Open mike 20/04/2021

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, April 20th, 2021 - 60 comments
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60 comments on “Open mike 20/04/2021 ”

  1. Muttonbird 1

    Mr. Break-It, Steven Joyce, leaves his legacy on Transmission Gully:

    A review into Wellington’s much-delayed and heavily over budget Transmission Gully has found multiple problems with the way the road project was established nearly a decade ago.

    The review is scathing in parts, noting that the Government tendered the private contract out at an unrealistically low price by essentially “double counting” cost-savings the private sector could bring to the project

    Accounting errors seem to be his thing.

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300281133/review-finds-transmission-gully-doomed-from-the-start-with-unrealistic-expectations-of-cost

    • gsays 1.1

      Yet another failure of the 'market' driven political ideology.

      Do we need a child, a la Greta Thunberg, to point out this emperor wears no clothes?

      Bring back a Ministry of Works.

      • Adrian 1.1.1

        I'd like to see that too but the old MOW worked under completely different circumstances to the present with little heed paid to the health, safety, environment, climate change, water quality and the hundreds of other considerations required today. It probably wouldn't do much better. We are the problem, we demanded these things.

        • gsays 1.1.1.1

          I am not suggesting bring back the old MOW.

          A contemporary MOW would heed CC, safety, environment, water etc. As opposed to the current state of affairs that pays lip service to these things but serves the shareholders.

          As to we demanded these things, I am not sure what you mean.

    • Tricledrown 1.2

      Also the Sky City convention building John Key did the deal.Tax payers foot the bills for these poor business deals by the National party which claims it can run the govt like a business because it is the party of business.

    • tc 1.3

      An easy piece for a reasonably competent journo to write up on a project clark/cullen's era turned down numerous times IIRC.

      Mr fix it and his trail of destruction.

    • Pat 1.4

      "Equally concerning is the fact the review couldn’t actually work out who was at fault for setting the AT so low, with different arms of the government pointing the finger at one another.

      It appears we’ll never know the truth, with reviewers concluding that “[n]o Crown-related interviewees could recall/identify which specific project governance forum was responsible for the decision to set the AT based on a P75 value”.

      and..

      "However, the review stopped short of saying the Public-Private Partnership model used for Transmission Gully is intrinsically flawed."

      Thats not surprising because this administration is set on continuing the model despite the wealth of evidence that it fails to deliver any advantage, indeed it is almost always a greater cost.

  2. Sabine 2

    the government gives the government takes and all with the same hand, but hey be grateful you unwashed masses that you got something, lest you get used to that comfortable living on the benefit.

    Humpage said while the $25 increase to benefits was welcomed, it had a “negligible effect”.

    “Supplementary assistance like temporary additional support gets clawed back if you essentially earn more income,” she said.

    A year on from the government's $25 increase to benefits, some solo parents and people with disabilities or chronic illnesses say it has made very little difference to their budgets.

    “For some people, they were actually only getting about $3 more than they had previously, so understandably, they were frustrated by that because costs had gone up during particularly the lockdown period, far more than $3 a week.”

    For those in public housing, with income-related rent, the benefit increase meant their rent went up as well, Humpage said.

    One woman on sole parent support, interviewed as part of Humpage's research, said the increase meant her daughter could have “a labelled packet of biscuits instead of budget”.

    A man on the supported living payment, who is caring for his wife and bringing up two children, described the $25 increase as like “being in an abusive relationship where your partner cheats on you consistently and then buys you a box of chocolate from time to time to make up for it”.

    Another man on the supported living payment said the increase did not make “an iota of difference”.

    “They need to add $100 to make it feasible,” he said.

    That man was living in his car so he could afford his medication. When he was living in a house, he said he would fall short about $100 every week.

    “The compromise I've made to be able to afford the health expenses I have and all that, is I've compromised on having a home,” he said.

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/300281233/25-benefit-increase-too-little-to-make-a-substantive-difference

    Imagine the good that could be done if the government could actually conceive to help the people that need it rather then say travel up and down the country to tell people that need help that they need to pivot to something else why it spends millions of dollars a night to warehouse the neglected and unhoused.
    Will Carmel Sepuloni again show her face again to talk about the need to keep benefit levels at starvation levels lest people lose the knowledge that is the value of work.

    • Tiger Mountain 2.1

      • Implement the full WEAG (Welfare Experts Advisory Group) Report now!

      http://weag.govt.nz/weag-report/

      • Pay COVID related amounts directly to workers via IRD rather than filtering through employers.

      • Move towards a Basic Income for all administered directly by IRD

      • Sabine 2.1.1

        Point two of your list i have argued for since the beginning of this sorry covid mess. Honestly as someone who applied for the wage subsidy for a worker, i would seriously appreciate to not be made the governments handmaid to do their own support payments while at the same time being vilified by various others cause 'businessness rort the workers'.

        Point One : The government has no fucks to give, see Rotorua and other places were people are literally dumped in rundown motels without any help from social workers, mental health care workers, without any chance of job training, without any chance of ever moving out of these places of misery.

        Point Three: we have currently a government that has no issues with Starship Hospital to crowdfund ICU beds, we have a government that like all others before it has underfunded all health care sectors (never mind Covid), we currently have a government that has toddlers in preschool arrive without food in their bellies and shoes on their feet, but we have uncapped millions of give a way to those that are rich and connected.

        the worst thing the left did this last election was to be told to be afraid of J.C, so afraid even that they even not voted or third parties to force these useless eaters into a coalition. Now we have a majority government that only gets hot n bothered when it involves Americas Cup, TV stars and Jeff Bezos.

        So all of these three points will never happen because this current government has not fucks to give about those it can't use to advance itself into a nice position after government. Yes, i am that cynical, and that over this current government. Almost 4 years, and the only thing they can pat themselves on the back is to lock the country down into a stasis in more then one way.

        When you are poor in NZ there is no difference between the N or L. And i would like to point out that John Key also increased the benefits by 25 NZD and he did not even need a global pandemic to do so.

        • cricklewood 2.1.1.1

          Don’t worry Sabine everything is fine cause 'kindness'

          • cricklewood 2.1.1.1.1

            “Labour understands the housing crisis and we have a comprehensive plan to end homelessness and build thousands of affordable houses, which is more than the current Government can say after nine years of inaction,” – Carmel Sepuloni

            Four years on how would you score progress out of 10?

            • Incognito 2.1.1.1.1.1

              6.5

              • cricklewood

                I was thinking somewhere around 4

                • Incognito

                  That leaves more room for improvement; I like your thinking wink

                • Incognito

                  You’re quite right and based on the Grafton Gully fiasco, I reserve the right to downgrade my score to 6. After all, this is not a score of what you asked for but a composite score of all Government-related decisions and actions over the last decades. Actually, because of Roger Douglas, I’m going down to 5. See what I did there?

                • bwaghorn

                  Even that's generous when you consider they were told that the method of stimulus to counteract a covid depression would over heat housing and that helicopter cash was a better way .

              • Jimmy

                How can you justify a score of 6.5 after the Kiwibuild failure to date?

                I would score them about a 3 and I think that's generous.

            • Sabine 2.1.1.1.1.2

              you are asking the wrong people.

              the ones to ask are those that have lost their jobs due to covid with no aid then starvation level benefits that you don't receive if you still have a partner, cause discrimination and taxation without representation is a thing if you are married or partnerned.

              the ones to ask are the ones that have no houses and are currently housed in gang ran slum motels

              the ones to ask are the ones that don't eat dinner at night so the kids can have some cereals without milk and sugar

              but then if these guys were to be honestly asked maybe the government wold just for a second experience shame.

              • cricklewood

                Always interesting to see what other people think, if you were to score it off metrics like housing affordability, the size of the wait list etc, number of people in emergency housing on any given night you could probably score Labour a zero.

                But there has been some, albeit slow progress with state house builds etc hence my scoring a 4.

            • Poission 2.1.1.1.1.3

              Under the new housing minister,the waiting list had doubled,and we cannot see the houses for the Woods.

              https://www.msd.govt.nz/images/about-msd-and-our-work/publications-resources/statistics/housing/2020/housing-register-full-december-2020.png

          • Tiger Mountain 2.1.1.1.2

            The kindness where 50% of NZers own just 2% of the wealth!

            Generations can be a clumsy stereotype to aim at people–I am a ‘boomer’–but opposed Rogernomics and Ruthanasia all the way in my union, and the union movement. Have always supported environmental action. Heh, it wasn’t me personally, but it was my cohort enmasse.

            Will the replacement gens under the hammer of student loans, precarious employment and exploitative “scumlords” rise up in the next couple of elections and ongoing Climate Strikes?–lets bloody hope so.

        • Herodotus 2.1.1.2

          You forgot to mention that we have a Labour Party who’s sole purpose is to protect the image of our PM, as long as ther PR team is successful many labour people are relavent. Pity that the country does not progress and people’s lives today are better than what they were yesterday.

          there are many around who believe the hype of the government and are not able or willing to see what is happening for many day to day.

    • woodart 2.2

      for me, that$25 was approx a 10% increase. not to be clawed back. so, for me, it made quite a difference. but, satisfied benes dont make for good headlines. much better cluck bait to get the bad budgeters, and the benes with multiple add-ons to their benefits(which often have a claw-back)to front this article. the person mentioned, who had to sleep in his car to be able to pay for medication , puzzled me. after 30 prescriptions, they are all free. .would like to know what he needs $100 per week for. not saying that its impossible, but very unusual.

      • greywarshark 2.2.1

        edit
        Had a thought – welfare has settled into a mean mess in NZ. It relies on talking down bennies and picturing the younger ones as shiftless, listless, aimless – 'less' is the theme. We used to have a picture of how we wanted NZ to be, thriving with happy DIY's working on their houses, laying concrete paths to the clothesline and the drive with their mates in the weekend with lovely cold beers and fish and chips to finish. Not satisfactory to the upwardly mobile with an itch for wealth and flaunting it though.

        How about we flip-flop and regard all these young NZers, even middle aged, as not finding their way in life. Anyone unemployed gets sent off to special courses with practical outcomes, learn to cook and what keeps them healthy, then set a goal for weight and fitness and get a monetary reward for achievement. Learn to use tools, build a bedside table with drawers, and give it a good finish – varnish, french polished, distressed, modern art effect, or historic look with those curved legs and fancy handles – with a monetary reward again. They would go into a scheme where they have a supportive life coach, who would encourage and help them to keep on track.

        Then get them to try for a job again, and keep paying them as much as they earn net, and see if they can find good accommodation, with help if the bond and first month’s rent is too much for them to afford. Drop the extra payments after a few months when they have been able to better themselves, to lock it in. They might have to go on a give up drugs program where they have a look at their problems and build personal controls.

        Later, when between jobs, send them on a course on how to look after your living area, how to look after a home, unblock drains, regular cleaning of shower, open windows when home to air etc. They are being trained for the life they can have when they can get a steady job, and have a sense of capability and pride.

        It would be investing in the nation's raw gold, that is how young people should be viewed. Give them reading skills, discussion groups that are social but with no alcohol present and which start off with a nice simple meal, and then discussion and snacks and tea, coffee etc. That would give them a different paradigm for mingling with others.

        What about it eh! Go on give it a go someone connected to welfare in government, but not have anyone directly from the Welfare section. Their negativity, patronising and prejudice against their own clients would be a sure way to curdle the milk!

      • weka 2.2.2

        The people with the add on of TAS get TAS because of financial hardship. It should have been a headline last year that many of the people in hardship didn’t get the full $25. This reporting is long over due.

  3. Tiger Mountain 3

    Chance of a more independent NZ foreign policy indicated by Nanaia Mahuta?
    https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/4/19/new-zealand-says-it-will-set-china-policy-not-us-led-five-eyes

    This will likely have turned some innards to water in various Embassies, Ministries and Security Agency offices! It is refreshing to be able to enthusiastically congratulate a Govt. Minister.

    • Ad 3.1

      Too hard to discern from the crowded metaphors.

      At minimum putting some pushback on Five Eyes is a good thing.

    • Rosemary McDonald 3.2

      On Natrad this morning also…https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2018792264/foreign-minister-outlines-plan-for-china

      Mahuta speaks with confidence and insight, and while in no way in Winston's league, demanded the interviewer stfu and let her finish her korero.

      I hope all those naysayers step forward and acknowledge now that Mahuta was an appropriate and somewhat inspired choice for Foreign Affairs.

      • Tiger Mountain 3.2.1

        Agree that she was a great choice.

        It will be interesting to see if Nanaia continues on this path and has the backing of the Labour Caucus, because the inhabitants of several Ministries will not like her approach one little bit. Carmel Sepuloni could watch and learn.

        • Rosemary McDonald 3.2.1.1

          Carmel Sepuloni could watch and learn.

          She could. But she won't.

          • Sabine 3.2.1.1.1

            well she could learn the value of working…..lol, which right now she does not need to know.

            Money for nothing and perks for free.

            • Rosemary McDonald 3.2.1.1.1.1

              Its the way she has continued the Great Tradition of Ministers of Social Development and Disability Issues in New Zealand in maintaining the ideology the Work will Conquer All that has impressed me.

              All that is required is to get the most vulnerable of the vulnerable into paid Work.

              Those who simply cannot work don't count.

              • Sabine

                never mind there are no jobs, not for the able bodied, not for the healthy and certainly not for anyone else.

                Ghost Jobs under N and L are just that Ghost Jobs.

        • Anne 3.2.1.2

          Good on Nanaia Mahuta. She's living up to my expectations of her. NZ once again shows independence of thought and deed. A poke in the eye for the psychopaths who run those allied institutions and who expect 'subordinates' to file meekly in behind them without questioning their motives.

          Lets hope it lasts.

  4. Treetop 4

    Until the government treats emergency housing like a disaster, homes will not get built as quickly as they need to be built.

    I live on a street where a motel has 20 units occupied for emergency accommodation. I see the atmosphere and how the guests cope with living there. The government needs to provide a welfare package to those stuck in motels and this needs to include enjoyment to give a respite from harsh reality. Activities most people do in their stable housing cannot be done in a motel due to the restriction of living in a motel.

  5. WeTheBleeple 5

    Not trying to throw a cat among the pigeons here, just think you lot are a more mature crowd than other social media, and this is bugging me.

    As the fight over identity politics wages on…

    We need to leave children out of this. It's OK to not know yourself. It's OK to be confused. It's OK to be absolutely convinced of a thing and then change your mind.

    It's not OK for adults to tell people who they are; to force them into boxes; to give them labels; to assign their 'type'. It's not OK for family and friends to do the same. We've never had all the answers – never, not even close!

    Clearly we have victimised certain groups – and their need to be recognised, and bloody well respected, will not be denied. Hatred of others has given rise to backlash. But it all seems to be getting a bit mad. Are we simply observing the pendulum at it's zenith, and the extremities will level out as a new normal embeds? That's my big question for TS.

    When the pendulum swings
    It breaks off a few things
    Pushes out to extremes
    And then back.

    The race of another is irrelevant to children, and I hope one day as adults race and gender type will also be irrelevant. Seems it's the adults making a big song and dance of it all, on both 'sides'.

    It's divisive, all these labels.

    • Cricklewood 6.1

      Ironically my wife got a text and an email inviting her to book for her first vaccine shot last week. Shes nowhere near MIQ or anything covid related we thought it was a scam…

  6. greywarshark 7

    Nicky Hager is a rock to rely on. He has been studying a cult that has the potential to undermine this country insidiously not with obvious terrorism. The EBs are reverting to the old name of Plymouth Brethren apparently.

    They despise people in general, admit new people into the group who must be compliant and agree or get similar to the Dalek treatment. They are savvy with technology. And interested in advancing themselves and getting wealthy using others skills outside their group. And have the basics for an internal army. Think Brownshirts. And are prepared to put their resources to helping other go-getters in politics, eg have helped National.

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2018792258/we-had-vehicles-outside-the-house-exclusive-brethren-used-thompson-and-clark-to-spy-on-ex-members

    • WeTheBleeple 7.1

      Do you follow the work of David Farrier greywarshark? He documents various fringe phenomena/types & I reckon you'd enjoy his work. An honest journo with a penchant for quirky. Tickled is one of his more famous docos, he also plays the reporter in Rhys Darby's series, Short Poppies.

  7. greywarshark 9

    How come there is a problem with drugs for assisting death? Vets have used effective ones on animals for yonks. Such as – pentobarbital

    The euthanasia medication most vets use is pentobarbital, a seizure medication. In large doses, it quickly renders the pet unconscious. It shuts down their heart and brain functions usually within one or two minutes. https://pets.webmd.com/what-happens-put-pet-to-sleep#1

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/in-depth/440824/distressing-death-warning-for-unregulated-euthanasia-drugs

    People who chose to swallow or ingest the fatal medicines, rather than taking them intravenously, would be given drugs that were compounded (mixed up) by a pharmacist and provided to the patient without being approved by regulator Medsafe.

    The Ministry of Health said those who opted for an injection would be given drugs which had been approved by Medsafe but for a different purpose – so the medicines will be provided for an unapproved, or "off label", use…

    Among the documents is an email from Dr Bryan Betty, medical director at the Royal New Zealand College of GPs, warning that mixing concoctions of drugs had led to traumatic deaths.

    Dr Betty's warning to the Ministry of Health used the example of American states not being able to access death penalty drugs due to cost and availability.

    "So they made up their own concoctions initially, with examples of prolonged processes until fine-tuned. Belgium had a standard process but (this was) not used by many doctors for some years, also resulting in prolonged, distressing deaths."…

    • Craig Hall 9.1

      The most commonly used drug in American executions by lethal injection is pentobarbital mixed by compound pharmacies (most common as in most executions, not necessarily the drug of choice in most states) because that's the Texan method and they are the most prolific state for executions by a wide margin (apart from last year when it was the Federal Gov't, same method and drug though). Opinions on whether it is a sufficiently humane lethal injection option are sharply divided although the division is usually along abolitionist/retentionist lines.

  8. Gosman 10

    The governments sheen is wearing off. This is a bit embarrassing. It looks like the purchase of the land at Ihumatao was unlawful…

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300281951/auditorgeneral-rules-the-299m-the-government-used-to-buy-ihumtao-was-unlawfully-spent

    • Stuart Munro 10.1

      The question for the public is whether it is technical, or material. I doubt many will be seriously exercised about it.

      • ghostwhowalksnz 10.1.1

        Common

        "In 2015/16, there were 12 reported cases of unauthorised expenditure, compared with 19 in 2014/15. The total amount of unauthorised expenditure reported in the Government's financial statements for 2015/16 was $72.5 million (2014/15: $55.8 million). Unauthorised expenditure reported in 2015/16 was 0.08% of the total appropriations for all Votes authorised through the Budget 2015 process (2014/15: 0.07%).

        and the year after

        "

        In 2016/17, the amount of unappropriated expenditure was $124 million (2015/16: $78 million), which is less than 0.14% of the Government's total appropriations for all Votes authorised through the Budget 2016 process (2015/16: less than 0.10%).

        The total amount of expenditure incurred without prior Cabinet authority, as reported in the Government's financial statements for 2016/17, was $90 million (2015/16: $73 million). This was 0.10% of the Government's budgeted expenditure for 2016/17 (2015/16: 0.08%).

        https://oag.parliament.nz/2017/central-government

  9. greywarshark 11

    Tree planting and ETS (Emissions Trading Scheme). https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/covering-climate-now-is-nz-getting-forestry-right/5J2IA4YVDQO2K4YEEIFKHBCQIQ/

    First, we tend to overlook the role that more strategic tree planting could play in enhancing the resilience of landscapes and catchments.
    Second, we're at risk of planting forests that are vulnerable to climate change.

    The Emissions Trading Scheme is calibrated to discover the least-cost emissions reductions; it's indifferent to other issues like adaptation and biodiversity.
    By monetising carbon sequestration, it creates a financial incentive for forests that are cheap to plant and quick to grow.

    Pinus radiata is hard to beat on this front – which is why it'll continue to play an important role in forestry.
    But from a climate adaptation perspective, it isn't a good idea to have a national forest estate that's all in one species.

    Our best defence is to diversify our forests, to spread our risks, and also to introduce greater biodiversity into the forests themselves, in terms of diverse tree species, age class, and silvicultural systems.

    Yet if the ETS incentivises a lot of densely planted, even-aged pine monocultures, then we're setting ourselves up for catastrophic forest loss because these forests are vulnerable to the same shocks.

    • WeTheBleeple 11.1

      Vital stuff. The word resilience needs to be understood and implemented into plans by the folks making these decisions, not just pumped out for PR.

      Our natives sequester more than pine. they hook up with the soil food web and pump carbon below ground as well as above. Building topsoil, while pines strip it.

    • ghostwhowalksnz 12.1

      Speculation.

      'Research published by Te Herenga Waka-Victoria University shows a 75 percent chance of the Alpine Fault rupturing before 2068, up from around 30 percent"

      Still very vague numbers and the earth doesnt read geology studies

  10. Eco Maori 13

    🖕

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  • Melissa Lee and the media: ending the quest
    Chris Trotter writes –  MELISSA LEE should be deprived of her ministerial warrant. Her handling – or non-handling – of the crisis engulfing the New Zealand news media has been woeful. The fate of New Zealand’s two linear television networks, a question which the Minister of Broadcasting, Communications ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    21 hours ago
  • The Hoon around the week to April 19
    TL;DR: The podcast above features co-hosts and , along with regular guests Robert Patman on Gaza and AUKUS II, and on climate change.The six things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    21 hours ago
  • The ‘Humpty Dumpty’ end result of dismantling our environmental protections
    Policymakers rarely wish to make plain or visible their desire to dismantle environmental policy, least of all to the young. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    21 hours ago
  • Nicola's Salad Days.
    I like to keep an eye on what’s happening in places like the UK, the US, and over the ditch with our good mates the Aussies. Let’s call them AUKUS, for want of a better collective term. More on that in a bit.It used to be, not long ago, that ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    22 hours ago
  • Study sees climate change baking in 19% lower global income by 2050
    TL;DR: The global economy will be one fifth smaller than it would have otherwise been in 2050 as a result of climate damage, according to a new study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and published in the journal Nature. (See more detail and analysis below, and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    22 hours ago
  • Weekly Roundup 19-April-2024
    It’s Friday again. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week on Greater Auckland On Tuesday Matt covered at the government looking into a long tunnel for Wellington. On Wednesday we ran a post from Oscar Simms on some lessons from Texas. AT’s ...
    23 hours ago
  • Jack Vowles: Stop the panic – we’ve been here before
    New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’.  The data is from February this ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    1 day ago
  • Clearing up confusion (or trying to)
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters is understood to be planning a major speech within the next fortnight to clear up the confusion over whether or not New Zealand might join the AUKUS submarine project. So far, there have been conflicting signals from the Government. RNZ reported the Prime Minister yesterday in ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 day ago
  • How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log iPhone Without Computer
    How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log on iPhone Without a Computer: A StepbyStep Guide Losing your iPhone call history can be frustrating, especially when you need to find a specific number or recall an important conversation. But before you panic, know that there are ways to retrieve deleted call logs on your iPhone, even without a computer. This guide will explore various methods, ranging from simple checks to utilizing iCloud backups and thirdparty applications. So, lets dive in and recover those lost calls! 1. Check Recently Deleted Folder: Apple understands that accidental deletions happen. Thats why they introduced the Recently Deleted folder for various apps, including the Phone app. This folder acts as a safety net, storing deleted call logs for up to 30 days before permanently erasing them. Heres how to check it: Open the Phone app on your iPhone. Tap on the Recents tab at the bottom. Scroll to the top and tap on Edit. Select Show Recently Deleted. Browse the list to find the call logs you want to recover. Tap on the desired call log and choose Recover to restore it to your call history. 2. Restore from iCloud Backup: If you regularly back up your iPhone to iCloud, you might be able to retrieve your deleted call log from a previous backup. However, keep in mind that this process will restore your entire phone to the state it was in at the time of the backup, potentially erasing any data added since then. Heres how to restore from an iCloud backup: Go to Settings > General > Reset. Choose Erase All Content and Settings. Follow the onscreen instructions. Your iPhone will restart and show the initial setup screen. Choose Restore from iCloud Backup during the setup process. Select the relevant backup that contains your deleted call log. Wait for the restoration process to complete. 3. Explore ThirdParty Apps (with Caution): ...
    1 day ago
  • How to Factory Reset iPhone without Computer: A Comprehensive Guide to Restoring your Device
    Life throws curveballs, and sometimes, those curveballs necessitate wiping your iPhone clean and starting anew. Whether you’re facing persistent software glitches, preparing to sell your device, or simply wanting a fresh start, knowing how to factory reset iPhone without a computer is a valuable skill. While using a computer with ...
    1 day ago
  • How to Call Someone on a Computer: A Guide to Voice and Video Communication in the Digital Age
    Gone are the days when communication was limited to landline phones and physical proximity. Today, computers have become powerful tools for connecting with people across the globe through voice and video calls. But with a plethora of applications and methods available, how to call someone on a computer might seem ...
    1 day ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #16 2024
    Open access notables Glacial isostatic adjustment reduces past and future Arctic subsea permafrost, Creel et al., Nature Communications: Sea-level rise submerges terrestrial permafrost in the Arctic, turning it into subsea permafrost. Subsea permafrost underlies ~ 1.8 million km2 of Arctic continental shelf, with thicknesses in places exceeding 700 m. Sea-level variations over glacial-interglacial cycles control ...
    1 day ago
  • Where on a Computer is the Operating System Generally Stored? Delving into the Digital Home of your ...
    The operating system (OS) is the heart and soul of a computer, orchestrating every action and interaction between hardware and software. But have you ever wondered where on a computer is the operating system generally stored? The answer lies in the intricate dance between hardware and software components, particularly within ...
    2 days ago
  • How Many Watts Does a Laptop Use? Understanding Power Consumption and Efficiency
    Laptops have become essential tools for work, entertainment, and communication, offering portability and functionality. However, with rising energy costs and growing environmental concerns, understanding a laptop’s power consumption is more important than ever. So, how many watts does a laptop use? The answer, unfortunately, isn’t straightforward. It depends on several ...
    2 days ago
  • How to Screen Record on a Dell Laptop A Guide to Capturing Your Screen with Ease
    Screen recording has become an essential tool for various purposes, such as creating tutorials, capturing gameplay footage, recording online meetings, or sharing information with others. Fortunately, Dell laptops offer several built-in and external options for screen recording, catering to different needs and preferences. This guide will explore various methods on ...
    2 days ago
  • How Much Does it Cost to Fix a Laptop Screen? Navigating Repair Options and Costs
    A cracked or damaged laptop screen can be a frustrating experience, impacting productivity and enjoyment. Fortunately, laptop screen repair is a common service offered by various repair shops and technicians. However, the cost of fixing a laptop screen can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article delves into the ...
    2 days ago
  • How Long Do Gaming Laptops Last? Demystifying Lifespan and Maximizing Longevity
    Gaming laptops represent a significant investment for passionate gamers, offering portability and powerful performance for immersive gaming experiences. However, a common concern among potential buyers is their lifespan. Unlike desktop PCs, which allow for easier component upgrades, gaming laptops have inherent limitations due to their compact and integrated design. This ...
    2 days ago
  • Climate Change: Turning the tide
    The annual inventory report of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions has been released, showing that gross emissions have dropped for the third year in a row, to 78.4 million tons: All-told gross emissions have decreased by over 6 million tons since the Zero Carbon Act was passed in 2019. ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago
  • How to Unlock Your Computer A Comprehensive Guide to Regaining Access
    Experiencing a locked computer can be frustrating, especially when you need access to your files and applications urgently. The methods to unlock your computer will vary depending on the specific situation and the type of lock you encounter. This guide will explore various scenarios and provide step-by-step instructions on how ...
    2 days ago
  • Faxing from Your Computer A Modern Guide to Sending Documents Digitally
    While the world has largely transitioned to digital communication, faxing still holds relevance in certain industries and situations. Fortunately, gone are the days of bulky fax machines and dedicated phone lines. Today, you can easily send and receive faxes directly from your computer, offering a convenient and efficient way to ...
    2 days ago
  • Protecting Your Home Computer A Guide to Cyber Awareness
    In our increasingly digital world, home computers have become essential tools for work, communication, entertainment, and more. However, this increased reliance on technology also exposes us to various cyber threats. Understanding these threats and taking proactive steps to protect your home computer is crucial for safeguarding your personal information, finances, ...
    2 days ago
  • Server-Based Computing Powering the Modern Digital Landscape
    In the ever-evolving world of technology, server-based computing has emerged as a cornerstone of modern digital infrastructure. This article delves into the concept of server-based computing, exploring its various forms, benefits, challenges, and its impact on the way we work and interact with technology. Understanding Server-Based Computing: At its core, ...
    2 days ago
  • Vroom vroom go the big red trucks
    The absolute brass neck of this guy.We want more medical doctors, not more spin doctors, Luxon was saying a couple of weeks ago, and now we’re told the guy has seven salaried adults on TikTok duty. Sorry, doing social media. The absolute brass neck of it. The irony that the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • Jones finds $410,000 to help the government muscle in on a spat project
    Buzz from the Beehive Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones relishes spatting and eagerly takes issue with environmentalists who criticise his enthusiasm for resource development. He relishes helping the fishing industry too. And so today, while the media are making much of the latest culling in the public service to ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago
  • Again, hate crimes are not necessarily terrorism.
    Having written, taught and worked for the US government on issues involving unconventional warfare and terrorism for 30-odd years, two things irritate me the most when the subject is discussed in public. The first is the Johnny-come-lately academics-turned-media commentators who … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    2 days ago
  • Despair – construction consenting edition
    Eric Crampton writes – Kainga Ora is the government’s house building agency. It’s been building a lot of social housing. Kainga Ora has its own (but independent) consenting authority, Consentium. It’s a neat idea. Rather than have to deal with building consents across each different territorial authority, Kainga Ora ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • Coalition promises – will the Govt keep the commitment to keep Kiwis equal before the law?
    Muriel Newman writes – The Coalition Government says it is moving with speed to deliver campaign promises and reverse the damage done by Labour. One of their key commitments is to “defend the principle that New Zealanders are equal before the law.” To achieve this, they have pledged they “will not advance ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • An impermanent public service is a guarantee of very little else but failure
    Chris Trotter writes –  The absence of anything resembling a fightback from the public servants currently losing their jobs is interesting. State-sector workers’ collective fatalism in the face of Coalition cutbacks indicates a surprisingly broad acceptance of impermanence in the workplace. Fifty years ago, lay-offs in the thousands ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • What happens after the war – Mariupol
    Mariupol, on the Azov Sea coast, was one of the first cities to suffer almost complete destruction after the start of the Ukraine War started in late February 2022. We remember the scenes of absolute destruction of the houses and city structures. The deaths of innocent civilians – many of ...
    2 days ago
  • Babies and benefits – no good news
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – Ten years ago, I wrote the following in a Listener column: Every year around one in five new-born babies will be reliant on their caregivers benefit by Christmas. This pattern has persisted from at least 1993. For Maori the number jumps to over one in three.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • Should the RBNZ be looking through climate inflation?
    Climate change is expected to generate more and more extreme events, delivering a sort of structural shock to inflation that central banks will have to react to as if they were short-term cyclical issues. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours, as of 9:16 am on Thursday, April 18 are:Housing: Tauranga residents living in boats, vans RNZ Checkpoint Louise TernouthHousing: Waikato councillor says wastewater plant issues could hold up Sleepyhead building a massive company town Waikato Times Stephen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on the public sector carnage, and misogyny as terrorism
    It’s a simple deal. We pay taxes in order to finance the social services we want and need. The carnage now occurring across the public sector though, is breaking that contract. Over 3,000 jobs have been lost so far. Many are in crucial areas like Education where the impact of ...
    2 days ago
  • Meeting the Master Baiters
    Hi,A friend had their 40th over the weekend and decided to theme it after Curb Your Enthusiasm fashion icon Susie Greene. Captured in my tiny kitchen before I left the house, I ending up evoking a mix of old lesbian and Hillary Clinton — both unintentional.Me vs Hillary ClintonIf you’re ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago
  • How extreme was the Earth's temperature in 2023
    This is a re-post from Andrew Dessler at the Climate Brink blog In 2023, the Earth reached temperature levels unprecedented in modern times. Given that, it’s reasonable to ask: What’s going on? There’s been lots of discussions by scientists about whether this is just the normal progression of global warming or if something ...
    2 days ago
  • Backbone, revisited
    The schools are on holiday and the sun is shining in the seaside village and all day long I have been seeing bunches of bikes; Mums, Dads, teens and toddlers chattering, laughing, happy, having a bloody great time together. Cheers, AT, for the bits of lane you’ve added lately around the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Ministers are not above the law
    Today in our National-led authoritarian nightmare: Shane Jones thinks Ministers should be above the law: New Zealand First MP Shane Jones is accusing the Waitangi Tribunal of over-stepping its mandate by subpoenaing a minister for its urgent hearing on the Oranga Tamariki claim. The tribunal is looking into the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • What’s the outfit you can hear going down the gurgler? Probably it’s David Parker’s Oceans Sec...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point  of Order first heard of the Oceans Secretariat in June 2021, when David Parker (remember him?) announced a multi-agency approach to protecting New Zealand’s marine ecosystems and fisheries. Parker (holding the Environment, and Oceans and Fisheries portfolios) broke the news at the annual Forest & ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Bryce Edwards writes  – Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Matt Doocey doubles down on trans “healthcare”
    Citizen Science writes –  Last week saw two significant developments in the debate over the treatment of trans-identifying children and young people – the release in Britain of the final report of Dr Hilary Cass’s review into gender healthcare, and here in New Zealand, the news that the ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • A TikTok Prime Minister.
    One night while sleeping in my bed I had a beautiful dreamThat all the people of the world got together on the same wavelengthAnd began helping one anotherNow in this dream, universal love was the theme of the dayPeace and understanding and it happened this wayAfter such an eventful day ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Texas Lessons
    This is a guest post by Oscar Simms who is a housing activist, volunteer for the Coalition for More Homes, and was the Labour Party candidate for Auckland Central at the last election. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    3 days ago
  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links at 6:06 am
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours as of 6:06 am on Wednesday, April 17 are:Must read: Secrecy shrouds which projects might be fast-tracked RNZ Farah HancockScoop: Revealed: Luxon has seven staffers working on social media content - partly paid for by taxpayer Newshub ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Fighting poverty on the holiday highway
    Turning what Labour called the “holiday highway” into a four-lane expressway from Auckland to Whangarei could bring at least an economic benefit of nearly two billion a year for Northland each year. And it could help bring an end to poverty in one of New Zealand’s most deprived regions. The ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago
  • Bernard's six-stack of substacks at 6:26 pm
    Tonight’s six-stack includes: launching his substack with a bunch of his previous documentaries, including this 1992 interview with Dame Whina Cooper. and here crew give climate activists plenty to do, including this call to submit against the Fast Track Approvals bill. writes brilliantly here on his substack ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • At a glance – Is the science settled?
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    4 days ago
  • Apposite Quotations.
    How Long Is Long Enough? Gaza under Israeli bombardment, July 2014. This posting is exclusive to Bowalley Road. ...
    4 days ago
  • What’s a life worth now?
    You're in the mall when you hear it: some kind of popping sound in the distance, kids with fireworks, maybe. But then a moment of eerie stillness is followed by more of the fireworks sound and there’s also screaming and shrieking and now here come people running for their lives.Does ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • Howling at the Moon
    Karl du Fresne writes –  There’s a crisis in the news media and the media are blaming it on everyone except themselves. Culpability is being deflected elsewhere – mainly to the hapless Minister of Communications, Melissa Lee, and the big social media platforms that are accused of hoovering ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Newshub is Dead.
    I don’t normally send out two newsletters in a day but I figured I’d say something about… the news. If two newsletters is a bit much then maybe just skip one, I don’t want to overload people. Alternatively if you’d be interested in sometimes receiving multiple, smaller updates from me, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • Seymour is chuffed about cutting early-learning red tape – but we hear, too, that Jones has loose...
    Buzz from the Beehive David Seymour and Winston Peters today signalled that at least two ministers of the Crown might be in Wellington today. Seymour (as Associate Minister of Education) announced the removal of more red tape, this time to make it easier for new early learning services to be ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. Our political system is suffering from the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    4 days ago
  • Was Hawkesby entirely wrong?
    David Farrar  writes –  The Broadcasting Standards Authority ruled: Comments by radio host Kate Hawkesby suggesting Māori and Pacific patients were being prioritised for surgery due to their ethnicity were misleading and discriminatory, the Broadcasting Standards Authority has found. It is a fact such patients are prioritised. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • PRC shadow looms as the Solomons head for election
    PRC and its proxies in Solomons have been preparing for these elections for a long time. A lot of money, effort and intelligence have gone into ensuring an outcome that won’t compromise Beijing’s plans. Cleo Paskall writes – On April 17th the Solomon Islands, a country of ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Climate Change: Criminal ecocide
    We are in the middle of a climate crisis. Last year was (again) the hottest year on record. NOAA has just announced another global coral bleaching event. Floods are threatening UK food security. So naturally, Shane Jones wants to make it easier to mine coal: Resources Minister Shane Jones ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Is saving one minute of a politician's time worth nearly $1 billion?
    Is speeding up the trip to and from Wellington airport by 12 minutes worth spending up more than $10 billion? Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me in the last day to 8:26 am today are:The Lead: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Long Tunnel or Long Con?
    Yesterday it was revealed that Transport Minister had asked Waka Kotahi to look at the options for a long tunnel through Wellington. State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the ...
    4 days ago
  • Smoke And Mirrors.
    You're a fraud, and you know itBut it's too good to throw it all awayAnyone would do the sameYou've got 'em goingAnd you're careful not to show itSometimes you even fool yourself a bitIt's like magicBut it's always been a smoke and mirrors gameAnyone would do the sameForty six billion ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • $41m to support clean energy in South East Asia
    New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    15 hours ago
  • Minister releases Fast-track stakeholder list
    The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    17 hours ago
  • Judicial appointments announced
    Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago
  • Education Minister heads to major teaching summit in Singapore
    Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa.  The summit is co-hosted ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago
  • Value of stopbank project proven during cyclone
    A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago
  • Anzac commemorations, Türkiye relationship focus of visit
    Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul.    “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago
  • Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac Day
    Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    22 hours ago
  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr.  The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
    The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Taupō takes pole position
    The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Cost of living support for low-income homeowners
    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners.  “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government backing mussel spat project
    The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government focused on getting people into work
    Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Clean energy key driver to reducing emissions
    The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forward
    The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government consults on extending coastal permits for ports
    RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Inflation coming down, but more work to do
    Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • School attendance restored as a priority in health advice
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