Good news! Todd's found a job for Simon and Paula. He's sending them to Auckland airport for the next 6 months to make sure those charged with implementing the quarantine rules do the job properly.
It might seem a bit extreme but he'll see it as a good investment if it saves him from needing to be on RNZ of a morning doing his dork impression.
Yes, Todd Muller has been doing his round of media interviews this morning, and obviously he's critical of the failure that led to 2 Covid-19 cases yesterday. That's fair enough – his job is to hold gov't to account, and this was a major stuff-up. A free hit for Todd.
But amazingly he then pivots to National's "plan" to bring in thousands of international students immediately. They would be in "quarantine", he says.
He doesn't say where. But we know the answer – the same places that are used now. Hotels, motels, especially in Auckland. And we all know that young people away from home always follow the rules (every student hostel that says "No alcohol, no drugs" is like a monastery, eh?).
Armed guards on the doors? Kids walking up and down corridors for weeks when there's a city to explore outside? Or supervised walks on crowded streets, which have gone so well already? What's the genius quarantine plan, Todd?
Hundreds of students coming to party town. Some will be free of their parents for the first time in their lives. But they won't look out the window and even think about going outside. It's like National have never met a young person.
That's what Simon and Paula are for. The scheme will be the same except there'll be thousands of overseas students. S&P will make sure that no Ministry of Health person stuffs up.
I note that S&P is the initials for Standard & Poor the well-known effective financial stability and probity firm. And in an acronym-driven word a similar sounding one is S&M. That fits into the thoughts of National also. No doubt other terms will come to mind.
If my social media is any guide the biggest losers from the recent border breach is the media (they are being blamed for a constant drum beat of clickbait human tragedy stories designed to take Jacinda down a peg or two by painting her government monstrously inhuman and uncaring) and National and business (for consistantly demanding the borders open) in that order which only goes to show that when things are against you you can't win a trick. The MSM is hugely unpopular at the moment, although they live in one of those weird feedback loops where criticism is taken as evidence of success and stinging criticism is dismissed as beastley personal attacks from the wrong headed. For National, the social media feedback should be all the evidence they need that they just need to stop talking about the Covid response (and being associated with the evil virus) and talk about statues and slides or something.
I see the Hosking ZB Taliban is being primed to switch it's vote to ACT, both Hawkesby and Hosking have indulged in a remarkably coordinated (perish the thought that Kate is a bubble head doing the bidding of her husband!) endorsement of David Seymour, while Hawkesby is warming to the crusade against the Unite for Recovery campaign. Apparently people have "written to her" (how delightfully quaint, but perhaps keeping with ZB's superannuated audience of boomer Karens and Kevins) confessing to a feeling of anxiety at being told to buy local.
Mmm…personally I wouldn’t put much faith in your own social media reflecting your opinion back at you.
But certainly there are questions around the way the media and Opposition tried to cast the government as inhumane and uncaring when they rolled out the original limitations around funerals and other family gatherings.
Funnily enough, my (very active) social media reflects my hobbies and wider interests rather than my politics, which I largely keep to myself on social media platforms like Instagram, twitter, FB, WhatsApp or even Tik Tok. But I do accept that social media by it's nature is quite self-selecting.
Much of the MSM coverage has reflected the dynamics of the ailing private media sector – the bias towards simple, feeling based human interest story telling to drive clickbait and a rump of an over-aged chummy coterie of senior establishment journalists considerably to the right of the general public and biased in favour of business interests and their lobbyists.
Edit 'ZB's superannuated audience of boomer Karens and Kevins) confessing to a feeling of anxiety at being told to buy local. '
The explanation of the anxiety is that it involves change, and thinking from a community and national support angle and being asked to give thought to that rather than just have the hand out. Their feelings will be that the oldies have gone through so much and want to cling to their customary shibboleths.
After having Hosking/Hawkesby and their ilk jumping up and down about Jacinda/Ashley forgetting about kindness, and ruining the economy, by taking time to go to level 1, will they admit they have egg on their faces? Admittedly these two cases seem to have arisen from a lapse in procedure, but Bridges/Muller/Peters/universities have been piling on the pressure to open up and the media has made much of the hard luck tales of bereft family members. Unfortunate this has happened, but perhaps a timely reminder of the risks of opening up.
Based on the usual media memory cycle, we'll need a top-up of new virus cases every couple of weeks, in order to keep the virus out. The paradox of stupidity.
Yeah I think that the chances of the media casting a critical eye over their own behaviour on the matter of funeral attendances since we went into lockdown are about zero.
Reality check: without the nasty MSM the breach of quarantine by the two teenagers who went AWOL, the two women who tested positive due to incompetence, and have potentially spread c19 far and wide, the ludicrous and extremely dangerous management of the entire isolation/quarantine at Novotel would never even have seen the light of day.
The incompetence of how the borders were managed (or totally neglected prior to lockdown) starting way back in February, also were only highlighted by the same MSM.
Blaming the MSM for the obvious incompetence of the Health Minister and others is just ridiculous. If the procedures were followed, this problem would not have occurred. Nothing to do with the media.
The "media" also aren't one thing, John Campbell to Mike Hosking and many many views in between, from the sensible to the wacky and irresponsible (depending on ones own point of view). Though I expect an end to the "I can't go to a funeral" stories.
He thinks NZ is to blame for no trans-Tasman bubble, and in the same breath says that Australia still has the virus. So we should totally quarantine and not quarantine, or something.
Blaming the MSM for the obvious incompetence of the Health Minister and others is just ridiculous.
That is as big a cop-out as blaming the MSM for the breach.
The protocol was made abundantly clear time and again by the PM, the Health Minister and the DG of Health. Not only that, they all three have been stressing the need for continued vigilance since we moved to Level 1.
If every time a public servant or whoever mucked up big time – and it happens from time to time – their top man/woman had to resign we would never have a prime minister or any ministers – let alone a Public Service. Anarchy would prevail.
Put the blame fairly and squarely on the shoulders where it lies – the person or persons who did not follow correct process at the border and/or the person/persons who allowed the women to travel to Wellington even though they had not been tested.
Anne, yes I take your point, but right from the beginning in February and March, there seems to have been a continual disconnect between what was supposed to be happening at our borders (eg, temperature checks and serious attempt at screening) and what was actually happening. Same with the dangerous fiasco of a lack of an effective system at Novotel from the beginning.
When a disconnect like that persists for so long, something beyond individual people failing to follow set procedures seems to be present. At some point the Minister should have become aware of the systemic failures and shown a bit of leadership. I certainly hope he does how with, as he said this morning, enforcing accountability.
It was maby a bad idea for the high court to allow itself to be brought in to the process
this did impose considerable extra work in managing "compassionate grounds" at a time when the public health was very busy with more important matters. good on the minister for calling time on this but i guess that also now can be challenged in court,
one good outcome (assuming we dont end up back in level4) is that people might just have been getting a bit complacent. a good wake up
Xanthe. Pardon my ignorance but the decision on the judgement that you so kindly published above has me uncertain to what the outcome was. Was/is the judgement for or against the Health Act?
That judgement was to overturn the refusal to allow the applicant to leave quarantine early so he could visit his dying father. I.e. the same situation as these 2 sisters who were granted permission after this decision.
What this means is that at first the MoH was being harsh and saying no visits, then the courts said that they shouldn't be harsh, then we got 2 covid cases.
I read the judgement as saying that the MOH failed to consider the request under either the compassionate or exceptional grounds (despite being led to water to those grounds by the applicant), relied on other policy criteria only e.,g. written rules, that meant they failed to exercise discretion but were formulaic in their decision making (courts have previously ruled on public servants following formulas where discretion is allowed e.g. the corrections and housing cases referred to, and that given these delays and the imminent death of the father the court should make a ruling now rather than direct MOH to properly exercise discretion by considering the case under compassionate or exceptional.
Pretty straightforward really – surprised it got so far.
The circling vultures have landed on the carcass of Bauer Media.
Mercury Capital (the name says it all) is to buy Bauer Australia and New Zealand. I understand private equity firms specialise in taking troubled companies, stripping them of any remaining value and dumping the leftovers in a ditch. Happy to be proven wrong here if it helps NZ stories be told, but I'm not optimistic.
Remember Bauer bought these assets from ACP Media for $800 million just 8 years ago.
Maybe they will asset strip, or maybe relaunch the titles in digital form only. Let's face it, like it or not, print is dead or soon will be.
What's your thoughts on the future of the titles if Mercury does try and resurrect them?
I certainly miss North and South. Some great investigative journalism there over the years (eg, Swedish backpacker case, National Womens scandel and so on).
Bauer appeared to have a go at a couple of digital platforms where they recreated stories from the print edition. It was basically an article online though, not a web experience.
The investigative side has been pressured heavily by fairfax and stuff who do semi-interactive digital long form journalism full of great visuals and graphic transitions. A designed web experience as opposed to what Bauer was up to.
There is money available from the restructured NZ on air for web based media and video documentaries which is what has prompted fairfax and stuff to move into that area.
Bauer is a family owned 150 year old publishing business out of Hamburg. That doesn't scream agility in the modern era to me.
The other problem with running print alongside digital is you are competing with yourself.
Maybe they'll keep one Listener/North&South type title and mount a digital challenge to the other players.
If it is good for a photo opportunity, then to our speaker front up when the crap hits the fan.
And for balance the Covid 19 was always going to happen and will continue that is something we will have to learn to live with on this planet for many years to come – Hopefully we will be better with incursions of the disease.
No wonder our PM and Min of Finance are under so much pressure – A team of 2 to carry the country. I would guess that there are 3 Labour list candidates that had a job in Wellington , but no more.
$180k on consultants – that is 8 months full time for a survey or junior consultant engineer, or 6 months form a senior engineer for this.
Google's algorithms are still too simplistic and literal and would only show instances of the exact word. It's not yet sophisticated enough to find illustrative examples in action.
Saw that one. There's definitely neurological decline. Probably frontotemporal dementia. Syphilis can have these sort of neurological effects in later life as well.
Half a dozen pieces I have read put his posture down to a combo of “shoe lifts” (2.5-3.5 inches!) and ailments, particularly the lifts-ever tried walking down hill in high heels?
A body language site showed comparisons of Trump next to various people of certified height over time, such as Tiger Woods, Barrack Obama and Justin Trudeau, there seemed to be some variation. Apparently the forward lean is off putting on several accounts, people are concerned he may fall, and he invades personal space. One sick Pressie in my view.
And to be clear, this is not hell rain. Just a little thunder rumbling in the distance. Thunder and lightening will hit tomorrow. https://t.co/7elqFy8pDr
Woodhouse told by the Minister if he had information such as he asked the Minister about, he should have informed the authorities then, and not brought it in at first recounting at Question Time.
What is more important? Covid-19 tracing or attempting to point score in the House?
Perhaps the helpers could say colour of car and identifying characteristics of the two women, in order to increase the credibility of the helpers. Luckily Woodhouse would not be part of a Dirty Tricks effort – would he?
This could backfire on the Nats I suppose?
dv hope you are having a good laugh, you got the 2nd word correct "up". With our Minister of Health said on ZB "that we know all the contacts of these people", yet we did not know of this it appears.
Team of 2 must shudder.
A member of an Auckland gym is believed to be the person who "kissed and hugged" the two women who tested positive for Covid-19 on their way down to Wellington.
Todd Muller gave a remarkably passionate speech -without apparent text, during the general Debate today. Nothing but criticism of the Government of course.
A different performance from all previous outing. Look out!
Todd Conehead has been a non event so far, maybe he has had the electrodes on and a spot of media training. Call me cynical, but his pre election performance really will not matter to the tory faithful who will tick “Party Vote National” as they are hardwired to do.
Tiger Mountain, in previous elections when National did poorly, some of those hard-wired National voters stayed away from the polls, some voted NZF, some to small fringe parties.
Those tory faithful have options- New Conservative, NZF, ACT, and others or to stay away.
Sorry about that… after intensely 🕵️♀️ listening and 👓 watching mullers five minute rehearsed speech, I'm not sure if we share the same view on said topic.
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Hon Shane Jones, Minister of Regional Economic Development A regional freight hub for the lower North Island will be built just northeast of Palmerston North, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones has announced. The Government is investing $40 million through the Provincial Growth Fund to designate and buy land and design ...
Green Party Co-leader Marama Davidson is calling for the introduction of a Guaranteed Minimum Income to lift hundreds of thousands of people out of poverty and prevent more families entering into further debt with the Ministry of Social Development. ...
There has been renewed focus on New Zealand First acting as a handbrake on the Government after our decision to not support Auckland light rail. We are a handbrake for bad ideas, that istrue, but our track record since 2017 has seen New Zealand First constructively also serve as an ...
Mark Patterson MP, New Zealand First List MP New Zealand First’s Fair Residency for Superannuation Bill passed its First Reading in Parliament today. The Bill makes a significant change to NZ Super by raising the minimum residency requirement from 10 to 20 years, after age 20. “Currently, a migrant of ...
Darroch Ball MP, Spokesperson for Law and Order A New Zealand First member’s bill in the name of Darroch Ball introducing a six-month minimum prison sentence for assaults on first responders has passed its second reading in Parliament. The new offence of "injuring a first responder or corrections officer with ...
Fletcher Tabuteau MP, Deputy Leader of New Zealand First New Zealand First welcomes the launch of the new Criminal Cases Review Commission, gifted with the name from Waikato-Tainui - Te Kāhui Tātari Ture, announced in Hamilton today by Justice Minister Andrew Little. “New Zealand First has long believed in and ...
The Green Party is celebrating over $800m in new funding for green projects, which will get people into jobs while solving New Zealand’s long-term challenges. ...
Mark Patterson MP, Spokesperson for Primary Industries New Zealand First is appalled that Meridian seems to have been unnecessarily spilling water from its dams to drive up its profits."While New Zealanders have been coming together in some of our darkest hours, we don’t expect power gentailers to waste water and ...
We wrapped up the first half of 2020 with a busy month, taking additional steps to support New Zealanders as we continue with our economic recovery. We rolled out targeted packages to support key industries like tourism and construction, helped create jobs in the environmental and agriculture sectors, and set ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Infrastructure Infrastructure Minister Shane Jones has welcomed the appointment of Maurice Davis and his deep infrastructure and construction experience to the board of the Infrastructure Commission. Mr Davis (Ngāti Maniapoto), is the seventh and final appointment to the board led by former Reserve Bank Governor ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Leader of New Zealand First New Zealand’s click bait journalism is taking a turn for the worse, with yet another example of sensationalist, wilful-misrepresentation of the facts. “New Zealand First has worked constructively with its Coalition partner on hundreds of pieces of legislation and policy, and ...
The Green Party is today unveiling its Poverty Action Plan, which includes a Guaranteed Minimum Income to ensure people have enough to live with dignity. ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister Fletcher Tabuteau MP, Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development The Rotorua Museum redevelopment and Whakarewarewa and Tokorangi Forest projects will be accelerated thanks to a $2.09 million Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) boost, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher ...
This week, we rolled out the next steps of our recovery plan, with new infrastructure investment, extra support for tourism operators, and a new programme to get Kiwis into agriculture careers. The global economic consequences of COVID-19 will continue to be a challenge, but we have a detailed plan to ...
Jenny Marcroft MP, Spokesperson for Health New Zealand First welcomes the passage of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission Bill through its final reading in Parliament today fulfilling a coalition agreement commitment. “This is an important step in saving the lives of New Zealanders and delivers a key coalition commitment ...
Whakatāne has been given a $2.5 million boost to speed up previously funded projects and create more than 450 jobs in the next decade. Of those, the equivalent of 160 full-time jobs could be delivered in the next six weeks. Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters is in town to make ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister Fletcher Tabuteau MP, Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) is investing $2.5 million to accelerate three infrastructure projects in Whakatāne, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau announced today. “This package is about ...
Infrastructure Minister Shane Jones is throwing his weight behind a bid by the Auckland Council to fast-track the more than doubling of the city's water allowance from the Waikato River. And he's coming out strongly against anyone who plans on getting in the way of this campaign. "It is my ...
The Green Party is thrilled to see changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that mean consents for large projects can be declined if they will have significant climate change implications that are inconsistent with the Zero Carbon Act and Aotearoa New Zealand’s Paris Agreement obligations. ...
Hon Ron Mark, Minister of Defence The Royal New Zealand Navy’s new ship, Aotearoa, set sail for New Zealand on 10 June from the Republic of Korea, and is due to arrive in Auckland tomorrow, announced Minister of Defence Ron Mark. “Aotearoa is the Royal New Zealand Navy’s new fleet ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Racing Racing Minister Winston Peters has today welcomed the Racing Industry Bill passing its third reading, creating the legislative framework for revitalising the racing industry while limiting the need for future government intervention. “For too long our domestic racing industry has ...
The Green Party has today put forward an amendment to the Electoral (Registration of Sentenced Prisoners) Amendment Bill to ensure all people in prisons can vote in general elections. ...
The Green Party welcomes the decision to not proceed with Public Public Investment (PPI) delivery of Auckland’s light rail project and to instead run the process through the public service. ...
Hon Ron Mark, New Zealand First List MP based in the Wairarapa New Zealand First List MP Hon Ron Mark welcomes the announcement of Provincial Growth Funding investment of $1.4 million to help secure the Wairarapa’s water supply. The funding boost will allow the Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC), and ...
New Zealand First list MP Mark Patterson has been selected to represent the party in the newly formed Taieri electorate at the upcoming election. Mr Patterson, his wife Jude and two daughters farm sheep and beef at Lawrence and Waitahuna. He previously stood in the Clutha-Southland electorate however boundary changes ...
Hon Shane Jones, Associate Minister for State Owned Enterprises A new ‘super depot’ to be built for NZ Post in Wellington will create around 350 jobs during construction, Associate Minister for State Owned Enterprises Shane Jones says. Shane Jones today attended a ground-breaking and blessing ceremony for the parcel-processing depot ...
Our strong economic management prior to COVID-19 - with surpluses, low debt and near-record-low unemployment - put us in a good position to weather the impact of the virus and start to rebuild our economy much earlier than many other countries.Now we're putting our plan to recover and rebuild ...
Darroch Ball MP, New Zealand First Spokesperson for Law and Order Recently released Police fleeing driver statistics have shown yet another increase in incidents with another record-high in the latest quarter. “This new quarterly record-high is the latest in a string of record-high numbers since 2014. The data shows incidents ...
New Zealand First MP Fletcher Tabuteau is pleased to be confirmed today as the party’s candidate for the Rotorua electorate. Speaking at the Rotorua AGM for New Zealand First, Mr Tabuteau said this is an election that is incredibly important for the people of Rotorua. “The founding principles of New ...
The Human Rights Commission’s PRISM report on the issues impacting people based on their sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and sex characteristics (SOGIESC) provides an excellent programme of work for future governments to follow, say the Greens. ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters said the trans-Tasman bubble had not been jeopardised after aborder botch-upresulted in New Zealand having two active cases of COVID-19. On Friday, Mr Peters told RNZ's Morning Report he had heard from Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison that borders for trans-Tasman travel would open by ...
Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters said today he was pleased the army was now running the quarantine and isolation process - up until now it has been the Ministry of Health. Peters told Newstalk ZB's Mike Hosking that the army knew how to introduce and follow protocols and instil discipline. ...
Hon Ron Mark, New Zealand First List MP based in the Wairarapa New Zealand First MP and Minister for Defence and Veteran’s Affairs Ron Mark has confirmed his bid for the Wairarapa seat.“The Coalition Government has done a lot of good work throughout the Wairarapa, but many constituents have told ...
New Zealand First is pleased to release the names of its next tranche of candidates for the 2020 election. We’re proud to announce these hardworking New Zealanders that have put their hand up to fight for a commonsense and resilient future.Jamie Arbuckle – Kaikoura Mark Arneil – Christchurch Central Jackie ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs Hon Ron Mark, Minister of Defence A massive joint effort between New Zealand Government agencies, employers, and the Vanuatu Government is underway to repatriate over 1000 Vanuatu nationals stranded in New Zealand, Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Ron ...
Small businesses are getting greater certainty about access to finance with an extension to the interest-free cashflow loan scheme to the end of the year. The Small Business Cashflow Loan Scheme has already been extended once, to 24 July. Revenue and Small Business Minister Stuart Nash says it will be ...
A package of 23 projects across the country will clean up waterways and deliver over 2000 jobs Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Environment Minister David Parker announced today. The $162 million dollar package will see 22 water clean-up projects put forward by local councils receiving $62 million and the Kaipara ...
Tena koutou katoa Nga tangata whenua o tenei rohe o Pōneke, tena koutou Nau mai, haere mai ki te hui a tau mo te roopu reipa Ko tatou! Ko to tatou mana! Ko to tatou kaupapa kei te kokiri whakamua Tena koutou, tena koutou, tena tatou katoa Welcome. I ...
A new programme, which sets a firm course for the Building and Construction sector to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, has been announced by the Minister for Building and Construction Jenny Salesa. “A significant amount of New Zealand’s carbon emissions come from the building and construction sector. If we’re serious ...
The Provincial Growth Fund is investing more than $7.5 million in Northland ventures to combat the economic impact of the COVID-19 virus, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones have announced. The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) investment is going to the Northern Adventure Experience and ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Education Minister Chris Hipkins today announced significant funding for Auckland’s Northcote College as part of the first wave of a new nationwide school redevelopment programme to upgrade schools over the next 10 years. The $48.5 million project brings the total investment in Northcote College to ...
The Government has opened an urgent response fund to support schools and early learning services to get children and young people back on track after the Covid-19 lockdown. “While we are seeing improvements in attendance under Alert Level 1 Ministry of Education data shows that attendance rates in our schools ...
The law to boost the economic recovery from the impact of COVID-19 by speeding up resource consenting on selected projects has passed its second and third readings in the House today. “Accelerating nationwide projects and activities by government, iwi and the private sector will help deliver faster economic recovery and ...
Five port-related projects in Whanganui will receive a $26.75 million Provincial Growth Fund investment to support local economic recovery and create new opportunities for growth, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. “This is a significant investment that will support the redevelopment of the Whanganui Port, a project governed ...
Whanganui’s Sarjeant Gallery will receive an investment of up to $12 million administered by the Provincial Growth Fund to support its redevelopment, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. The project is included in a $3 billion infrastructure pipeline announced by Finance Minister Grant Robertson and Shane Jones yesterday. ...
The Provincial Growth Fund is investing nearly $2.5 million into three Te Ara Mahi programmes to support Manawatū-Whanganui jobseekers and employees to quickly train and upskill, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. “Up to 154 local people will be supported into employment within the first year by these ...
This morning I have formally tendered my resignation as Minister of Health, which was accepted by the Prime Minister. Serving as Minister of Health has been an absolute privilege – particularly through these extraordinary last few months. It’s no secret that Health is a challenging portfolio. I have given ...
Scholarships for 57 early-career agricultural emissions scientists from 20 developing countries is another example of New Zealand’s international leadership in primary sector sustainability, says Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor. Mr O’Connor, announcing the scholarships today, says hundreds of applications were received for this fourth round of the CLIFF-GRADS programme (Climate, Food ...
A project to help rejuvenate the Horowhenua town of Foxton will receive a Provincial Growth Fund investment of $3.86 million, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. “This funding for the Foxton Regeneration project will be used to make the well-known holiday town even more attractive for visitors and ...
Moa bones and other sub-fossil remains of extinct species are set to have improved protection with proposals to prevent the trade in extinct species announced the Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage today. “We have lost too many of our native species, but these lost species, such as moa, remain an ...
The Government’s free and healthy school lunches programme moves south for the first time creating jobs for around 30 people in Otago and Southland. “Eighteen schools with 3000 students are joining the programme – 11 have already begun serving lunches, and seven are preparing to start during Term 3. This is ...
Thousands of Kiwi jobs and investment in New Zealand productions will be protected through a screen sector support package announced today by Associate Minister for Arts Culture and Heritage Carmel Sepuloni, Minister for Economic Development Phil Twyford and Minister for Broadcasting Kris Faafoi. The package also includes investment in broadcasting ...
The Government has established a new $10 million fund for the domestic events sector to help save jobs and protect incomes as it recovers from the impacts of COVID-19, Minister of Economic Development Phil Twyford announced today. This funding from Budget 2020 follows talks with the event sector designed to ...
The Government has taken another step in its commitment to making sure New Zealanders get a fairer deal at the petrol pump with the introduction of legislation to improve competition in the retail fuel market, says Energy and Resources Minister Megan Woods. “The fuel market study that this Government ordered ...
New Zealand has joined a global initiative that aims to enable all countries to access a safe and effective Covid-19 vaccine, Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters announced today. The COVAX Facility was recently launched by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. The Alliance includes the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the World Bank ...
From today new legislation takes effect to both restore the right to legal representation at the start of a Care of Children (CoCA) dispute in the Family Court, and allow parties to those proceedings to access legal aid where eligible. During a visit to the Family Court in Auckland today, ...
Home-based early childhood education (ECE) subsidised by the government will transition to a fully qualified workforce by 2025 to ensure better and more consistent quality, Education Minister Chris Hipkins announced today. “Quality early learning helps provide children with a strong foundation for their future,” Chris Hipkins said. From 1 January ...
The new Criminal Cases Review Commission | Te Kāhui Tātari Ture (CCRC) has started work and can now independently investigate claimed miscarriages of justice. “Even though we have appeal rights and safeguards against unsafe convictions, from time to time our justice system does get things wrong. The design of the ...
E ngā mana, e ngā reo, e ngā karangatanga maha, tēnā koutou Ki a koutou Te Āti Awa, Taranaki Whānui, Ngāti Toa Rangatira, ngā mana whenua o te rohe nei, tēnā koutou Ko Te Whare Wānanga o Aotearoa ki ngā take o te Ao (NZIIA), Ko te Rōpū Tohu Tono ...
The Government’s increase to paid parental leave kicks in today with another 4 weeks taking New Zealand up to a full 6 months (26 weeks, up from 22 weeks) leave for new parents, and the maximum weekly payment will increase by $20pw, Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Iain Lees-Galloway says. ...
A new package of infrastructure investments will help kick-start the post-COVID rebuild by creating more than 20,000 jobs and unlocking more than $5 billion of projects up and down New Zealand. Finance Minister Grant Robertson and Infrastructure Minister Shane Jones today outlined how the $3 billion infrastructure fund in the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters today expressed the New Zealand Government’s deep disappointment at the passage by China’s National People’s Congress Standing Committee of a national security law for Hong Kong. “New Zealand has consistently emphasised its serious concern about the imposition of this legislation on Hong Kong without inclusive ...
More jobs and more family time with newborns are the centrepiece of a suite of Government initiatives coming into effect today. July 1 is a milestone day for the Government as a host of key policies take effect, demonstrating the critical areas where progress has been made. “The Coalition Government ...
Environment Minister David Parker has today “called in” Auckland’s application to the Waikato Regional Council to take an extra 200 million litres of water a day from the lower reaches of the Waikato River for Auckland drinking water and other municipal uses. The call-in means the application has been referred ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters and Trade and Export Growth Minister David Parker announced today that New Zealand’s hosting of APEC in 2021 will go ahead using virtual digital platforms. Mr Peters said the global disruption caused by COVID-19, including resultant border restrictions, had been the major factor in the ...
The start of construction on a new link road between Matakana Road and State Highway 1 will create jobs and support the significant population growth expected in the Warkworth area, Transport Minister Phil Twyford and Mayor Phil Goff announced today. Transport Minister Phil Twyford said construction of the Matakana Link ...
The Government is prioritising its latest investment in PPE for frontline health workers, including staff at managed isolation and quarantine facilities, Health Minister David Clark says. “With no community transmission of COVID-19 our response now has a firm focus on keeping our border safe and secure. “We must ensure that ...
The Parihaka Papakāinga Trust in Taranaki will receive up to $14 million for a new visitor centre and other improvements at the historic settlement that will boost the local economy and provide much-needed jobs, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones and Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Andrew Little have ...
Protections for workers who are employees of one employer but working under the direction of another business or organisation have come into force, closing a gap in legislation that made the personal grievance process inaccessible for some workers, says Workplace Relations Minister Iain Lees-Galloway. “This Government is working hard to ...
A range of improvements are already underway to address issues identified in the rapid review of the Managed Isolation and Quarantine system released today, Housing Minister Megan Woods said. The review was commissioned just over a week ago to identify and understand current and emerging risks to ensure the end-to-end ...
The important brown kiwi habitat around Whakatāne will receive added protection through an Iwi-led predator free project announced by Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage and Under Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau. “The Government is investing nearly $5 million into Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa’s environmental projects with $2.5 ...
An extra 4,000 tonnes of offcuts and scraps of untreated wood per year will soon be able to be recycled into useful products such as horticultural and garden mulch, playground safety surfacing and animal bedding as a result of a $660,000 investment from the Waste Minimisation Fund, Associate Environment Minister ...
The Governor-General has referred Scott Watson’s convictions for murder back to the Court of Appeal, Justice Minister Andrew Little announced today. Mr Watson was convicted in 1999 of the murders of Ben Smart and Olivia Hope. His appeal to the Court of Appeal in 2000 was unsuccessful, as was his ...
A new five-year funding agreement for the Reserve Bank will mean it can boost its work to protect New Zealanders’ finances, Finance Minister Grant Robertson says. “New Zealand has a strong and stable financial system. Financial stability is an area that we are not prepared to cut corners for, particularly ...
A law change has been introduced to make it easier for forgotten funds in institutional accounts to be returned more easily to their rightful owners. Revenue Minister Stuart Nash has introduced an amendment to the Unclaimed Money Act 1971. It will update the rules controlling forgotten sums of money held ...
Pacific Media Centre Newsdesk Days after President Rodrigo Duterte signed the Philippines Anti-Terrorism Law, Vice-President Leni Robredo has pushed for safeguards so that the controversial measure would not be abused, reports Rappler. In her weekly radio show with co-host Ely Saludar, Robredo noted that she does not oppose the law ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Developments in Melbourne on Saturday are more important, and certainly of more interest to the public, than what has happened in Eden-Monaro. Anthony Albanese is set to struggle over the line in the Labor seat, ...
The campaign to stop the Department of Conservation exterminating tahr in national parks is gathering increasing public support, with nearly 40,000 people signing the petition calling for a halt to DOC’s plans. The Change.org petition was started ...
DATE: Sunday, 5th July 2020 TIME: 15:00 LOCATION: Taylor Preston's, Centennial Highway, Wellington On Sunday, Wellington Animal Save will be bearing witness to animals on their way to slaughter, outside Taylor Preston's slaughterhouse. ...
Local Government’s Regional Sector are welcoming an announcement today of over $162 million in central government funding for 22 regional and unitary council Jobs for Nature projects, saying the strong support is an endorsement of the return on ...
Political editor Justin Giovannatti reports from Te Papa, where the prime minister today addressed Labour’s 2020 Congress.Jacinda Ardern looked to slap a Labour sticker on the team of five million with the launch today of the party’s Covid-19 recovery plan, at an event which serves as the unofficial kickoff to ...
Kelvin Davis stole the show at Labour’s 2019 conference with a hilarious speech about the formation of the coalition government. The party’s oft-underestimated deputy leader was again in the spotlight this year, but with a more solemn yet at times impassioned address outlining the country’s Covid-19 sacrifices. Here is the text: Anne Guenole. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Philip Russo, Associate Professor, Director Cabrini Monash University Department of Nursing Research, Monash University The Victorian government’s decision to “close and contain” nine public housing towers in Flemington and North Melbourne represents a significant escalation in the fight against COVID-19. Under the ...
By Grace Auka-Salmang in Port Moresby Key findings from the 2016 to 2018 Papua New Guinea Demographic and Health Survey reveals that 56 percent of women aged 15 to 49 in PNG have experienced physical violence around the age of 15. And 28 percent have experienced sexual violence. Also 18 ...
The New Zealand Herald recently published a column which criticises its own record on race. Teuila Fuatai explains why she felt she had to call out the paper that commissioned her. In the column, freelance journalist Teuila Fuatai detailed her concerns about the Herald’s record on race and her efforts to ...
Dunedin writer Victor Billot farewells retiring National MP Paula Bennett.Working Class Hero I came up the hard way in Taupo, you see, surviving off Weetbix (just occasionally.) I waited tables then knocked off a degree, perhaps with the help of a state subsidy. Then a man with a ...
Three of the country's biggest seafood companies have broken ranks with the rest of the sector and declared their support for cameras on fishing boats. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Melbourne This article was updated July 5. With 77% of enrolled voters counted at Saturday’s Eden-Monaro byelection, Labor’s Kristy McBain currently leads the Liberals’ Fiona Kotvojs by a 50.8-49.2 projected ...
The family of pioneering New Zealand suffragist Kate Sheppard kept an important secret – one that possibly explains a lot about her life, her beliefs and her motivation.Kate Sheppard’s secret involved her father, Andrew Wilson Malcolm, and what happened to him after she was born. An extensive and painstaking quest ...
Covid-19 or not, renewable energy is the future. That’s why one grassroots business is taking a leap of faith and trusting that the current downturn will eventually yield to an ecotourism boom.To launch an ecotourism business in rural Otago right now, you’d need to be either a visionary or just ...
Sam Brooks reviews Auckland writer Lil O’Brien’s memoir Not That I’d Kiss A Girl, and finds it a valuable yet unclear story of the author’s struggle with her own acceptance.As queer people, we can be unnecessarily harsh on media that is about us, and by us. I think of the ...
For all The Spinoff’s latest coverage of Covid-19 see here. Read Siouxsie Wiles’s work here. New Zealand is currently in alert level one – read about what that means here. For official government advice, see here.The Spinoff’s coverage of the Covid-19 outbreak is made possible thanks to donations from Spinoff Members. To support this ...
In the wake of lockdown, Volunteering New Zealand is calling on people to reshape the way they think about volunteering. To unite with whānau, friends and workmates to make a group commitment to a community or cause that matters to them. Covid-19 ...
Mahesh Bindra has been a loyal member of NZ First for almost 15 years. But as an Indian-New Zealander, what does he make of members of his party attacking his community? Multicultural Times editor Gaurav Sharma reports.Winston Peters, deputy prime minister and leader of New Zealand First, likes to say ...
As Auckland suffers its worst drought in 27 years, many of the city’s self-service car washes are doing a roaring trade. Michael Andrew finds out how these businesses are getting around the strict water restrictions.Car washing may seem like a wasteful luxury in the middle of a drought, but take ...
Call it last, call it the foundation: Georgie Dansey is 84th on the Labour Party list for the 2020 election. Here she explains how she got there.What does it take to come last on the Labour list? It’s a bit of a story, so if you’re feeling tl;dr then just ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Melbourne At Saturday’s Eden-Monaro byelection, Labor’s Kristy McBain currently leads the Liberals’ Fiona Kotvojs by a 50.7-49.3 projected margin in The Poll Bludger’s Eden-Monaro election page. This page has all the ...
The controversial MP says his former party put a target on the minister’s back, but Melissa Lee insists there was no concerted campaign.The MP who exited the National Party in a tailspin attack on former leader Simon Bridges has publicly apologised to Clare Curran for his role in the treatment ...
By Jane Patterson, political editor of RNZ News The State Services Minister says the government will do everything it can to track down who is responsible for a massive privacy breach relating to New Zealand’s active covid cases, and is not ruling out pursuing criminal charges. An investigation has been ...
The National editorial Hundreds walked the Sir John Guise drive on Thursday calling for justice for the brutal death of 19-year-old mother-of-two – Jenelyn Kennedy last week. Jenelyn’s battered lifeless body was taken into the Port Moresby General Hospital last Tuesday by four men (one believed to be the father ...
*Watch the full video in the player below*In the first 48 hours of life, blood from newborn New Zealand babies is taken and tested. Most parents will never hear back. For others, it’s life-changing, and life-saving. Frank Film investigates. Performed 48 hours after birth, it’s a medical procedure ...
Latest from the Beehive Shane Jones, the Minister of Munificence, in a joint statement with fellow Northlander and Deputy PM Winston Peters, wrapped up a week of handout investment announcements with news of more millions for the people of his patch in the Far North. This time it was a ...
By Rebecca Kuku in Port Moresby A passionate plea by men, women and children has echoed around the Papua New Guinean capital of Port Moresby – that it is time to turn the corner on addressing gender-based violence in the country. Gatherings, a peaceful march and a vigil were staged ...
Former Race Relations Commissioner Gregory Fortuin has called out National MP Hamish Walker for his racist comments towards people of colour. This follows Walker's press release objecting to people from Pakistan, India and Korea potentially being quarantined ...
Khruangbin have established their live reputation with spacious instrumentals, but the band’s third album, Mordechai, features prominent vocals and disco-funk jams. Andrew Drever interviews the Texas-based trio upon its release.While the Covid-19 pandemic continues to rage in the US, the situation has actually been a blessing in disguise for Khruangbin ...
The State Services Minister says the government will do everything it can to track down who is responsible for a massive privacy breach relating to New Zealand's active Covid cases, and is not ruling out pursuing criminal charges. ...
For all The Spinoff’s latest coverage of Covid-19 see here. Read Siouxsie Wiles’s work here. New Zealand is currently in alert level one – read about what that means here. For official government advice, see here.The Spinoff’s coverage of the Covid-19 outbreak is made possible thanks to donations from Spinoff Members. To support this ...
With the collapse of Bauer NZ resulting in Australian magazines flooding our shelves, Wendyl Nissen looks back at her battle to get homegrown content given the star billing it deserved.Thanks to some hard-fought battles 30 years ago, New Zealand women have been enjoying their own version of Woman’s Day and ...
Extending the franchise to prisoners is the latest in a series of contentious electoral reforms enacted by this government, but history suggests the ‘convention’ for consensual election reform is more imagined than real.The Electoral (Registration of Sentenced Prisoners) Amendment Act, passed last week and corrected this week, extends the franchise ...
Since publication of Newsroom’s extensive investigation into serious issues at Oranga Tamariki, our inbox has been flooded with stories from more current and former employees. In less than 48 hours after Newsroom’s in-depth inquiry into the children's ministry was published we received a high volume of correspondence from current and former ...
“She’d come into town on the bus. The photographer, so her mother had told her, was famous”: a short story by Wellington writer Elspeth Sandys. It was to be a present for her father who was dying. A photograph of her in her first ball gown. When she reached for ...
Controversy over Wellington's Shelly Bay has ensnared iwi, the council and politicians for years. Investigative journalist Nicky Hager uses official documents to lay out the roles of money, power and wheels-within-wheels on this most contentious of developments. Any time I am asked whether we have corruption in New Zealand, I ...
Those who can’t afford to travel will “attend” the terror sentencing via video link, the Immigration Minister says. David Williams reports The Immigration Minister is demanding officials give urgent help to overseas victims of the Christchurch terror attack and their families. Yesterday, High Court Justice Cameron Mander announced the terrorist, ...
Is the answer to saving New Zealand's professional sports teams creating super-franchises? The Extra Time podcast asks sports leaders. Professional sport is slowly emerging from the grip of the pandemic but its financial future is far from certain. Covid-19 highlighted a weakness in the structure of professional sport in New ...
Before Covid-19, it’d take a long flight and half a grand to see Hamilton in the flesh. Now, the biggest musical of the past two decades is available to watch on Disney+. Sam Brooks takes stock of this extraordinary move. Right now, Broadway is a sleeping dragon. New York theatres ...
Sacked cabinet minister Clare Curran speaks for the first time about the brutal end to her political career – and what she calls the toxicity and bullying that marked her years in parliament. By Donna Chisholm.Of all the humiliations – often self-inflicted – that Clare Curran endured during her 12-year ...
On 03 July Children’s Commissioner was given additional responsibility by the Minister of Justice which extended its role as the independent monitor of the conditions and treatment of children and young people in secure detention centres. The Children’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick, ARC Future Fellow, UNSW The term “heatwave” is no stranger to Australians. Defined as when conditions are excessively hot for at least three days in a row, these extreme temperature events have always punctuated our climate. With many of us ...
Pacific Media Watch A senior Indonesian government official and a New Zealand journalism professor have clashed over differing perspectives on access for journalists and media to the West Papua region. Speaking on a webinar organised by the Jubi newspaper in Jayapura, Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ director of the European affairs ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Barbara Mintzes, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sydney To beat the coronavirus pandemic, countries need to collaborate. We need the best possible science to develop vaccines and drugs, and to test, track and contain the virus. If we’ve learned anything ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Russell Dean Christopher Bicknell, Post-doctoral researcher in Palaeobiology , University of New England Let’s turn back the hands of time. Before extinction knocked dinosaurs off their pillar, before the “Great Dying” extinction wiped out 95% of all organisms – we had the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jane Williams, Researcher at the Centre for Values, Ethics and the Law in Medicine (VELiM), University of Sydney Last week, outgoing chief medical officer Brendan Murphy announced all returned travellers would be tested for COVID-19 before and after quarantine. Some were surprised ...
A new package to help foreign nationals stuck in New Zealand due to Covid-19 is inadequate and needs to be supplemented with the emergency benefit, say Community Law Centres O Aotearoa (CLCA) and the Human Rights Commission (HRC). The assistance ...
With Shortland Street’s 7,000th episode screening tonight, Tara Ward salutes the soap for keeping calm and carrying on through level three lockdown. It’s been one heck of a week on Shortland Street. Leanne lost her winning $8 million Lotto ticket, Louis slipped over in a pile of vomit, and Desi tried ...
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Netflix’s new adaptations of The Baby-Sitters Club makes long-time fan Tara Ward fall in love with the series all over again. When I was 12 years old, my class had to write a letter to a famous person. Some of my classmates wrote to an All Black, Tom Cruise or ...
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CEAC pre-election review of National Party ‘climate change policy’, is lacking in substance without any clear policy, that will leave voters with no idea of what National Party plans for saving our climate, and glancing at their ‘Transport plans’, ...
Film crews can get exemptions to enter New Zealand, so why not the families and supporters of terror victims, David Williams asks. OPINION: If the public needs a sign last year’s terrorist attack has slipped off the Government’s radar, this is it. A sentencing date has been set for the ...
A new poem by Michaela Keeble.Only the ocean only the oceanturns me overlike this only the oceanturns meon like this only the oceangives warning: what will changeand when so it doesn’t comeacrosslike violence white capsdrift inon the rising tide i feel likeopening my legs i don’t wantto do anything elsetoday i don’t wantto goto work i want to lie downwith ...
As the Covid-19 pandemic rages round the world, New Zealanders are re-discovering food production is the fundamental engine of the economy. And farming is not a sunset industry. Instead of being rubbished by lobby groups for so-called “dirty dairying”, the country’s core export industry has the chance to transform itself ...
Open mike 17/06/2020 
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Good news! Todd's found a job for Simon and Paula. He's sending them to Auckland airport for the next 6 months to make sure those charged with implementing the quarantine rules do the job properly.
It might seem a bit extreme but he'll see it as a good investment if it saves him from needing to be on RNZ of a morning doing his dork impression.
Yes, Todd Muller has been doing his round of media interviews this morning, and obviously he's critical of the failure that led to 2 Covid-19 cases yesterday. That's fair enough – his job is to hold gov't to account, and this was a major stuff-up. A free hit for Todd.
But amazingly he then pivots to National's "plan" to bring in thousands of international students immediately. They would be in "quarantine", he says.
He doesn't say where. But we know the answer – the same places that are used now. Hotels, motels, especially in Auckland. And we all know that young people away from home always follow the rules (every student hostel that says "No alcohol, no drugs" is like a monastery, eh?).
Armed guards on the doors? Kids walking up and down corridors for weeks when there's a city to explore outside? Or supervised walks on crowded streets, which have gone so well already? What's the genius quarantine plan, Todd?
Well it looks like National are looking at student quarantine in Queenstown
Penny Simmons is the Nat candidate for Invercargill. Can see it working well in Queenstown, not.
Hundreds of students coming to party town. Some will be free of their parents for the first time in their lives. But they won't look out the window and even think about going outside. It's like National have never met a young person.
And of course quarantine in Queenstown will feature prominently in SIT’s marketing.
But think of those poor starving rental owners who might have to start working for a living .
And look at the Covid rates which still exist in the countries they're coming from. Insanity.
That's what Simon and Paula are for. The scheme will be the same except there'll be thousands of overseas students. S&P will make sure that no Ministry of Health person stuffs up.
I note that S&P is the initials for Standard & Poor the well-known effective financial stability and probity firm. And in an acronym-driven word a similar sounding one is S&M. That fits into the thoughts of National also. No doubt other terms will come to mind.
If my social media is any guide the biggest losers from the recent border breach is the media (they are being blamed for a constant drum beat of clickbait human tragedy stories designed to take Jacinda down a peg or two by painting her government monstrously inhuman and uncaring) and National and business (for consistantly demanding the borders open) in that order which only goes to show that when things are against you you can't win a trick. The MSM is hugely unpopular at the moment, although they live in one of those weird feedback loops where criticism is taken as evidence of success and stinging criticism is dismissed as beastley personal attacks from the wrong headed. For National, the social media feedback should be all the evidence they need that they just need to stop talking about the Covid response (and being associated with the evil virus) and talk about statues and slides or something.
I see the Hosking ZB Taliban is being primed to switch it's vote to ACT, both Hawkesby and Hosking have indulged in a remarkably coordinated (perish the thought that Kate is a bubble head doing the bidding of her husband!) endorsement of David Seymour, while Hawkesby is warming to the crusade against the Unite for Recovery campaign. Apparently people have "written to her" (how delightfully quaint, but perhaps keeping with ZB's superannuated audience of boomer Karens and Kevins) confessing to a feeling of anxiety at being told to buy local.
Mmm…personally I wouldn’t put much faith in your own social media reflecting your opinion back at you.
But certainly there are questions around the way the media and Opposition tried to cast the government as inhumane and uncaring when they rolled out the original limitations around funerals and other family gatherings.
Funnily enough, my (very active) social media reflects my hobbies and wider interests rather than my politics, which I largely keep to myself on social media platforms like Instagram, twitter, FB, WhatsApp or even Tik Tok. But I do accept that social media by it's nature is quite self-selecting.
Agree and IMO they're irresponsible and owned behaviour could drive the creation of independent public broadcasting isolated from political meddling.
Oz have the legislative template, between rnz and tvnz the resources exist with a commercial channel carving away as ad revenue subsidy.
Proper legacy stuff if they've the courage to put up with the bs and spin the private operators will scream constantly with.
That $50m was whined for by interests not serving nz's common benefit so a call is there to be made.
Much of the MSM coverage has reflected the dynamics of the ailing private media sector – the bias towards simple, feeling based human interest story telling to drive clickbait and a rump of an over-aged chummy coterie of senior establishment journalists considerably to the right of the general public and biased in favour of business interests and their lobbyists.
Edit
'ZB's superannuated audience of boomer Karens and Kevins) confessing to a feeling of anxiety at being told to buy local. '
The explanation of the anxiety is that it involves change, and thinking from a community and national support angle and being asked to give thought to that rather than just have the hand out. Their feelings will be that the oldies have gone through so much and want to cling to their customary shibboleths.
After having Hosking/Hawkesby and their ilk jumping up and down about Jacinda/Ashley forgetting about kindness, and ruining the economy, by taking time to go to level 1, will they admit they have egg on their faces? Admittedly these two cases seem to have arisen from a lapse in procedure, but Bridges/Muller/Peters/universities have been piling on the pressure to open up and the media has made much of the hard luck tales of bereft family members. Unfortunate this has happened, but perhaps a timely reminder of the risks of opening up.
Based on the usual media memory cycle, we'll need a top-up of new virus cases every couple of weeks, in order to keep the virus out. The paradox of stupidity.
Yeah I think that the chances of the media casting a critical eye over their own behaviour on the matter of funeral attendances since we went into lockdown are about zero.
Reality check: without the nasty MSM the breach of quarantine by the two teenagers who went AWOL, the two women who tested positive due to incompetence, and have potentially spread c19 far and wide, the ludicrous and extremely dangerous management of the entire isolation/quarantine at Novotel would never even have seen the light of day.
The incompetence of how the borders were managed (or totally neglected prior to lockdown) starting way back in February, also were only highlighted by the same MSM.
Blaming the MSM for the obvious incompetence of the Health Minister and others is just ridiculous. If the procedures were followed, this problem would not have occurred. Nothing to do with the media.
The "media" also aren't one thing, John Campbell to Mike Hosking and many many views in between, from the sensible to the wacky and irresponsible (depending on ones own point of view). Though I expect an end to the "I can't go to a funeral" stories.
Clear distinction between the reporting (essential) and the reckons (too often uninformed and useless).
Latest example: Brook Sabin on Stuff
He thinks NZ is to blame for no trans-Tasman bubble, and in the same breath says that Australia still has the virus. So we should totally quarantine and not quarantine, or something.
That is as big a cop-out as blaming the MSM for the breach.
The protocol was made abundantly clear time and again by the PM, the Health Minister and the DG of Health. Not only that, they all three have been stressing the need for continued vigilance since we moved to Level 1.
If every time a public servant or whoever mucked up big time – and it happens from time to time – their top man/woman had to resign we would never have a prime minister or any ministers – let alone a Public Service. Anarchy would prevail.
Put the blame fairly and squarely on the shoulders where it lies – the person or persons who did not follow correct process at the border and/or the person/persons who allowed the women to travel to Wellington even though they had not been tested.
Anne, yes I take your point, but right from the beginning in February and March, there seems to have been a continual disconnect between what was supposed to be happening at our borders (eg, temperature checks and serious attempt at screening) and what was actually happening. Same with the dangerous fiasco of a lack of an effective system at Novotel from the beginning.
When a disconnect like that persists for so long, something beyond individual people failing to follow set procedures seems to be present. At some point the Minister should have become aware of the systemic failures and shown a bit of leadership. I certainly hope he does how with, as he said this morning, enforcing accountability.
will they admit they have egg on their faces?
https://silencedmajority.blogs.com/.a/6a00d834520b4b69e2011168a2b8de970c-400wi
It was maby a bad idea for the high court to allow itself to be brought in to the process
this did impose considerable extra work in managing "compassionate grounds" at a time when the public health was very busy with more important matters. good on the minister for calling time on this but i guess that also now can be challenged in court,
one good outcome (assuming we dont end up back in level4) is that people might just have been getting a bit complacent. a good wake up
Xanthe. Pardon my ignorance but the decision on the judgement that you so kindly published above has me uncertain to what the outcome was. Was/is the judgement for or against the Health Act?
That judgement was to overturn the refusal to allow the applicant to leave quarantine early so he could visit his dying father. I.e. the same situation as these 2 sisters who were granted permission after this decision.
What this means is that at first the MoH was being harsh and saying no visits, then the courts said that they shouldn't be harsh, then we got 2 covid cases.
I read the judgement as saying that the MOH failed to consider the request under either the compassionate or exceptional grounds (despite being led to water to those grounds by the applicant), relied on other policy criteria only e.,g. written rules, that meant they failed to exercise discretion but were formulaic in their decision making (courts have previously ruled on public servants following formulas where discretion is allowed e.g. the corrections and housing cases referred to, and that given these delays and the imminent death of the father the court should make a ruling now rather than direct MOH to properly exercise discretion by considering the case under compassionate or exceptional.
Pretty straightforward really – surprised it got so far.
The circling vultures have landed on the carcass of Bauer Media.
Mercury Capital (the name says it all) is to buy Bauer Australia and New Zealand. I understand private equity firms specialise in taking troubled companies, stripping them of any remaining value and dumping the leftovers in a ditch. Happy to be proven wrong here if it helps NZ stories be told, but I'm not optimistic.
Remember Bauer bought these assets from ACP Media for $800 million just 8 years ago.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/money/2020/06/bauer-media-s-kiwi-business-reportedly-purchased-by-australia-s-mercury-capital.html
Maybe they will asset strip, or maybe relaunch the titles in digital form only. Let's face it, like it or not, print is dead or soon will be.
What's your thoughts on the future of the titles if Mercury does try and resurrect them?
I certainly miss North and South. Some great investigative journalism there over the years (eg, Swedish backpacker case, National Womens scandel and so on).
Bauer appeared to have a go at a couple of digital platforms where they recreated stories from the print edition. It was basically an article online though, not a web experience.
The investigative side has been pressured heavily by fairfax and stuff who do semi-interactive digital long form journalism full of great visuals and graphic transitions. A designed web experience as opposed to what Bauer was up to.
There is money available from the restructured NZ on air for web based media and video documentaries which is what has prompted fairfax and stuff to move into that area.
Bauer is a family owned 150 year old publishing business out of Hamburg. That doesn't scream agility in the modern era to me.
The other problem with running print alongside digital is you are competing with yourself.
Maybe they'll keep one Listener/North&South type title and mount a digital challenge to the other players.
Well what i wnt to know is will I get my listener subscription back, handed over the monies the night before bauer torched it… damn
If it is good for a photo opportunity, then to our speaker front up when the crap hits the fan.
And for balance the Covid 19 was always going to happen and will continue that is something we will have to learn to live with on this planet for many years to come – Hopefully we will be better with incursions of the disease.
No wonder our PM and Min of Finance are under so much pressure – A team of 2 to carry the country. I would guess that there are 3 Labour list candidates that had a job in Wellington , but no more.
$180k on consultants – that is 8 months full time for a survey or junior consultant engineer, or 6 months form a senior engineer for this.
https://www.parliament.nz/en/get-involved/features/parliament-opens-playground-on-international-children-s-day/
The Search function on this site is not working.
Why the hell not?
Hmm wow I think you should demand a refund!!
Or use google search instead: e.g. "site:thestandard.org.nz peotillomania"
Google's algorithms are still too simplistic and literal and would only show instances of the exact word. It's not yet sophisticated enough to find illustrative examples in action.
Good one, rob!
It's so unfair to be picking on him. Obviously it's just his bone spurs playing up again.
Saw that one. There's definitely neurological decline. Probably frontotemporal dementia. Syphilis can have these sort of neurological effects in later life as well.
You're linking William Kristol as if he’s a reputable source. Are you aware of just how toxic and dishonest he is?
But even a stopped clock can be right twice a say
Or even three times a day?
Only wanted to show the graphic by @sherrifali, don't care about Bill Kristol. I don't know how to embed an image in a comment 🙁
The russians did it…
Gave him syphilis?
Prescient.
I guess it explains the tangerine turdgoblin's panic grab at Theresa May – yes they appeared to be navigating a short gentle ramp at the time.
Also, Trump's eyes often show huge dilation of the pupils. Creepy, and probably drug related (Cocaine, MDMA, Amphetamines, or several others)
Half a dozen pieces I have read put his posture down to a combo of “shoe lifts” (2.5-3.5 inches!) and ailments, particularly the lifts-ever tried walking down hill in high heels?
A body language site showed comparisons of Trump next to various people of certified height over time, such as Tiger Woods, Barrack Obama and Justin Trudeau, there seemed to be some variation. Apparently the forward lean is off putting on several accounts, people are concerned he may fall, and he invades personal space. One sick Pressie in my view.
Lotsa fun to be had.
"lightening will hit tomorrow"
Well that solves the race issue.
In Parliament National's Woodhouse alleges that the 2 women "kissed" somebody who helped them on their journey. Gets all excited about his big reveal.
How low can National get? Does he want the women to resign? From what?
AND they still drove to want with o stopping!!
I assume Woodhouse has advised those got kissed to get tested.
Yesterday Bloomfield said that the two women were able to discretely pee on the side of the road.
Woodhouse told by the Minister if he had information such as he asked the Minister about, he should have informed the authorities then, and not brought it in at first recounting at Question Time.
What is more important? Covid-19 tracing or attempting to point score in the House?
In the paper Woodhouse said he knew who the helpers were who told the story but would not reveal who they were. Mrs Woodhouse perhaps trying to help?
Perhaps the helpers could say colour of car and identifying characteristics of the two women, in order to increase the credibility of the helpers. Luckily Woodhouse would not be part of a Dirty Tricks effort – would he?
This could backfire on the Nats I suppose?
Be sort of funny if it was a set up!!!
How did the helpers know who the two travelling women were?
Have those helpers put themselves forward for testing?
Close acquaintances – the interview starts with that.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/video.cfm?c_id=280&gal_cid=280&gallery_id=221127
dv hope you are having a good laugh, you got the 2nd word correct "up". With our Minister of Health said on ZB "that we know all the contacts of these people", yet we did not know of this it appears.
Team of 2 must shudder.
A member of an Auckland gym is believed to be the person who "kissed and hugged" the two women who tested positive for Covid-19 on their way down to Wellington.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12340830
Todd Muller gave a remarkably passionate speech -without apparent text, during the general Debate today. Nothing but criticism of the Government of course.
A different performance from all previous outing. Look out!
https://ondemand.parliament.nz/parliament-tv-on-demand/?itemId=213063
Todd Conehead has been a non event so far, maybe he has had the electrodes on and a spot of media training. Call me cynical, but his pre election performance really will not matter to the tory faithful who will tick “Party Vote National” as they are hardwired to do.
Tiger Mountain, in previous elections when National did poorly, some of those hard-wired National voters stayed away from the polls, some voted NZF, some to small fringe parties.
Those tory faithful have options- New Conservative, NZF, ACT, and others or to stay away.
🤔 😂Bahahahaha hahahaha 😂 LMAO !!! 🤣 ROFL !!! 😉 *composes herself*
Sorry about that… after intensely 🕵️♀️ listening and 👓 watching mullers five minute rehearsed speech, I'm not sure if we share the same view on said topic.
For those who like a quick and generous summary of Prime Minister Ardern:
I thought perhaps since she is single, I might ask her to marry me. Perhaps not. But a really nice video.