My very first avian friend from the stream to visit my place, Charlie Drake, demonstrating his stunt piloting skills.
Carefully calculates: weight, distance, height for clearance, angle of takeoff, climb rate, landing gear retraction point, lift required (BPM), drop point, landing zone.
Like to see anybody here do all that, and skip over that fence like that, just by flapping your arms! https://i.imgur.com/V26sx6b.gif
It's been nearly 18 months since I've been able to start feeding my eels again.
I've been throwing chunks of bloody sheep's hearts into te wai for a week from 20 feet up atop my side of the stream bank, but the water's been flowing so strongly from rain it's been rolling the meat downstream & into the rapids, & I haven't seen any eels for months.
This morning the flow's more sedate. Within 10 minutes of throwing six big chunks into the water – 3 out into the middle, & 3 just pitched down into my Eel Spot, Elvira Longfin hove into view. Swimming up the rapids, then slowly traversing the width of the stream, getting on to the scent of (now very smelly) heart chunks & gobbling them down.
I know it's Elvira from her length, her colour (she's a light grey) & how after she'd got the mid-stream meat chunks, she made her way over to the Eel Spot, where she's probably going to lie in wait to see if that man comes down with some more meat on his Feeding Stick.
My (hopefully resident) Muscovy Duck just swam silently & sedately downstream again to just below my fence. It’s just started raining so I can’t use the camera, but I dashed inside & quickly got a slice of Molenberg Toast bread.
Broke it into big chunks & threw them down to it & I learned three more things about this Muscovy Duck:
1. It responded to being called “Hey, Muscovy. What a good boy. Just wait…” by cruising up to just below my bank & watching me.
2. It’s not as placid as I thought. The first bread chunk I threw down, a mallard drake half its size went after. Muscovy bit his side feathers & chased him off!
3. Every time it got a bread chunk, it WAGGED ITS massive TAIL FEATHERS! Like a happy dog. 😀
Amazing. This is a very good-looking creature. I’m gonna have so much fun interacting with this waterbird, with a bit of luck. 👍🏼
We really like these guys. What this clip doesn't mention is the booming mating call of the males that can be heard over quite long distances. You never see them fly, although they can – and rarely do they go on land. The only time we ever saw one out of the water was because it had been chased there by another male:
We like to think of them as the nuclear subs of the duck world.
All good, Anker. I liked your comment. My own, now extensive, observations of all the different kinds of birds I regularly interact with around here is that ALL birds are smart. They figure stuff out (especially food-related stuff) very quickly.
And some birds are standout clever. Parrots, spring to mind.
Pūkekos I would also put in that category (notwithstanding the number who get clobbered by cars on the road every day, because they prefer to walk to get somewhere rather than fly).
Pooklets invent games with “toys” to amuse themselves.
Gezza I remember my Dad showing me hens could not figure out how to get food on the other side of a wire netting fence. They would be back and forward keeping an eye on it getting agitated. Until one of their number would find the end of the fence go round it, then others would follow.
Some till did not "get it" and he would lift them over.
He said it explained 'Bird brained" but also talked about parrots and breeds who were problem solvers unlike the chickens.
Gezza I remember my Dad showing me hens could not figure out how to get food on the other side of a wire netting fence. They would be back and forward keeping an eye on it getting agitated. Until one of their number would find the end of the fence go round it, then others would follow.
Some till did not "get it" and he would lift them over. He said it explained 'Bird brained" but also talked about parrots and breeds who were problem solvers unlike the chickens.
FFS❗️ Bastards. Hope they throw the book at them. Wonder if the Army's Military Police have a lockup that could be made suitable for scrotes such as these?
I suspect there is going to be an extraordinary outpouring of contempt and hatred of gangs because delta has "outsmarted " our failures to contain it. The gangs are not the only shortcomings of our society.
I think the contempt is well earned. Lock these MIQ guys up. Corrections appear to have Covid Sussex. If I was a Miq nurse, it would be the bloody last straw.
needs to be a social contract. Rights and responsibilities
1. we're 18 months in, I would expect there to be security plans in place for people that are causing this kind of trouble
2. good to see the statement about the challenges for people going into MiQ from the community (as opposed to returnees). Maybe there needs to be culturally appropriate support as well. Hold the individuals accountable, and adapt around who is coming into the facility, everyone has their own needs.
What would cultural support involve? I guess everytime you bring a new person into the Jet Park, they risk infection and transferring it into the community.
From what I have heard from people who have been through MIQ the nurses are really busy, rushed off their feet. They are kind when taking temperatures etc, but the work swiftly due to time pressure.
I am not sure what arrangements there are for people at Jet Park for pastoral care, etc.
I'm going to hazard a guess that the hotel set up and processes are designed culturally around middle class Pākehā (in the same way that the Health system is). Many people can cope with that, some won't. The more you meet people culturally, the easier it is for them to manage their stress.
By culture I don't just mean ethnicity, but also class and so on.
It said the man, who is currently in hospital, had "been supplying to the communities of Raglan and Kawhia for many years", and urged people who had been in contact with him to destroy their supply and get a test.
After going to so much trouble and breaking the law to get it, I can't imagine too many people would then destroy their supply!!!!
I think you will find that, that evidence is heresay. So unless you can back it up with other evidence in court to prove your case, I wouldn't rest it there.
Yaneer Bar-Yam is an American scientist and activist specializing in complex systems. An expert in the quantitative analysis of pandemics, he advised policy makers on the Western African Ebola virus epidemic and founded EndCoronavirus.org, a global network of over 4,000 volunteers formed in February 2020 to provide information, guidelines, and policy advocacy to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. (from wikipedia).
He wrote a long thread on twitter two days ago (31 parts), the early parts quoted below, and it is a thought-provoking read. Yes, the arguments for one policy or the other are well canvased but this nails some interesting points.
COVID-19 must be eliminated, not become endemic, if America is to survive "More and more people seem to be accepting the idea the future will include COVID-19." Those people don’t understand what that means.
Take The Wall Street Journal, which on Friday published an article stating “COVID-19 will soon become endemic—and the sooner the better.” "This… is not just a formula for millions of deaths, but an absolute ticket to the end of the line for America, and likely for what we currently think of as modern society. We simply cannot live with endemic COVID-19. "
Hang on, let me say that again: We. Cannot. Live. With. Endemic. COVID-19. I can be louder. And I will be.
So much for all the apologists' arguments for abandoning New Zealand's Elimination Strategy for the Suppression Strategy championed by the likes of Australia’s Scott Morrison, and the UK’s Boris Johnson. And now our government.
I fully understand the sentiment aj. Exactly one year ago I was making the case here that we had enough information to eradicate COVID if we had the political will to do so. But if you pay attention to the origins of COVID and the politicisation of the responses to it – that opportunity was never going to be taken.
Instead we've been fed endless lines of of bullshit talking points. If you're disappointed with the outcome you sure have my sympathy.
and realize that its no real suprise that there isnt much appetite to dig too deeply into what really happend or be overly critical of China as it seems likely USA was donkey deep…
A novel corona virus made as an average of corona viruses, what could go wrong… only takes 1 accident.
Yup. I've been quietly following that story for a long time now. In Jan 2020 we were living with a Chinese family who have very good connections – and what we were told then about the Wuhan labs has been confirmed in almost every detail since.
As usual with these things it's non-trivial sorting the relevance and reliability of the information – but there are now multiple cross-linking sources that all back up that story Stuff has run. And I'm 90% certain there is considerably more to the story than even this.
I applaud the thousands of people working their butts off every day, working in MIQ, the contact tracing teams, the staff in hospitals, the vaccination and testing teams. Every soul who won't have given up in the fight against this disease. I don't imagine many of the decision makers sleeping long at nights.
And I hope the public work hard to keep to the rules around mask wearing, social distancing. Because people can protect themselves and others.
One thing for sure: there will be many, many twists and turns over the coming year or two.
– mandatory scanning and rapid testing and masks and vaccines.
– disinformation by media has lost its potency
– public buy-in
"By my count, Taiwan has now had five brushes with Delta, including two sizeable outbreaks. Thus far it has prevailed, and in a sense, I’m breathing easier with that knowledge. But I’m still haunted by our lapse earlier this year and hope we don’t fall prey to our complacency once again. And so anxiety is par for the course. Each day I wear my mask and watch the vaccination rate inch up… And then I remember what it is like in so many other countries and remember how lucky I truly am."
Interesting article. They seem to have managed through this without the same reliance on lockdowns. The key elements have been mandatory scanning, rapid antigen testing and mandated mask wearing in public. The MoH seems to be resistant to rapid antigen testing, and our border saliva testing regime seems to be "held together by sellotape".
I feel we'll here more about rapid antigen testing in the near future. We followed Taiwan before (the parts of their response that seemed to suit our situation) and I hope we'll be doing the same again.
Privacy issues for sure. That would be a reason why we might always have short sharp lock downs – to allow the contact tracers to catch-up with the spread
Other key points are a comparative lack of ethnic diversity.
"According to government figures, over 95% of Taiwan's population of 23.4 million consists of Han Chinese"
And a comparatively well educated population.
"Although current law mandates only nine years of schooling, 95 percent junior high school students go on to a senior vocational high school, trade school, junior college, or university."
Which is one of the great things the MoH, government and advisors did in the first lockdowns – adapted what they'd learned from places like Taiwan and South Korea to better fit our needs. They can do that again.
Auckland City needs a root and branch overhaul of it's culture and operational effectiveness. Our 'employees' at AC have lost any kind of connection with communities, and the city is being run by a cabal that consists of Goff's 'A' team and a small group of unelected bureaucrats. Mitchell was probably not the right man for the job, but Joyce just might be.
Since the implementation of the super city, we have experienced the gradual erosion of the democratic process in the city. The local boards are largely toothless. CCO's such as Panuku and AT are run by incompetent ideologues who have a total disregard for the community. And if you want to be tribal, this has all developed under the oversight of two Labour mayors, and a current Council that is dominated by Labour/City Vision. What I'd like to see is a truly independent mayor, with the cajones to break up the stranglehold political groups have on the city.
The plan to get Banks in charge, and sell everything which wasn’t nailed down, was thwarted by Aucklanders, who remembered previous asset thefts/sorry, sales. They wannabee crooks still stuffed up as much as they could in revenge, led by Hyde.
Which is why National and ACT’s opposition to three waters is so blatently hypocritical.
If they had their druthers, it would have all been in private ownership by now, along with POAL, and other council assets, without even a hint of “Democratic control”.
Not sure if the structure proposed is the answer, but like DHB’s the current “local Democratic control” is illusion, not reality.
Not disagreeing with you on Banks etc. The supercity (and for that matter previous amalgamations) is a good example of how bigger is not always better.
Which brings me to 3Waters. Local democracy may be an illusion, but local control isn't. Despite a multi-million dollar misinformation campaign, and a $2.5bn 'inducement' offered to Council's, it seems certain the government is going to have to legislate control these assets away from ratepayers for what are very dubious reasons.
Only if you think that trying to fix the fuckup, that so many of the self perpetuating, old boys clubs have made of council' infrastructure, is 'dubious reasons".
“Local control” has often meant control by the self interested local well off who have the time and money to run for council. You can see it in council’s ignoring things like rural river pollution.
“Democratic consultation” is a joke.
I'm not convinced that an overpayed managerial monstrosity is the answer, either.
But if something isn't done we will have many more, Hastings, and worse.
Currently National is opposing it, but their favoured solution would be infinitely worse.
I live in Auckland. As ratepayers we have invested billions of dollars in water infrastructure, and unlike the scare tactics deployed by the advertising, we don't have 'nasties' in our water (a claim which brought an apology from an apology from the government). I also can see right through the financial sleight of hand that funds an inducement from money taken from ratepayers in the first place. If this plan is so good, why are 60 of the 67 councils opposed, why is the government spending millions of dollars selling it, and why the misinformation?
The current system may need reform, but before developing a solution, let’s actually understand the problem.
Councils are opposed out of pure self interest. Losing power and in some cases, things to borrow against. The Government criticism of councils is warrented. Of course they don’t like it.
All the mis-information I've seen has been from opponent's, such as Luxon. I wonder why.
The problems are pretty obvious. Lack of capability and investment by council's combined with our rapid increase in population.
Councils have been asking central Government to fund it. They must be aware that shouldn't come without central Government accountability. Otherwise money would just disappear into general council funding often to pet projects or contracts to mates.
Auckland may not have nasties in the water supply, but the sewage and stormwater systems are hopelessly inadequate and outdated. Needing billions in investment.
"Councils have been asking central Government to fund it.''
Because they have restricted their borrowing! And this is exactly what central government have been doing – criticising local Councils on one hand, and tying their hands behind their back with the other.
"but the sewage and stormwater systems are hopelessly inadequate and outdated. "
Not in Auckland. We've invested in upgrading those systems, including the central interceptor project currently underway.
"All the mis-information I've seen has been from opponent's"
Ah no. The advertising has shown green sludge coming out of taps. It talked about 'nasties' in the water. And there's plenty more examples.
Perhaps the most ironic thing in all this is that the Hawkes Bay Council, the district whose problems prompted a review of the way water is managed, don't support 3 Waters. That says something about just how bad the plan is.
I always liked that restauranteur John Palino. Who wanted to devolve the CBD and create satellite stand alone communities.
If you want to build a gazillion houses in Pokeno or Ararimu then you better have a plan to build retail, commerce and manufacturing jobs as well. The aim being for a self sufficient district. Thus reducing the need for travel.
Unfortunately he had an American accent which possibly ruined his chances. He seemed to be a good thinker with no political baggage.
To win the Auckland mayoralty, you need to have serious connections and/or backing. Labour have been smart and recognised the importance of a politically aligned mayor in the country's biggest city. Unfortunately both Brown and Goff have been poor performers on so many levels. Goff has overseen the city becoming a dysfunctional mess, with the private agenda's of his 'A' team taking priority over democracy and the best interests of the city.
New research show Pfizer vaccine reaches its maximum efficacy at 1 month after 2nd dose waning after 4 months but still preventing hospitalizations after 6 months. Recommendations for a 3rd dose for those over 65 and those with compromised immune systems.
Just how dumb are the Police? It turns out they did not roadblock the Tuakau bridge (near Port Waikato) when he covid border was established, and merely occasionally patrolled the backroad route from Waikato to Auckland. Good god… the mind boggles.
I gather it was due to the people at Port Waikato not being able to access a Supermarket during previous lockdowns, so they allowed access from Port Waikato to Tuakau.
WTF ! there's your waikato outbreak being assisted folks. Not so much dumb more like negligence.
A few locals from Raglan reckon it's been full of Jaffa's as soon as levels changed. What's the bet word got out Police werent there and everyone piled in.
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A new report warns an estimated third of the adult population have unmet need for health care.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāHere’s the six key things I learned about Aotaroa’s political economy this week around housing, climate and poverty:Politics - Three opinion polls confirmed support for PM Christopher Luxon ...
Today is May the fourth. Which was just a regular day when my mother took me to see the newly released Star Wars at the Odeon in Rotorua. The queue was right around the corner. Some years later this day became known as Star Wars Day, the date being a ...
Buzz from the Beehive Much more media attention is being paid to something Winston Peters said about former Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr than to a speech he delivered to the New Zealand China Council. One word is missing from the speech: AUKUS. But AUKUS loomed large in his considerations ...
Is the economy in another long stagnation? If so, why?This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be ...
The annual list of who's been bribing our politicians is out, and journalists will no doubt be poring over it to find the juiciest and dirtiest bribes. The government's fast-track invite list is likely to be a particular focus, and we already know of one company on the list which ...
In the weeks after the October 7 Hamas attacks on Southern Israel I wrote about the possible 2nd, 3rd and even 4th order effects of the conflict. These included new fronts being opened in the West Bank (with Hamas), Golan … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – It is one of the oldest truisms that there is never a good time for MPs to get a pay rise. This week’s announcement of pay raises of around 2.8% backdated to last October could hardly have come at a worse time, with the ...
David Farrar writes – Newshub reports: Newshub can reveal a fresh allegation of intimidation against Green MP Julie-Anne Genter. Genter is subject to a disciplinary process for aggressively waving a book in the face of National Minister Matt Doocey in the House – but it’s not the first time ...
The Treasury has published a paper today on the global productivity slowdown and how it is playing out in New Zealand: The productivity slowdown: implications for the Treasury’s forecasts and projections. The Treasury Paper examines recent trends in productivity and the potential drivers of the slowdown. Productivity for the whole economy ...
Winston Peters’ comments about former Australian foreign minister look set to be an ongoing headache for both him and Luxon. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for subscribers features co-hosts and , along with regular guests on Gaza and ...
The National Government plans to cut 390 jobs at ACC, including roles in the areas of prevention of sexual violence, road safety and workplace safety. ...
The Government has been caught in opposition to evidence once again as it looks to usher in tried, tested and failed work seminar obligations for job-seeking beneficiaries. ...
The Green Party is welcoming the announcement by the Minister Responsible for RMA Reform Chris Bishop to approve most of the Wellington City Council’s District Plan recommendations. ...
David Seymour has failed to get the sweeping cuts he wanted to the free and healthy school lunch programme, Labour education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
Hon Willie Jackson has been invited by the Oxford Union to debate the motion “This House Believes British Museums are not Very British’ on May 23rd. ...
Green Party MP Hūhana Lyndon says her Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill is an opportunity to right some past wrongs around the alienation of Māori land. ...
A senior, highly respected King’s Counsel with decades of experience in our law courts, Gary Judd KC, has filed a complaint about compulsory tikanga Māori studies for law students - highlighting the utter depths of absurdity this woke cultural madness has taken our society. The tikanga regulations will compel law ...
The Government needs to be clear with the people of the Nelson Marlborough region about the changes it is considering for the Nelson Hospital rebuild, Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...
Ministers must front up about which projects it will push through under its Fast Track Approvals legislation, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
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. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
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. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
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. ...
Jobseeker beneficiaries who have work obligations must now meet with MSD within two weeks of their benefit starting to determine their next step towards finding a job, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “A key part of the coalition Government’s plan to have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker ...
A new standalone Social Investment Agency will power-up the social investment approach, driving positive change for our most vulnerable New Zealanders, Social Investment Minister Nicola Willis says. “Despite the Government currently investing more than $70 billion every year into social services, we are not seeing the outcomes we want for ...
Check against delivery Good morning. It is a pleasure to be with you to outline the Coalition Government’s approach to our first Budget. Thank you Mark Skelly, President of the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce, together with your Board and team, for hosting me. I’d like to acknowledge His Worship ...
Your Excellency Ambassador Meredith, Members of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassadors from European Union Member States, Ministerial colleagues, Members of Parliament, and other distinguished guests, Thank you everyone for joining us. Ladies and gentlemen - In diplomacy, we often speak of ‘close’ and ‘long-standing’ relations. ...
The Therapeutic Products Act (TPA) will be repealed this year so that a better regime can be put in place to provide New Zealanders safe and timely access to medicines, medical devices and health products, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The medicines and products we are talking about ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop, today released his decision on twenty recommendations referred to him by the Wellington City Council relating to its Intensification Planning Instrument, after the Council rejected those recommendations of the Independent Hearings Panel and made alternative recommendations. “Wellington notified its District Plan on ...
Rape Awareness Week (6-10 May) is an important opportunity to acknowledge the continued effort required by government and communities to ensure that all New Zealanders can live free from violence, say Ministers Karen Chhour and Louise Upston. “With 1 in 3 women and 1 in 8 men experiencing sexual violence ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government will be delivering a more efficient Healthy School Lunches Programme, saving taxpayers approximately $107 million a year compared to how Labour funded it, by embracing innovation and commercial expertise. “We are delivering on our commitment to treat taxpayers’ money ...
New research on the impacts of extreme weather on coastal marine habitats in Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay will help fishery managers plan for and respond to any future events, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. A report released today on research by Niwa on behalf of Fisheries New Zealand ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will lead a broad political delegation on a five-stop Pacific tour next week to strengthen New Zealand’s engagement with the region. The delegation will visit Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and Tuvalu. “New Zealand has deep and ...
There has been a material decline in gas production according to figures released today by the Gas Industry Co. Figures released by the Gas Industry Company show that there was a 12.5 per cent reduction in gas production during 2023, and a 27.8 per cent reduction in gas production in the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins tonight announced the recipients of the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry, saying they all contribute to New Zealanders’ security and wellbeing. “Congratulations to this year’s recipients, whose innovative products and services play a critical role in the delivery of New Zealand’s defence capabilities, ...
Welcome to you all - it is a pleasure to be here this evening.I would like to start by thanking Greg Lowe, Chair of the New Zealand Defence Industry Advisory Council, for co-hosting this reception with me. This evening is about recognising businesses from across New Zealand and overseas who in ...
It is a pleasure to be speaking to you as the Minister for Digitising Government. I would like to thank Akolade for the invitation to address this Summit, and to acknowledge the great effort you are making to grow New Zealand’s digital future. Today, we stand at the cusp of ...
New Zealand is urging both Israel and Hamas to agree to an immediate ceasefire to avoid the further humanitarian catastrophe that military action in Rafah would unleash, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The immense suffering in Gaza cannot be allowed to worsen further. Both sides have a responsibility to ...
A new online data dashboard released today as part of the Government’s school attendance action plan makes more timely daily attendance data available to the public and parents, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. The interactive dashboard will be updated once a week to show a national average of how ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced Rosemary Banks will be New Zealand’s next Ambassador to the United States of America. “Our relationship with the United States is crucial for New Zealand in strategic, security and economic terms,” Mr Peters says. “New Zealand and the United States have a ...
The Government is considering creating a new tier of minerals permitting that will make it easier for hobby miners to prospect for gold. “New Zealand was built on gold, it’s in our DNA. Our gold deposits, particularly in regions such as Otago and the West Coast have always attracted fortune-hunters. ...
Minister for Trade Todd McClay today announced that New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will commence negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA). Minister McClay met with his counterpart UAE Trade Minister Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi in Dubai, where they announced the launch of negotiations on a ...
New Zealand Sign Language Week is an excellent opportunity for all Kiwis to give the language a go, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. This week (May 6 to 12) is New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week. The theme is “an Aotearoa where anyone can sign anywhere” and aims to ...
Six tertiary students have been selected to work on NASA projects in the US through a New Zealand Space Scholarship, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today. “This is a fantastic opportunity for these talented students. They will undertake internships at NASA’s Ames Research Center or its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where ...
New Zealanders will be safer because of a $1.9 billion investment in more frontline Corrections officers, more support for offenders to turn away from crime, and more prison capacity, Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell says. “Our Government said we would crack down on crime. We promised to restore law and order, ...
The OECD’s latest report on New Zealand reinforces the importance of bringing Government spending under control, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The OECD conducts country surveys every two years to review its members’ economic policies. The 2024 New Zealand survey was presented in Wellington today by OECD Chief Economist Clare Lombardelli. ...
The Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Council’s Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
Explainer - The government from 2025 is mandating how state schools teach children to read. But what is structured literacy and how does it compare to other teaching methods? ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Danica Jenkins, Lecturer in European Studies, University of Sydney On a freezing spring night in March, Georgia’s national soccer team beat Greece in a nail-biter penalty shootout to qualify for the Euro 2024 championships. The atmosphere on the streets of the capital ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adam G. Arian, Lecturer (Accounting & Finance), Australian Catholic University Loic Manegarium/Pexels Imagine every ton of carbon dioxide a company emits is slowly inflating its costs — not just in terms of potential fines or fees but in the capital it ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Somwrita Sarkar, Senior Lecturer in Design and Computation, University of Sydney The “latte line” is the infamous, invisible boundary that divides Sydney between the more affluent north-east and the south-west. Historically, people north of the line enjoy better access to jobs and ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Dowdy, Principal Research Scientist in Extreme Weather, The University of Melbourne Nomad_Soul/Shutterstock In media articles about unprecedented flooding, you’ll often come across the statement that for every 1°C of warming, the atmosphere can hold about 7% more moisture. This ...
RNZ Pacific Former Fiji Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama has been sentenced to one year in prison, Fiji media are reporting. Bainimarama, alongside suspended Fiji Police Commissioner Sitiveni Qiliho appeared in the High Court in Suva today for their sentencing hearing for a case involving their roles in blocking a police ...
Acting Chief Human Rights Commissioner Saunoamaali’i Dr Karanina Sumeo says, “Addressing violence and abuse remains New Zealand’s most significant human rights issue affecting women. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonathan Symons, Macquarie School of Social Sciences, Macquarie University Michael Schiffer / Unsplash Life has transformed our world over billions of years, turning a dead rock into the lush, fertile planet we know today. But human activity is currently transforming Earth ...
One woman’s quest to watch Challengers without ruining her body clock. Every Saturday morning, I wake up with a screaming demon inside my head urging me to “Do. Something. This. Weekend.” I run through the possibilities in my head in a defensive mental crouch, reminiscent of that one time I ...
The PSA is alarmed that ACC is proposing to shed 309 jobs including 29 dedicated injury prevention jobs at a time when the number and cost of injuries is rising. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tom Baker, Associate Professor in Human Geography, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Getty Images As local and regional councils struggle with inadequate infrastructure and unsustainable costs, New Zealand will be hearing a lot more about the potential solution offered by ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gary Sacks, Professor of Public Health Policy, Deakin University Drazen Zigic/Shutterstock In recent years, there’s been increasinghype about the potential health risks associated with so-called “ultra-processed” foods. But new evidence published this week found not all “ultra-processed” foods are linked ...
Fears that New Zealand is relying too heavily on low-cost forests to absorb its carbon dioxide emissions have been reignited by a report from the OECD. ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis has confirmed the total dollar savings target from public sector cuts has been met, but the reductions have not been felt evenly across public agencies. Government departments were told to make savings set at 6.5 percent or 7.5 percent where headcount had grown by more than ...
She doesn’t have a single kind word for me and it’s getting under my skin.Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nzDear Hera,I have two amazing friends that I absolutely adore. Grace (all names have been changed) and I lived together across 2023 and Olivia moved in with us this ...
Can Western science and Māori science work together to support our well-being? The Te Ohu Mō Papatūānuku (TOMP) Trials Project was a landmark case for healing the land and people with the guidance of Māori science and leadership. This is what happened when Papatūānuku (Earth) was contaminated by toxic discharge, ...
The District Plan is a blueprint for a bigger, better Wellington, through tens of thousands of new apartments and townhouses and a new approach to urban growth. Joel MacManus lays out the vision. The process of putting together Wellington’s new District Plan has been long and excruciating. As a city, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Leah Williams Veazey, ARC DECRA Research Fellow, University of Sydney DavideAngelini/Shutterstock In the 2007 film The Bucket List Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman play two main characters who respond to their terminal cancer diagnoses by rejecting experimental treatment. Instead, they go ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mohan Singh, Professor of Agri-Food Biotechnology, School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences at the University of Melbourne., The University of Melbourne Tanja Esser/Shutterstock Australia’s vital agriculture sector will be hit hard by steadily rising global temperatures. Our climate is already ...
The Acumen Edelman Trust barometer reported that New Zealand’s political trust score now sits below the global average, a topic explored in a recent discussion paper by Maxim Institute. ...
Greenpeace Aotearoa executive director Russel Norman says, "The Fast-Track Bill is the most damaging piece of environmental legislation any Government has introduced in living memory. People are angry, and it’s time to march." ...
The school lunches programme has been retained – and will be extended to some preschoolers. So how is it going to cost $107 million less? To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. The minister with many hats David Seymour wears a number of hats, but this week ...
“Show us the bird,” I found myself muttering at times while reading Hard by the Cloud House by Peter Walker, a deeply thoughtful, often hilarious, at times rambling – but somehow delightfully so – search for the story of a big bird. But not just any bird: the bird. This ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jack Marley, Environment + Energy Editor, UK edition DPVUE .images/Shutterstock Your home was probably designed for a climate that no longer exists. As long as humanity continues to burn fossil fuel, padding the heat-trapping blanket of gases in Earth’s atmosphere, the ...
A senior lawyer has filed a complaint about tikanga becoming a required law school module. Law lecturer Carwyn Jones explains what he’s getting wrong. “…the first law of Aotearoa, a law that served the needs of tangata whenua for a thousand years before the arrival of tauiwi.”– Ani Mikaere ...
In 2019, an Auckland woman woke up from surgery to find that she had undergone a treatment she didn’t consent to. She tells Alex Casey about her experience. From her very first period at the age of 14, Laura experienced “debilitating” levels of pain that forced her to withdraw from ...
In the gloom following director-general Al Morrison’s job cuts in 2013, the Department of Conservation restructured its operations arm. Eleven conservancy districts were whittled into six new “conservation delivery” regions, under which the Rēkohu/Wharekauri/Chatham Islands area, comprising 40 scattered islands more than 800km east of Christchurch, was tethered to the ...
One of th e country’s top litigation lawyers says New Zealand is seeing a lift in court action between companies. Chapman Tripp partner Justin Graham, who oversees a team of around 80 litigation specialists, says the courts are now so log-jammed that it’s taking over two years to get cases ...
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Comment: Concerns about the state of the economy are creeping up to the top of firms’ list of challenges. That’s evident in both surveys and the tone of our recent client discussions. Skimming the past few weeks of eco-news, it’s not hard to see why. – Retail card spending fell ...
Opinion: Could former co-leader James Shaw still make a difference to working with National? The post How the Greens could be contenders appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Opinion: What if we got rid of our existing drug laws and replaced them with a new law that legalised and carefully regulated all psychoactive substances, from cannabis to MDMA, methamphetamine and LSD to magic mushrooms? And which also included legal drugs such as alcohol and nicotine. “Wow,” you might ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Albanese government is talking up the crucial role of gas as a transition fuel “through to 2050 and beyond”. In a gas strategy to be released on Thursday, the government envisages the fuel’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Next week the government will again next try to get its legislation through to deal with non-citizens who won’t cooperate with efforts to deport them. The bill, which the opposition and crossbench refused to rush ...
A long-term project that will set out an alternative vision for Aotearoa that looks beyond the narrow confines of the policy straight jacket adopted by successive governments. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bree Hurst, Associate Professor, Faculty of Business and Law, QUT, Queensland University of Technology TK Kurikawa/Shutterstock A much-awaited report into Coles and Woolworths has found what many customers have long believed – Australia’s big supermarkets engage in price gouging. What started ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daniel Ghezelbash, Associate Professor and Deputy Director, Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law, UNSW Law & Justice, UNSW Sydney The Albanese government wanted to avoid an inquiry into its migration amendment bill. The report, handed down yesterday by a senate committee that ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joo-Cheong Tham, Professor, Melbourne Law School, The University of Melbourne Lobbying is at the heart of government. Who has access to and influence over key government officials shapes the decisions governments make – and how they make them. The ability to influence ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Myfany Turpin, Associate Professor, Ethnomusicology, Linguistics and Ethnobiology, University of Sydney The act representing Australia at this year’s Eurovision contest has sadly not qualified for the grand final. Yet for Zaachariaha Fielding and Michael Ross, the duo that makes up Electric Fields, ...
In announcing changes to the school lunches programme, David Seymour said kids would no longer be served ‘woke’ foods. To clear up any confusion, The Spinoff has compiled a guide to the wokeness levels of some common food items. Apple = NOT WOKE Avocado = WOKE Avocado, smashed = EVEN ...
The Minister Responsible for GCSB and the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security have been notified of this review, and have been provided a finalised Terms of Reference. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Minglu Chen, Senior Lecturer, Government and International Relations, University of Sydney Robert Way/Shutterstock As the past few years have illustrated so clearly, the Australia-China relationship is complicated. As such, it is crucial for Australians to develop a more nuanced understanding of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mariana Campbell, Research Lecturer, Conservation, Charles Darwin University Marilyn Connell Australian freshwater turtles are facing an alarming trend. Almost half of these species are listed as vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered. The Mary River turtle (Elusor macrurus) is one of Australia’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Debbie Passey, Digital Health Research Fellow, The University of Melbourne Algorithms have become integral to our lives. From social media apps to Netflix, algorithms learn your preferences and prioritise the content you are shown. Google Maps and artificial intelligence are nothing without ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Josephine Barbaro, Associate Professor, Principal Research Fellow, Psychologist, La Trobe University Unsplash We’ve come a long way in terms of understanding that everyone thinks, interacts and experiences the world differently. In the past, autistic people, people with attention deficit hyperactive disorder ...
PNG Post-Courier Papua New Guinea’s deputy opposition leader James Nomane has accused the government of “reckless economic management” that has forced devaluation to manage loan repayments in foreign currency and placate the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Prime Minister James Marape “must stop lying to the people of Papua New Guinea”, ...
Welcome to The Spinoff Bookseller Confessional, in which we get to know Aotearoa’s booksellers. This week: Jane Arthur, author of Brown Bird, and former bookseller at Good Books.The book I wish I’d writtenI have been working on not comparing myself to others. On accepting that what I can ...
My very first avian friend from the stream to visit my place, Charlie Drake, demonstrating his stunt piloting skills.
Carefully calculates: weight, distance, height for clearance, angle of takeoff, climb rate, landing gear retraction point, lift required (BPM), drop point, landing zone.
Like to see anybody here do all that, and skip over that fence like that, just by flapping your arms!
https://i.imgur.com/V26sx6b.gif
Whoopee❗️
It's been nearly 18 months since I've been able to start feeding my eels again.
I've been throwing chunks of bloody sheep's hearts into te wai for a week from 20 feet up atop my side of the stream bank, but the water's been flowing so strongly from rain it's been rolling the meat downstream & into the rapids, & I haven't seen any eels for months.
This morning the flow's more sedate. Within 10 minutes of throwing six big chunks into the water – 3 out into the middle, & 3 just pitched down into my Eel Spot, Elvira Longfin hove into view. Swimming up the rapids, then slowly traversing the width of the stream, getting on to the scent of (now very smelly) heart chunks & gobbling them down.
I know it's Elvira from her length, her colour (she's a light grey) & how after she'd got the mid-stream meat chunks, she made her way over to the Eel Spot, where she's probably going to lie in wait to see if that man comes down with some more meat on his Feeding Stick.
I am a happy hermit. 👴🏼
And … Yay 😀
My (hopefully resident) Muscovy Duck just swam silently & sedately downstream again to just below my fence. It’s just started raining so I can’t use the camera, but I dashed inside & quickly got a slice of Molenberg Toast bread.
Broke it into big chunks & threw them down to it & I learned three more things about this Muscovy Duck:
1. It responded to being called “Hey, Muscovy. What a good boy. Just wait…” by cruising up to just below my bank & watching me.
2. It’s not as placid as I thought. The first bread chunk I threw down, a mallard drake half its size went after. Muscovy bit his side feathers & chased him off!
3. Every time it got a bread chunk, it WAGGED ITS massive TAIL FEATHERS! Like a happy dog. 😀
Amazing. This is a very good-looking creature. I’m gonna have so much fun interacting with this waterbird, with a bit of luck. 👍🏼
We really like these guys. What this clip doesn't mention is the booming mating call of the males that can be heard over quite long distances. You never see them fly, although they can – and rarely do they go on land. The only time we ever saw one out of the water was because it had been chased there by another male:
We like to think of them as the nuclear subs of the duck world.
Love it Geeza. Apparently birds have a large cerebellum which is the centre of the brain concerned with balance
I get mistakenly called Geeza so often, now that I’m 66, I sometimes wish I’d chosen that monicker instead of Gezza. 😀 (Pronounced Jezza, btw.)
My apologies Gezza! I make those sorts of mistakes sometimes
All good, Anker. I liked your comment. My own, now extensive, observations of all the different kinds of birds I regularly interact with around here is that ALL birds are smart. They figure stuff out (especially food-related stuff) very quickly.
And some birds are standout clever. Parrots, spring to mind.
Pūkekos I would also put in that category (notwithstanding the number who get clobbered by cars on the road every day, because they prefer to walk to get somewhere rather than fly).
Pooklets invent games with “toys” to amuse themselves.
Gezza I remember my Dad showing me hens could not figure out how to get food on the other side of a wire netting fence. They would be back and forward keeping an eye on it getting agitated. Until one of their number would find the end of the fence go round it, then others would follow.
Some till did not "get it" and he would lift them over.
He said it explained 'Bird brained" but also talked about parrots and breeds who were problem solvers unlike the chickens.
Gezza I remember my Dad showing me hens could not figure out how to get food on the other side of a wire netting fence. They would be back and forward keeping an eye on it getting agitated. Until one of their number would find the end of the fence go round it, then others would follow.
Some till did not "get it" and he would lift them over. He said it explained 'Bird brained" but also talked about parrots and breeds who were problem solvers unlike the chickens.
Could the moderator remove the above unedited copy Thanks.
I suspect there have been advantages for humans in breeding “dumbed down” domesticated chickens, Patricia.
Different hens from ours.
We used to joke that the movie, Chicken run, was true.
And "free range" is BS.
With 5 acres to range over they spent most of their lives camped by our back door, and shitting!
Even though you rarely saw them far from the food, they still managed rotten egg traps all over the place.
Bloody dickheads wrecking everything for the rest of us following the rules.
Covid-19: Jet Park MIQ rooms trashed as staff battle guests with gang links | Stuff.co.nz
FFS❗️ Bastards. Hope they throw the book at them. Wonder if the Army's Military Police have a lockup that could be made suitable for scrotes such as these?
Love it Geeza. Apparently birds have a large cerebellum which is the centre of the brain concerned with balance
I suspect there is going to be an extraordinary outpouring of contempt and hatred of gangs because delta has "outsmarted " our failures to contain it. The gangs are not the only shortcomings of our society.
I think the contempt is well earned. Lock these MIQ guys up. Corrections appear to have Covid Sussex. If I was a Miq nurse, it would be the bloody last straw.
needs to be a social contract. Rights and responsibilities
two things.
1. we're 18 months in, I would expect there to be security plans in place for people that are causing this kind of trouble
2. good to see the statement about the challenges for people going into MiQ from the community (as opposed to returnees). Maybe there needs to be culturally appropriate support as well. Hold the individuals accountable, and adapt around who is coming into the facility, everyone has their own needs.
I think it must be tough in MIQ.
What would cultural support involve? I guess everytime you bring a new person into the Jet Park, they risk infection and transferring it into the community.
From what I have heard from people who have been through MIQ the nurses are really busy, rushed off their feet. They are kind when taking temperatures etc, but the work swiftly due to time pressure.
I am not sure what arrangements there are for people at Jet Park for pastoral care, etc.
I'm going to hazard a guess that the hotel set up and processes are designed culturally around middle class Pākehā (in the same way that the Health system is). Many people can cope with that, some won't. The more you meet people culturally, the easier it is for them to manage their stress.
By culture I don't just mean ethnicity, but also class and so on.
and some people are just arseholes, so I'm talking about increasing the chances of things working out, not absolutely guaranteeing it.
I think putting them in MIQ in Mt. Eden prison for say six months or until they pay for the damage may help.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/covid-19-delta-outbreak-hamilton-index-case-has-gang-connections-and-long-history-say-sources/RJDMT47ANTGCSH52R7L67BLAKA/
I rest my case your Honour
I love this part:
It said the man, who is currently in hospital, had "been supplying to the communities of Raglan and Kawhia for many years", and urged people who had been in contact with him to destroy their supply and get a test.
After going to so much trouble and breaking the law to get it, I can't imagine too many people would then destroy their supply!!!!
Just tell 'em that's where they really put the microchip trackers.
I think you will find that, that evidence is heresay. So unless you can back it up with other evidence in court to prove your case, I wouldn't rest it there.
Yaneer Bar-Yam is an American scientist and activist specializing in complex systems. An expert in the quantitative analysis of pandemics, he advised policy makers on the Western African Ebola virus epidemic and founded EndCoronavirus.org, a global network of over 4,000 volunteers formed in February 2020 to provide information, guidelines, and policy advocacy to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. (from wikipedia).
He wrote a long thread on twitter two days ago (31 parts), the early parts quoted below, and it is a thought-provoking read. Yes, the arguments for one policy or the other are well canvased but this nails some interesting points.
https://twitter.com/yaneerbaryam/status/1445476098154790918
Pretty much says it all.
So much for all the apologists' arguments for abandoning New Zealand's Elimination Strategy for the Suppression Strategy championed by the likes of Australia’s Scott Morrison, and the UK’s Boris Johnson. And now our government.
I fully understand the sentiment aj. Exactly one year ago I was making the case here that we had enough information to eradicate COVID if we had the political will to do so. But if you pay attention to the origins of COVID and the politicisation of the responses to it – that opportunity was never going to be taken.
Instead we've been fed endless lines of of bullshit talking points. If you're disappointed with the outcome you sure have my sympathy.
Yeah you read articles like this
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/300424689/revealed-wuhan-and-us-scientists-planned-to-create-new-coronaviruses
and realize that its no real suprise that there isnt much appetite to dig too deeply into what really happend or be overly critical of China as it seems likely USA was donkey deep…
A novel corona virus made as an average of corona viruses, what could go wrong… only takes 1 accident.
Yup. I've been quietly following that story for a long time now. In Jan 2020 we were living with a Chinese family who have very good connections – and what we were told then about the Wuhan labs has been confirmed in almost every detail since.
As usual with these things it's non-trivial sorting the relevance and reliability of the information – but there are now multiple cross-linking sources that all back up that story Stuff has run. And I'm 90% certain there is considerably more to the story than even this.
Yes, disappointed, given up hope, no.
I applaud the thousands of people working their butts off every day, working in MIQ, the contact tracing teams, the staff in hospitals, the vaccination and testing teams. Every soul who won't have given up in the fight against this disease. I don't imagine many of the decision makers sleeping long at nights.
And I hope the public work hard to keep to the rules around mask wearing, social distancing. Because people can protect themselves and others.
One thing for sure: there will be many, many twists and turns over the coming year or two.
Here,here.
Zero can still be done. Even with Delta
Key points:
– mandatory scanning and rapid testing and masks and vaccines.
– disinformation by media has lost its potency
– public buy-in
"By my count, Taiwan has now had five brushes with Delta, including two sizeable outbreaks. Thus far it has prevailed, and in a sense, I’m breathing easier with that knowledge. But I’m still haunted by our lapse earlier this year and hope we don’t fall prey to our complacency once again. And so anxiety is par for the course. Each day I wear my mask and watch the vaccination rate inch up… And then I remember what it is like in so many other countries and remember how lucky I truly am."
Taipei reports zero local COVID cases for full week
Interesting article. They seem to have managed through this without the same reliance on lockdowns. The key elements have been mandatory scanning, rapid antigen testing and mandated mask wearing in public. The MoH seems to be resistant to rapid antigen testing, and our border saliva testing regime seems to be "held together by sellotape".
I feel we'll here more about rapid antigen testing in the near future. We followed Taiwan before (the parts of their response that seemed to suit our situation) and I hope we'll be doing the same again.
Contact tracing involves people's cell phone gps records
I suspect mandating contact tracing in NZ would not go down well.
Privacy issues for sure. That would be a reason why we might always have short sharp lock downs – to allow the contact tracers to catch-up with the spread
Other key points are a comparative lack of ethnic diversity.
"According to government figures, over 95% of Taiwan's population of 23.4 million consists of Han Chinese"
And a comparatively well educated population.
"Although current law mandates only nine years of schooling, 95 percent junior high school students go on to a senior vocational high school, trade school, junior college, or university."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taiwanese_people
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_Taiwan
Which is one of the great things the MoH, government and advisors did in the first lockdowns – adapted what they'd learned from places like Taiwan and South Korea to better fit our needs. They can do that again.
Thinking about Mark Mitchell not running for the Mayoralty in Auckland.
Thought 1, he fancies his chances in a coup battle.
Thought 2, he's been told to stand down to make way for someone with more profile, either Paula Bennett or Steven Joyce.
He's also benefitted from the oily orca's services, not a great look.
Auckland City needs a root and branch overhaul of it's culture and operational effectiveness. Our 'employees' at AC have lost any kind of connection with communities, and the city is being run by a cabal that consists of Goff's 'A' team and a small group of unelected bureaucrats. Mitchell was probably not the right man for the job, but Joyce just might be.
You must be joking. Everything either privatised or paved.
Since the implementation of the super city, we have experienced the gradual erosion of the democratic process in the city. The local boards are largely toothless. CCO's such as Panuku and AT are run by incompetent ideologues who have a total disregard for the community. And if you want to be tribal, this has all developed under the oversight of two Labour mayors, and a current Council that is dominated by Labour/City Vision. What I'd like to see is a truly independent mayor, with the cajones to break up the stranglehold political groups have on the city.
The council structure was set by Rodney Hide and National. The last thing they wanted was democracy.
Well if so, Brown and Goff have well and truly proven the structure effective!
The plan to get Banks in charge, and sell everything which wasn’t nailed down, was thwarted by Aucklanders, who remembered previous asset thefts/sorry, sales. They wannabee crooks still stuffed up as much as they could in revenge, led by Hyde.
Which is why National and ACT’s opposition to three waters is so blatently hypocritical.
If they had their druthers, it would have all been in private ownership by now, along with POAL, and other council assets, without even a hint of “Democratic control”.
Not sure if the structure proposed is the answer, but like DHB’s the current “local Democratic control” is illusion, not reality.
Not disagreeing with you on Banks etc. The supercity (and for that matter previous amalgamations) is a good example of how bigger is not always better.
Which brings me to 3Waters. Local democracy may be an illusion, but local control isn't. Despite a multi-million dollar misinformation campaign, and a $2.5bn 'inducement' offered to Council's, it seems certain the government is going to have to legislate control these assets away from ratepayers for what are very dubious reasons.
Only if you think that trying to fix the fuckup, that so many of the self perpetuating, old boys clubs have made of council' infrastructure, is 'dubious reasons".
“Local control” has often meant control by the self interested local well off who have the time and money to run for council. You can see it in council’s ignoring things like rural river pollution.
“Democratic consultation” is a joke.
I'm not convinced that an overpayed managerial monstrosity is the answer, either.
But if something isn't done we will have many more, Hastings, and worse.
Currently National is opposing it, but their favoured solution would be infinitely worse.
I live in Auckland. As ratepayers we have invested billions of dollars in water infrastructure, and unlike the scare tactics deployed by the advertising, we don't have 'nasties' in our water (a claim which brought an apology from an apology from the government). I also can see right through the financial sleight of hand that funds an inducement from money taken from ratepayers in the first place. If this plan is so good, why are 60 of the 67 councils opposed, why is the government spending millions of dollars selling it, and why the misinformation?
The current system may need reform, but before developing a solution, let’s actually understand the problem.
Councils are opposed out of pure self interest. Losing power and in some cases, things to borrow against. The Government criticism of councils is warrented. Of course they don’t like it.
All the mis-information I've seen has been from opponent's, such as Luxon. I wonder why.
The problems are pretty obvious. Lack of capability and investment by council's combined with our rapid increase in population.
Councils have been asking central Government to fund it. They must be aware that shouldn't come without central Government accountability. Otherwise money would just disappear into general council funding often to pet projects or contracts to mates.
Auckland may not have nasties in the water supply, but the sewage and stormwater systems are hopelessly inadequate and outdated. Needing billions in investment.
"Councils have been asking central Government to fund it.''
Because they have restricted their borrowing! And this is exactly what central government have been doing – criticising local Councils on one hand, and tying their hands behind their back with the other.
"but the sewage and stormwater systems are hopelessly inadequate and outdated. "
Not in Auckland. We've invested in upgrading those systems, including the central interceptor project currently underway.
"All the mis-information I've seen has been from opponent's"
Ah no. The advertising has shown green sludge coming out of taps. It talked about 'nasties' in the water. And there's plenty more examples.
Perhaps the most ironic thing in all this is that the Hawkes Bay Council, the district whose problems prompted a review of the way water is managed, don't support 3 Waters. That says something about just how bad the plan is.
The "nasties in the water is untrue".
I don't think so.
Hastings was just one example.
If you think Aucklands sewage and stormwater systems are adequate. I have a bridge to sell you.
I always liked that restauranteur John Palino. Who wanted to devolve the CBD and create satellite stand alone communities.
If you want to build a gazillion houses in Pokeno or Ararimu then you better have a plan to build retail, commerce and manufacturing jobs as well. The aim being for a self sufficient district. Thus reducing the need for travel.
Unfortunately he had an American accent which possibly ruined his chances. He seemed to be a good thinker with no political baggage.
To win the Auckland mayoralty, you need to have serious connections and/or backing. Labour have been smart and recognised the importance of a politically aligned mayor in the country's biggest city. Unfortunately both Brown and Goff have been poor performers on so many levels. Goff has overseen the city becoming a dysfunctional mess, with the private agenda's of his 'A' team taking priority over democracy and the best interests of the city.
This 2nd jabs not a very good tech upgrade, still need glasses and my back still hurts, gates needs to up his game.
Windows 11 is on it's way I believe.
They're not going to waste those expensive microchips on you. You're not the target demographic.
Surely Bill doesn't need to type a big long search string like that – unless the Ask Epstein feature is broken?
Well, he’s dead, so …
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/bill-gates-odd-comment-about-jeffrey-epstein-well-hes-dead/RZE3D3DJGKANWMXTHIVBT4WFMY/
Heh
Got second vax on Tuesday. Side affects? I've had worse hangovers but at least there was some fun acquiring them.
At this stage ,5 hrs in just the same sore arm as last time . Went straight back to work and docked a few hundred lambs.
You are a person who will help see us through – even though you might not know it, or even care for that matter.
95% immunity in four weeks time bwaghorn. Cheers
New research show Pfizer vaccine reaches its maximum efficacy at 1 month after 2nd dose waning after 4 months but still preventing hospitalizations after 6 months. Recommendations for a 3rd dose for those over 65 and those with compromised immune systems.
Just how dumb are the Police? It turns out they did not roadblock the Tuakau bridge (near Port Waikato) when he covid border was established, and merely occasionally patrolled the backroad route from Waikato to Auckland. Good god… the mind boggles.
I gather it was due to the people at Port Waikato not being able to access a Supermarket during previous lockdowns, so they allowed access from Port Waikato to Tuakau.
Dumb as. Know that area well. They obviously didnt ask the local plods for advice. Typical know it all management
WTF ! there's your waikato outbreak being assisted folks. Not so much dumb more like negligence.
A few locals from Raglan reckon it's been full of Jaffa's as soon as levels changed. What's the bet word got out Police werent there and everyone piled in.
It's tempting to set up a go fund me to bring this guy out to a Density Church rally. Except he's sure to have much better uses for that money.
https://twitter.com/FilmThePoliceLA/status/1445566038855217158
Classic.
This is what twitter was invented for.
So 'dumb fucks' can get their arse handed back to them on a plate.
Unbelievable.
Smartly dressed palagi door to door salesman, no mask, knocking on every door in our street hawking home insulation deals.
Really?
In a low decile area with with two gang houses.
In a South Auckland suburb of interest where everyone has been urged to get tested.
https://home.nzcity.co.nz/news/article.aspx?id=340742
Sounds like an aspiring National Party candidate?