Wiles has a good piece on the new UK variant, which isn't too technical. Main takeaway is that while this strain is concerning, it is the Johnson government's response to the pandemic that is really worrying.
The more a virus infects, and thus the more it replicates, the more mutations will occur. Have to wonder what is happening in the USA, where there are more cases and less testing.
It is theoretically possible that current PCR tests will fail to pick up new variants but it is unlikely because PCR tests test for multiple regions of the virus genome. In any case, it is relatively easily rectified by changing the target regions of the PCR test. Different PCR test-kits target different regions, anyway, which is an argument not to rely on one test only and put all your eggs in one basket.
BTW, those 14 mutations may not have occurred in one month.
According to BBC Radio 5 last night this mutation has been around since September and is one of many Covid mutations-all virus's mutate. This mutation will have spread around the world by now-the Guardian just reported that someone in Italy has the mutant virus.
In reality the "mutant virus" story is a diversion tactic for yet another massive Boris cock-up/u-turn in relation to the abandoning of the stupid 5-day period of relaxation of the Covid rules at Christmas.
Yup. Maybe it's more infectious in practise, maybe not. Either way, super-covid is a great excuse for incompetent governments to start doing what they should have done nine months ago.
Scientists seemed to be saying yesterday that "super-covid" was no more virulent than standard covid and vaccines will protect against it. (No links sorry-just random media statements I heard)
It might not even be that, so much as there's limited utility in isolating and testing someone before they go through some of the most high-traffic buildings in the world.
A person with a false-negative result can unknowingly infect so many people at the gate, in the airbridge, in the plane, at the stopover, at the baggage claim…
Thanks for this link Ed. I had read the truncated ODT version earlier, but that stops just after the "Ideally…" paragraph. NZH ads are pretty annoying though.
Just when you think that Covid is being managed it throws something at you. Usually 2 mutations per month, there have been 14 with B.1.1.7 the new variant.
why? We have no community transmission, and if anyone coming into the country brings covid in it gets dealt with by border control.
Europe still has community transmission and an inadequate covid response.
I mean, I'm all for lessening flights further due to climate change, also happy for NZ to be forced by covid into a more regenerative way of living, but those are different rationales.
Ive been thinking about international air travel, I like the idea of a progressive taxation system as you dont want to make it impossible for people to visit family etc so for example you get one 'free' flight per year then for every subsequent flight you are taxed at an ever increasing percentage of the ticket value say 10 20 40 80 160….
Interesting idea. One of my concerns atm is that with the covid response we're creating a class division for flying. Wealthier people can afford to come and go and pay the MIQ costs (fees, time off work). Lower income people can't. Taxation would make that even more so.
Otoh, lots of people already can't afford to fly, and beneficiaries get 'taxed' if they stay out of the country too long (lose their income in fact).
I suspect that at this point, a big push on educating people around flying and the ecological impacts is needed before we can do much else. Then strategies on how to adapt lifestyles without feeling unduly deprived.
Wikipedia still not addressing the 1985 declassification of the Gouzenko documents , which came up with nothing
It's a great little gag though, your own intelligence agencies provide intelligence that can't be publicly verified for security reasons, and give cover for waging war on a perceived adversary.
Not that I see any chance of counter measures around this government.
And there are still 192,000 work visa holders in the country or having their visa extended again – supposedly while we "train" people – but in reality undermining our local labour market. There has been quite few months now to train people and unless we start dropping these visa numbers steadily by 20K or so a month the labour market will never start to adjust to provide proper jobs and conditions for locals.
If we sent the 192,000 home just exactly how much work do you think would get done? There are very few NZers who are available to do the work offered even with the quite generous incentives. It is dreaming to think that even a few thousand inner city unemployed are able or willing to move to do all the work that is out there.
Most importantly, the billions of dollars lost if agricultural work is not done is billions that will not be available to pay for the vaccines and other essential medicines and all manner of other stuff that we now deem essential.
We used to manage this stuff ourselves – local owners employed local people – I've done the work – but a lot is now in overseas ownership and just wants to have a captive low paid disposable workforce before sending profits offshore. So it's debatable whether we retain a decent amount for the balance of payments anyway.
And if you are a strawberry grower you are complaining about lack of workers while there is a glut of picked fruit on the local market. Somehow I don' t see the workforce as part of that problem. It is simply a mind blowing set of inconsistent statements.
As the ODT story said -growers weren't even answering the people applying for jobs. Plus I'm not suggesting we drop them all in one go – just phase them down.
A $6000 fine for two years of deliberate neglect is just $8/day. Pathetic disincentive.
Crockers should be held accountable too. Property management companies should be regulated into ensuring their clients abide by the rules, or face penalties.
It all depends on how comprehensively the findings of the report have been acted on and the deficiencies around the border corrected. My impression is that they have been.
Government commissioned the report to find out what wasn't working. We'd never done this before so there's a very high chance some things wouldn't be working as well as they should, so find them and fix them. That's government / management.
Sitting on the report until the end is also government / management. It reduces the time that the opposition and media can attack the things that happened in the past and distract and divert the Government from governing and keeping us safe. National were very adept at this as well, but usually it was around feathering their mates' nests.
The report recommendations were reported on some time ago. In the lead up to the election. It was a report commissioned to look at lessons learnt rather than to fulfilling your critic’s blame game tactics. That is why you can see a pile of recommendations about how to make the system better and look at the limits on the approach rather tha trying to crucify people..
Don’t you think that it is better to report on how actually fix problems? Rather than being a ineffectual simpleton critic who drools at the thought of political blood sports and eating red meat of victims?
If you think that last was offensive to you – then think on how offensive I view your lazy arse comment as being. Pigfucker comments deserve the same in response.
any labour loyalists at all uncomfortable about any of that..?
That walked right over the edge into making you appear to have the ethics of Cameron Slater.
That is a pigfucker question of the style of “when did you last fuck your favourite sow?” It works on the principle that explaining is losing. Has nothing to do with debate.
eg; “Aren’t you discouraged that you don't appear to have ever managed to do anything effectual politically in your lifetime?”
It is often directed at a group so that the coward using it can say “but I wasn’t meaning you” when people take it personally. If you don’t like getting called on doing it, then don’t come here.
I’m perfectly comfortable with treating you the same as I did with Cameron.
Heard Ryan's splenetic positioning (link @7.2.1.1) – not unreasonable on a semi-political blog, but OTT for a RNZ interviewer don't you think? Maybe our Government understands the importance of sustaining the hugely successful health outcomes of NZ's COVID response into 2021 – here's hoping.
I lay NZ’s comparatively excellent COVID health outcomes at least partly at the feet of our Government, our public health service professionals and boarder control workers et al. Always room for improvement, and yet there's no place I'd rather be right now.
We don't know how fortunate we are to have that place
We don't know how propitious are the circumstances Frederick
So if things are looking really bad
you're thinking of givin' it away
Remember New Zealand's a cracker
and I reckon come what may
If things get appallingly bad
and we all get atrociously poor
If we stand in the queue with our hats on
we can borrow a few million more.
We don't know how lucky we are, mate We don't know how lucky we are.
Ryan has certainly 'bonfired' some of my trust in her impartiality. She has a guest 'from the left' and a guest 'from the right' in that weekly timeslot – maybe she thought her guest 'from the right' wasn't splenetic enough.
NZ has been lucky, but our comparatively excellent COVID-19 health outcomes aren't all down to luck – there's been some good management too. NZ is well on the way to breaking its previous record of 102 days without a case of COVID-19 from an unknown source, and we've had more NZers repatriated during the current run of nearly 3 months.
Here's hoping the team of nearly five million can get through to the New Year without another case of community transmission to establish a new (year's) record
Mismanaged? Nah, not so. NZ has no community transmission and has one of the best Covid19 responses in the world. Look at what is happening around the world, NZ is the best place to be right now. Dont know why youre bitching about it, there was no rule book for this pandemic, the govt have learnt along the way, like everyone else, and have corrected what ever needed to be adjusted to shore up NZ's response and its working. The facts prove it.
Well this would be the 3rd or 4th go at launching this project. It's on the windiest, driest and most rabbit infested bit of land in the basin. The same sort of development has been proposed, and attempted by at least four other developers on other sites down the Valley of Debt, sorry, Gibbston Valley, without success, they usually get a very windswept vineyard that cost money to run, a few building platforms and the 'resort' bit never seems to eventuate.
The valley is also renown for it's water wars, which hop off into another dimension without equal.
For some light relief here's compost's marketing video. Warning : swallow your coffee first
As for Key and McCullum's involvement, probably got a section / shares for the use of their 'brands' in the marketing.
I'd be surprised if this really goes where they are planning, the site isn't even close to what Millbrook can offer and not where you'd want to have your 5 million mansion.
I’ve just read that so called “A listers,” are lining up for a gated community in the Gibbston Valley. Houses cost $4 million upwards. Apparently John Key is one of them. What Fuckers!! When we have families living in cars that is beyond obscene! Fuck off to the USA where money is worshipped, you won’t get that from this Kiwi.
This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Adam Levy. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). Climate change is everywhere. And when something's everywhere it can feel like it's nowhere. So how do we get our heads ...
Its a law like gravity: whenever a right-wing government is elected, they start attacking democracy. And now, after talking to their Republican and Tory and Fidesz chums at the International Democracy Union forum in Wellington, National is doing it here, announcing plans to remove election-day enrolment. Or, to put it ...
Yesterday Winston Peters focussed his attention on the important matter at hand. Tweeting. Like the former, and quite possibly next, orange POTUS, from whom he takes much of his political strategy, Winston is an avid X’er.His message didn’t resemble an historic address this time. In fact it was more reminiscent ...
Buzz from the Beehive A significant decline in natural gas production has given Resources Minister Shane Jones an opportunity to reiterate his enthusiasm for the mining and burning of coal. For good measure, he has praised an announcement from Genesis Energy that it will resume importing coal. He and Energy ...
“Follow the money” is the classic directive to journalists trying to understand where power and influence lie in society. In terms of uncovering who influences various New Zealand political parties and governments, it therefore pays to look at who is funding them. The political parties are legally obliged to make ...
Rob MacCullough writes – Here is my subjective ranking on a “most-left” to “most-right” scale of most of our major NZ Universities, with some anecdotal (and at times amusing) evidence to back up the claim.Extreme Left Auckland University of TechnologyEvidenceThe ...
Eric Crampton writes – I hadn’t thought about this one until a helpful email showed up in my inbox.It’s pretty obvious that income tax thresholds should automatically index with inflation – whether to anchor the thresholds in percentiles of the income distribution, or to anchor against a real ...
Jacqui Van Der Kaay writes – Parliament’s speaker had no option but to refer Green MP Julie Anne Genter to the Privileges Committee for her behaviour in the House last Wednesday evening. The incident, in which she crossed the floor to wave a book and yell at National ...
Gary Judd writes – The Dean of the law school at the Auckland University of Technology is someone called Khylee Quince. I have been sent her social media posting in which she has, over the LawNews headline “Senior King’s Counsel files complaint about compulsory tikanga Maori studies for ...
Cleo Paskal writes – WASHINGTON, D.C.: ‘Many of us have received phone calls from [the opposing camp] telling them if they join the camp they will be given projects for their wards and $300,000 [around US$35,000] each’, says former Malaita Premier Daniel Suidani. The elections in Solomon Islands aren’t ...
With hindsight, it was inevitable that (a) Hamas would agree to the ceasefire deal brokered by Egypt and Qatar and that ( b) Israel would then immediately launch attacks on Rafah, regardless. We might have hoped the concessions made by Hamas would cause Israel to desist from slaughtering thousands more ...
Placards and mourners outside the Kilbirnie Mosque following the Christchurch terror attack: MSD has terminated the Kaiwhakaoranga service, which has been used by 415 families since the attacks. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The Government’s pledge to only cut ‘back office’ staff rather than ‘frontline’ services is on increasingly shaky ground, with ...
There’s been a few smaller public transport announcements over the last week or so that I thought I’d cover in a single post. Fareshare I’ve long called for Auckland Transport to offer a way to enable employer-subsidised public transport options. The need for this took on even more importance ...
Parliament’s speaker had no option but to refer Green MP Julie Anne Genter to the Privileges Committee for her behaviour in the House last Wednesday evening. The incident, in which she crossed the floor to wave a book and yell at National Minister Matt Doocey, reflects poorly on Genter and ...
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 ...
Who likes being sneered at? Nobody. Worse yet, when the sneerer has their facts all wrong, and might well be an idiot.The sneer in question is The adults are in charge now, and it is a sneer offered in retort to criticism of this new Government, no matter how well ...
When in government, Labour pushed to extend the Parliamentary term to four years, to reduce accountability and our ability to vote out a bad government. And now, they're trying to do it through the member's ballot, with a Four-Year Parliamentary Term Legislation Bill. The bill at least requires a referendum ...
A ballot for a single Member's Bill was held today, and the following bill was drawn: Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill (Hūhana Lyndon) The bill would prevent the government from stealing Māori land in breach of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. It ...
Simeon Brown, alongside Wayne Brown, is favouring a political figleaf now in exchange for loading up tens of millions in extra interest costs on Auckland ratepayers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Ratings agency Standard & Poor’s is pushing back hard at suggestions from Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown ...
Buzz from the Beehive One headline-grabber from the Beehive yesterday was the OECD’s advice that the government must bring the Budget deficit under control or face higher interest rates. Another was the announcement of a $1.9 billion “investment” in Corrections over the next four years. In the best interests of ...
Chris Trotter writes – Had Zheng He’s fleet sailed east, not west, in the early Fifteenth Century, how different our world would be. There is little reason to suppose that the sea-going junks of the Ming Dynasty, among the largest and most sophisticated sailing vessels ever constructed, would have failed ...
David Farrar writes – Two articles give a useful contrast in balance. Both seek to be neutral explainer articles. This one in the Herald on Social Investment covers the pros and cons nicely. It links to critical pieces and talks about aspects that failed and aspects that are more ...
The tikanga regulations will compel law students to be taught that a system which does not conform with the rule of law is nevertheless law which should be observed and applied…Gary Judd KC writes – I have made a complaint to Parliament’s Regulation ...
The future of Te Huia, the train between Hamilton and Auckland, has been getting a lot of attention recently as current funding for it is only in place till the end of June. The government initially agreed to a five year trial, through to April 2026, but that was subject ...
TL;DR: Hamas has just agreed to Israel’s ceasefire plan. Nelson hospital’s rebuild has been cut back to save money. The OECD suggests New Zealand break up network monopolies, including in electricity. PM Christopher Luxon’s news conference on a prison expansion announcement last night was his messiest yet.Here’s my top six ...
A homicide in Ponsonby, a manhunt with a killer on the run. The nation’s leader stands before a press conference reassuring a frightened nation that he’ll sort it out, he’ll keep them safe, he’ll build some new prison spaces.Sorry what? There’s a scary dude on the run with a gun ...
Hi,I know it’s been awhile since there’s been any Webworm merch — and today that all changes!Over the last four months, I’ve been working with New Zealand artist Jess Johnson to create a series of t-shirts, caps and stickers that are infused with Webworm DNA — and as of right ...
The OECD’s chief economist yesterday laid it on the line for the new Government: bring the deficit under control or face higher Reserve Bank interest rates for longer. And to bring the deficit under control, she meant not borrowing for tax cuts. But there was more. Without policy changes—introducing a ...
After a hiatus of over four months Selwyn Manning and I finally got it together to re-start the “A View from Afar” podcast series. We shall see how we go but aim to do 2 episodes per month if possible. … Continue reading → ...
In 2008, the UK Parliament passed the Climate Change Act 2008. The law established a system of targets, budgets, and plans, with inbuilt accountability mechanisms; the aim was to break the cycle of empty promises and replace it with actual progress towards emissions reduction. The law was passed with near-universal ...
Buzz from the Beehive Local Water Done Well – let’s be blunt – is a silly name, but the first big initiative to put it into practice has gone done well. This success is reflected in the headline on an RNZ report:District mayors welcome Auckland’s new water deal with ...
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Lindsay Mitchell writes – The Children’s Minister, Karen Chhour, intends to repeal Section 7AA from the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989 because it creates conflict between claimed Crown Treaty obligations and the child’s best interests. In her words, “Oranga Tamariki’s governing principles and its act should be colour ...
Geoffrey Miller writes – The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. ...
Brian Easton writes – This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be (I will report on them ...
TL;DR:Winston Peters is reported to have won a budget increase for MFAT. David Seymour wanted his Ministry of Regulation to be three times bigger than the Productivity Commission. Simeon Brown is appointing a Crown Monitor to Watercare to protect the Claytons Crown Guarantee he had to give ratings agencies ...
The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. Carr had made highly ...
I could be a florist'Round the corner from Rye LaneI'll be giving daisies to craziesBut, baby, I'll wrap you up real safe Oh, I can give you flowers At the end of every dayFor the center of your table, a rainbowIn case you have people 'round to stay Depending on ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to May 12 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Finance Minister Nicola Willis will give a pre-budget speech on Thursday.Parliament sits from Question Time at 2pm on ...
The price of the foreign affairs “reset” is now becoming apparent, with Defence set to get a funding boost in the Budget. Finance Minister Nicola Willis has confirmed that it will be one of the few votes, apart from Health and Education and possibly Police, which will get an increase ...
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Yesterday I received come lovely feedback following my Star Wars themed newsletter. A few people mentioned they’d enjoyed reading the personal part at the beginning.I often begin newsletters with some memories, or general thoughts, before commencing the main topic. This hopefully sets the mood and provides some context in which ...
April 30 was going to be the day we’d be calling Mum from London to wish her a happy birthday. Then it became the day we would be going to St. Paul's at Evensong to remember her. The aim of the cathedral builders was to find a way to make their ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Can’t remember the last book by a Kiwi author you read? Think the NZ government should spend less on the arts in favor of helping the homeless? If so, as far as Newsroom is concerned, you probably deserve to be called a cultural ignoramus ...
Eric Crampton writes – Grudges are bad. Better to move on. But it can be fun to keep a couple of really trivial ones, so you’re not tempted to have other ones. For example, because of the rootkit fiasco of 2005, no Sony products in our household. ...
A new report warns an estimated third of the adult population have unmet need for health care.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāHere’s the six key things I learned about Aotaroa’s political economy this week around housing, climate and poverty:Politics - Three opinion polls confirmed support for PM Christopher Luxon ...
Today is May the fourth. Which was just a regular day when my mother took me to see the newly released Star Wars at the Odeon in Rotorua. The queue was right around the corner. Some years later this day became known as Star Wars Day, the date being a ...
Buzz from the Beehive Much more media attention is being paid to something Winston Peters said about former Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr than to a speech he delivered to the New Zealand China Council. One word is missing from the speech: AUKUS. But AUKUS loomed large in his considerations ...
Is the economy in another long stagnation? If so, why?This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be ...
The annual list of who's been bribing our politicians is out, and journalists will no doubt be poring over it to find the juiciest and dirtiest bribes. The government's fast-track invite list is likely to be a particular focus, and we already know of one company on the list which ...
In the weeks after the October 7 Hamas attacks on Southern Israel I wrote about the possible 2nd, 3rd and even 4th order effects of the conflict. These included new fronts being opened in the West Bank (with Hamas), Golan … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – It is one of the oldest truisms that there is never a good time for MPs to get a pay rise. This week’s announcement of pay raises of around 2.8% backdated to last October could hardly have come at a worse time, with the ...
David Farrar writes – Newshub reports: Newshub can reveal a fresh allegation of intimidation against Green MP Julie-Anne Genter. Genter is subject to a disciplinary process for aggressively waving a book in the face of National Minister Matt Doocey in the House – but it’s not the first time ...
The Treasury has published a paper today on the global productivity slowdown and how it is playing out in New Zealand: The productivity slowdown: implications for the Treasury’s forecasts and projections. The Treasury Paper examines recent trends in productivity and the potential drivers of the slowdown. Productivity for the whole economy ...
Winston Peters’ comments about former Australian foreign minister look set to be an ongoing headache for both him and Luxon. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for subscribers features co-hosts and , along with regular guests on Gaza and ...
These puppet strings don't pull themselvesYou're thinking thoughts from someone elseHow much time do you think you have?Are you prepared for what comes next?The debating chamber can be a trying place for an opposition MP. What with the person in charge, the speaker, typically being an MP from the governing ...
The land around Lyme Regis, where Meryl Streep once stood, in a hood, on the Cobb, is falling into the sea.MerylThe land around Lyme Regis, around the Cobb that made it rich, has always been falling slowly but surely into the sea. Read more ...
Photo by Jari Hytönen on UnsplashIt’s that new day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when and I co-host our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm. Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news ...
Buzz from the Beehive Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters was bound to win headlines when he set out his thinking about AUKUS in his speech to the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. The headlines became bigger when – during an interview on RNZ’s Morning Report today – he criticised ...
The Post reports on how the government is refusing to release its advice on its corrupt Muldoonist fast-track law, instead using the "soon to be publicly available" refusal ground to hide it until after select committee submissions on the bill have closed. Fast-track Minister Chris Bishop's excuse? “It's not ...
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The New Zealand Herald reports – Stats NZ has offered a voluntary redundancy scheme to all of its workers as a way to give staff some control over their “future” amidst widespread job losses in the public sector. In an update to staff this morning, seen by the Herald, Statistics New Zealand ...
On Werewolf/Scoop, I usually do two long form political columns a week. From now on, there will be an extra column each week about music and movies. But first, some late-breaking political events:The rise in unemployment numbers for the March quarter was bigger than expected – and especially sharp ...
David Farrar writes – The Herald reports: TVNZ says it is dealing with about 50 formal complaints over its coverage of the latest 1News-Verian political poll, with some viewers – as well as the Prime Minister and a former senior Labour MP – critical of the tone of the 6pm report. ...
Muriel Newman writes – When Meridian Energy was seeking resource consents for a West Coast hydro dam proposal in 2010, local Maori “strenuously” objected, claiming their mana was inextricably linked to ‘their’ river and could be damaged. After receiving a financial payment from the company, however, the Ngai Tahu ...
The Green Party is welcoming the announcement by the Minister Responsible for RMA Reform Chris Bishop to approve most of the Wellington City Council’s District Plan recommendations. ...
David Seymour has failed to get the sweeping cuts he wanted to the free and healthy school lunch programme, Labour education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
Hon Willie Jackson has been invited by the Oxford Union to debate the motion “This House Believes British Museums are not Very British’ on May 23rd. ...
Green Party MP Hūhana Lyndon says her Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill is an opportunity to right some past wrongs around the alienation of Māori land. ...
A senior, highly respected King’s Counsel with decades of experience in our law courts, Gary Judd KC, has filed a complaint about compulsory tikanga Māori studies for law students - highlighting the utter depths of absurdity this woke cultural madness has taken our society. The tikanga regulations will compel law ...
The Government needs to be clear with the people of the Nelson Marlborough region about the changes it is considering for the Nelson Hospital rebuild, Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...
Ministers must front up about which projects it will push through under its Fast Track Approvals legislation, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
Your Excellency Ambassador Meredith, Members of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassadors from European Union Member States, Ministerial colleagues, Members of Parliament, and other distinguished guests, Thank you everyone for joining us. Ladies and gentlemen - In diplomacy, we often speak of ‘close’ and ‘long-standing’ relations. ...
The Therapeutic Products Act (TPA) will be repealed this year so that a better regime can be put in place to provide New Zealanders safe and timely access to medicines, medical devices and health products, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The medicines and products we are talking about ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop, today released his decision on twenty recommendations referred to him by the Wellington City Council relating to its Intensification Planning Instrument, after the Council rejected those recommendations of the Independent Hearings Panel and made alternative recommendations. “Wellington notified its District Plan on ...
Rape Awareness Week (6-10 May) is an important opportunity to acknowledge the continued effort required by government and communities to ensure that all New Zealanders can live free from violence, say Ministers Karen Chhour and Louise Upston. “With 1 in 3 women and 1 in 8 men experiencing sexual violence ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government will be delivering a more efficient Healthy School Lunches Programme, saving taxpayers approximately $107 million a year compared to how Labour funded it, by embracing innovation and commercial expertise. “We are delivering on our commitment to treat taxpayers’ money ...
New research on the impacts of extreme weather on coastal marine habitats in Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay will help fishery managers plan for and respond to any future events, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. A report released today on research by Niwa on behalf of Fisheries New Zealand ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will lead a broad political delegation on a five-stop Pacific tour next week to strengthen New Zealand’s engagement with the region. The delegation will visit Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and Tuvalu. “New Zealand has deep and ...
There has been a material decline in gas production according to figures released today by the Gas Industry Co. Figures released by the Gas Industry Company show that there was a 12.5 per cent reduction in gas production during 2023, and a 27.8 per cent reduction in gas production in the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins tonight announced the recipients of the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry, saying they all contribute to New Zealanders’ security and wellbeing. “Congratulations to this year’s recipients, whose innovative products and services play a critical role in the delivery of New Zealand’s defence capabilities, ...
Welcome to you all - it is a pleasure to be here this evening.I would like to start by thanking Greg Lowe, Chair of the New Zealand Defence Industry Advisory Council, for co-hosting this reception with me. This evening is about recognising businesses from across New Zealand and overseas who in ...
It is a pleasure to be speaking to you as the Minister for Digitising Government. I would like to thank Akolade for the invitation to address this Summit, and to acknowledge the great effort you are making to grow New Zealand’s digital future. Today, we stand at the cusp of ...
New Zealand is urging both Israel and Hamas to agree to an immediate ceasefire to avoid the further humanitarian catastrophe that military action in Rafah would unleash, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The immense suffering in Gaza cannot be allowed to worsen further. Both sides have a responsibility to ...
A new online data dashboard released today as part of the Government’s school attendance action plan makes more timely daily attendance data available to the public and parents, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. The interactive dashboard will be updated once a week to show a national average of how ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced Rosemary Banks will be New Zealand’s next Ambassador to the United States of America. “Our relationship with the United States is crucial for New Zealand in strategic, security and economic terms,” Mr Peters says. “New Zealand and the United States have a ...
The Government is considering creating a new tier of minerals permitting that will make it easier for hobby miners to prospect for gold. “New Zealand was built on gold, it’s in our DNA. Our gold deposits, particularly in regions such as Otago and the West Coast have always attracted fortune-hunters. ...
Minister for Trade Todd McClay today announced that New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will commence negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA). Minister McClay met with his counterpart UAE Trade Minister Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi in Dubai, where they announced the launch of negotiations on a ...
New Zealand Sign Language Week is an excellent opportunity for all Kiwis to give the language a go, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. This week (May 6 to 12) is New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week. The theme is “an Aotearoa where anyone can sign anywhere” and aims to ...
Six tertiary students have been selected to work on NASA projects in the US through a New Zealand Space Scholarship, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today. “This is a fantastic opportunity for these talented students. They will undertake internships at NASA’s Ames Research Center or its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where ...
New Zealanders will be safer because of a $1.9 billion investment in more frontline Corrections officers, more support for offenders to turn away from crime, and more prison capacity, Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell says. “Our Government said we would crack down on crime. We promised to restore law and order, ...
The OECD’s latest report on New Zealand reinforces the importance of bringing Government spending under control, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The OECD conducts country surveys every two years to review its members’ economic policies. The 2024 New Zealand survey was presented in Wellington today by OECD Chief Economist Clare Lombardelli. ...
The Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Council’s Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure. The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Next week the government will again next try to get its legislation through to deal with non-citizens who won’t cooperate with efforts to deport them. The bill, which the opposition and crossbench refused to rush ...
A long-term project that will set out an alternative vision for Aotearoa that looks beyond the narrow confines of the policy straight jacket adopted by successive governments. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bree Hurst, Associate Professor, Faculty of Business and Law, QUT, Queensland University of Technology TK Kurikawa/Shutterstock A much-awaited report into Coles and Woolworths has found what many customers have long believed – Australia’s big supermarkets engage in price gouging. What started ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daniel Ghezelbash, Associate Professor and Deputy Director, Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law, UNSW Law & Justice, UNSW Sydney The Albanese government wanted to avoid an inquiry into its migration amendment bill. The report, handed down yesterday by a senate committee that ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joo-Cheong Tham, Professor, Melbourne Law School, The University of Melbourne Lobbying is at the heart of government. Who has access to and influence over key government officials shapes the decisions governments make – and how they make them. The ability to influence ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Myfany Turpin, Associate Professor, Ethnomusicology, Linguistics and Ethnobiology, University of Sydney The act representing Australia at this year’s Eurovision contest has sadly not qualified for the grand final. Yet for Zaachariaha Fielding and Michael Ross, the duo that makes up Electric Fields, ...
In announcing changes to the school lunches programme, David Seymour said kids would no longer be served ‘woke’ foods. To clear up any confusion, The Spinoff has compiled a guide to the wokeness levels of some common food items. Apple = NOT WOKE Avocado = WOKE Avocado, smashed = EVEN ...
The Minister Responsible for GCSB and the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security have been notified of this review, and have been provided a finalised Terms of Reference. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Minglu Chen, Senior Lecturer, Government and International Relations, University of Sydney Robert Way/Shutterstock As the past few years have illustrated so clearly, the Australia-China relationship is complicated. As such, it is crucial for Australians to develop a more nuanced understanding of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mariana Campbell, Research Lecturer, Conservation, Charles Darwin University Marilyn Connell Australian freshwater turtles are facing an alarming trend. Almost half of these species are listed as vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered. The Mary River turtle (Elusor macrurus) is one of Australia’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Debbie Passey, Digital Health Research Fellow, The University of Melbourne Algorithms have become integral to our lives. From social media apps to Netflix, algorithms learn your preferences and prioritise the content you are shown. Google Maps and artificial intelligence are nothing without ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Josephine Barbaro, Associate Professor, Principal Research Fellow, Psychologist, La Trobe University Unsplash We’ve come a long way in terms of understanding that everyone thinks, interacts and experiences the world differently. In the past, autistic people, people with attention deficit hyperactive disorder ...
PNG Post-Courier Papua New Guinea’s deputy opposition leader James Nomane has accused the government of “reckless economic management” that has forced devaluation to manage loan repayments in foreign currency and placate the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Prime Minister James Marape “must stop lying to the people of Papua New Guinea”, ...
Welcome to The Spinoff Bookseller Confessional, in which we get to know Aotearoa’s booksellers. This week: Jane Arthur, author of Brown Bird, and former bookseller at Good Books.The book I wish I’d writtenI have been working on not comparing myself to others. On accepting that what I can ...
The final decision on the Wellington District Plan makes it official: High-density housing is legal across most of Wellington. Housing minister Chris Bishop has announced his decision on the Wellington District Plan, approving a series of amendments to radically upzone most of Wellington, allowing tens of thousands of new townhouses ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards – Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. “Follow the money” is the classic directive to journalists trying to understand where power and influence lie in society. In terms of uncovering who influences various New Zealand political parties and governments, it therefore pays to ...
RNZ News As Israel presses ahead with strikes in Rafah and seizing the Rafah crossing from Egypt, aid agencies are sounding the alarm of a “catastrophic humanitarian situation”. Rafah was “significant” because it was the only part in Gaza that had not been terribly damaged by the conflict, United Nations ...
With funding set to be scrapped for the Hamilton-Auckland commuter train, Te Huia enthusiast Georgie Dansey argues for it to be thrown a lifeline. It’s 5.45am and the chain of my crappy old bike falls off slugging up the one hill in Hamilton. I contemplate yeeting the bike into the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anna Cooke, Honorary Fellow, School of the Environment, The University of Queensland We feel ecological grief when we lose places, species or ecosystems we value and love. These losses are a growing threat to mental health and wellbeing globally. We all see ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shauna Brail, Associate Professor, Institute for Management & Innovation, University of Toronto A shift to hybrid and remote work continues to affect worker presence in Toronto’s downtown.(Shutterstock) Downtown Toronto, the core of Canada’s largest city, continues to reel from the lingering ...
Responding to an Auditor-General's report slamming failures in the administration of the 2023 General Election, Taxpayers’ Union Policy and Public Affairs Manager, James Ross, said: ...
Productivity apps now make up a big chunk of the software market. But do they work? And why do they all have AI integrations?Despite being firmly on the record as a physical planner fan, I sometimes dream of something better than my pretty diary and its scrawled, ugly, interior ...
The Taxpayers’ Union says the Beehive need to lead by example, following reports of more than $50,000 spent upgrading video conferencing equipment and furniture in the Prime Minister’s office. Taxpayers’ Union Campaign Manager, Connor Molloy, ...
An objective list of the 50 most powerful people in New Zealand, as judged by the Spinoff Editorial Board. It’s power list season, baby, and we want in on the action. Sure, there’s the rich list and the powerful “c-suite” list and the young people with power (hmmm) but here, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Thalia Anthony, Professor of Law, University of Technology Sydney ShutterstockThis article contains information on deaths in custody and the names of deceased people, and describes ongoing colonial violence towards Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. First Nations people in Australia ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alex Simpson, Senior Lecturer in Criminology, Macquarie University Netflix Baby Reindeer’s phenomenal success has much to do with its writer and lead, Richard Gadd, who plays Donny in a tender semi-autobiographical account of sexual abuse, harassment and stalking. Gadd’s story has ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Collins, Laureate Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Newcastle KarolinaGrabowska/Pexels If you didn’t have food allergies as a child, is it possible to develop them as an adult? The short answer is yes. But the reasons why are much ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul Moon, Professor of History, Auckland University of Technology Ans Westra, self-portrait, c. 1963. National Library ref AWM-0705-F They try but invariably fail – those writers who believe they are capable of encapsulating in prose or verse the essence of ...
Stewart Sowman-Lund looks at the growing concern around the world in this extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. What’s all this? When Covid-19 arrived on our shores in early 2020, some argued we were too slow, or crucially, ill-prepared for a pandemic. So ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Franco Montalto, Professor of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering and Director, Sustainable Water Resource Engineering Laboratory, Drexel University Water runs into a storm drain in a Los Angeles alley on Aug. 19, 2023, during Tropical Storm Hilary.Citizen of the Planet/Universal Images ...
The inquest into the death of Gore toddler Lachlan Jones has turned up a new witness who says he saw two teenagers and a small child in a high vis vest in the area where the boy’s body was found the day he died. Lachie’s body was discovered face up ...
Stories from the tenancy trenches, featuring spider infestations, cupboard rats and same-sex discrimination. Lucy’s brother was living in a damp 1930s building in Mt Eden where “he had to tie the cupboard doors closed so the rats didn’t get in”. Although he shared custody of his six-year-old son, his property ...
Simeon Brown, Chris Luxon, and Wayne Brown climbed into a hole and announced a plan to solve Auckland’s water woes. This is how it’ll work. New Zealand’s pipes are munted. They’re cracked and leaking, and struggling to handle all the extra poos excreted by our rising population. It’s a big, ...
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Opinion: “As time passes, knowledge of the circumstances of the August 2016 outbreak will fade and its immediate impact will be lost.” This statement is from the 2017 report of the Official Inquiry into the Havelock North campylobacteriosis outbreak. The then National-led government established the inquiry after the outbreak left ...
Opinion: Nicholas Khoo looks at two key points in the high-stakes foreign policy pact debate – and asks if NZ can engage with as little drama as possible. The post Where to next for the Aukus ruckus? appeared first on Newsroom. ...
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Wellington long jumper Phoebe Edwards is back and she’s having fun again. Until this year, Edwards, a top athlete in her teens, had never competed as a senior athlete in New Zealand. In March, the 26-year-old won a national long jump title in a lifetime best of 6.28m after ...
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ANALYSIS:By Olli Hellmann, University of Waikato When New Zealanders commemorate Anzac Day today on April 25, it’s not only to honour the soldiers who lost their lives in World War I and subsequent conflicts, but also to mark a defining event for national identity. The battle of Gallipoli against ...
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Hayward, Emeritus Professor of Public Policy, RMIT University The Victorian budget offered more of the same on Tuesday, with the only change being how the budget papers were packaged. The usual shrink wrap was gone, hinting at savings in the pages ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Coalition is demanding extensive amendments to the government’s legislation targeting non-citizens who refuse to co-operate with their removal. In a dissenting report to the senate inquiry into the legislation, the Coalition says it ...
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I have been thinking about the new variant of Covid 19.
1. Should NZ stop flights from Britain until more is known about the variant?
2. Does the new variant of Covid-19 require a longer isolation period?
3. Would the new variant of Covid-19 be more lethal in the NZ population due to having less infections of the previous variant?
About a month ago I raised the government being prepared over the Christmas/holiday period to make decisions about Covid if required.
Treetop
Wiles has a good piece on the new UK variant, which isn't too technical. Main takeaway is that while this strain is concerning, it is the Johnson government's response to the pandemic that is really worrying.
https://thespinoff.co.nz/science/21-12-2020/siouxsie-wiles-just-how-worrying-is-the-new-covid-19-strain-for-britain-and-the-rest-of-us/
The more a virus infects, and thus the more it replicates, the more mutations will occur. Have to wonder what is happening in the USA, where there are more cases and less testing.
Thanks for the link, I will read it.
Johnson has a lot going on with Brexit having a no deal exit as of today.
I did wonder if the PCR test being used would detect the new variant B.1.1.7
Wonder no longer.
And the next big jump of mutations with a new variant?
Are you a doomscroller?
It is theoretically possible that current PCR tests will fail to pick up new variants but it is unlikely because PCR tests test for multiple regions of the virus genome. In any case, it is relatively easily rectified by changing the target regions of the PCR test. Different PCR test-kits target different regions, anyway, which is an argument not to rely on one test only and put all your eggs in one basket.
BTW, those 14 mutations may not have occurred in one month.
I looked up doomscoller.
Whatever.
Iran has suspended flights to the U.K. for 2 weeks.
We must follow their example.
No
I am a yes for a month. In saying this the new variant B.1.1.7 could come in from anywhere.
According to BBC Radio 5 last night this mutation has been around since September and is one of many Covid mutations-all virus's mutate. This mutation will have spread around the world by now-the Guardian just reported that someone in Italy has the mutant virus.
In reality the "mutant virus" story is a diversion tactic for yet another massive Boris cock-up/u-turn in relation to the abandoning of the stupid 5-day period of relaxation of the Covid rules at Christmas.
Yup. Maybe it's more infectious in practise, maybe not. Either way, super-covid is a great excuse for incompetent governments to start doing what they should have done nine months ago.
Scientists seemed to be saying yesterday that "super-covid" was no more virulent than standard covid and vaccines will protect against it. (No links sorry-just random media statements I heard)
Europe has banned flights. We should too.
Europe doesn't have MIQ. That said, there are too many people returning to this country. Needs to be managed.
Michael Baker has expressed concerns that we are entering a most dangerous phase.
He thinks we need more controls.
I agree with him.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/that-could-be-us-tomorrow-top-epidemiologist-warns-what-sydneys-covid-19-outbreak-means-for-aotearoa/AG3HG7DBDV22UTH5XHIJRXDZWM/
He's been talking about the traffic light system for a while but I can't see how if MIQ is done properly here it would make a difference.
He's asking for a three day supervised isolation and negative test in high risk countries of origin. Great on paper but how is that going to work?
Weren't the Russian fishing crews tested beforehand? Don't lots of airlines already demand preflight tests?
I’m all for defense-in-depth, but the preflight isolation and testing system doesn’t seem to have much effect.
Yes, the problem with testing at source is that there is no warrant against corruption and poor procedure.
We know the rest of the world’s standards are woefully inadequate compared to our own.
It might not even be that, so much as there's limited utility in isolating and testing someone before they go through some of the most high-traffic buildings in the world.
A person with a false-negative result can unknowingly infect so many people at the gate, in the airbridge, in the plane, at the stopover, at the baggage claim…
Another slice of gruyere wouldn't be excessive.
Thanks for this link Ed. I had read the truncated ODT version earlier, but that stops just after the "Ideally…" paragraph. NZH ads are pretty annoying though.
Just when you think that Covid is being managed it throws something at you. Usually 2 mutations per month, there have been 14 with B.1.1.7 the new variant.
Link at 1.1
why? We have no community transmission, and if anyone coming into the country brings covid in it gets dealt with by border control.
Europe still has community transmission and an inadequate covid response.
I mean, I'm all for lessening flights further due to climate change, also happy for NZ to be forced by covid into a more regenerative way of living, but those are different rationales.
Ive been thinking about international air travel, I like the idea of a progressive taxation system as you dont want to make it impossible for people to visit family etc so for example you get one 'free' flight per year then for every subsequent flight you are taxed at an ever increasing percentage of the ticket value say 10 20 40 80 160….
Interesting idea. One of my concerns atm is that with the covid response we're creating a class division for flying. Wealthier people can afford to come and go and pay the MIQ costs (fees, time off work). Lower income people can't. Taxation would make that even more so.
Otoh, lots of people already can't afford to fly, and beneficiaries get 'taxed' if they stay out of the country too long (lose their income in fact).
I suspect that at this point, a big push on educating people around flying and the ecological impacts is needed before we can do much else. Then strategies on how to adapt lifestyles without feeling unduly deprived.
Nothing much has changed
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/dec/20/russian-hack-suspected-role-biden-mulls-punishment
Propaganda that isn't defrocked until decades after it's done its corrosive work .And generation after generation falls for it
https://fort-russ.com/2020/12/todays-china-espionage-scandals-revive-the-gouzenko-hoax-that-unleashed-the-cold-war/
Wikipedia still not addressing the 1985 declassification of the Gouzenko documents , which came up with nothing
It's a great little gag though, your own intelligence agencies provide intelligence that can't be publicly verified for security reasons, and give cover for waging war on a perceived adversary.
No, nothing. Former CIA Agent John Stockwell Talks about How the CIA Worked in Vietnam and Elsewhere
He's starting the right way. Fingers crossed it will continue:
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/us-president-elect-joe-biden-introduces-team-to-tackle-climate-change/CMMG3LE3DNJVHKGSDZQIJX22WE/
If the US turns it around and takes the lead on climate change… that will be a big incentive for other countries to follow suit.
Biden announced it in nice clear terms:
"We're in a crisis. Just like we need to be a unified nation in response to Covid19, we need a unified national response to climate change."
Almost stating the obvious, except so few elected leaders are stating it.
Biden’s rhetoric is misleading, to say the least, on two counts. Biden does not bode well.
Here's his plan:
https://joebiden.com/climate-plan/
Let's see how much of it gets through Congress and the Senate.
Ta
That’s one hell of a plan and not short on ambition (and also one of the most annoying webpages I’ve encountered in a while).
It’s not short either on anti-China rhetoric.
Repeating at risk of tedium;…
Push wealth down and society strengthens and prospers (e.g. the US 1950-1980)
Push wealth up and society weakens and fails (e.g. the US 1980-2020)
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/dec/20/joe-biden-trickle-down-economics-build-up
Not that I see any chance of counter measures around this government.
And there are still 192,000 work visa holders in the country or having their visa extended again – supposedly while we "train" people – but in reality undermining our local labour market. There has been quite few months now to train people and unless we start dropping these visa numbers steadily by 20K or so a month the labour market will never start to adjust to provide proper jobs and conditions for locals.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/123772445/covid19-desperate-hospitality-industry-welcomes-visa-changes
If we sent the 192,000 home just exactly how much work do you think would get done? There are very few NZers who are available to do the work offered even with the quite generous incentives. It is dreaming to think that even a few thousand inner city unemployed are able or willing to move to do all the work that is out there.
Most importantly, the billions of dollars lost if agricultural work is not done is billions that will not be available to pay for the vaccines and other essential medicines and all manner of other stuff that we now deem essential.
https://thestandard.org.nz/must-new-zealand-pay-back-all-this-public-debt/
We used to manage this stuff ourselves – local owners employed local people – I've done the work – but a lot is now in overseas ownership and just wants to have a captive low paid disposable workforce before sending profits offshore. So it's debatable whether we retain a decent amount for the balance of payments anyway.
And if you are a strawberry grower you are complaining about lack of workers while there is a glut of picked fruit on the local market. Somehow I don' t see the workforce as part of that problem. It is simply a mind blowing set of inconsistent statements.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/300185658/fear-strawberries-wont-be-back-next-christmas-fruit-growers-warn-they-cant-continue
As the ODT story said -growers weren't even answering the people applying for jobs. Plus I'm not suggesting we drop them all in one go – just phase them down.
exactly how much work do you think would get done?
None – NZ employers are so sour they'll watch their crops rot before they'll hire New Zealanders,
Another shill piece by a shill for neo-liberalism in a shill tabloid. \sarc
A $6000 fine for two years of deliberate neglect is just $8/day. Pathetic disincentive.
Crockers should be held accountable too. Property management companies should be regulated into ensuring their clients abide by the rules, or face penalties.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2020/12/south-auckland-landlord-ordered-to-pay-tenants-6000-after-failing-to-repair-mouldy-water-damaged-home-for-two-years.html
Yes, Crockers do not come out of that smelling of roses.
everyone pretty relaxed about labour sitting on that damning report (commissioned by them) into how the border closedown was mis-managed..?
that they sat on it since september..then released it on the very last day possible in 2020..thus avoiding parliamentary questioning..?
any labour loyalists at all uncomfortable about any of that..?
and of course..seeing as they were re-elected on their handling of that issue..?
and all bullshitting on their part also..to add insult to injury..
how about all that..?
It all depends on how comprehensively the findings of the report have been acted on and the deficiencies around the border corrected. My impression is that they have been.
Government commissioned the report to find out what wasn't working. We'd never done this before so there's a very high chance some things wouldn't be working as well as they should, so find them and fix them. That's government / management.
Sitting on the report until the end is also government / management. It reduces the time that the opposition and media can attack the things that happened in the past and distract and divert the Government from governing and keeping us safe. National were very adept at this as well, but usually it was around feathering their mates' nests.
The report recommendations were reported on some time ago. In the lead up to the election. It was a report commissioned to look at lessons learnt rather than to fulfilling your critic’s blame game tactics. That is why you can see a pile of recommendations about how to make the system better and look at the limits on the approach rather tha trying to crucify people..
Don’t you think that it is better to report on how actually fix problems? Rather than being a ineffectual simpleton critic who drools at the thought of political blood sports and eating red meat of victims?
If you think that last was offensive to you – then think on how offensive I view your lazy arse comment as being. Pigfucker comments deserve the same in response.
'pigfucker comments'..for questioning this..?
really..?
would you say the same thing to Kathryn ryan..?
'cos she just lost it in her politics with bridget morton/mills segment on rnz..(available on rnz site later..)
I have never heard her more angry..
my comment is most polite..in comparison..
and so…if national did something like this…
you would be totally relaxed about that..?
to me it reeks of both hubris..and deeply cynical cover-up..
and light years away from the new way of doing politics..promised by j.ardern..
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/2018778061/political-commentators-mills-and-morten
thank you..
Pigfucker. Just one part of that…
That walked right over the edge into making you appear to have the ethics of Cameron Slater.
That is a pigfucker question of the style of “when did you last fuck your favourite sow?” It works on the principle that explaining is losing. Has nothing to do with debate.
eg; “Aren’t you discouraged that you don't appear to have ever managed to do anything effectual politically in your lifetime?”
It is often directed at a group so that the coward using it can say “but I wasn’t meaning you” when people take it personally. If you don’t like getting called on doing it, then don’t come here.
I’m perfectly comfortable with treating you the same as I did with Cameron.
so…back to Kathryn ryan..
have you listened to her anger…?
and my echoing her words..
..deserves me being called a pigfucker..?..and the rest of it..?
and now I am cameron slater…?
a tad over-reacting from you..?
and I was under the impression using such personal abuse is not allowed on this site..?
and am I meant to be cowed by that abuse…?
I ain't..
Heard Ryan's splenetic positioning (link @7.2.1.1) – not unreasonable on a semi-political blog, but OTT for a RNZ interviewer don't you think? Maybe our Government understands the importance of sustaining the hugely successful health outcomes of NZ's COVID response into 2021 – here's hoping.
I lay NZ’s comparatively excellent COVID health outcomes at least partly at the feet of our Government, our public health service professionals and boarder control workers et al. Always room for improvement, and yet there's no place I'd rather be right now.
that's why it stood out to me..
the high degree of splenetic in her rant…
(she had to pause to catch her breath a couple of times)
and no matter how it is trying to be spun after the event…I think some trust has been bonfired..
and I'm picking that the new year will see the end of that long honeymoon between j.ardern..and the media…
a harsher eye will be cast upon j.ardern/this gummint..
especially if they fail to move on the issues screaming out for urgent solutions..
Ryan has certainly 'bonfired' some of my trust in her impartiality. She has a guest 'from the left' and a guest 'from the right' in that weekly timeslot – maybe she thought her guest 'from the right' wasn't splenetic enough.
NZ has been lucky, but our comparatively excellent COVID-19 health outcomes aren't all down to luck – there's been some good management too. NZ is well on the way to breaking its previous record of 102 days without a case of COVID-19 from an unknown source, and we've had more NZers repatriated during the current run of nearly 3 months.
Here's hoping the team of nearly five million can get through to the New Year without another case of community transmission to establish a new (year's) record
Your behaviour. Your problem. You've been warned.
The proof of the pudding is in the eating.
Mismanaged? Nah, not so. NZ has no community transmission and has one of the best Covid19 responses in the world. Look at what is happening around the world, NZ is the best place to be right now. Dont know why youre bitching about it, there was no rule book for this pandemic, the govt have learnt along the way, like everyone else, and have corrected what ever needed to be adjusted to shore up NZ's response and its working. The facts prove it.
Only white people welcome?
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/property/123769946/luxury-resort-attracts-former-pm-john-key-and-cricket-coach-brendon-mccullum
Not one mention in that article about the Real Estate agent's very recent past.
Well this would be the 3rd or 4th go at launching this project. It's on the windiest, driest and most rabbit infested bit of land in the basin. The same sort of development has been proposed, and attempted by at least four other developers on other sites down the Valley of Debt, sorry, Gibbston Valley, without success, they usually get a very windswept vineyard that cost money to run, a few building platforms and the 'resort' bit never seems to eventuate.
The valley is also renown for it's water wars, which hop off into another dimension without equal.
For some light relief here's compost's marketing video. Warning : swallow your coffee first
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/750m-golfhousing-resort-planned-for-quiet-gibbston-valley/U3K2ZYAPRDXO3F4HMWUN5DC66I/
As for Key and McCullum's involvement, probably got a section / shares for the use of their 'brands' in the marketing.
I'd be surprised if this really goes where they are planning, the site isn't even close to what Millbrook can offer and not where you'd want to have your 5 million mansion.
Doomscrolling is a euphemism for moderating 😉
https://publicaddress.net/hardnews/public-address-word-of-the-year-2020-doomscrolling/
heh..!..
so that makes you a doomscroller..?
it deserves a costume/mask..
surely..?
My ACC claim is under review: psychological stress, neck & back & eye strain and digital OOS.
I’ve just read that so called “A listers,” are lining up for a gated community in the Gibbston Valley. Houses cost $4 million upwards. Apparently John Key is one of them. What Fuckers!! When we have families living in cars that is beyond obscene! Fuck off to the USA where money is worshipped, you won’t get that from this Kiwi.
Apparently, it’s a ‘honey trap’ AKA clever and manipulative marketing. See https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-21-12-2020/#comment-1771939