It appears that we have already (at least in Auckland) reached the point where the testing system is overwhelmed.
Report here on some tests for close contacts not being processed. Note, this one is particularly concerning as it's of a child too young to be vaccinated.
Hearing from acquaintances that people are also being turned away from testing centres because no symptoms (even though they are close contacts of a confirmed case). This is happening where the case has contacted them directly, rather than through the heavily delayed 'official' MoH system (now taking 5+ days to contact people) – so don't have an email or a CovidApp instruction to show.
If this is the case, has mass testing had its day at the current stage of the pandemic?
To all those who wished our family well during the last wee while. Grant is slowly recovering after losing 8kg. Bobbie is home from hospital, she too lost 6kg. Both are recovering from covid, but because they have other issues will be under the Dr for a further 4 to 6 weeks of observations including blood tests and possibly MIR, in an effort to keep them from becoming "long haulers." Apparently up to 32% of people get repeated or lingering symptoms. Once again thanks as long distance care is lonely and difficult. Best wishes to those out there struggling with this. Fluids and rest and do not physically push 'till you sweat as you are not going to recover quickly if you do.
I am glad to hear that your family are recovering. Having read of your experiences with this, I can well understand why you would be resistant to talk of relaxing Covid restrictions.
I am interested in finding out a bit more, so I get some more understanding of risk factors that lead to this sort of outcome.
I have a son with Crohn’s who is immuno-compromised. So, that is a worry for us, despite previous posts I have put up that may have seemed a bit glib to you.
From your previous posts, it looks like they did everything right in terms of vaccinations.
I read from an earlier post of yours that it appears at least one of your family members had both Delta and then Omicron, and at least one may have had some underlying conditions?
Were they treated with any of the anti-viral medications that are supposed to greatly reduce the risk of negative outcomes such as your family have had? It would seem a no-brainer to me to for doctors to prescribe this sort of medication almost immediately upon someone testing positive, especially if they have known risk factors.
Again, I am glad it looks like they are on the path to recovery.
My wife's sister had Omicron in Victoria. For her it was more like a sore throat and tiredness for a few days.
Luckilly, she only got Omicron, not Delta as well. And she didn't have underlying risk factors, though she is in her mid 60s. She was double-vaxxed and had just come due for her booster.
Hello tsmithfield. Thank you for your gracious reply.
Yes we were very worried as our son has an inherited condition which usually turns to bowel cancer called sessile serrated adenomas. They are difficult to spot folds. He had 10 removed the week before, and also suffers with a fully pitted bowel and gallstones. So he was at risk. So I understand your concern for your son with crohns.
Robyn has a pacemaker and diabetes. So both were in the high risk group Grant is 54 and Robyn is 75 they have lived together as loving friends for ten years helping each other through their health issues. Like your son they had huge problems which have been made much worse with the arrival of covid. Grant's yearly bowel ops have been delayed even though he is in the high risk group. His gall bladder op has been delayed nearly 3 years now. so all medical systems are under strain. They were due for their booster, which they will have when recovered and under medical supervision.
Of interest. When first sick they were given 3 RATS each. The first two tests for both showed nothing. So Grant went for a proper nasal test. Got his notification result 36 hours later. He sent Robyn to hospital as he could not cope. The RATS are only 80% accurate with a very high viral load it appears. Further in 'phone consultations about Robyn the Covid Ward Dr at the Gold Coast Hospital kept repeating "Rest and fluids" ten minutes activity/work 2 hours rest. Electrolytes need to be replaced daily for first 4 to 5 days if sweating at all. Hope that is helpful. The person in NSW had Delta got better? returned to work and got Omicron. (Robyn had two viruses at the same time. One was unrelated, a contaminated water problem the Council was trying to fix in their area.) I don't know what treatments anybody was offered other than antibiotics for ancillary problems. We are now waiting for heart and oxygen function monitoring. The upshot is systems could be overloaded real quick. All this time most family except one dodged Delta. 14 of 30 family have had Omicron.
Thank you for that insight. It must be terribly worrying for you.
I certainly don't intend to minimise suffering such as what you and your family are going through my comments.
My issue is more to do with the fact I think the government has been woefully unprepared for this outbreak, and that I think methods such as mandates are totally ineffective now.
I would much rather that we had a sufficient supply of RATs that could be deployed for all who needed them across the country, as has been the situation for a long time in a lot of countries.
And I would also rather see an available supply of anti-virals to be focussed on people with underlying conditions to keep them out of hospital in the first place. However, it looks like we won't be getting these until April, after the likely peak, and the anti-virals haven't even been through the Medsafe process yet.
I don't think the high world demand is any excuse, as was shown when we managed to boost our supply of vaccines by sourcing some surplus ones from another country. We should be paying what we need to, and using whatever channels we have to get these supplies. And I think it is inexcusable for Medsafe to still be approving these vaccines when they are approved elsewhere in the world, because we may be able to get a supply from an unconventional source, as was the case with some of the vaccines. But even if we did this, we still couldn’t use them because Medsafe hasn’t approved them yet.
From the link above:
"The drugs, which are still awaiting approval from drug regulator Medsafe, work by binding to enzymes to prevent the virus from growing, and are expected to reduce the numbers of people hospitalised with coronavirus."
This is the first hopeful sign that I've seen showing that the building industry can delivery on substantial numbers of homes in a short period of time.
Of course, the proof of the pudding…. We still have to see how this translates into reality (i.e. not rat-trap concrete shoeboxes) But a plan on the table to build 10,000 long term rental apartments, in Auckland – is a huge step up.
Sam Stubbs crossed over from the Dark Side of finance (not sure if he ever had his feet planted there)
The deal couldn't be done without the NZ Living owners of course. May I suggest Russell Coutts does share the moral code of the people involved in this deal.
Sam Stubbs says his teacher parents instilled good values which he came back to. I taught with his Mum one year many moons ago. She was a great person, full of fun.
On first scan I am moderately impressed. NZ Living seem to have brought across a lot of the ideas that are very commonplace here in Australia, and have delivered both quality and affordability in most locations.
With KS funding the new entity and staffed by a competent team and trusted contractors there is every chance these guys could deliver.
Great teamwork is the essential foundation of our approach to development – wherever possible the same team of consultants, subcontractors and suppliers move with us across projects.
Brewer Davidson Architects provide our master-planning and design services.
For construction activities we prefer not to call tenders for prices, instead we choose to work with people that provide reliable performance at a fair price.
I have been searching for the name of the American so-called journalist associated with Bannon who disrupted Jacinda Ardern’s visit to Northland last year, does anyone know his name and more importantly where the bloody hell is he?
I am more and more convinced that this disturbance is being manipulated and funded from offshore.
An interesting segment this morning on Media Watch about the very sudden about face by people such as Mike Hosking from condemnation of their motives and organisation as people that were no better than bludgers to glowing praise of their character as ordinary NZers. There would at least appear to be a power struggle over control of the narrative that involves counterspin and will probably become the vehicle to undermine the unified NZ approach to covd.
Thanks Francesca and Joe, now where the bloody hell is he? He does appear to be the classic agent provocateur. I certainly hope Andrew Coster knows.
This is the sort of research that the “ mainstream” media should be doing. Maybe the interest in proper journalism has run out now the $55 million has been blown on lunches and Michael Horton’s full page ads.
He’s a worry Joe and my apologies to David Fisher for a good story but we need more responsibility from the media at the moment not pretty stories of herb gardens and yoga sessions. We need to know how many of these mad bastards are there and working just out of sight. Andrea Vance summed it up this morning with her observation that all the wee tea parties, aura rubbings, and yoga mean nothing if you pitch your tent next to a Nazi’s under a noose with Ardern’s face in it, it just means you are complicit.
As a family member said, "When you lie down with a dog, you get fleas."
Fleas can be treated. But how does one treat a social sickness that denies science, collective wisdom and action, and instead embraces conspiracy, unacceptable social ideology and actions, and unproven medical and scientific beliefs?
And on the other hand, there is an ever-present danger and consideration that every social change, especially those that make improvements in the human condition, started with minorities, and we should always beware of the 'tyranny of the majority'.
Better now that these protesters test their opinions in public forums and get into democratic politics. Then, majorities can be persuaded and voices of the minorities heard.
On these current protester issues I would encourage that, as MMP and its 5% threshold generally will see them not represented in parliament.
Then they can try and join and then persuade bigger parties that will carry that 5% threshold, and have their extremist views ameliorated by the process of engaging in party politics and policy-making. NZFirst and ACT come to mind as a recent example where Peters and Seymour both seems to be courting their vote at least- maybe their involvement.
Otherwise they will remain on the <5% fringe and wander there.
Spotted a youthful Phil O'Brien, Roger Gascoigne & just possibly Karyn Hay.
Tragically, still plenty of beards, mid-70s hairdos, outrageous flares & truly horrendous polar-neck jerseys in 1979. Young Iggy Osterberg must’ve been shaking his head.
feminists have succeeded in convincing civil appeal judges that Scottish Government plans to expand the legal definition of the word ‘woman’ breaches equalities laws.
thank god for that piece of sanity. Although it's hard to tell if it's really just a legal technicality.
“Changing the definitions of protected characteristic, even for the purpose of achieving the gender recognition objective is not permitted and in this respect the 2018 Act is out with legislative competence.
Basically the Scottish govt tried to increase representation of trans people on boards by extending the definition of 'woman' to include trans women who live as women. Which is an obvious conflict with the already existing rights that women have. They could instead have introduced legislation that upholds the rights of trans people specifically, but instead chose to back door a legal change of definition of 'woman'. And the three judges said you can't do that, because woman is already a protected characteristic in law. Not identity as a woman, but females.
He may be in a tent gazing at a crystal and perceiving an aura around Charlotte, Alp, Arps etc as we speak, maybe having his hair braided while hoeing in the garden while listening to the Steve Bannon Counterspin broadcasts and saying all's right with the world when the exremists are with you. Peace bro"
I don't miss his refusal to cite and OTT opinions in the slightest.
Shanreagh, you've never met Bill. That is obvious. I can't think of anyone less likely to be found:
''….. gazing at a crystal and perceiving an aura around Charlotte, Alp, Arps etc as we speak, maybe having his hair braided while hoeing in the garden while listening to the Steve Bannon Counterspin broadcasts and saying all's right with the world when the exremists are with you. Peace bro"
Which makes for an important point. It is so damn easy to make up a fantasy about someone or something you have never met. You need never even come to realise that your caricature bore none of the essential resemblance to the actual, and that it therefore rendered the whole cartoon moot.
Caricature by word or picture is an accepted form of poking the borax.
Bill has posted some pretty off the wall opinions here. And he rarely cites so these are usually his opinions. I love a well crafted and cited argument whether for or against but opinions…well the old saying is apt. ‘opinions are like assholes every body has them’.
So are Bill's views not as they seem…so by putting them up as he is, is he deliberately making a caricature of himself? If so then he is very clever.
I have never read one thing by Bill about cystals,braids,auras, any kind of approval of the names mentioned,any hint of Counterspin or extremism .All projection by Shanreagh on Bill.
Sounds like you have not been following the ebb and flow here on TS about who is in control of the protestors. Hippies or hard right. The role of extremism in the media ie Counterspin is providing the on ground chatter that cannot be missed by anyone who is there. The hippies are doing the gardens etc etc.
The auras are reference to the hippies, there have been pics on the media of hair braiding being done. The names mentioned are some of the ones who have been given a platform by Counterspin during the protest.
I just made up a fantasy of what has been reported and popped Bill in there.
I imagined him taking it all in uncritically & favourably.
Why did you thought Bill had to have mentioned auras, braiding etc for satire to work?
He helped break up the echo-chamber here while creating debate by providing an alternative view. Hence, is presence is missed. Thus, I was wondering what happened to him posting here.
A good example of the echo-chamber here at the moment is the 'Why the Wellington protestors are wrong' thread.
As he mentioned, prior to the vaccine pass being enforced at his local he had been helping break up the echo-chamber there instead.
If you want him back you could try reporting some of the pubs in his area for any local breaches of covid health checks. He will probably respond well to that (well, unless he finds out who did it).
Goodness that is profound and it hits the right outraged notes
especially
'echo chamber'
There should be saying to signal that an argument bereft of substance is being advanced when posters use the phrase 'echo chamber' to dismiss a whole swathe of opinions they disgaree with even though within that swathe there are clearly differentiated and nuanced views.
'Using a survey of 2,000 British adults, she found that the majority of people already reach outside their political comfort zone: they actively seek out additional sources that convey diverse views that do not match with their preconceptions.'
I think you are right…but having experienced this above clip in reality, the exaggeration is only slight. The clip only hints at the nastiness that follows. So I have a different view on what these youngins should be called.
Remember Chlöe Swarbrick's witty remark in the chamber about ''Boomers.''
Btw – that young thing in the clip is a fresh drone off the production line called our education system.
That's good news for you ( assuming you are a Leftie), but bad news for the Right who may struggle for relevance as the years roll on.
Oh, I see what your saying now. Yes the acting was quite convincing and she appeared to understand her role in the skit quite well, playing it very convincingly in character. Ms 'fresh drone' appears to be a top graduate.
''11-What is it going to cost taxpayers to clean up after protesters. Will the grounds around parliament be reconfigured to stop large scale protests in future?''
You can give it Chairman but you can't take it. Drink a cup of your own nasty bile.
There is a nasty bod Barfly. You let them know something and they use it as a weapon.. oh but they are “Good people!!”
Next he’ll be saying “Just joking” or some other wet shite.
More than a few missing out on the opportunity to learn to live with it.
Since Nov. 24, when South Africa first reported the omicron variant to the World Health Organization, the United States has confirmed more than 30,163,600 new infections and more than 154,750 new deaths. (While the U.S. did not initially identify any omicron cases within its borders until Dec. 1, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has since confirmed that the variant was in the country at least a week earlier.)
By comparison, from Aug. 1 to Oct. 31, a similar duration covering the worst of the delta surge in the United States, the country confirmed 10,917,590 new infections and 132,616 new deaths.
That makes the official case count about 176% higher during the omicron wave than in the equivalent-length delta period. (The true case count is higher still, because, more so than during the delta wave, many people have been using at-home tests whose results are not included in government statistics.) The death toll during the omicron wave is about 17% higher so far than the death toll in the delta wave.
''And I suspect the fallout from that will cause far more trouble for this country going forward than the current protest.''
That is probably true. A little like long Covid,
But I believe Costa resigning would also cause a complete collapse of trust in the police and government. And cause recriminations from business and the public. Maybe even court cases.
Hence, I'm wondering IF the government could forstall Costa resigning if he decided on that course of action, for the sake of nation security?
If you're talking about a clip from the interview with Jack Tame then I disagree. Until I saw that this morning I shared your negative view of him. However if negotiating a solution fails, he'll have to be decisive.
I know you just hanker for the old action-man stance & I'm sympathetic re that. If the thug element in the protest decides to ditch the others & make a lunge for the entrance to the building the cop commanding those present at the time will have to be action-man to stop them. Failure there would reflect on Coster.
No reason for him to resign yet. No political leader has expressed no confidence in him personally, right? Go figure.
''I know you just hanker for the old action-man stance .''
For the first few days of the protest, yes, I wanted them dealt with, action-man style ( geez, you have a way with words), because extrapolating events from protests overseas gave me a good indication of what might happen here. That said, I honestly didn't expect it to morph into what we have now.
As I've calmed down a bit, I don't know what to think. The Chairman makes a good point, re long term affects for our country if police lose their heads and start to act. Now, I'm not sure how I would act if I was Costa. I know how I would clear the protesters though.
''No reason for him to resign yet. No political leader has expressed no confidence in him personally, right? Go figure.''
Now that's where you should be careful. We don't know what's happening behind the scenes. Dave and Luxon have been running their mouths again. Jacinda, the head of our nation, is absent as usual. Costa is the first patsy off the rank IF the government accepted his resignation.
As a mental exercise I have just finished my plan for removing protesters and their vehicles . If I'm going to diss Costa, I must be able show how I could do better.
For example, I wouldn't be towing vehicles…I would be using forklifts with extended forks working in an endless loop. One forklift, one vehicle, all the way back to the transporter, or free space.
Why haven't authorities deployed an infrasound cannon (setting 1 only, of course – must think of the children) – still the most entertaining idea you've shared here imo
Oh, by the way, infra sound won't move cars. Maybe just rattle them.
Not my fault the cops haven't acquire a unit
The link provided is where I purchased my base model .
On advice, I did modification to improve my base model using parts from a security contractor. That's information is something I would never divulge to you. I wouldn't trust you with such technology.
Fascinating link from amazing1.com. No mention of "infrasound" or equipment that generates same – maybe it’s outside the region of the electromagnetic spectrum that my eyes can perceive – and a site search "did not match any products". Are you sure that the speaker you pointed at those unsuspecting ferals was part of an "infrasound canon"?
Reckon you've been pranked, but far be it from me to ruin a feel-bad vibe.
Semantics – just a different name for basically the same thing. I have always used the term infrasound.
Quote:
''Ultrasound Pain Field Guns and Sonic Shock Wave Generators. These products are not to be confused with some of the higher-powered devices costing thousands of dollars such as L-rad and other government units used in dangerous uncontrollable riots, piracy and large-scale operations and only available to law enforcement
Our Ultrasound Pain Field Guns and Sonic Shock Wave Generators Can Discourage and Intimidate Intruders, Drive Out Animal Pests, And Train Dogs to Stop Barking. They Are Readily Available to The Public and Do Not Require Special Licensing or Other Red Tape!''
"Btw, you’ve made over 80 comments on The Standard since we last corresponded. What’s your definition of this term “troll” that you are so free with?"
My definition is vacuous comments that are posted in response to my comments. You will notice I try and respond in a respectful manner to those who take the effort to respond with pertinent points and views – and not one line trolling.
This is considered a quickie tow job. But it still has its problems. Notice the forklift principle on a smaller scale? The problem is I'm guessing no tow truck will have that much room to move on a Wellington street.
May not pan out this way, but my preference is to let the peaceful protesters be, while minimising the disruption to residents.
In a few months time, when NZ is on the other side of our Omicron wave, and the consensus opinion of public health experts is that our Government can begin to ease vaccine mandates (for now), the police and/or army can mop up any truly distasteful remnants.
Authorities should have harvested plenty of evidence by then.
''Commentators call him “Cuddles Coster”. Simon Bridges publicly accused him of being a “wokester”. And frontline officers have nicknamed him The Lantern (very bright but needs carrying).''
That last sentence confirms the calls and texts to talkback from SUPPOSED police officers and their families.
Of course, I took some stick for that from trolls on this site for quoting those callers.
We can see from the various name calling the frontline officers are clearly quite sharp. Want to guess their moniker for you before you put the new police forklifts and air-cannons policies into practice?
Seems to require two trucks. One for the car and one for the forklift (which don't move that fast, especially when balancing a finely balanced heavy weight). Generally the idea is not to damage the vehicles being towed, because then the Police need to justify the property damage inflicted.
And if it goes wrong and they drop the car your going to be making the news with your innovation.
Think you will definitely be in line to be Commissioner Hammer (not the sharpest tool).
''Seems to require two trucks. One for the car and one for the forklift. ''
That's just a matter of perception. Let's leave that to one side.
''(which don't move that fast, especially when balancing a finely balanced heavy weight).''
Now, I've thought about that, and damage is possible, if the sills of the car or van don't take the load. However, given police will be working under a time constraint( depending on violence), an onsite Motor Assessor will inspect each vehicles and compensation will be paid. I don't envisage a large amount of money. Safety of operators must come first.
Speed of forklifts in this situation is not important, because even a slow speed is way faster than having tow trucks drive in and manoeuvre.
Stability of load is an issue. But easily overcome I believe.
Given forklifts won't be used, I will be interested to see how things go with tow trucks. Perhaps they may handle the job with ease. ?
''Think you will definitely be in line to be Commissioner Hammer (not the sharpest tool).''
Commissioner Nic The Witless ( tries hard: fails much).
I once was a 'Leaftie', now I'm a 'Letie"! Well, we do let you have your fun; and you're welcome to it.
By the way, 'lantern' is quite clever. They might find out he has a short wick, though.
In cricket they have a nickname for very poor batsmen. "Ferrets". They're the ones who go in after the rabbits.
Considering some of the rubbish spouted by those who have gone down the social media rabbit holes, there are many who might justify the nickname 'ferret'.
''I once was a 'Leaftie', now I'm a 'Letie"! Well, we do let you have your fun; and you're welcome to it.''
I'm sure you do. I believe you. I just prefer Leftie to Lefty. Sometimes I spell things wrong, but hey, I don't have to pull people up on grammar because I'm scraping the bottom of the barrel.
Not really interested in Gottcha journalism.
But, at the first reading, this looks like a Minister seriously out of her depth in the detail of the legislation that she's shepherding through parliament.
Carmel Seuploni on the Oranga Tamariki Oversight Bill – which is a piece of legislation sorely needed, and which has been very heavily criticized by a wide range of interested parties (most of whom are firmly on the left spectrum of the political agenda).
The journalist Aaron Smale is anything but a right wing apologist – he's been actively involved in reporting on our shameful past in a range of state care services.
Having navigated his way past the press secretary, and with Sepuloni knowing he wanted to talk about that Bill in particular, you would expect her to have the details, and arguments at her fingertips.
Finally, hanging up on a journalist is a seriously bad look for a government trying to portray themselves as open and transparent (or, ATM, even as competent). It looks as though she panicked, and didn't even do the safe 'I'll get back to you on that one, Aaron – response' so beloved of senior ministers.
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(A note to subscribers:I’m going to keep these daily curated news updates shorter in future to ensure an earlier and more regular delivery.Expect this format and delivery around 7 am Monday to Friday from now on. My apologies for not delivering yesterday. There was too much news… This ...
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Civilian exploration may be the official mission of a Chinese deep-sea research ship that sailed clockwise around Australia over the past week and is now loitering west of the continent. But maybe it’s also attending ...
South Korea’s internal political instability leaves it vulnerable to rising security threats including North Korea’s military alliance with Russia, China’s growing regional influence and the United States’ unpredictability under President Donald Trump. South Korea needs ...
Here are 5 updates that you may be interested in today:Speed kills and costs - so why does National want more of it?James (Jim) Grenon Board Takeover Gets Shaky - As Canadian Calls An Australian Shareholder a “Flake” Billionaire Bust-ups -The World’s Richest Men Are UncomfortableOver 3,500 Australian doctors on ...
Australia is in a race against time. Cyber adversaries are exploiting vulnerabilities faster than we can identify and patch them. Both national security and economic considerations demand policy action. According to IBM’s Data Breach Report, ...
The ever brilliant Kate Nicholls has kindly agreed to allow me to re-publish her substack offering some under-examined backdrop to Trump’s tariff madness. The essay is not meant to be a full scholarly article but instead an insight into the thinking (if that is the correct word) behind the current ...
In the Pacific, the rush among partner countries to be seen as the first to assist after disasters has become heated as part of ongoing geopolitical contest. As partners compete for strategic influence in the ...
The StrategistBy Miranda Booth, Henrietta McNeill and Genevieve Quirk
We’ve seen this morning the latest step up in the Trump-initiated trade war, with the additional 50 per cent tariffs imposed on imports from China. If the tariff madness persists – but in fact even if were wound back in some places (eg some of the particularly absurd tariffs on ...
Weak as I am, no tears for youWeak as I am, no tears for youDeep as I am, I'm no one's foolWeak as I amSongwriters: Deborah Ann Dyer / Richard Keith Lewis / Martin Ivor Kent / Robert Arnold FranceMorena. This morning, I couldn’t settle on a single topic. Too ...
Australian policy makers are vastly underestimating how climate change will disrupt national security and regional stability across the Indo-Pacific. A new ASPI report assesses the ways climate impacts could threaten Indonesia’s economic and security interests ...
So here we are in London again because we’re now at the do-it-while-you-still-can stage of life. More warm wide-armed hugs, more long talks and long walks and drinks in lovely old pubs with our lovely daughter.And meanwhile the world is once more in one of its assume-the-brace-position stages.We turned on ...
Hi,Back in September of 2023, I got pitched an interview:David -Thanks for the quick response to the DM! Means the world. Re-stating some of the DM below for your team’s reference -I run a business called Animal Capital - we are a venture capital fund advised by Noah Beck, Paris ...
I didn’t want to write about this – but, alas, the 2020s have forced my hand. I am going to talk about the Trump Tariffs… and in the process probably irritate nearly everyone. You see, alone on the Internet, I am one of those people who think we need a ...
Maybe people are only just beginning to notice the close alignment of Russia and China. It’s discussed as a sudden new phenomenon in world affairs, but in fact it’s not new at all. The two ...
The High Court has just ruled that the government has been violating one of the oldest Treaty settlements, the Sealord deal: The High Court has found the Crown has breached one of New Zealand's oldest Treaty Settlements by appropriating Māori fishing quota without compensation. It relates to the 1992 ...
Darwin’s proposed Middle Arm Sustainable Development Precinct is set to be the heart of a new integrated infrastructure network in the Northern Territory, larger and better than what currently exists in northern Australia. However, the ...
Local body elections are in October, and so like a lot of people, I received the usual pre-election enrolment confirmation from the Orange Man in the post. And I was horrified to see that it included the following: Why horrified? After all, surely using email, rather ...
Australia needs to deliver its commitment under the Seoul Declaration to create an Australian AI safety, or security, institute. Australia is the only signatory to the declaration that has yet to meet its commitments. Given ...
Ko kōpū ka rere i te paeMe ko Hine RuhiTīaho mai tō arohaMe ko Hine RuhiDa da da ba du da da ba du da da da ba du da da da da da daDa da da ba du da da ba du da da da ba du da da ...
Army, Navy and AirForce personnel in ceremonial dress: an ongoing staffing exodus means we may get more ships, drones and planes but not have enough ‘boots on the ground’ to use them. Photo: Lynn GrievesonLong stories short in Aotearoa’s political economy this morning:PM Christopher Luxon says the Government can ...
If you’re a qualified individual looking to join the Australian Army, prepare for a world of frustration over the next 12 to 18 months. While thorough vetting is essential, the inefficiency of the Australian Defence ...
I’ve inserted a tidbit and rumours section1. Colonoscopy wait times increase, procedures drop under NationalWait times for urgent, non-urgent and surveillance colonoscopies all progressively worsened last year. Health NZ data shows the total number of publicly-funded colonoscopies dropped by more than 7 percent.Health NZ chief medical officer Helen Stokes-Lampard blamed ...
Three billion dollars has been wiped off the value of New Zealand’s share market as the rout of global financial markets caught up with the local market. A Sāmoan national has been sentenced for migrant exploitation and corruption following a five-year investigation that highlights the serious consequences of immigration fraud ...
This is a guest post by Darren Davis. It originally appeared on his excellent blog, Adventures in Transitland, which we encourage you to check out. It is shared by kind permission. Rail Network Investment Plan quietly dropped While much media attention focused on the 31st March 2025 announcement that the replacement Cook ...
Amendments to Indonesia’s military law risk undermining civilian supremacy and the country’s defence capabilities. Passed by the House of Representatives on 20 March, the main changes include raising the retirement age and allowing military officers ...
The StrategistBy Alfin Febrian Basundoro and Jascha Ramba Santoso
So New Zealand is about to spend $12 billion on our defence forces over the next four years – with $9 million of it being new money that is not being spent on pressing needs here at home. Somehow this lavish spend-up on Defence is “affordable,” says PM Christopher Luxon, ...
Donald Trump’s philosophy about the United States’ place in the world is historically selfish and will impoverish his country’s spirit. While he claimed last week to be ‘liberating’ Americans from the exploiters and freeloaders who’ve ...
China’s crackdown on cyber-scam centres on the Thailand-Myanmar border may cause a shift away from Mandarin, towards English-speaking victims. Scammers also used the 28 March earthquake to scam international victims. Australia, with its proven capabilities ...
At the 2005 election campaign, the National Party colluded with a weirdo cult, the Exclusive Brethren, to run a secret hate campaign against the Greens. It was the first really big example of the rich using dark money to interfere in our democracy. And unfortunately, it seems that they're trying ...
Many of you will know that in collaboration with the University of Queensland we created and ran the massive open online course (MOOC) "Denial101x - Making sense of climate science denial" on the edX platform. Within nine years - between April 2015 and February 2024 - we offered 15 runs ...
How will the US assault on trade affect geopolitical relations within Asia? Will nations turn to China and seek protection by trading with each other? The happy snaps a week ago of the trade ministers ...
I mentioned this on Friday - but thought it deserved some emphasis.Auckland Waitematā District Commander Superintendent Naila Hassan has responded to Countering Hate Speech Aotearoa, saying police have cleared Brian Tamaki of all incitement charges relating to the Te Atatu library rainbow event assault.Hassan writes:..There is currently insufficient evidence to ...
With the report of the recent intelligence review by Heather Smith and Richard Maude finally released, critics could look on and wonder: why all the fuss? After all, while the list of recommendations is substantial, ...
Well, I don't know if I'm readyTo be the man I have to beI'll take a breath, I'll take her by my sideWe stand in awe, we've created lifeWith arms wide open under the sunlightWelcome to this place, I'll show you everythingSongwriters: Scott A. Stapp / Mark T. Tremonti.Today is ...
Staff at Kāinga Ora are expecting details of another round of job cuts, with the Green Party claiming more than 500 jobs are set to go. The New Zealand Defence Force has made it easier for people to apply for a job in a bid to get more boots on ...
Australia’s agriculture sector and food system have prospered under a global rules-based system influenced by Western liberal values. But the assumptions, policy approaches and economic frameworks that have traditionally supported Australia’s food security are no ...
Following Trump’s tariff announcement, US stock values fell by the most ever in value terms (US$6.6 trillion). Photo: Getty ImagesLong story shortest in Aotearoa’s political economy this morning:Donald Trump just detonated a neutron bomb under the globalised economy, but this time the Fed isn’t cutting interest rates to rescue ...
A listing of 36 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 30, 2025 thru Sat, April 5, 2025. This week's roundup is again published by category and sorted by number of articles included in each. The formatting is a ...
This is a longer read.Summary:Trump’s tariffs are reckless, disastrous and hurt the poorest countries deeply. It will stoke inflation, and may cause another recession. Funds/investments around the world have tanked.Trump’s actions emulate the anti-economic logic of another right wing libertarian politician - Liz Truss. She had her political career cut ...
We are all suckers for hope.He’s just being provocative, people will say, he wouldn’t really go that far. They wouldn’t really go that far.Germany in the 1920s and 30s was one of the world’s most educated, culturally sophisticated, and scientifically advanced societies.It had a strong democratic constitution with extensive civil ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is Mars warming? Mars’ climate varies due to completely different reasons than Earth’s, and available data indicates no temperature trends comparable to Earth’s ...
Max Harris and Max Rashbrooke discuss how we turn around the right wing slogans like nanny state, woke identity politics, and the inefficiency of the public sector – and how we build a progressive agenda. From Donald Trump to David Seymour, from Peter Dutton to Christopher Luxon, we are subject to a ...
Max Harris and Max Rashbrooke discuss how we turn around the right wing slogans like nanny state, woke identity politics, and the inefficiency of the public sector – and how we build a progressive agenda. From Donald Trump to David Seymour, from Peter Dutton to Christopher Luxon, we are subject to a ...
The Green Party recognises the extension of visa allowances for our Pacific whānau as a step in the right direction but continues to call for a Pacific Visa Waiver. ...
The Government yesterday released its annual child poverty statistics, and by its own admission, more tamariki across Aotearoa are now living in material hardship. ...
Today, Te Pāti Māori join the motu in celebration as the Treaty Principles Bill is voted down at its second reading. “From the beginning, this Bill was never welcome in this House,” said Te Pāti Māori Co-Leader, Rawiri Waititi. “Our response to the first reading was one of protest: protesting ...
The Green Party is proud to have voted down the Coalition Government’s Treaty Principles Bill, an archaic piece of legislation that sought to attack the nation’s founding agreement. ...
A Member’s Bill in the name of Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter which aims to stop coal mining, the Crown Minerals (Prohibition of Mining) Amendment Bill, has been pulled from Parliament’s ‘biscuit tin’ today. ...
Labour MP Kieran McAnulty’s Members Bill to make the law simpler and fairer for businesses operating on Easter, Anzac and Christmas Days has passed its first reading after a conscience vote in Parliament. ...
Nicola Willis continues to sit on her hands amid a global economic crisis, leaving the Reserve Bank to act for New Zealanders who are worried about their jobs, mortgages, and KiwiSaver. ...
Today, the Oranga Tamariki (Repeal of Section 7AA) Amendment Bill has passed its third and final reading, but there is one more stage before it becomes law. The Governor-General must give their ‘Royal assent’ for any bill to become legally enforceable. This means that, even if a bill gets voted ...
Abortion care at Whakatāne Hospital has been quietly shelved, with patients told they will likely have to travel more than an hour to Tauranga to get the treatment they need. ...
Thousands of New Zealanders’ submissions are missing from the official parliamentary record because the National-dominated Justice Select Committee has rushed work on the Treaty Principles Bill. ...
Today’s announcement of 10 percent tariffs for New Zealand goods entering the United States is disappointing for exporters and consumers alike, with the long-lasting impact on prices and inflation still unknown. ...
The National Government’s choices have contributed to a slow-down in the building sector, as thousands of people have lost their jobs in construction. ...
Willie Apiata’s decision to hand over his Victoria Cross to the Minister for Veterans is a powerful and selfless act, made on behalf of all those who have served our country. ...
The Privileges Committee has denied fundamental rights to Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, Rawiri Waititi and Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, breaching their own standing orders, breaching principles of natural justice, and highlighting systemic prejudice and discrimination within our parliamentary processes. The three MPs were summoned to the privileges committee following their performance of a haka ...
April 1 used to be a day when workers could count on a pay rise with stronger support for those doing it tough, but that’s not the case under this Government. ...
Winston Peters is shopping for smaller ferries after Nicola Willis torpedoed the original deal, which would have delivered new rail enabled ferries next year. ...
The Government should work with other countries to press the Myanmar military regime to stop its bombing campaign especially while the country recovers from the devastating earthquake. ...
The Green Party is calling for the Government to scrap proposed changes to Early Childhood Care, after attending a petition calling for the Government to ‘Put tamariki at the heart of decisions about ECE’. ...
New Zealand First has introduced a Member’s Bill today that will remove the power of MPs conscience votes and ensure mandatory national referendums are held before any conscience issues are passed into law. “We are giving democracy and power back to the people”, says New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters. ...
Welcome to members of the diplomatic corp, fellow members of parliament, the fourth estate, foreign affairs experts, trade tragics, ladies and gentlemen. ...
In recent weeks, disturbing instances of state-sanctioned violence against Māori have shed light on the systemic racism permeating our institutions. An 11-year-old autistic Māori child was forcibly medicated at the Henry Bennett Centre, a 15-year-old had his jaw broken by police in Napier, kaumātua Dean Wickliffe went on a hunger ...
Confidence in the job market has continued to drop to its lowest level in five years as more New Zealanders feel uncertain about finding work, keeping their jobs, and getting decent pay, according to the latest Westpac-McDermott Miller Employment Confidence Index. ...
The Greens are calling on the Government to follow through on their vague promises of environmental protection in their Resource Management Act (RMA) reform. ...
The Government’s new planning legislation to replace the Resource Management Act will make it easier to get things done while protecting the environment, say Minister Responsible for RMA Reform Chris Bishop and Under-Secretary Simon Court. “The RMA is broken and everyone knows it. It makes it too hard to build ...
Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay has today launched a public consultation on New Zealand and India’s negotiations of a formal comprehensive Free Trade Agreement. “Negotiations are getting underway, and the Public’s views will better inform us in the early parts of this important negotiation,” Mr McClay says. We are ...
More than 900 thousand superannuitants and almost five thousand veterans are among the New Zealanders set to receive a significant financial boost from next week, an uplift Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says will help support them through cost-of-living challenges. “I am pleased to confirm that from 1 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra It takes a bit for Labor not to preference the Greens but on Friday it was announced that in the Melbourne seat of Macnamara, where Jewish MP Josh Burns is embattled, the ALP will run ...
By Layla Bailey-McDowell, RNZ Māori news journalist Legal experts and Māori advocates say the fight to protect Te Tiriti is only just beginning — as the controversial Treaty Principles Bill is officially killed in Parliament. The bill — which seeks to redefine the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi — ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Wesley Morgan, Research Associate, Institute for Climate Risk and Response, UNSW Sydney Australia’s relationship with its regional neighbours could be in doubt under a Coalition government after two Pacific leaders challenged Opposition Leader Peter Dutton over his weak climate stance. This week, ...
An additional tariff by the US on New Zealand exporters is harmful and the Minister of Trade has written to his American counterparts to tell them that. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sophia Staite, Lecturer in Humanities, University of Tasmania Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures Social media is ablaze with reports of kids going wild at screenings of A Minecraft Movie. Some cinemas are cracking down. There are reports of cinemas calling ...
The Treaty Principles Bill has been brutally defeated in Parliament. We have highlights from key speeches, and explain why its demise is so unusual. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hunter Fujak, Senior Lecturer in Sport Management, Deakin University Few issues in Australian sport generate as much media noise or emotional fan reactions as player movement, especially in our major winter codes the National Rugby League (NRL) and Australian Football League (AFL). ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Isabelle Ng, PhD candidate, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University A couple of whip coral goby (_Bryaninops yongei_).randi_ang/Shutterstock Swim along the edge of a coral reef and you’ll often see schools of sleek, torpedo-shaped fishes gliding through the currents, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Charles Kemp, Professor, School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne Shutterstock Languages are windows into the worlds of the people who speak them – reflecting what they value and experience daily. So perhaps it’s no surprise different languages highlight different ...
A new poem by Daniel Frears. Pale Straw this season’s colour is pale straw a revelatory colour for an oh so special season it might mess with your head, or mine you can rub my belly like I was a dog. all actions are allowed in this .. phase. if ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins (Hay House, $32) “A truly helpful treatise on seeing ...
Tara Ward watches the return of The Handmaid’s Tale and discovers the dystopia of the future now feels all too real. If you like your television so bleak that you need to curl into a ball and rock back and forward afterwards, then clear the floor because I have great ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne A national YouGov poll, conducted April 4–10 from a sample of 1,505, gave Labor a 52.5–47.5 lead, a 1.5-point gain for Labor ...
Submissions close today on proposed reforms that would mark the most significant shakeup of fisheries in decades. Here’s what you need to know.On February 12, oceans and fisheries minister Shane Jones held up a wagging finger and a shiny, plastic-comb-bound document as Wellington’s downtown seagulls squawked overhead. Among a ...
This bill sought to fundamentally alter the meaning of Te Tiriti o Waitangi by selectively and incorrectly interpreting the reo Māori text, says E tū National Secretary Rachel Mackintosh. ...
Luxon has an opportunity to emerge as a stabiliser without the diplomatic risk of poking the bear in the White House. Last month, pundits from across the political spectrum were begging Christopher Luxon to add a modicum of clarity to the way he communicates after a disastrous interview with Mike ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brett Mitchell, Professor of Nursing and Health Services Research, University of Newcastle Annie Spratt/Unsplash Hospital-acquired infections are infections patients didn’t have when they were admitted to hospital. The most common include wound infections after surgery, urinary tract infections and pneumonia. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christina Hanna, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Planning, University of Waikato Christina Hanna, CC BY-SA Once floodwaters subside, talk of planned retreat inevitably rises. Within Aotearoa New Zealand, several communities from north to south – including Kumeū, Kawatiri Westport and parts ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Arian Wallach, Future Fellow in Ecology, Queensland University of Technology michael garner/Shutterstock In 1938, zoologist Ellis Le Geyt Troughton mourned that Australia’s “gentle and specialized creatures” were “unable to cope with changed conditions and introduced enemies”. The role of these ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Peetz, Laurie Carmichael Distinguished Research Fellow at the Centre for Future Work, and Professor Emeritus, Griffith Business School, Griffith University doublelee/Shutterstock Can the government actually make a difference to the wages Australians earn? A lot of attention always falls on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ben Egliston, Senior Lecturer in Digital Cultures, Australian Research Council DECRA Fellow, University of Sydney Last week, Nintendo announced the June 5 release of its long anticipated Switch 2. But the biggest talking point wasn’t the console’s launch titles or features. At ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dan Woodman, TR Ashworth Professor in Sociology, The University of Melbourne Securing the welfare of future generations seems like solid grounds for judging policies and politicians, especially during an election campaign. Political legacies are on the line because the stakes are so ...
It appears that we have already (at least in Auckland) reached the point where the testing system is overwhelmed.
Report here on some tests for close contacts not being processed. Note, this one is particularly concerning as it's of a child too young to be vaccinated.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/covid-19-omicron-outbreak-parents-left-confused-by-testing-messaging/7CD357TO7Z5VD4VGHSQFRDHK4Q/?c_id=1&objectid=12505866&ref=rss
Hearing from acquaintances that people are also being turned away from testing centres because no symptoms (even though they are close contacts of a confirmed case). This is happening where the case has contacted them directly, rather than through the heavily delayed 'official' MoH system (now taking 5+ days to contact people) – so don't have an email or a CovidApp instruction to show.
If this is the case, has mass testing had its day at the current stage of the pandemic?
To all those who wished our family well during the last wee while. Grant is slowly recovering after losing 8kg. Bobbie is home from hospital, she too lost 6kg. Both are recovering from covid, but because they have other issues will be under the Dr for a further 4 to 6 weeks of observations including blood tests and possibly MIR, in an effort to keep them from becoming "long haulers." Apparently up to 32% of people get repeated or lingering symptoms. Once again thanks as long distance care is lonely and difficult. Best wishes to those out there struggling with this. Fluids and rest and do not physically push 'till you sweat as you are not going to recover quickly if you do.
Hi Patricia,
I am glad to hear that your family are recovering. Having read of your experiences with this, I can well understand why you would be resistant to talk of relaxing Covid restrictions.
I am interested in finding out a bit more, so I get some more understanding of risk factors that lead to this sort of outcome.
I have a son with Crohn’s who is immuno-compromised. So, that is a worry for us, despite previous posts I have put up that may have seemed a bit glib to you.
From your previous posts, it looks like they did everything right in terms of vaccinations.
I read from an earlier post of yours that it appears at least one of your family members had both Delta and then Omicron, and at least one may have had some underlying conditions?
Were they treated with any of the anti-viral medications that are supposed to greatly reduce the risk of negative outcomes such as your family have had? It would seem a no-brainer to me to for doctors to prescribe this sort of medication almost immediately upon someone testing positive, especially if they have known risk factors.
Again, I am glad it looks like they are on the path to recovery.
My wife's sister had Omicron in Victoria. For her it was more like a sore throat and tiredness for a few days.
Luckilly, she only got Omicron, not Delta as well. And she didn't have underlying risk factors, though she is in her mid 60s. She was double-vaxxed and had just come due for her booster.
Hello tsmithfield. Thank you for your gracious reply.
Yes we were very worried as our son has an inherited condition which usually turns to bowel cancer called sessile serrated adenomas. They are difficult to spot folds. He had 10 removed the week before, and also suffers with a fully pitted bowel and gallstones. So he was at risk. So I understand your concern for your son with crohns.
Robyn has a pacemaker and diabetes. So both were in the high risk group Grant is 54 and Robyn is 75 they have lived together as loving friends for ten years helping each other through their health issues. Like your son they had huge problems which have been made much worse with the arrival of covid. Grant's yearly bowel ops have been delayed even though he is in the high risk group. His gall bladder op has been delayed nearly 3 years now. so all medical systems are under strain. They were due for their booster, which they will have when recovered and under medical supervision.
Of interest. When first sick they were given 3 RATS each. The first two tests for both showed nothing. So Grant went for a proper nasal test. Got his notification result 36 hours later. He sent Robyn to hospital as he could not cope. The RATS are only 80% accurate with a very high viral load it appears. Further in 'phone consultations about Robyn the Covid Ward Dr at the Gold Coast Hospital kept repeating "Rest and fluids" ten minutes activity/work 2 hours rest. Electrolytes need to be replaced daily for first 4 to 5 days if sweating at all. Hope that is helpful. The person in NSW had Delta got better? returned to work and got Omicron. (Robyn had two viruses at the same time. One was unrelated, a contaminated water problem the Council was trying to fix in their area.) I don't know what treatments anybody was offered other than antibiotics for ancillary problems. We are now waiting for heart and oxygen function monitoring. The upshot is systems could be overloaded real quick. All this time most family except one dodged Delta. 14 of 30 family have had Omicron.
Thank you for that insight. It must be terribly worrying for you.
I certainly don't intend to minimise suffering such as what you and your family are going through my comments.
My issue is more to do with the fact I think the government has been woefully unprepared for this outbreak, and that I think methods such as mandates are totally ineffective now.
I would much rather that we had a sufficient supply of RATs that could be deployed for all who needed them across the country, as has been the situation for a long time in a lot of countries.
And I would also rather see an available supply of anti-virals to be focussed on people with underlying conditions to keep them out of hospital in the first place. However, it looks like we won't be getting these until April, after the likely peak, and the anti-virals haven't even been through the Medsafe process yet.
https://www.1news.co.nz/2022/02/19/south-auckland-gps-call-for-anti-viral-drugs-in-omicron-battle/
I don't think the high world demand is any excuse, as was shown when we managed to boost our supply of vaccines by sourcing some surplus ones from another country. We should be paying what we need to, and using whatever channels we have to get these supplies. And I think it is inexcusable for Medsafe to still be approving these vaccines when they are approved elsewhere in the world, because we may be able to get a supply from an unconventional source, as was the case with some of the vaccines. But even if we did this, we still couldn’t use them because Medsafe hasn’t approved them yet.
From the link above:
"The drugs, which are still awaiting approval from drug regulator Medsafe, work by binding to enzymes to prevent the virus from growing, and are expected to reduce the numbers of people hospitalised with coronavirus."
Yes Medsafe seem so insecure in spite of proven use elsewhere.
This is the first hopeful sign that I've seen showing that the building industry can delivery on substantial numbers of homes in a short period of time.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/127800528/simplicity-kiwisaver-to-build-10000-affordable-longterm-rentals-in-the-next-10-years-for-450k-each?cid=app-android&fbclid=IwAR1UwsVg-Oy4acL5ds7bDfkjttosgyduwRkdHKNhGkF_-i-H4imPOw3jf9M
Of course, the proof of the pudding…. We still have to see how this translates into reality (i.e. not rat-trap concrete shoeboxes) But a plan on the table to build 10,000 long term rental apartments, in Auckland – is a huge step up.
Sounds like KO could learn from these guys.
Does the price include the land cost?
Yes the land is included.
Thank you. good value!!
Sam Stubbs crossed over from the Dark Side of finance (not sure if he ever had his feet planted there)
The deal couldn't be done without the NZ Living owners of course. May I suggest Russell Coutts does share the moral code of the people involved in this deal.
Sam Stubbs and Russell Coutts went to the same high school just a couple of years apart.
Interesting bit of trivia. I went to school with Chris Knox but can't sing or write songs
Sam Stubbs says his teacher parents instilled good values which he came back to. I taught with his Mum one year many moons ago. She was a great person, full of fun.
On first scan I am moderately impressed. NZ Living seem to have brought across a lot of the ideas that are very commonplace here in Australia, and have delivered both quality and affordability in most locations.
With KS funding the new entity and staffed by a competent team and trusted contractors there is every chance these guys could deliver.
I have been searching for the name of the American so-called journalist associated with Bannon who disrupted Jacinda Ardern’s visit to Northland last year, does anyone know his name and more importantly where the bloody hell is he?
I am more and more convinced that this disturbance is being manipulated and funded from offshore.
Shane Chaffin?
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300444070/covid19-nz-jacinda-ardern-press-conference-in-northland-disrupted-by-anticovidvaccination-heckling
An interesting segment this morning on Media Watch about the very sudden about face by people such as Mike Hosking from condemnation of their motives and organisation as people that were no better than bludgers to glowing praise of their character as ordinary NZers. There would at least appear to be a power struggle over control of the narrative that involves counterspin and will probably become the vehicle to undermine the unified NZ approach to covd.
Shane Chafin.
https://twitter.com/search?q=Shane%20Chafin&src=typed_query
Thanks Francesca and Joe, now where the bloody hell is he? He does appear to be the classic agent provocateur. I certainly hope Andrew Coster knows.
This is the sort of research that the “ mainstream” media should be doing. Maybe the interest in proper journalism has run out now the $55 million has been blown on lunches and Michael Horton’s full page ads.
He was in Wellington last week doing one of his crack-pot man on the ground media casts.
He’s a worry Joe and my apologies to David Fisher for a good story but we need more responsibility from the media at the moment not pretty stories of herb gardens and yoga sessions. We need to know how many of these mad bastards are there and working just out of sight. Andrea Vance summed it up this morning with her observation that all the wee tea parties, aura rubbings, and yoga mean nothing if you pitch your tent next to a Nazi’s under a noose with Ardern’s face in it, it just means you are complicit.
Andrea Vance this morning on Stuff https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/127798260/the-trumpism-spilling-out-onto-parliaments-lawn-is-the-new-virus
As a family member said, "When you lie down with a dog, you get fleas."
Fleas can be treated. But how does one treat a social sickness that denies science, collective wisdom and action, and instead embraces conspiracy, unacceptable social ideology and actions, and unproven medical and scientific beliefs?
And on the other hand, there is an ever-present danger and consideration that every social change, especially those that make improvements in the human condition, started with minorities, and we should always beware of the 'tyranny of the majority'.
Better now that these protesters test their opinions in public forums and get into democratic politics. Then, majorities can be persuaded and voices of the minorities heard.
On these current protester issues I would encourage that, as MMP and its 5% threshold generally will see them not represented in parliament.
Then they can try and join and then persuade bigger parties that will carry that 5% threshold, and have their extremist views ameliorated by the process of engaging in party politics and policy-making. NZFirst and ACT come to mind as a recent example where Peters and Seymour both seems to be courting their vote at least- maybe their involvement.
Otherwise they will remain on the <5% fringe and wander there.
Light relief – the Beehive from another perspective (apologies if this has already been posted).
Iggy.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Wellington/comments/i5b77k/iggy_pop_im_bored_filmed_in_wellington/
1979 was another country.
brilliant.
Round about now would be a good time to give young men something constructive to do with their energy.
Spotted a youthful Phil O'Brien, Roger Gascoigne & just possibly Karyn Hay.
Tragically, still plenty of beards, mid-70s hairdos, outrageous flares & truly horrendous polar-neck jerseys in 1979. Young Iggy Osterberg must’ve been shaking his head.
https://www.scotsman.com/must-read/feminists-win-court-appeal-after-legal-challenge-over-the-word-woman-3575179
thank god for that piece of sanity. Although it's hard to tell if it's really just a legal technicality.
Basically the Scottish govt tried to increase representation of trans people on boards by extending the definition of 'woman' to include trans women who live as women. Which is an obvious conflict with the already existing rights that women have. They could instead have introduced legislation that upholds the rights of trans people specifically, but instead chose to back door a legal change of definition of 'woman'. And the three judges said you can't do that, because woman is already a protected characteristic in law. Not identity as a woman, but females.
Where is Bill? Has he been banned?
@ Ground Zero, you'd expect.
Has he given up posting here?
He may be in a tent gazing at a crystal and perceiving an aura around Charlotte, Alp, Arps etc as we speak, maybe having his hair braided while hoeing in the garden while listening to the Steve Bannon Counterspin broadcasts and saying all's right with the world when the exremists are with you. Peace bro"
I don't miss his refusal to cite and OTT opinions in the slightest.
Shanreagh, you've never met Bill. That is obvious. I can't think of anyone less likely to be found:
''….. gazing at a crystal and perceiving an aura around Charlotte, Alp, Arps etc as we speak, maybe having his hair braided while hoeing in the garden while listening to the Steve Bannon Counterspin broadcasts and saying all's right with the world when the exremists are with you. Peace bro"
Which makes for an important point. It is so damn easy to make up a fantasy about someone or something you have never met. You need never even come to realise that your caricature bore none of the essential resemblance to the actual, and that it therefore rendered the whole cartoon moot.
this.
We form our opinions of Bill based on the words he types on this forum. How else are we to do it?
True and that is all I have to go on.
Caricature by word or picture is an accepted form of poking the borax.
Bill has posted some pretty off the wall opinions here. And he rarely cites so these are usually his opinions. I love a well crafted and cited argument whether for or against but opinions…well the old saying is apt. ‘opinions are like assholes every body has them’.
So are Bill's views not as they seem…so by putting them up as he is, is he deliberately making a caricature of himself? If so then he is very clever.
Really ?
I have never read one thing by Bill about cystals,braids,auras, any kind of approval of the names mentioned,any hint of Counterspin or extremism .All projection by Shanreagh on Bill.
Sounds like you have not been following the ebb and flow here on TS about who is in control of the protestors. Hippies or hard right. The role of extremism in the media ie Counterspin is providing the on ground chatter that cannot be missed by anyone who is there. The hippies are doing the gardens etc etc.
The auras are reference to the hippies, there have been pics on the media of hair braiding being done. The names mentioned are some of the ones who have been given a platform by Counterspin during the protest.
I just made up a fantasy of what has been reported and popped Bill in there.
I imagined him taking it all in uncritically & favourably.
Why did you thought Bill had to have mentioned auras, braiding etc for satire to work?
Yep, your fantasy entirely popped Bill in there
It adds nothing and slurs an author
I agree. Bill is still an author here, making shit up about him as character assassination stops now. Stick to the politics.
Yes I did and I am stopping now……
My reading of the situation is he has merely found a drinking buddy somewhere.
What's the question about? Are your bad takes wearing a bit thin even for your own taste?
What's the question about?
Bill.
He helped break up the echo-chamber here while creating debate by providing an alternative view. Hence, is presence is missed. Thus, I was wondering what happened to him posting here.
A good example of the echo-chamber here at the moment is the 'Why the Wellington protestors are wrong' thread.
If only TS had a subscription, then the outraged could cancel it in protest to the opinions they didn't approve of.
As he mentioned, prior to the vaccine pass being enforced at his local he had been helping break up the echo-chamber there instead.
If you want him back you could try reporting some of the pubs in his area for any local breaches of covid health checks. He will probably respond well to that (well, unless he finds out who did it).
Relax. Ad has stepped up to the plate.
Goodness that is profound and it hits the right outraged notes
especially
'echo chamber'
There should be saying to signal that an argument bereft of substance is being advanced when posters use the phrase 'echo chamber' to dismiss a whole swathe of opinions they disgaree with even though within that swathe there are clearly differentiated and nuanced views.
like Godwins law.
From
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20180416-the-myth-of-the-online-echo-chamber
'Using a survey of 2,000 British adults, she found that the majority of people already reach outside their political comfort zone: they actively seek out additional sources that convey diverse views that do not match with their preconceptions.'
Oh lol You want an opinion you can agree with? Have you tried Kiwi Blog?
This was to Chairman
I enjoy debate and hearing the perspectives of others.
Who would want to be an employer nowdays, eh?
Best to leave the little wastrels in the care of Winz… or whatever they are now called.
I think they prefer young people to wastrels these days. Your welcome.
I think you are right…but having experienced this above clip in reality, the exaggeration is only slight. The clip only hints at the nastiness that follows. So I have a different view on what these youngins should be called.
Remember Chlöe Swarbrick's witty remark in the chamber about ''Boomers.''
Btw – that young thing in the clip is a fresh drone off the production line called our education system.
That's good news for you ( assuming you are a Leftie), but bad news for the Right who may struggle for relevance as the years roll on.
"Btw – that young thing in the clip is a fresh drone off the production line called our education system."
You do realize that's a skit right?
You do realize that's a skit right?
No, I thought it was real.
I have just learnt the actors may not be Kiwis. I wonder if that matters?
Oh, I see what your saying now. Yes the acting was quite convincing and she appeared to understand her role in the skit quite well, playing it very convincingly in character. Ms 'fresh drone' appears to be a top graduate.
Another of my musings MAY come to pass.
''11-What is it going to cost taxpayers to clean up after protesters. Will the grounds around parliament be reconfigured to stop large scale protests in future?''
https://thestandard.org.nz/convoy-protest-day-seven/#comment-1862808 ( post 35)
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/300521107/plans-to-erect-parliamentary-fence-as-protest-lingers
You should predict that the sun will rise tomorrow – more low hanging fruit for you.
Yep – it hurts doesn't it. And sometimes the sun doesn't shine the next day
Get back on the turps, Barfly. Have one for the road.
Musings aren’t predictions.
You can give it Chairman but you can't take it. Drink a cup of your own nasty bile.
There is a nasty bod Barfly. You let them know something and they use it as a weapon.. oh but they are “Good people!!”
Next he’ll be saying “Just joking” or some other wet shite.
Quite…whatever it is you are posting. Is it your shopping list?
But but, say the maskholes..
https://twitter.com/CZEdwards/status/1495156787493834753
Germany has moved to vaccinate using the aspiration method.
More than a few missing out on the opportunity to learn to live with it.
Since Nov. 24, when South Africa first reported the omicron variant to the World Health Organization, the United States has confirmed more than 30,163,600 new infections and more than 154,750 new deaths. (While the U.S. did not initially identify any omicron cases within its borders until Dec. 1, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has since confirmed that the variant was in the country at least a week earlier.)
By comparison, from Aug. 1 to Oct. 31, a similar duration covering the worst of the delta surge in the United States, the country confirmed 10,917,590 new infections and 132,616 new deaths.
That makes the official case count about 176% higher during the omicron wave than in the equivalent-length delta period. (The true case count is higher still, because, more so than during the delta wave, many people have been using at-home tests whose results are not included in government statistics.) The death toll during the omicron wave is about 17% higher so far than the death toll in the delta wave.
https://archive.li/Va4Ve (Seattle Times)
Thanks SPC , good to see.
The Police Commissioner was looking like crap warmed up on TV news tonight. This guy is under pressure.
Would the government allow him to resign?
Lets hope he keeps a cool head.
If he is replaced, one would expect the police will be lead by one who will go hard.
And I suspect the fallout from that will cause far more trouble for this country going forward than the current protest.
''And I suspect the fallout from that will cause far more trouble for this country going forward than the current protest.''
That is probably true. A little like long Covid,
But I believe Costa resigning would also cause a complete collapse of trust in the police and government. And cause recriminations from business and the public. Maybe even court cases.
Hence, I'm wondering IF the government could forstall Costa resigning if he decided on that course of action, for the sake of nation security?
If you're talking about a clip from the interview with Jack Tame then I disagree. Until I saw that this morning I shared your negative view of him. However if negotiating a solution fails, he'll have to be decisive.
I know you just hanker for the old action-man stance & I'm sympathetic re that. If the thug element in the protest decides to ditch the others & make a lunge for the entrance to the building the cop commanding those present at the time will have to be action-man to stop them. Failure there would reflect on Coster.
No reason for him to resign yet. No political leader has expressed no confidence in him personally, right? Go figure.
''I know you just hanker for the old action-man stance .''
For the first few days of the protest, yes, I wanted them dealt with, action-man style ( geez, you have a way with words), because extrapolating events from protests overseas gave me a good indication of what might happen here. That said, I honestly didn't expect it to morph into what we have now.
As I've calmed down a bit, I don't know what to think. The Chairman makes a good point, re long term affects for our country if police lose their heads and start to act. Now, I'm not sure how I would act if I was Costa. I know how I would clear the protesters though.
''No reason for him to resign yet. No political leader has expressed no confidence in him personally, right? Go figure.''
Now that's where you should be careful. We don't know what's happening behind the scenes. Dave and Luxon have been running their mouths again. Jacinda, the head of our nation, is absent as usual. Costa is the first patsy off the rank IF the government accepted his resignation.
As a mental exercise I have just finished my plan for removing protesters and their vehicles . If I'm going to diss Costa, I must be able show how I could do better.
For example, I wouldn't be towing vehicles…I would be using forklifts with extended forks working in an endless loop. One forklift, one vehicle, all the way back to the transporter, or free space.
Why haven't authorities deployed an infrasound cannon (setting 1 only, of course – must think of the children) – still the most entertaining idea you've shared here imo

Troll.
Whoops, I’m being a little judgemental.
Yes, you are a troll. But you should have a chance to tell us how you would clear the protesters?
Drowsy!! Are you awake.?
Not grokking your hostility – after all using an "infrasound canon" was your idea. Having second thoughts?
Btw, you’ve made over 80 comments on The Standard since we last corresponded. What’s your definition of this term “troll” that you are so free with?
.https://thestandard.org.nz/convoy-protest-19-2-22/#comment-1865139
.https://thestandard.org.nz/why-havent-the-police-acted/#comment-1864544
.https://thestandard.org.nz/convoy-protest-16-2-22/#comment-1863695
.https://thestandard.org.nz/freakin-useless/#comment-1860707
Of course not- here, buy yourself one.
Oh, by the way, infra sound won't move cars. Maybe just rattle them.
Not my fault the cops haven't acquire a unit
The link provided is where I purchased my base model .
On advice, I did modification to improve my base model using parts from a security contractor. That's information is something I would never divulge to you. I wouldn't trust you with such technology.
https://www.amazing1.com/ultrasonics.html
Wouldn’t be caught dead using such ‘technology’.
Fascinating link from amazing1.com. No mention of "infrasound" or equipment that generates same – maybe it’s outside the region of the electromagnetic spectrum that my eyes can perceive – and a site search "did not match any products". Are you sure that the speaker you pointed at those unsuspecting ferals was part of an "infrasound canon"?
Reckon you've been pranked, but far be it from me to ruin a feel-bad vibe.
https://www.boomlive.in/world/fake-news-covid-19-anti-lockdown-protest-melbourne-sonic-weapon-15909
Semantics – just a different name for basically the same thing. I have always used the term infrasound.
Quote:
''Ultrasound Pain Field Guns and Sonic Shock Wave Generators. These products are not to be confused with some of the higher-powered devices costing thousands of dollars such as L-rad and other government units used in dangerous uncontrollable riots, piracy and large-scale operations and only available to law enforcement
Our Ultrasound Pain Field Guns and Sonic Shock Wave Generators Can Discourage and Intimidate Intruders, Drive Out Animal Pests, And Train Dogs to Stop Barking. They Are Readily Available to The Public and Do Not Require Special Licensing or Other Red Tape!''
''You wouldn't have a clue what infrasound is. – Blade''
The bottom line – I have such a device. You have nothing. But flounder around searching the net in hope of catching me out.
Oh, look, I found a fake photo.
So, I take it you won't be buying a device? You should if you are that interested in proving me wrong.
You are simply trolling.
Blade, despite introducing the term, you simply didn't know what infrasound is, while suggesting that others didn't have a clue.
Apparently this is a big deal for you, but it's honestly no biggie to me – I make mistakes every day.
You call it ‘trolling’, I call it ‘educating’ – for free!
"Btw, you’ve made over 80 comments on The Standard since we last corresponded. What’s your definition of this term “troll” that you are so free with?"
My definition is vacuous comments that are posted in response to my comments. You will notice I try and respond in a respectful manner to those who take the effort to respond with pertinent points and views – and not one line trolling.
I call them out like I should.
Still waiting on your plan to clear protesters?
This is considered a quickie tow job. But it still has its problems. Notice the forklift principle on a smaller scale? The problem is I'm guessing no tow truck will have that much room to move on a Wellington street.
May not pan out this way, but my preference is to let the peaceful protesters be, while minimising the disruption to residents.
In a few months time, when NZ is on the other side of our Omicron wave, and the consensus opinion of public health experts is that our Government can begin to ease vaccine mandates (for now), the police and/or army can mop up any truly distasteful remnants.
Authorities should have harvested plenty of evidence by then.
Well, that's what I believe most people would want to happen.
But I'm talking about a plan to move vehicles if the police DECIDE action is required now.
Happy to leave that hypothetical to experts such as your good self.

"Half of them are there just because its more exciting than being at home and everything is free."
Quotes:
''As the occupation grows and strengthens, Police Commissioner Andrew Coster is now facing calls for his resignation.''
''Commentators call him “Cuddles Coster”. Simon Bridges publicly accused him of being a “wokester”. And frontline officers have nicknamed him The Lantern (very bright but needs carrying).''
That last sentence confirms the calls and texts to talkback from SUPPOSED police officers and their families.
Of course, I took some stick for that from trolls on this site for quoting those callers.
Crikey, I love this gig. Leties are so much fun.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/300521985/occupation-day-13-police-instructed-to-take-zerotolerance-approach-to-abuse-intimidation-or-violence-against-public
We can see from the various name calling the frontline officers are clearly quite sharp. Want to guess their moniker for you before you put the new police forklifts and air-cannons policies into practice?
Air-cannons?
Police forklifts?
Sock it to me anyway.
BTW- do you have a problem with using forklifts. If so, would you like to expand on what could be possible problems with such an approach?
You know…some comments with substance.
Seems to require two trucks. One for the car and one for the forklift (which don't move that fast, especially when balancing a finely balanced heavy weight). Generally the idea is not to damage the vehicles being towed, because then the Police need to justify the property damage inflicted.
And if it goes wrong and they drop the car your going to be making the news with your innovation.
Think you will definitely be in line to be Commissioner Hammer (not the sharpest tool).
''Seems to require two trucks. One for the car and one for the forklift. ''
That's just a matter of perception. Let's leave that to one side.
''(which don't move that fast, especially when balancing a finely balanced heavy weight).''
Now, I've thought about that, and damage is possible, if the sills of the car or van don't take the load. However, given police will be working under a time constraint( depending on violence), an onsite Motor Assessor will inspect each vehicles and compensation will be paid. I don't envisage a large amount of money. Safety of operators must come first.
Speed of forklifts in this situation is not important, because even a slow speed is way faster than having tow trucks drive in and manoeuvre.
Stability of load is an issue. But easily overcome I believe.
Given forklifts won't be used, I will be interested to see how things go with tow trucks. Perhaps they may handle the job with ease. ?
''Think you will definitely be in line to be Commissioner Hammer (not the sharpest tool).''
Commissioner Nic The Witless ( tries hard: fails much).
I once was a 'Leaftie', now I'm a 'Letie"! Well, we do let you have your fun; and you're welcome to it.
By the way, 'lantern' is quite clever. They might find out he has a short wick, though.
In cricket they have a nickname for very poor batsmen. "Ferrets". They're the ones who go in after the rabbits.
Considering some of the rubbish spouted by those who have gone down the social media rabbit holes, there are many who might justify the nickname 'ferret'.
''I once was a 'Leaftie', now I'm a 'Letie"! Well, we do let you have your fun; and you're welcome to it.''
I'm sure you do. I believe you. I just prefer Leftie to Lefty. Sometimes I spell things wrong, but hey, I don't have to pull people up on grammar because I'm scraping the bottom of the barrel.
*Coster
Very good – apple of the a day.
Very good, Blade, especially for one who is not a costermonger…….
"Costermonger" – so clever mac1 – I learn something every night.
Not really interested in Gottcha journalism.
But, at the first reading, this looks like a Minister seriously out of her depth in the detail of the legislation that she's shepherding through parliament.
Carmel Seuploni on the Oranga Tamariki Oversight Bill – which is a piece of legislation sorely needed, and which has been very heavily criticized by a wide range of interested parties (most of whom are firmly on the left spectrum of the political agenda).
The journalist Aaron Smale is anything but a right wing apologist – he's been actively involved in reporting on our shameful past in a range of state care services.
Having navigated his way past the press secretary, and with Sepuloni knowing he wanted to talk about that Bill in particular, you would expect her to have the details, and arguments at her fingertips.
Finally, hanging up on a journalist is a seriously bad look for a government trying to portray themselves as open and transparent (or, ATM, even as competent). It looks as though she panicked, and didn't even do the safe 'I'll get back to you on that one, Aaron – response' so beloved of senior ministers.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/pou-tiaki/300520836/questions-left-hanging-as-minister-for-social-development-carmel-sepuloni-hangs-up
In 2020, Michael Keaton stared in a movie called Worth. It was about how you put the value on human life. In this case following 9/11.
I do wonder if the government naysayers have done the maths seeing as how they want to open our borders.
How much is a human life worth?
Based on the appalling incidence of child abuse and murder in NZ – the answer appears to be not very much.
It is an interesting conundrum actually.
Can't help thinking the current police commissioner is a touchy feely, not cause hassle lets all cuddle teddies dude.
But you can't really blame the geezer, as if they go in hard core he will be lambasted.