Open mike 07/04/2020

Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, April 7th, 2020 - 163 comments
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163 comments on “Open mike 07/04/2020 ”

  1. Statement from David Clark

    Last night as part of my preparation for the Epidemic Response Committee, I provided the Prime Minister with a complete picture of my activity outside my home during Alert Level 4.

    That included the fact that on the first weekend of the Alert Level 4 lockdown I drove my family approximately 20 kilometres from our house in Dunedin to Doctor’s Point Beach for a walk.

    This trip was a clear breach of the lockdown principles of staying local and not driving long distances to reach recreation spots.

    As the Health Minister it’s my responsibly to not only follow the rules but set an example to other New Zealanders.

    At a time when we are asking New Zealanders to make historic sacrifices I’ve let the team down. I’ve been an idiot, and I understand why people will be angry with me.

    I’ve apologised to the Prime Minister for my lack of judgement and offered her my resignation.

    In the interest of full disclosure, since the lockdown began I have also driven my family to a walking track approximately 2 kilometres from our house for a walk and gone for occasional runs, all of which were local and within the rules, and one bike ride which is already in the public domain.

    Statement from the Prime Minister on Dr David Clark

    “Yesterday evening the Health Minister advised me of his trip to a beach during the lockdown and offered his resignation,” Jacinda Ardern said.

    “Under normal conditions I would sack the Minister of Health. What he did was wrong, and there are no excuses.

    “But right now, my priority is our collective fight against COVID-19. We cannot afford massive disruption in the health sector or to our response. For that reason, and that reason alone, Dr Clark will maintain his role.

    “But he does need to pay a price. He broke the rules.

    “While he maintains his Health portfolio, I am stripping him of his role as Associate Finance Minister and demoting him to the bottom of our Cabinet rankings.

    “I expect better, and so does New Zealand,” Jacinda Ardern said.

    Ardern must be furious. Not only did Clark blatantly breach Level 4 rules and Ardern's requests (of the public), he seems to have sat on this since last Thursday. If he only informed Ardern last night as he states that's just about as bad as breaching the lockdown rules.

    As Clark says, he’s been an idiot and has let the team down.

    • Andre 1.1

      Hey Pete, what are your thoughts on Simon Bridges driving up and down the country and his apparent attitude that he's entitled to and he's going to keep doing it?

      • bwaghorn 1.1.1

        For me his obvious electioneering in supermarkets is of more concern.

        • Andre 1.1.1.1

          Well yes, that particular activity is indeed more likely to spread around whatever it is he's ailing from.

          But in this particular thread I'm interested in exploring the difference in attitudes between one party that says 'shit, I screwed up and I've learned from it' and another party that says "I'm entitled and I'm gonna keep doing it'.

          • Pete George 1.1.1.1.1

            'shit, I screwed up and I've learned from it' – four days after the story started to come out requiring the Minister of Finance and Prime Minister to cover for him and make misleading if not false statements about his availability.

            It was a series of screwups. In an interview on RNZ this morning Clark was still fudging around, saying he made "an error of judgement” – he made a series of errors of judgements – and saying after the bike ride blew up he “went back and discovered something else”.

            Four days later he discovered his voice and told Ardern. That's put Clark's party in an embarrassing situation at time they need to be working on some big stuff.

            Clark's competence as Minister of Health remains questionable.

            • bwaghorn 1.1.1.1.1.1

              I was meh about the bike ride but the 20 kms to the beach . Dumb fucker needs sacking when it's over.

            • aj 1.1.1.1.1.2

              “..fudging around..”

              If you think that was fudge then I’m not asking you to do any baking for me.

            • Anne 1.1.1.1.1.3

              Why don't you awnser Andre's question @ 1.1 Pete G?

              In case you missed it:

              … what are your thoughts on Simon Bridges driving up and down the country and his apparent attitude that he's entitled to and he's going to keep doing it?

              And might I add:

              Organising a photo op. in the middle of a supermarket with the store owner and a staffer and standing less than a metre away from both of them.

              Reckon that's good role modelling? Don't you think as leader of the National Party he should apologise and offer to step down?

              Lets face it mate even if you and your fellow trolls can’t:

              If you apply the rules strictly to one senior politician then you have to apply the rules equally as strictly to all senior politicians.

            • Ed1 1.1.1.1.1.4

              "Clark's competence as Minister of Health remains questionable."

              Which is as it should be and remains unchanged for all Ministers. Any Minister is of course also a politician, and needs to set a good example – and in that Clark failed, but there is nothing to indicate that his competence in the role of Minister of Health has changed due to his breaches of guidelines relating to travel. One of the areas where I think the government as a whole has excelled is in accepting scientific advice; the political dimension was placing saving of life and providing support to get through necessary lockdown – other countries have given greater political weight to "business as usual" Clark's mistake was essentially that he did not act as a responsible and good example. For that he is being rightly vilified.

      • Gosman 1.1.2

        Is he in breach of his own Ministries advice?

      • Pete George 1.1.3

        That's been covered here: Two Bubbles Bridges’ Big Day Out

        I think there's an argument for key people to front up in person dealing with the pandemic. Some are doing that in Wellington, including Ardern, Robertson and a number of officials and police.

        And despite some questions here I think that Leader of the Opposition is a key role, especially at a time of substantially increased Government powers.

        But travelling back and forward from Tauranga to Wellington by car is an obvious risk and sends bad signals.

        I think if Bridges deems his job in Wellington is important enough then he should have based himself in Wellington for the duration of the lockdown. That may have required one trip to get there.

        As per Clark, when so many restrictions are put on all our lives, politicians must be seen to doing similar and not making their own rules.

        But this is largely a diversion from today's topic started here. Minister of Health is one of the most critical jobs in the country right now, or at least it should be. Bridges has made himself look bad, Clark has made the Government look bad.

        • Andre 1.1.3.1

          Do you think Clark's dumbfuckery (beach trip much more than the drive'n'bike episode) and the subsequent fallout has actually damaged the response to the crisis?

          Personally I kinda think the actual result from a high profile person breaking the rules in a way that is very unlikely to increase risk or cause actual harm and can legitimately be viewed as trivial, but nonetheless getting slapped pretty hard for it, will likely have the actual result of reinforcing the idea that the rules are to be taken seriously.

    • Sanctuary 1.2

      Nice to see Pete George and the MSM finally got something at their level of comprehension.

    • I Feel Love 1.3

      All I see is one death, hospitals not at peak, good communication from the Govt, a competent leader, people making an effort, and a few whiners on the sidelines. Just my view.

  2. Treetop 2

    Just heard on RNZ Boris Johnson moved to ICU.

    The awful thing with Covid-19 is that day 7-10 it can seriously affect the lungs.

    • Peter 1 2.1

      Really have no sympathy let the heard sort it out, he was quite willing to let the old and sick die. I know you will all jump on me for saying this but I hope the Tory bastard dies a slow lingering death.

      [You knew what you were saying was bad but you did it anyway!? If you want to keep your commenting privileges here, I would not make these kinds of utterly wrong judgement calls again, if I were you. No more warnings – Incognito]

      • Treetop 2.1.1

        I find your comment to be unacceptable and the last sentence to be inappropriate.

        Herd and not heard. I am not the greatest speller either.

      • James 2.1.2

        What an horrible thing to hope for. One of the more disgusting comments I have ever read on here.

        Here is hoping you and your family never are on the receiving end of what you are so happy to hope happens to others.

        • Peter 1 2.1.2.1

          Not others just HIM.

          • Stunned Mullet 2.1.2.1.1

            Your comments say far more about you than anything else.

            • Peter 1 2.1.2.1.1.1

              Oh yes must not say nasty things about the tory bastards how many disabled deaths do they say they are responsible for, from memory about 130,000. Thousands living on the streets, shit wages and god help you if you have mental health problems but no don't call a spade a spade. just sit back and have another glass of wine and go tut tut.

              • Stunned Mullet

                Refer to my comment above..

              • James

                What you said was personal and disgusting. Not just nasty or calling a ‘spade a spade’.

                from your reply it seems you are still quiet ok with your comment. Perhaps you should reflex on that – because in no way was it acceptable.

              • Treetop

                You cannot hold the current leader of a party responsible for the decisions which were made by other PMs of that party.

                Johnson has not been the PM for that long and a lot of his leadership hours have gone into Brexit. He was democratically elected. Now he has a double whammy with Covid-19, politically and personally.

                Everyone is going to be affected with the repercussions of Covid-19.

                No one likes to see the disabled, the homeless, the unwell or those not earning enough struggling.

                Johnson is in ICU and you need to pull your head in and not blame him directly and reflect on your vile words.

                I intend to not reply to you again over this topic.

      • Incognito 2.1.3

        See my Moderation note @ 12:19 PM.

      • Alice Tectonite 2.1.4

        I hope he recovers, learns from the experience and becomes less of a prick.

  3. ScottGN 3

    Boris Johnson has been moved to ICU.

    • Sanctuary 3.2

      Wow. Has he got any co-morbidities? How old is Boris?

      I read an account of COVID-19 from a UK based friend of mine of Facebook and it sounds freaking awful. He is a fit young guy in his late thirties and was badly hit. His wife also caught it and she was fine though, almost aymptomatic. He says his kids didn't catch it but IMHO they probably did, but were totally asymptomatic.

      • Incognito 3.2.1

        How old is Boris?

        His mental age or his real age?

      • A 3.2.2

        Co-morbidities aside, once on a ventilator there is only a 30% chance of getting off it alive (just heard that from Chris Martenson update for today).

        If he is lucky he will be given Vit C/Chaga mushroom/zinc/quercetin, but due to the vicious response any request will be met with this is unlikely. Could be that he has some kind of advance medical directive that might turn this situation for him, but otherwise it looks bad.

        • pat 3.2.2.1

          Hes 55…and ICU dosnt necessarily mean ventilator as I understand it.

        • Treetop 3.2.2.2

          It is my understanding that when a person's heart rate, blood pressure and breathing are an issue, these are reasons for an ICU admission in regard to Covid-19.

          I read an old study done in 1984 that Vitamin C assists with water on the lungs and that 80% who have pneumonia recover if they have as little as 250 mg per day. Quercetin is a good antihistamine.

    • ScottGN 3.3

      RNZ just reported that he was conscious but on a ventilator.

      • Sanctuary 3.3.1

        I think the high death rate is once they are intubated(?) as in have the tube put down their throat, as that requires all sorts of sedation and catheters and renal support etc etc

        • Muttonbird 3.3.1.1

          Wow. Being on a ventilator is no small thing. It's literally 50/50 stuff for him right now if that's the case.

          Apparently Dominic Raab looked white as a ghost when addressing the media. He of course will know more than us.

          Can't help thinking Johnson has always underestimated this thing. Now he's got first hand experience of what it can do.

  4. Andre 4

    Is Genghis Can't setting up Dr Fauci to be the fall guy? The narrative certainly seems to be getting set to paint Fauci as the deep state operative trying to underhandedly undermine the MAGAmoron Glorious Leader.

    https://www.salon.com/2020/04/06/are-trump-and-his-allies-setting-up-dr-fauci-as-the-pandemic-scapegoat/

    • Treetop 4.1

      When will Trump learn to work with people associated with the White House who know so much more than he does?

      I saw what you raise in the link on Aljazeera TV on Sunday.

      • ScottGN 4.1.1

        Fat chance of that!

      • Andre 4.1.2

        What, and break a continuous 73 years of unrestrained narcissism reinforced by being encapsulated in a protective cocoon of paid suckups?

  5. Rosemary McDonald 5

    Hey Andre. Some of us have long since realised the futility of criticizing those on the right…its kind of like blaming a dog for barking or a cat for hunting. It's just who they are and what they do and an integral part of their nature.

    The last National MP who could legitimately claim a functioning moral compass was Waring.

    Simon is a special case, really special, and his unfortunate deficits are for his party to manage.

    Those on the left should, perhaps, show that we expect a higher standard from our elected representatives. Especially those who are at the forefront of a crisis.

    Or do we give up on the sorry lot of them?

    • Andre 5.1

      While I'm of the view that Clark's drive'n'bike ride was in a broad grey area, his newly disclosed beach trip is clearly outside of guidelines. He has properly offered to resign, and the Prime Minister had made a measured response to that offer.

      I get it that you want his head on a pike and are disappointed that hasn't happened, but it looks to me like your view is grossly distorted by your personal circumstances.

      Go ahead and give up on the lot of them, if you sit down and honestly consider how things change under different governments in the circumstances and timeframes those different governments operate under and reach the conclusion that there genuinely is no difference.

      But from my perspective, there is a clear difference in outcomes even while I'm disappointed in the glacial pace of progress. So my opinion is extremely low of those who do give up and then spend their time trying to undermine those who do have their hearts in the right place and are trying to do worthwhile things, however ineffectually.

  6. observer 6

    No sympathy for Clark from me. Anyone can stuff up, but Politics 101 says you get in front of it, fess up, minimise the damage. The bike ride – mistake, minor story, finished. But that was the time to come clean about anything else. He didn't. That's incompetence.

    So the PM has basically sacked him on a suspended sentence. Good.

    • Treetop 6.1

      So the PM has basically sacked him on a suspended sentence. Good.

      No third time.

      Maybe some MPs need to be electronically monitored. Then the full extent of the overstepping will be known. This could be done randomly.

  7. pat 7

    "Clearly, New Zealand has gone quickly – but how early have we gone in comparison with other countries? Newsroom has compared New Zealand's response to that of six other countries that are similar in size, population, culture or region."

    https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2020/04/06/1117839/how-does-nzs-covid-19-response-stack-up-to-overseas

    Forget the politicking

    • ianmac 7.1

      Yes Pat. A very interesting analysis. A must read. Seems to show NZ did the right thing and has the strongest case therefore for emerging post Level 4 into "normality."

    • bill 7.2

      Shame they didn't present the numbers in terms of per 1000 or some such. Raw numbers don't mean too much when populations and population density are so varied.

      • pat 7.2.1

        that info available here…

        https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/

        We can criticise the minutiae of our response but I know where Id rather be right now

      • Psycho Milt 7.2.2

        Yes, that's bizarre. All their graphs are raw numbers, so obviously NZ with its tiny population is going to be lower than everyone else, and obviously that doesn't mean anything other than that we have a small population. The cases and deaths per mil population in Pat's worldometer link is the relevant comparison figure.

        • Andre 7.2.2.1

          They're not all way out of line.

          Ireland is 4.9 million

          We're roughly 5.0 million.

          Norway is 5.4 million

          Singapore is 5.7 million

          Denmark is 5.8 million

          But yeah, Israel (9.2M), Sweden (10.3M) and Australia (25.7M) really need to be scaled otherwise the comparisons are kinda useless.

          https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_and_dependencies_by_population

        • pat 7.2.2.2

          not obvious at all…the tracking is from initial infection and its growth pattern….population size is only relevant in that analysis in the ultimate total numbers not r nought

          • Andre 7.2.2.2.1

            That would be true if there were equal numbers of infection starting points in each country. But higher populations are generally correlated with higher numbers of travellers and therefore higher numbers of starting points brought in from outside.

            • pat 7.2.2.2.1.1

              the initial infection starts at one..or possibly a small cluster (flight or ship)…its path once identified is the critical factor…that may be impacted by pop density or lifestyle factors but not population size.

              • Andre

                Our initial infections did not start with one. There are multiple clusters with independent initiating infections.

                • pat

                  our initial detected infection was a single individual….as was the case in other countries. Now whether there were other undetected cases is likely however the data projects the pattern of growth from that point and it is the pattern that is key.

                  • Incognito

                    About half of our cases (I don’t have the exact numbers at hand) was brought into the country. The other half is close contacts. Only 2% appears to be community spread. With the number of travellers dropping off, the growth was highly likely to level off too.

                    • pat

                      true enough and also likely the case for other countries….but what measures countries put in place are the main differential factor, certainly in similar environments

                    • pat

                      oh…and timing…we went earlier than most

          • McFlock 7.2.2.2.2

            Yeah that's fair. And Sweden and Aus have such different patterns that even dividing them by the relevant proportion would still have them significantly higher – and worsening – than NZ.

            Especially if you take them as all charts should be taken – we're "roughly the same as" Singapore, rather than succumbing to the urge to read it as an actual scorecard that says "we're doing better than everyone". All things considered, we're handling it a bit better than most (touch wood). Good on the govt.

        • Dawn Trenberth 7.2.2.3

          They do have a number per million so you can compare. Also some such as the uk and Sweden are only testing those in hospital. This means they are grossly under reporting. Looking at number of deaths gives a better comparison and idea of numbers.

        • Paddington 7.2.2.4

          The link Pat provided https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/ has a table that can sorted by population factor. It's an excellent resource – one I've been watching for a while now.

      • Paddington 7.2.3

        Be careful going down that track…

    • Paddington 8.1

      Not sure it's so funny when he's the Minister of Health. But I take your point.

  8. pat 9

    Strange times indeed….Winston in the best interaction with the media possibly in his long career….

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2018741786/coronavirus-government-charters-flight-for-kiwis-in-peru

    The impossible can happen

  9. Andre 10

    Shortages of ventilators get the publicity. But putting someone on a ventilator requires a hefty supply of some heavy-duty substances and those are running short too. But there's been less attention to boosting the supply and cranking up the production might be even more difficult.

    https://www.vox.com/2020/4/6/21209589/coronavirus-medicine-ventilators-drug-shortage-sedatives-covid-19

    • ianmac 11.1

      A great summary Macro. Yet his recent approval rating of his handling of Covid is up at about 47% and disapproval about 37%. (Don't remember where I read that.)

      • Macro 11.1.1

        Pretty sure that is an outlying poll ianmac. While there was a little softening in disapproval after he belatedly changed tack from complete denial to some acceptance of danger facing the country that is slowly wearing off as the daily mismanagement of the crisis continues. It probaly also coincided with the final approval of the $1T “rescue” package

        I think the poll you might be remembering is this one

        https://www.investors.com/politics/americans-back-president-trump-on-coronavirus-crisis/

        This was the IBD/TIPP poll which gave him a 48% approval as opposed to a 44% disapproval rating. However, if you have a look at the myriad of polls run across the US on that question you can see that in almost all cases his disapproval rating is higher than his approval.

        https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/trump-approval-ratings/?ex_cid=rrpromo

        The running average of approval/disapproval by fivethirtyeight has him still at around 50% disapproval – the most favourable of his "presidency" but there are signs of growing disapproval in recent days. The running average takes a few days to reflect this trend.

        When the virus final hits the states with predominant MAGAT* support I think even the most fervent Trumpkin will begin to have doubts.

        *MAGA Trumpkin

    • Perhaps this could also apply to David Clark.

  10. ScottGN 12

    A rough timeline from The Guardian of events leading up to Johnson’s admission to hospital.

    https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/apr/06/the-strange-lead-up-to-boris-johnsons-admission-to-hospital

  11. Gabby 13

    I don't know that Demonic anticipated the virus moving through this part of the herd.

  12. Cinny 14

    I see NW is now banning reusable bags in store, personally we haven't been using them during the lockdown.

    Instead I've been taking the washing basket to the supermarket, leaving it in the car, but packing the groceries in it.

    A washing basket can handle quite a bit of weight and it's easy to wash or wipe down after use.

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/120836693/new-world-shoppers-asked-to-leave-reusable-bags-in-the-car-during-lockdown

    Edit, I also spray all the groceries with anti bac spray before returning home, call me paranoid, but it makes me feel safe 🙂

    • Alice Tectonite 14.1

      What are people supposed to do when they don't have a car?

      call me paranoid

      Been wiping all shopping with soapy water, unsure if that's reasonable or paranoid…

    • Treetop 14.2

      You are not alone in having had to change your shopping habits.

      A record for me changing any habit, (supermarket shopping).

      People have stopped bumping into each other.

    • Carolyn_Nth 14.3

      I also use some spray on shopping that arrives in my flat – usually in paper bags that have not been used before. I leave most of it untouched for several hours, or put things that need to go in the fridge in bags I already have.

      The virus does weaken over time, and most of it dies after a few hours. It can last on plastic and stainless steel up to 2-3 days.

      I wash my hands a lot and wipe down stuff that can easily be wiped – but I think leaving things untouched for several hours, overnight, or for days (depending on what it is) is probably the way to go.

  13. Andre 15

    In case anyone else was wondering why the proportion of probable to confirmed cases rose significantly in recent days, it's because they have changed definitions and testing criteria.

    If you're in a bubble with someone that's infected and you start showing symptoms, you're now unlikely to be tested and you're automatically listed as probable and basically considered confirmed for the purposes of follow-up and treatment.

    https://www.msn.com/en-nz/news/national/what-are-probable-cases-and-why-are-they-rising/ar-BB12emuK?li=BBqdg4K&ocid=mailsignout

  14. AB 16

    Let's acknowledge it. If the Democratic Party had decided to anoint Sanders as the 'electable' one after the Nevada caucus, he would now have just as commanding a lead in delegates as Biden currently enjoys. 'Electability', or otherwise, was never an inherent attribute of the candidates themselves, it was a narrative constructed about them by people with agendas. In the case of the establishment Democratic Party, that agenda was to protect their existing wealth and future income streams from corporate donors against the threat of the Sanders policy programme. And now it all unravels as Trump's approval ratings increase (like all 'wartime' leaders) and Biden's manifest unfitness for the job becomes clear. Average bloke Joe Rogan with an extremely popular podcast now says he can't support Biden and would vote for Trump.The Democratic Party responds by blaming everyone other than themselves. Krystal and Sagar discuss here. Can you ever trust affluent, socially liberal centrists to do the right thing?

    • joe90 16.1

      A racist misogynist is just an average bloke?

      https://twitter.com/TrefaultPaulina/status/1220779595110109184

      • Morrissey 16.1.1

        1.) Could you provide some evidence to back up your contention that Joe Rogan is a "racist misogynist"?

        2.) Quoting Bernie out of context like "Paulina" has done is to grotesquely misrepresent him. "Paulina" sounds very like another liar, Elizabeth Warren.

      • Corey Humm 16.1.2

        Joe Rogans not a racist or a misogynist. You just disagree with him so you label him as such. He actually pretty good and has destroyed far more conservatives than he has liberals and socialists.

        I'm sick of politicals using out of context messages to label people things. The left is as bad as the right on this.

  15. Reality 17

    Jacinda’s Easter Bunny’s essential occupation status has made a number of overseas media outlets. The comments section in one of the US ones was so full of praise for her. How they envy our good fortune.

    A touch of brilliance from her to have a little bit of humour at this time.

  16. Barfly 18

    Be Warned

    I note that the National Party is going to absolutely do their best/worst to get elected….I believe DPF's April fools "joke" wasn't – simply a trial run of blatant lying targeting identified groups as a trial run for the election. I believe "third rail" dirty politics will be active in the election – big time.

    The National Party has lots of money to spend on the election ( CCP donations? devil ). I see two "fluff" articles in The Guardian one written by Bridges ans the other by what appears to be a fawning sycophant of the National Party where among other things we get told that Labour and National are both like the US Democrat Party among many other bizarre assertions . Now I do not believe this was at the The Guardian's initiative and I am disappointed the articles were not marked as paid advertorials. A National Party happy to throw money buying space in a nominally left publication to try sow confusion and disinformation is a measure of how far they will go.

    Then you have the National Party's media boosters – the Tova's , Hosk's Garner's and all yodeling "gotcha" every few minutes while they pretend ignorance of and have no interest of the garbage that the National Party gets up to.

    • bwaghorn 18.1

      He was sucking up large to farmers in the farmers weekly this week . 1st time of ever seen wandering bridges in that paper.

      Thought he was not going electioneering during the crisis!!?

  17. Janet 19

    Despite the fact that the borders to NZ should have been closed weeks ago, if for no reason other than that this virus was extremely unusual and puzzling to virologists ,Jacinda is still "thinking" about implementing quarantine at the border.

    On http://www.20min.ch today there is an article saying that a cat and a tiger in the Broncs zoo , New York , have become infected with Covid 19…

    https://www.20min.ch/wissen/news/story/Haustiere-koennen-sich-doch-mit-Corona-infizieren-17059973

    Stop thinking Jacinda . just DO IT!

    • Incognito 19.1

      “Thinking” doesn’t mean flicking a coin ad nauseam but collecting information, considering options and consequences, making decisions that are evidence-based, planning & preparing, et cetera.

      • bill 19.1.1

        Is there a good reason not to do it?

        I mean, from my understanding of applying the precautionary principle, and especially given the apparent seriousness of covid, shouldn't that be the question?

        • Incognito 19.1.1.1

          Depends on what the “it” is. From where I’m sitting and from what I know, border control has to tighten if and when we go down to a lower Alert Level and attempt to some level of ‘normalisation’. Otherwise, it would be like mopping up water off the floor while the tap is still running. The Devil is in the detail, as always. Jumping up & down demanding “just DO IT!” is not helpful.

        • weka 19.1.1.2

          the logistics of housing, feeding and monitoring thousands of people, rolling numbers over time. Not saying it can't be done, but it's not a small thing either. eg if the police do the monitoring, they will have to be taken off other duties.

          Last time I looked we were quarantining anyone coming in with symptoms. Non-symptomatic people with appropriate self-isolation plans were checked and allowed to self-isolate. From memory the ratio was something like 1500 to 4,000 (someone can check that).

          • weka 19.1.1.2.1

            Numbers from five days ago

            • About 5100 arrivals to NZ from overseas in last week
            • 115 in quarantine, 1489 in supervised accommodation
            • About 3600 allowed to head home to self-isolate

            https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12321689

            See Koff's comment below about logistics.

            • bill 19.1.1.2.1.1

              So make the logistics fit capacity? Limiting inbound flights would achieve that. With "half the world" in lock-down, why or how are people still flying anyway?

              I would have stopped all incoming flights at the beginning and been done with it. Stuck in Azerbaijan? k.

              Hmm I guess there are maybe some folks (quite a few) who are kinda glad I'm not NZs dictator in charge or some such 🙂

              • Janet

                Yes , especially the self-indulgent ones that chose not to hurry home but have the expensive holiday they paid for some time ago !

              • weka

                Arden just said there were tens of thousands of NZers travelling overseas at the time they started putting restrictions on the border.

                The govt has an obligation to NZ citizens and residents, they can't just lock people out without a very good reason. A good reason might be an active epidemic that was killing lots of people here where there was no good way to prevent people coming in from not making that worse. Putting in a three tier system for Kiwis coming home seems entirely reasonable given the overall elimination strategy, and given they're increasing stringency over time as they are able to.

                Bloomfield has just said that around half of the new cases are coming from existing clusters, and that not many are coming from new arrivals. Looks like the number of border cases has dropped a lot.

                • Incognito

                  Good comment!

                  Bloomfield has just said that around half of the new cases are coming from existing clusters, and that not many are coming from new arrivals. Looks like the number of border cases has dropped a lot.

                  That’s good news. It is the community spread that we need to watch.

                • Anne

                  Thanks for the commonsense answer weka.

              • Koff

                That's just silly. There are hundreds of thousands of people all around the world who were stuck because of the speed of developments overtoo their ability to move. They couldn't just jump on the nearest flight to getback 'home.' In NZ there were two hundred thousand foreign tourists, and another four hundred thousand temporary workers who weren't at 'home'. If their countries did what you suggested, they would be stuck here presenting an enormous potential health problem, let alone being exceptionally cruel. There aren't any easy answers.It's far better for all people 'stuck' in places like Azerbaijan or New Zealand to get back to their real 'homes' in a safe and humane way.

                • Incognito

                  yes

                • bill

                  There are hundreds of thousands of people all around the world who were stuck because of the speed of developments overtoo their ability to move

                  uh-huh. And?

                  Sorry. But my sympathies wouldn't really have been lying with some tens of thousands of people from NZ who were able to hob nob around the world – many or most of whom would have had ways and means – I'm sure they'd have been fine. And if any needed consular assistance or whatever, then fine – such assistance could have been provided.

                  As for thousands here from other countries, they could have left or stayed according to their preference and their country's policy around inbound flights. (Don’t quite get your health problem angle.)

                  Meanwhile, tens of thousands of people with no ways or means were on the streets right here in NZ with no home to go to.

                  So…tens of thousands extending their stay abroad so that a virus (or further instances of) wasn't introduced into the country, versus tens of thousands right here in dire need of shelter and protection from a virus. Hmm. Hard one.

                  Those abroad could have come back in dribs and drabs (availability of seats means tested perhaps?) in line with border capabilities set around quarantine measures.

                  btw – Wonder how many PMC types took last minute flights out of NZ just to avoid lockdown? I bet there's a few. Which is fine. But quarantine rules "since forever" have been that you can leave a quarantined area whenever you want and at the drop of a hat. Re-entering? Not so willy-nilly on that front, aye?

    • ianmac 19.2

      Well Janet you might be cleverer than Jacinda but have a look on Newsroom where they chart NZ success compared to that of similar sized countries. Even so easy to read graphs.

      https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2020/04/06/1117839/how-does-nzs-covid-19-response-stack-up-to-overseas?utm_source=Friends+of+the+Newsroom&utm_campaign=fe1d7d9b0c-Daily+Briefing+03.4.20_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_71de5c4b35-fe1d7d9b0c-95522477

    • Koff 19.3

      If NZ brings in compulsory quarantining,it will have to be done more carefully than here in Australia, which brought in compulsory quarantining for all people flying in to international airports 10 days or so ago. (but not for Queensland residents driving acrossthe border from NSW where there is definite evidence of community transmission – just 'self-isolation for 2 weeks'. My partner and I are in the 4th day of a compulsory quarantining in a Brisbane hotel after flying in from Auckland last Friday with 20 others (half kiwis, half Aussies). Our 'home' is a nearby boat. We were crammed into a bus from the airport sitting close together within the 1.5m Aussie physical distancing rules. All OK since in the hotel, but it is not set up for self-contained living. That means that although we have been quarantined, we are still exposed to doubtful food and supplies from outside which is dropped outside our door. We clean what we can, but how do we know who has been handling it? We could be infected ourselves. Also, anecdotal reports about young quarantiners having parties in their hotel corridors and even waiters serving glasses of wine (in Sydney). None of these issues are insurmountable, but it does mean that just switching over to blanket quarantining isn't easy. Some proper planning has to go into it.

      • weka 19.3.1

        yep, this.

        Can you cook in your room?

        • indiana 19.3.1.1

          Some people are being put up in 5 star hotels at the expense of the Government. Most of these rooms will not have anything but a coffee maker/hot water jug.

          If NZ does the same for international arrivals, they should put them up in serviced apartments that have a small kitchenette.

          • Koff 19.3.1.1.1

            Very good point, Indiana. Seld-contained motels with kitchenettes are far better and a lot cheaper than the sort of useless 5 star swanky hotels like the one that we arein. The quarantining must go both ways if ALL incoming passenegrs are to be quarantined, not just those withsymptoms or do not have prope self-isoation plans as is the current policy in NZ. if you can cook yourself you can order stuff from Countdown or whoever and ake sure you can clean what you order and not get infected.Also, the quarantining must be policed (with kindness – we are not criminals!) otherwise it will be a farce.

            • weka 19.3.1.1.1.1

              How are you managing food atm then?

              Hotels are probably much easier to manage logistically, but the meals thing is really important, including for families with kids. Can't live on toast and coffee for very long.

              • Koff

                3 meals a day provided. Pretty crappy, but we won't starve. The point is we don't know who is preparing it – looks like it has been contracted out to a 'cheap' caterer. If it wasn't for the circumstances, we wouldn't think about it, but as we can't see or talk to the caterers or trust them to be virus free, we are basically sitting ducks!

                • weka

                  ooh, that's not good. You think it's not the normal hotel kitchen staff?

                  • Koff

                    The hotels that are offering quarantine faciities for the different state governments are closed to other guests so everything is closed down including their own kitchens. We haven't seen anyone since we got into the room. Can't get out or open the window. The food is left in bags outside the door and we have to wait for 10 seconds before retrieving them. We are not complaining, just emphasising that these circumstances are exceptional and everyone around the world, especially those in charge, are on a steep learning curve, so a bit of tolerance needed if things aren't perfect from the start.

                    • Drowsy M. Kram

                      "…these circumstances are exceptional and everyone around the world, especially those in charge, are on a steep learning curve, so a bit of tolerance needed if things aren't perfect from the start." yes

  18. The Aussie High Court has just quashed George Pell's sex abuse convictions. No reasoning given yet.

  19. Treetop 24

    Saw on 1 News Cardinal Pell has had his conviction quashed.

    My thoughts go out to the person who tried to seek justice for having been offended against and that they have been second guessed.

    Another consequence of sexual offending is that a conviction can be appealed. There needs to be stringent checks and balances for such appeals.

  20. joe90 25

    Now's the time.

    Spain, which has the biggest cluster of COVID-19 infections outside the U.S., will introduce universal basic income “as soon as possible” as part of its efforts to combat the economic effects of coronavirus, Economy Minister Nadia Calvino said on Sunday. Critically, the scheme is expected to be rolled out indefinitely.

    https://www.forbes.com/sites/isabeltogoh/2020/04/06/spain-to-roll-out-permanent-universal-basic-income-soon/#1df26d05316f

  21. weka 26

    Ardern explains the three phases.

    1. outbreak
    2. linear increase in cases (which appears to be what is happening now, and is different from exponential increase)
    3. drop in the number of new cases

    around -24m mark of the livestream

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/413652/watch-live-number-of-new-covid-19-cases-drops-to-54

  22. observer 27

    Three National MPs physically travelled to Wellington for their committee meeting today. Shane Reti from Northland, Louise Upston from Taupo and Simon Bridges from Tauranga.

    • Muttonbird 27.1

      What's Shane Reti's excuse? The pidgeons take too long to fly?

      • observer 27.1.1

        Maybe the broadband National claim to have delivered for us wasn't so hot. Even in National seats.

        Steven Joyce must resign.

    • KJT 27.2

      Hope Reti runs into Hone's roadblock.

      Waiting for the week long chorus from the media,.

      Arrogant fuckwits.

    • ScottGN 27.3

      And that explains why none of them were terribly keen to have a go at Clark about the issue at Committee today.

      • Treetop 27.3.1

        Probably treating it like a party caucus thing. Leader has to do the disciplining.

        Who will discipline Bridges?

        This is one aspect of being in the opposition where you can ride it out.

        • I Feel Love 27.3.1.1

          So Reti and the Taupo person drive all the way to Wellington to go to a Zoom meeting???

          • Treetop 27.3.1.1.1

            I see you do not mean zoom to Wellington, you mean zoom in Wellington.

            I cannot see anyone from Taupo on the Epidemic Response Committee.

            Louise Upston is the MP for Taupo.

  23. Muttonbird 29

    Jesus, if this isn't flat out abuse of the wage subsidy scheme. Imagine being one of the only businesses allowed to still operate and you pretend you're on hard times.

    Shame on these operators.

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/120876197/new-world-stores-will-withdraw-claims-for-wage-subsidies

    • weka 29.1

      the city ones are taking the piss. Some of those small town four squares probably need it though, the drop in tourism will be hitting them hard.

  24. Herodotus 30

    Talk about diversions, we have a contributor wishing someone would die. Now our PM didn't have the foresight to Ask her Min of Health if there were any other instances of poor decision making, our Min of Health kept from the PM that he went on another trip as it wasn't evident to him until he reviewed his actions (my words) and we get what some National MP's have done. Take ownership of flaws/screw ups.

    What many here IMO don't understand. People Vote for our PM, NOT Labour, People Vote for National NOT Simon Bridges.

    • "Now our PM didn't have the foresight to Ask her Min of Health if there were any other instances of poor decision making …"

      Pretty sure that's exactly what she asked him and why he fessed up. In these situations its normal to ask if there are any other similar instances and also to ask for the Ministerial diary to be checked.

      • Herodotus 30.1.1

        When he was asked by the PM when the bike ride emerged (I take it he was questioned ) this didn't trigger any recollection of his actions over the last week. Not having any idea what an MP/Minister includes in their diary, but I wouldn't think that such a trip would be included into his diary (as it was family related). Most of us know what the rules are and I gather all (But a few idiots/privileged) when in doubt take the conservative (I know many here don't like this term 😱) approach. i.e. when in doubt … don't – The ramification are too great.

        • te reo putake 30.1.1.1

          The trip to the beach wouldn't have been in the diary, H, but hours put aside for personal matters would have been noted. That is, it wouldn't say what he did, just that he was off the clock for x number of hours. My presumption is that he was asked to fill in the blanks and when he thought back through his movements he realised he'd done more than just go out on the bike. At least he had the guts to be honest, and to tender his resignation. Plenty would have tried to bluff it out.

  25. Herodotus 31

    To assist those who don't understand the concept of keeping within your bubble

    ps Hope the EPL has completed (Liverpool win BUT more important another team escapes relegation)

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRNzn1lBZt0

  26. Ad 33

    Thanks for being awesome, Honor Blackman.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IADBMkC0Cw

  27. Just lost the reply buttons again. Tried shift+F5 as advised the other day, and nothing changed.

    Edit: Posting this brought them back.

  28. Macro 35

    American democracy is in deep trouble .

    The Supreme Court’s Republican majority, in a case that is literally titled Republican National Committee v. Democratic National Committee, handed down a decision that will effectively disenfranchise tens of thousands of Wisconsin voters. It did so at the urging of the GOP.

    The case arises out of Wisconsin’s decision to hold its spring election during the coronavirus pandemic, even as nearly a dozen other states have chosen to postpone similar elections in order to protect the safety of voters. Democrats hoped to defend a lower court order that allowed absentee ballots to be counted so long as they arrived at the designated polling place by April 13, an extension granted by a judge to account for the brewing coronavirus-sparked chaos on Election Day, April 7. Republicans successfully asked the Court to require these ballots to be postmarked by April 7.

    All five of the Court’s Republicans voted for the Republican Party’s position. All four of the Court’s Democrats voted for the Democratic Party’s position.

    https://www.vox.com/2020/4/6/21211378/supreme-court-coronavirus-voting-rights-disenfranchise-rnc-dnc

    This decision has far reaching implications for the forthcoming Election in November which could well be held under similar conditions as the current State Election in Wisconsin. Furthermore the current election includes election of a State Supreme Court appointment. The importance of this is further explained in the article here:

    It’s also worth noting that, if Wisconsin had free and fair elections to choose its state lawmakers, Evers would most likely have been able to work with a Democratic legislature to ensure that Tuesday’s election would be conducted fairly. In 2018, 54 percent of voters chose a Democratic candidate for the state Assembly. But Republicans have so completely gerrymandered the state that they prevailed in 63 of the state’s 99 Assembly races.

    There is far more at stake in Wisconsin, moreover, than one state Supreme Court seat. Wisconsin could be the pivotal swing state that decides the 2020 presidential election. The question of whether Donald Trump or Joe Biden occupies the White House next year could easily be determined by which man receives Wisconsin’s electoral votes.

  29. Fireblade 36

    Judith offers advice to Bubbles Bridges and the National Party road rebels gang.

    https://www.twitter.com/JudithCollinsMP/status/1247442485338460160

  30. Forget now 37

    I had been thinking that cleaning grocery items with bleach was going too far with shopping caution. It's enough of a juggling act getting it all from the trolley to car and home without the frozen or chilled stuff overheating and getting a weird consistency. Really rethinking that tonight.

    Kids (finally) settled down, I wasn't up to much thinking so went on YouTube. A new episode of an old favourite: WTFIWWY. Which does mock people for clicks; yes, but they often fully deserve the derision, and there is a rule against covering stupidity that results in injury to others. But it didn't prove much respite against the pecking of the Crow this time.

    The show's a week out of date by the time it gets out of Patron exclusivity, but not often addressing serious current issues, so that doesn't matter much to me. The toilet-seat lickers were bad enough, but this guy!

    Warning – you may feel a strong desire to claw your own eyes out rather than view this:

    https://www.google.com/amp/s/metro.co.uk/2020/03/23/man-licks-toiletries-supermarket-asking-scared-coronavirus-12441271/amp/

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    Bob Edlin writes –  And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Further integrity problems for the Greens in suspending MP Darleen Tana
    Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Jacqui Van Der Kaay: Greens’ transparency missing in action
    For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    4 days ago
  • Bernard’s Dawn Chorus with six newsey things at 6:46am for Saturday, March 16
    TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ Herald Thomas Coughlan Simeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • How Did FTX Crash?
    What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    4 days ago
  • Elections in Russia and Ukraine
    Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
    4 days ago
  • Bernard’s six stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15
    TL;DR: Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it:  We want our country to be a ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • National’s clean car tax advances
    The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Government funding bailouts
    Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Two offenders, different treatments.
    See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    4 days ago
  • Treaty references omitted
    Ele Ludemann writes  – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • The Ghahraman Conflict
    What was that judge thinking? Peter Williams writes –  That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 15
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop: Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • The day Wellington up-zoned its future
    Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 15-March-2024
    It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    5 days ago
  • That Word.
    Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • The Hoon around the week to March 15
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Labour’s policy gap
    It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #11 2024
    Open access notables A Glimpse into the Future: The 2023 Ocean Temperature and Sea Ice Extremes in the Context of Longer-Term Climate Change, Kuhlbrodt et al., Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society: In the year 2023, we have seen extraordinary extrema in high sea surface temperature (SST) in the North Atlantic and in ...
    5 days ago
  • Melissa remains mute on media matters but has something to say (at a sporting event) about economic ...
     Buzz from the Beehive   The text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary.  It can be quickly analysed ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • The return of Muldoon
    For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Will the rental tax cut improve life for renters or landlords?
    Bryce Edwards writes –  Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: What Saudi Arabia’s rapid changes mean for New Zealand
    Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    5 days ago
  • Racism’s double standards
    Questions need to be asked on both sides of the world Peter Williams writes –   The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • It’s not a tax break
    Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • The Plastic Pig Collective and Chris' Imaginary Friends.
    I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago
  • Who is responsible for young offenders?
    Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on National’s fantasy trip to La La Landlord Land
    How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
    6 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 14
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop: The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • No, Prime Minister, rents don’t rise or fall with landlords’ costs
    TL;DR: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • Cartoons: ‘At least I didn’t make things awkward’
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
    6 days ago
  • Solving traffic congestion with Richard Prebble
    The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    6 days ago
  • I Think I'm Done Flying Boeing
    Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • Invoking Aristotle: Of Rings of Power, Stones, and Ships
    The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
    6 days ago
  • Van Velden brings free-market approach to changing labour laws – but her colleagues stick to distr...
    Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • Why Newshub failed
    Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Māori Party on the warpath against landlords and seabed miners – let’s see if mystical creature...
    Bob Edlin writes  –  The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they  follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • Government moves to quickly ratify the NZ-EU FTA
    "The Government is moving quickly to realise an additional $46 million in tariff savings in the EU market this season for Kiwi exporters,” Minister for Trade and Agriculture, Todd McClay says. Parliament is set, this week, to complete the final legislative processes required to bring the New Zealand – European ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    8 hours ago
  • Positive progress for social worker workforce
    New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    13 hours ago
  • Minister confirms reduced RUC rate for PHEVs
    Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    15 hours ago
  • Trade access to overseas markets creates jobs
    Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand.  Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    15 hours ago
  • NZ and Chinese Foreign Ministers hold official talks
    Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Kāinga Ora instructed to end Sustaining Tenancies
    Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber: Growth is the answer
    Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Singapore rounds out regional trip
    Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships.      “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Minister van Velden represents New Zealand at International Democracy Summit
    Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Insurance Council of NZ Speech, 7 March 2024, Auckland
    ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland  Acknowledgements and opening  Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho.  Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau  My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Five-year anniversary of Christchurch terror attacks
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says.  “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024
    Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024  Acknowledgements and opening  Morena, Nga Mihi Nui.  Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau  Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Early visit to Indonesia strengthens ties
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country.   “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • China Foreign Minister to visit
    Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week.  “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Minister opens new Auckland Rail Operations Centre
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Celebrating 10 years of Crankworx Rotorua
    The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee.  “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government delivering on tax commitments
    Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today.  “The Amendment Paper represents ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Significant Natural Areas requirement to be suspended
    Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Government classifies drought conditions in Top of the South as medium-scale adverse event
    Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
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    6 days ago
  • Government partnership to tackle $332m facial eczema problem
    The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced.  “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • NZ, India chart path to enhanced relationship
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level.   “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Ruapehu Alpine Lifts bailout the last, say Ministers
    Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Govt takes action to drive better cancer services
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Govt takes action to drive better cancer services
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Work begins on SH29 upgrades near Tauriko
    Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Work begins on SH29 upgrades near Tauriko
    Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Fresh produce price drop welcome
    Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024.  “Lower fruit and vege ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Statement to the 68th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women
    Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all.  Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
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    7 days ago
  • Speech to the 68th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68)
    Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all.  Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Government backs rural led catchment projects
    The coalition Government is supporting farmers to enhance land management practices by investing $3.3 million in locally led catchment groups, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “Farmers and growers deliver significant prosperity for New Zealand and it’s vital their ongoing efforts to improve land management practices and water quality are supported,” ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber
    Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction.   Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Commission’s advice on ETS settings tabled
    Recommendations from the Climate Change Commission for New Zealand on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction and unit limit settings for the next five years have been tabled in Parliament, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “The Commission provides advice on the ETS annually. This is the third time the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Government lowering building costs
    The coalition Government is beginning its fight to lower building costs and reduce red tape by exempting minor building work from paying the building levy, says Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk. “Currently, any building project worth $20,444 including GST or more is subject to the building levy which is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Trustee tax change welcomed
    Proposed changes to tax legislation to prevent the over-taxation of low-earning trusts are welcome, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The changes have been recommended by Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee following consideration of submissions on the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill. “One of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Minister’s Ramadan message
    Assalaamu alaikum. السَّلَام عليكم In light of the holy month of Ramadan, I want to extend my warmest wishes to our Muslim community in New Zealand. Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, renewed devotion, perseverance, generosity, and forgiveness.  It’s a time to strengthen our bonds and appreciate the diversity ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Minister appoints new NZTA Chair
    Former Transport Minister and CEO of the Auckland Business Chamber Hon Simon Bridges has been appointed as the new Board Chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) for a three-year term, Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced today. “Simon brings extensive experience and knowledge in transport policy and governance to the role. He will ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Speech to Life Sciences Summit
    Good morning all, it is a pleasure to be here as Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology.  It is fantastic to see how connected and collaborative the life science and biotechnology industry is here in New Zealand. I would like to thank BioTechNZ and NZTech for the invitation to address ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Progress continues apace on water storage
    Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says he is looking forward to the day when three key water projects in Northland are up and running, unlocking the full potential of land in the region. Mr Jones attended a community event at the site of the Otawere reservoir near Kerikeri on Friday. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Government agrees to restore interest deductions
    Associate Finance Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government has agreed to restore deductibility for mortgage interest on residential investment properties. “Help is on the way for landlords and renters alike. The Government’s restoration of interest deductibility will ease pressure on rents and simplify the tax code,” says ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Minister to attend World Anti-Doping Agency Symposium
    Sport and Recreation Minister Chris Bishop will travel to Switzerland today to attend an Executive Committee meeting and Symposium of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Mr Bishop will then travel on to London where he will attend a series of meetings in his capacity as Infrastructure Minister. “New Zealanders believe ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

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