling on the government to do so pretty much since he took over the role….they appear to have a hearing problem.
'Murica
https://twitter.com/MsLisaHendricks/status/1302064472081670146
Gives Shooting ones mouth off awhile new meaning
With the angle of their dangle they won't be shooting themselves in the foot, anyway.
His aortic arch will be a tad worried.
Do we need a paradigm shift in the understanding (and management ) of certain mental disorders?
Often paradigm shifts are from researchers outside the field of study,here biological anthropologists have reposed the problems of ADHD and others as evolutionary responses,rather then mental disorders ,
ADHD is not a disorder, the study authors argue. Rather it is an evolutionary mismatch to the modern learning environment we have constructed. Edward Hagen, professor of evolutionary anthropology at Washington State University and co-author of the study, pointed out in a press release that “there is little in our evolutionary history that accounts for children sitting at desks quietly while watching a teacher do math equations at a board.”
If ADHD is not a disorder, but a mismatch with a human environment, then suddenly it’s not a medical issue. It’s an issue for educational reform
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/shouldstorm/202008/what-if-certain-mental-disorders-are-not-disorders-all
Yep, really, really pleased to see this. I'd also say that often the start of the paradigm shift comes from within the communities of people most affected. eg the neurodiversity communities have critiqued mainstream framing of neurological conditions, and parents of ADHD kids in alternative sub cultures were doing it before them.
The flaw in the mismatch is that ADHD appears from birth, long before being seated at a desk.
Some of the cleverest and most intelligent buggers I've known were at risk of being diagnosed with ADHD. I'm under the impression that they just think faster than others.
Some very intelligent people are on the continuum. In a school setting they can become unstuck because of their impulsive behaviour, shifting concentration, and often mismatching in social settings. Sadly this can lead to being treated as idiots and made to feel stupid by peers and teachers. Low esteem on tap. Some ADHD kids escape into antisocial/drugs etc.
One lad I know was scooped up by an IT developer after Uni because these kids think outside the square so solve problems that others cannot even imagine.
It's an encouraging step – I'm afraid contemporary education is built more around institutional convenience than student need. If this creates some pressure for change, so much the better.
Talk and chalk is boring!! Learning by doing is so messy lol
The problem is, teachers end up being the meat in the sandwich – tasked to produce assessible task-based learning. I had the advantage teaching privately for a while there – if students really are learning, assessment becomes redundant – they can do stuff.
Lord, this was extraordinary. Good on James for putting up the full thing.
https://twitter.com/jacktame/status/1302404803180392449
TBF to the warhorse, there was a smell of Helen Clark v John Campbell 'corngate' to the interview.
You think Tame was unfair on Peters?
Peter's mentioned a couple of times that the 'horse racing industry donations/ NZ First foundation/partner SFO questioning' weren't included in the questions that were going to be asked. therefore questions he had been briefed on.
He was a lot more coherent about the cow ship sinking/criticising government Covid response questions.
Don't get me wrong, I would like the questions that James asked, answered. It seemed like Tame's line of questioning had fallen to the 'gotcha' category.
are Ministers or MPs usually given a set of questions ahead of time and those are the only topics covered?
I don't know if that is the way of things.
Often I hear on RNZ the interviewer ask a question that is often prefaced with an expression that acknowledges the question is not related to the topic the interviewee was asked on to the show to speak about.
Winston implied this was the case too.
I'd be surprised if producers worked off the principle of only pre-arranged questions can be asked, but it would be useful to know in terms of understanding Peters' reactions.
Winnie's whole thing is making every interview an attack on him. The dim are persuaded, hence his following.
For anyone moderately average the device annoys to death. Despite him delivering Left govts regularly.
Winnie is one long sigh for me, but…
Hey, there's and election happening. Were would we be without a train wreak Winston Peters interview about a month out from the day
It happens every time. And NZF comes back from the dead nearly every time.
Not betting on the outcome this time either
heh
https://twitter.com/RexChapman/status/1302344161476128771
https://www.mediaite.com/news/perfect-metaphor-dumbkirk-trends-after-multiple-boats-sink-at-trump-boat-parade-in-austin/
"Klanish Armada"!
https://twitter.com/mark_matranga/status/1302385468659515392
barking
https://twitter.com/DecoherenceWave/status/1302344868283387904
Schadenfreude.
https://twitter.com/davematt88/status/1302369089315241984
https://archive.li/Y8nVb/db41d12dc49e58ce7797a6a9dabb0336095812ba.jpg
oh dear.
What I really don't like is the continuation of new cases connected to this cluster. Auckland went to L3 on August 12. That is 3 1/2 weeks ago. 25 days. It is assumed everyone isolated at that point and no mixing between family members but we are still seeing new cases.
I feel that there has been severe breaches with family members mixing when they shouldn't have.
When is the message going to get through to people that we all need to play by the rules if we are going to get through this?
It's not that hard to understand how it could happen even with everyone involved trying to do the right thing. Just keep in mind the high proportion of asymptomatic infections and the long period of presymptomatic infectiousness.
To add to that, there is bugger all mask wearing in Auckland. I don't have an issue with no masks outside walking but when you are going inside to a shop makes should be on.
People aren't doing it!
I said to the boy we are doing our duty and the more we do it the more acceptable it will become but I feel like we are pushing shit uphill.
I have an advantage because I naturally hate people so to be distanced from them is natural to me.
The explanation I've given my kids is that first, it's about trying to stop the entire country from copping the bad-luck Powerball much more than it being about individual risk, and that wearing a mask is about normalising mask-wearing. Kinda like when I was their age nobody wore helmets skiing or bike riding, but now almost everyone does because it's been normalised.
Kids are up against shit like this.
https://twitter.com/BalloonBoysInc/status/1250189982188408833
Boomer killers.
I think the mask wearing varies in different parts of Auckland. I live in the Belmont/Devonport area and mask wearing is high. The ones who stand out are the non-maskers. I forgot to put mine on once and someone in the local supermarket informed a close relative of mine. I received a bollocking and have never forgotten since.
The article link below was 31st August; today Sept 6 like everyday since, the 4 new community cases are still members from this sub cluster church group.
Supposedly, this church while already having links to the first Americold case, once level 3 lockdown began they literally took the rule of max. of 10 gathering as permission to still meet for evangelism.
Is it always a government's fault for lockdowns and hardship or are individual's being self gratifying responsible too ?
https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/122617065/coronavirus-church-investigated-over-allegation-meetings-were-held-in-lockdown
Is it just cascading infection among families who are all in managed isolation? I recall if one family member was infected, say 20 days ago, they moved the whole family into managed isolation, so it's called community transmission but not as we think it is.
Clear majority support for the recent extension of level 2 (2.5) :
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/vote-compass-exclusive-numbers-reveal-strong-support-level-extension?auto=6188189093001
Note that only 41% of National voters are opposed. Even allowing for 'don't know/won't say', that leaves around 30-40% of National voters in favour.
Won't there always be immediate 'importances' to divert from the real ones? Managing the immediate as the Left has done for all its governmental history — its lasting message from its Depression victory — ends us here.