Here's a detailed but still accessible read about what the SARS-CoV-2 virus does at the cellular level and the what and how of potential therapies against it.
My new favourite thing is Italian mayors and regional presidents LOSING IT at people violating quarantine. Here's an eng subtitled compilation. "I hear you wanna throw graduation parties. I'm gonna send the police over. With flamethrowers." #Covid19#coronaviruspic.twitter.com/NbYuWePIVt
Panic buying is not a socially acceptable response to the pandemic, but it is understandable.
The enemy is unseen and could be spreading from the person next to you in the lift, or the handrail you touched on your way up the stairs. There is no adequate protection against such an invisible enemy. [Apart from strict social distancing].
So what can a person do? Well, attempt to control the things that are within control – if I have to be locked in my house, at least I can make sure I won't starve. Hence the buying of goods that are unlikely to run out, like bread and flour.
That's the explanation I heard from a psychologist and it makes a certain amount of sense.
But then, it is easier to blame fear and panic on those that risk losing everything, while doing nothing really to squelch the fear and panic but actually doing what should be done.
declare total shut down
IRd to send checks to all
Supermarkets to go to online ordering only
rationing as per nutrituional value etc
and then strict enforcing of rules as in France/Germany etc where the police and the army drive through empty streets reminding people that staying at home is saving lifes.
so far in NZ we continue to go to work, and the fear is everywhere.
We need the government to do the right thing and declare shut down.
We the people of this fair land need to stay the fuck at home, and staying at home should not bankrupt anyone, nor should it render anyone destitute.
To have a lockdown, there needs to be adequate enforcement systems in place.
People defying the lockdown probably do it for similar reasons to people doing panic buying.
The supermarkets limiting opening times might seem logical for shelf stocking reasons, but it is increasing the panic buying and lack of physical distancing. The Government needs to find a way to ensure supermarkets get increased staffing
And there is the problem, amongst all this "lockdown" talk are all the logistics that need to be undertaken, all the planning, the organising. That was my first thought about limiting supermarket times, is less time for ppl to shop, the call to give everyone 1k (more than I earn a week btw) would just increase panic buying. There has to be a huge, top down plan, and I'm sure there are people doing this planning right now. Is it happening fast enough? Maybe not, but clearly people need to be told what to do, which is quite sad really.
This is Place Massena in Nice – one of my old stomping grounds. At this time a year, until October this place is packed. The images are taken from a balcony on hte other side of the square ' Old Nice'. My beautiful Nissa la Bella.
personally if people want to defy the lock down that is their choice, i now however want the government to provide a reason for people to stay at home.
Because frankly you might want to think of shop keepers and supermarket/gas station/mitre ten/bunnings staff etc as heros, but with all due respect, they and myself we are just shitting ourselfs.
I have gone to online order only, i have run out of hand sanitizer to give to my customers and literally spray myself down with industrial kitchen santizer, gloves are starting to be in low supply and hard to come by.
the government needs to shut down. It has spend enough time protected big business, it is subsidizing the wages of those whose businesses are still alive, now its the time to help the rest of the country.
I have posted a few links from italy and france, these images from the hospitals are not 'the hardest' hit, they are the ermergency services. I suggest that people look at these images and understand that this is us.
And by gosh, we don't even have an ambulance service that would cope. We.Need.To.Stay.At.Home.
Because i need to pay my lease on the 7th of the month.
Because i need to pay bills on the 20th of the month.
Because i do not want to pick up a loan on the eve of the biggest financial calamity that this world has ever seen.
Because no one is going to buy my 'assets' at a time of the Global Financial Crisis 2020 that will make the Global Financial Crisis 2008 look like childs play.
And this is the reason all of us that go to work, still go to fucking work.
So if you can stay the fuck at home, do so. Because you are at risk, not form those in self isolation but from us that can't.
because at the end of the day, when all this is said and done, the debt collector will want his pound of flesh, and they will have no issue stripping us to the bare bones.
The supermarkets limiting opening times might seem logical for shelf stocking reasons, but it is increasing the panic buying and lack of physical distancing. The Government needs to find a way to ensure supermarkets get increased staffing
Essential Industries. That's another very strong phrase when it comes from Government during a State of Emergency, which is where we are now with the Pandemic Plan being rolled out. Government will do what is required, people will be asked / directed to work where they are required.
In reading the Pandemic Plan the supermarkets have been involved in planning for this eventuality for a long time, it'll all happen fine from their end. Managing the public's behaviour might be different.
Well, I hope it can be managed. As far as I can see, the big problem is lack of staff, and that's where the government can help. More shelvers, more managed shopping – queues with physical distances, and limited shoppers in a supermarket at any time. More drivers to deliver to supermarket, more people doing home deliveries… etc.
Backed up by police maintaining a balance between friendly community engagement, and tough on people who break the rules.
IMHO, this coronavirus crisis has exposed the NZ pundit class as a bunch of out of touched reckons with not much insight, not much to say, and very of what they say having any value.
Every last one of them is either part of an out of touch white upper middle class or useless boomers who reflexively support National and whose every utterance reeks of their privilege.
This crisis should lead to a shake up of the opinion writers in our MSM, a new broom to sweep away the dessicated detritus of people who intellectual peak is well in the past and whose insight shrivelled up and blew away twenty or thirty years ago, but it probably won't.
It is just astonishing, the complacency and vapidity and lack of relevance of almost all of it. The lazy horse race analysis that is the warp and weft of so much of what passes as analysis here has been brutally exposed for it's feeble irrelevance buy this virus while the squalid cynical scorn of privileged right wing pundits, usually disguised as the world weary sophistication of realists, has also be revealed in a lurid and ghastly precision by the coronavirus. GAH!!!!
Are you willing to bet the lives of your loved ones, your house, your savings the Gov is doing the right thing
[deleted image (broken). Karl the “Risk = probability x consequence” thing is now kind of spammy. If you want to explain it please do, but otherwise there’s no need to keep repeating it so often.
I’m also uncomfortable with calling the govt cowards. There’s a balance to be had between critiquing govt policy, strategy and action, and undermining confidence in them in a time of crisis. Please have a think about how you comment in that regard, thanks – weka]
Hi Mutton bird, I appreciate and understand your concern. However, my theory is the potential line of advice given to JA is that all NZD kids will go off running madly through the streets if not at school. I know kiwi kids are better than that. Yeah,some kids will need care at school but not all. There are other alternatives. This is one of the best opportunities for NZINc to practice emergency protocols (& developing new ones)
If you look at critical path analysis, children are one of the main vectors for infection. It’s almost as if the gov has gone out of its way to make it spread.
Take care M Bird, I do get where ya coming from but respectfully disagree.
Just to be cheeky, you did not answer the question, would you bet your loved ones lives on the Govs approach given the evidence from around the world
yes or no?
Be safe
Aside it’s as almost as if this has happened to our gov, in that NZInc is being taken down by some other Nations Psychological operations (PSYOP). The real truth maybe worse we have people advising that are just wrong
Hi Karl. I don't subscribe to such conspiracy theories, and I won't be entertaining a bet which involves loved ones' lives – it's kind of grotesque really.
As far as I know the current policy on schools is to maintain normality in children's lives. Also sending them home into isolation prematurely will cause havoc in many households, particularly vulnerable ones.
This eventuality is not the same as normal school holidays where there is no lockdown.
Using your own equation; Risk = probability x consequence.
As for the "bet", frankly I'll take the government advice over anything from commenters or msm opinion pieces.
But then I know some of the people involved in that advice, and I know the balance that needs to be struck. That's why I had coffee with colleagues in an almost empty cafe today (after completing the registration process required for contact tracing).
Because even if our covid, flu, gastro, and STI rates go to the floor because of all the handwashing and physical distancing, as companies fold and people are trapped in houses together our suicide, abuse, and depression rates are likely to correspondingly increase if isolations are too long and strict.
Because even if our covid, flu, gastro, and STI rates go to the floor because of all the handwashing and physical distancing, as companies fold and people are trapped in houses together our suicide, abuse, and depression rates are likely to correspondingly increase if isolations are too long and strict
This needs to be debated rationally, and words like "coward" are not helpful.
No political courage is needed to do what people are demanding. That's a day's good press, for sure. Whether it's the right thing to do is a much harder dilemma.
Announcing is easy. Enforcing is another matter altogether.
Ardern has to address the growing calls for moving to a lockdown and for at least school closedown.
It's going to happen soon anyway, so why not reduce risk and do it now?
I'm setting up to work from home from today, and setting up a quarantine zone at home for family members at greater risk. It's just not worth the risk waiting a few days.
I've read it all and posted on it all over the weekend. I'm acting on level 2 advice now.
But that was on Saturday, which itself was a significant change from what was announced on Friday and on Thursday.
Since then a number of experts and medical professions and teacher representatives have made it clear that the current measures aren't enough, they are too big a risk.
I think Saturday's effort was good at the time and seems to have been an attempt to prepare people and phase in changes, but that now seems behind the curve.
It makes no sense to let things spread further – and that will be happening – waiting for some sort of measurement while risks increase (which means lives are further endangered).
Some health professionals and teachers seem to think that the risk factors increase every day that there is still widespread social interactions.
It has even been quantified – the number of CONFIRMED cases is currently doubling every three days in New Zealand, similar to rates in other countries.
So that means potentially a doubling in risk every 3 days.
And yet official advice to the government appears not to support the opinions of a selection of doctors and teachers.
When the risk factors do go up you will be alerted because it will be announced we are on Level 3.
It must be remembered New Zealand had a heads-up on this pandemic and were able to put in place measures which weren't put in place early enough in other countries.
Normally a stickler for precise and authoritative evidence, you appear to have set sail for the choppy waters of conspiracy and mistrust.
Pete, instead of hand-wringing at home and compartmentalising your house, you’d be doing your country a great service by getting out and shutting down those student parties along the road.
Lucky you being able to continue to work, albeit from home. I am one millions of NZers for whom that’s not possible. A total lockdown will most likely see me and a lot of others on the dole queue. Is it any wonder the PM is treading very carefully? I assume that lockdown is coming, preparing us for that, was presumably, the point of the PM’s address on Saturday.
The recovery figures don't show the permanent lung damage that can remain for some people. Welfare is temporary, the support the system will need to give you if this type of damage occurs will not be.
Let's be brutally honest about this. Your post (ScottGN) outlines the other aspect of this pandemic. This pandemic isn't just a health issue – otherwise we would be at stage four by now. Unfortunately, the advice of medical experts is just one consideration the government has to consider. It also has to try and prevent a complete economic catastrophe. So like a war, it is about balancing loss of life vs trying to keep the economy going.
No one will put it as blunt as to say it in those terms, but yeah. That is why Jacinda looks so worn out. She is balancing human lives vs economic survival. I wouldn't have her job for all the tea in China.
It also has to try and prevent a complete economic catastrophe.
Overseas forecasts for the next quarter are, in the US -14% and likewise for the UK.(Larry Elliot, writing a worthwhile piece in the Guardian quotes 'Capital Economics' figures of 14 – 20%)
To put that in perspective , when the USSR 'headed south', the economy shrunk by about 9% p.a. over a number of years.
The government does not have to prevent an economic catastrophe – it can't. But it ought to be bent on preventing a human catastrophe coming off the back of that economic one. But it's not. And it won't. We have allowed ourselves to be ruled by clowns and dullards who simply can't think outside their wee chrematistic box.
In their world, when their idea of what an economy is sinks, then we all get to hang on to boulders and plummet right alongside the dive.
There are several differences between this and something like a earthquake, volcano, or tsunami.
The problem is that if you just shut everything down and push the army into the streets to shoot people (ie the far end of phase 4 and what may happen) which is YOUR logical end of argument – then even worse things happen.
You have breakdowns in supply chains – including (and especially for) medical supply chains. You don't have plans for how people can get food. You don't have plans for anything that are widely understood and accepted.
You also don't have any way to make this consistent over the whole country. Which essentially means that you're going to have idiotic knowit all fuckwits who think that they know better precipitously screwing the pooch and building pockets of disease to cause waves of disease to keep flooding the rest of the country when you finally get to lift restrictions.
Personally I'm in favour of just shooting the loudmouths who don't know what they're talking about when it comes to political decisions. However I'm not that willing to commit suicide at present. But I recognise that I'm not making the balanced decisions that are designed to carry society safely over the next 4 months…
I'd suggest that you read the pandemic plan – I put it up in a post a few days ago.
It's very interesting seeing much of the discussion missing the fact that all our lives are dependent on big, complex systems, and you don't take those down at short notice unless you *really have to. It's almost like people don't understand how interdependent everything is.
the other important difference is that in big natural disasters there's a lot of community self reliance based around people coming together to sort things out until things get back to normal. Can't do that with a pandemic.
Agree with both Lynn and weka, about the way some people would respond to a sudden shut down, and the problem with complex interdependent systems.
It seems to me the calls for immediate lock down are more panic responses, and it has a contagious impact on people's contacts and networks – everyone gets over-hyped.
Maybe just calm down and follow the safe practices – good hand washing practices, social distancing, and providing support for others as needed. Allow NZ's systems and infrastructure time to adjust to the new normal. Follow official guidance that is leading is through the alert levels when the time is right.
'Personally I'm in favour of just shooting the loudmouths who don't know what they're talking about when it comes to political decisions. However I'm not that willing to commit suicide at present.'
Heh …….. and there but for the grace of jeebers go us all
If any of you have been out it's not like those non essential businesses are doing a roaring trade. They might as well close.
People generally are standing back, washing their hands but going about their lives as if going out to restaurants, visiting friends, traveling within a few hours drive is not causing harm – it is and it needs to stop.
El Salvador just declared a 30 day lockdown for all but essential movement, only one person per household allowed out. NZ is pathetically lagging at a point where every single hour that passes without lockdown increases the risk against a virus with exponential growth and a health system that was already harming people (blindness, death, suicide..) before this began.
This morning, Gov. Tate Reeves invited Mississippians to pray with him via Facebook Live:
"I believe in the power of prayer, so I’m inviting you to pray with me on this Sunday morning. 'For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.'" pic.twitter.com/qru7fuoO44
At prior emergency meeting, Culpepper said his son discovered coronavirus “cure” on website that sells “nano ozone vapor” device hunters use to mask their scent from deer (he’s ordered 5 of them) and he hopes the White House is watching #BecauseFloridahttps://t.co/fBATxZAY2kpic.twitter.com/yoee0pD3EJ
I think it would be helpful if the PM announced a Committee of the most senior MPs in Parliament to give advice and to act as a sounding board for the ministerial committee that is meeting daily. Probably 4 from government (2 from Labour, one from NZF, one from the Greens) and 3 from National. It would reinforce the sense of national unity that is essential at this time. The members would be the most senior by position, a bit like the Intelligence Committee.
I also think the election should be delayed to the last possible date (probably Dec 12). If it needed to be later, that would have to be done by special legislation.
As for the Levels, I think they are about right, though they could be refined. For instance is 100 people in one place too many? It surely could be reduced to 50. At present I think Level 2 is about right.
I sure would like to see the airport sorted. Maybe it is by now. But last week looked real bad.
Is a nationwide shutdown of schools warranted yet? I think not, based on everything I read. There is no real evidence that they are a particular danger point. But people are sure anxious about that. Maybe more public information is needed about specific risks.
Self isolation for those testing positive? I would prefer actual quarantine, in special facilities. Maybe the govt could rent a couple of hotels for this purpose. But of course on the actual medical issues I imagine the government is acting on advice from the Director General, who seems to be doing a really great job.
I think things will be redefined, constantly. I have school age kids and was happy to keep sending to school, but now I see the teachers council are lobbying to shut the schools, likewise with the health professionals petition, the people at the coalface. I think the Govt are doing as well as they can, but I'm also gonna think for myself.
Having Simon Bridges anywhere near this committee would be a terrible idea.
I suspect the government would be thankful for the extra skills and input at the Covid-19 decision-making table but Bridges has proven himself incapable of concentrating on the task at hand, instead preferring to use the situation for political advantage, and he has shown no interest whatsoever in a "sense of National unity".
The whole point of bringing the opposition on board is just that. The government doesn't get to dictate who the opposition are. Yes, Simon could have done better last week (and I am sure learnt a lesson from that), but he is still the leader. So you deal with the opposition as they are, or you don't.
The government doesn't have to do this, but I reckon they are making a mistake if they don't.
First, they tried a unity government in WW2. After six weeks of delicate negotiations, Sid Holland and one other National MP joined a war cabinet. They lasted about two months before flouncing off – it was a total waste of time. So New Zealand has NEVER had a successful unity cabinet, even in the extremity of an actual war to the actual death against actual Nazis.
Second, being in a cabinet would actually constrain the opposition (if it was responsible) from doing it's job. In a democracy effectively co-opting the democratic choices of the people is always a terrible idea. Let the government do it's job and the opposition do theirs.
Wayne, I appreciate that your comments are in good faith, but the last 2 years have taught Simon Bridges many such lessons, repeatedly – and little has been learned.
I don't need to go through the whole list (accusing everyone from Speaker to Parl services of leaking his travel details, and never apologising when the culprit was in his caucus all the time, joining in the social media nastiness against the PM, belittling her as "photo op" while doing his photo ops, backsliding on gun reform, even descending to a shameful implication of "anti-semitism" only 2 months ago … that's just for starters).
He chose to lead in a particular way (these aren't "mistakes", as I'm sure you know, they're a deliberate strategy, made in the Republican USA).
Nobody will lose out if Bridges isn't in on the decision-making. The NZ public have no reason to believe in his good faith, and that's nobody's fault but his.
I think Simon needs to make an apology of some sort. Extend the hand and acknowledge his actions and the entirety of method are/were wrong.
Can't see the government valuing his opinion or input with his current settings. He'd do more damage than good. That’s the problem when your key focus has been to attack others rather than be constructive.
I think National has already proven, at least with today’s National party, that honesty, good faith and working for the best of the country, rather than instilling fear, using US attack dog division, and dog whistling, are foriegn concepts.
A committee of seven senior permanent politicians is how the Swiss manage Switzerland at all times .
Incoming planes should only be coming into Auckland now and everybody coming in should be put into quarantine for 14 days because of all the flouting of the self- quarantine requirement and airline crew should be contained somewhere isolated from the community between flights.
Switzerland also profiteered from the Holocaust and you almost literally requires your neighbours permission to change the clour of your letterbox. It offers no particular role model either culturally or morally for us to follow.
One of the biggest surprises is the severe situation that Switzerland finds itself in. The majestic mountain redoubt that is so organized that you can set your watch by the trains, because they are rarely even a few seconds late, has the second-highest rate of COVID-19 infection in the world. The rate of infection is going up so quickly — 758 new cases on Saturday — that the government says it has been having trouble keeping track of the growing numbers.
They are in the exact opposite position to us. In the middle of a continent with 1000s of workers crossing the borders of Germany, Italy and France to work each day. They got their first case about 1 day before us. They quickly locked down their borders but they are allowing the outside workers in still – many of them work in the hospitals ! Everyone who can stays at home they are compliant. Shops and businesses are closed and no grouping is allowed in most areas- police break it up and fine them if a group is found.
Supermarkets are actively restricting the numbers of people allowed into shop at one time. No more than 50 and as one comes out one more can go in.
I think it would be helpful if the PM announced a Committee of the most senior MPs in Parliament to give advice and to act as a sounding board for the ministerial committee that is meeting daily. Probably 4 from government (2 from Labour, one from NZF, one from the Greens) and 3 from National. It would reinforce the sense of national unity that is essential at this time. The members would be the most senior by position, a bit like the Intelligence Committee.
Sensible and I suspect it will happen soon – like this week. The committee presided over by Jacinda Ardern – as an extra person (chairperson) over and above the suggested committee number.
If such a committee is formed the government won’t get to dictate who the opposition nominates, and of course they know that. I expect the committee would be chaired by the PM. And she won’t have nearly the problem about Simon that many here have. They know each other quite well from their time on TV together.
My experience tells me that MP’s from opposing parties especially senior ones, know how to work together if needs be. There is a lot more interaction than the public generally understand. They also know the demands of particular roles, and are quite able to look past various missteps.
They could certainly refuse a nomination if they thought that person had a history of not working constructively and was unlikely to benefit the committee because of that.
I'm again thinking of Bridges, Bennett and Mitchell here.
The government (assuming they establish such a committee) won't do that. They know they will have to deal with National's leadership. So that means Bridges, probably Bennet (National might go with Woodhouse) and I would imagine Goldsmith.
As I have said, senior MP's do actually know how to work together, even if they are on opposites sides.
Genuinely, I think the Nats are very happy with what the gov is doing…….(tick tick tick)
The lack of action will provide the Nats good ammunition if the Gov is wrong.
Personally, if they put the right support in place and mechanisms JA will be seen to be hero’s if they close schools etc.cant loose and will be seen not to be gambling with our vulnerable population.
They need to keep kids at home, they need to allow people to stay at home.
heck at the best of the time our health system is not coping – waiting times, no ETA from Ambulances when all are out in the field, and so on and so forth. And we are pretending this is business as usual, and hope the devil has pity with us. It.is.not.
A non-exhaustive list of media cliches and lazy reckons that should be consigned to history after the reality of Covid-19:
"Lazy public servants" … turns out they're the people keeping the country going, and the public informed. Ashley Bloomfield, not a "faceless bureaucrat", just conscientiously doing his job.
"Ivory tower academics" … sure, you could get your advice from graduates of the School of Talkback, but people who have studied the thing at those out-of-touch universities – they seem a bit more useful, eh?
"Kiwi Mums and Dads" … sure, that's most of us, and we like to think we're good people, but you know those panic-buyers and careless queuers at the supermarkets? they're "Kiwi Mums and Dads" too. Common sense is not a given.
Good list – please add some more as they come to mind. Also it's worth thinking about the inverse of each of these. The inverse, which was meant to be true, is now revealed as bullshit as well. So the inverse of "lazy public servants" is meant to be "the dynamic and efficient private sector" – also a myth.
The inverse of “ivory tower academics” is “practical, down to earth ZB talkback hosts”. Etc.
well i guess no extra staff was hired? Btw, i hope these crittes work from home.
And yes, it would have been easier to simply mint that trillion dollar coin, and instruct IRD to send every single adult in this country a check – min wage – for the next few weeks.
Or legislate by emergency degree a rent/bill/holiday for all.
But now, you must try and reach Winz, who already in the best of times is not up to task.
This is just abject bullshittery by those that have know their wages and bills will be paid.
true that, but it might also help those that have absolutly no income.
I use min wage as that is what is government instituted. And it is the amount of the wage subsidiy that the government pays to businesses that still have employees. You know, solidarity, treating everyone the same, oh and that would include all the government critters. 🙂 Maybe then they would understand that our system can not be fixed with a wee trickle down here and hten, but needs proper regulations and rules for the common good of all rather then just assuring survival of a few.
Wayne, a joint committee of MPs from all parties would be worthwhile. Just keep Simon Bridges off it. He is not up to it, having no sensitivity awareness at what is a difficult time.
In breaking fake news the entire parliament who supports the current COVID19 approach of leaving schools open etc will be betting their entire life savings on their strategy
Some have even gone further and doubled down saying they will put their loved ones on the frontline 24/7
Apparently those who agree in the public space are Showing solidarity by doing the same…..
I would *never* use language like this, obvs 😉 – but we could all do with a smile just now. And if humour helps get the message across… https://t.co/9UZmwwn6V9
Not sure who has been talking about lazy public servants and ivory tower academics – but having a close relative working at MOH I am aware of the 12 hour days, as well as weekend and evening work that has been undertaken for the last 4 – 6 weeks. They are pretty tired. But I would go by their advice before the Mike Hosking and other talkback ranters and ravers, who disgust me.
watching the words of Karl Sinclair slop around like those of a lunatic.
That he is given a childlike massive amount of space on this little blog – which itself is miles below that of health and economy experts – is not helpful in the least.
Flinging abuse at the Prime Minister further scums this blog down.
Observer Thanks for you passionate response, I see your happy to gamble and go with gov approah. The unfortunate thing is your gambling with my loved ones to.
So now I am officially grounded. Under GP's instruction to self-isolate.
Not a great time to get a bout of tonsillitis – probably strep throat/tonsils. My right tonsil looks like it did in my younger days when I was prescribed antibiotics. It's a mild irritation, and I feel fine otherwise.
From today, my GPs have gone to phone consults for immediate issues, and advance, non-urgent in person consultations booked up til next week some time – because of the pressures they are now under.
I had a very good phone consultation with a GP this morning.
Basically, she thinks it's either a virus or bacterial infection, or the result of past infections, – the latter not a problem. She's prescribing me antibiotics to clear any bacterial infection, and arranging for the chemist to home deliver it within the next day or 2. Chemist are also under pressure, and she thinks my case is not urgent.
Unless my condition deteriorates noticeably in the mean time, she has booked me for a flu vaccination next week.
I have been doing social distancing for a while, and have not had any close contact with people/groups since beginning of March. I have not knowingly been in contact with anyone who recently travelled overseas.
If, perchance it is Covid-19, though unlikely, it would be a mild case – hence self-isolate. She asked if I had relatives who could deliver a food package from time to time – done – email sent to nephew across town who offered such help.
I have a home delivery scheduled for Sunday from my local supermarket. But there's no certainty if I'll be able to book a slot in the future.
Sorry to hear you are unwell. The medical people sound like they have things sorted, which is encouraging. Hope you get lots of rest and recover swiftly.
Thanks. Actually I don't feel unwell – just the scratchy throat and also feels a bit like a lump in my throat from the swollen tonsil. In fact, I felt I didn't seem bad enough to go to a GP, but thought it best to check.
I mostly rest. But, I asked the GP if it was OK to keep working out on the exercise bike in my flat. She said "sure" and to just listen to my body and stop if I'm feeling too tired, or not up to it.
She was not my usual GP, but said from my record I am pretty healthy, and it is more over 70s with other health conditions that are at risk from the impact of Covid-19.
I was impressed with her response. The GPs do see under a lot of pressure right now.
Assistant Director of Nursing at QE has said they’ve had a message today that virus seems to be spreading quickly via petrol pumps so they advise to wear gloves when filling up or use paper towel and bin straight away. Can you copy and paste to your status to let everyone know. Could make huge difference.
If you have gloves wear them, wipe down super market trollies, wipe down your door handles at the care when coming back from shops etc.
and yeah, feel free to call me a bullshitter. who cares.
Wow. The one time I've been out early last week was to pick up some library books I had requested, and fill up with petrol. I had with me some Detol handwipes I had at home, from before Covid-19 times.
I hand wiped my hands and car doors after the library and after filling up. As I was getting into my car, I guy approached me for help cos his car was low on petrol or something. Me, who has been social distancing a lot, thought "WTF! Why pick on an elderly woman at this time". I said I was in a hurry, ask the petrol station staff, and got in my car.
If people start talking about mortgage holiday to help people, or making it impossible for banks to foreclose of people who can't pay their mortgage, what about a rent freeze as well? Ie people who live in rental accommodation who can't find the money to pay their rent because they have lost their job etc not having to pay their rent for a few months? After all, 50 percent of New Zealanders now live in rental accommodation with no hope of buying a house and they are the people who are most likely to be on low wages and finding it tough to make ends meet. Landlords who aren't collecting their rent should then be protected from the banks foreclosing on them.
Yes, the focus seems STILL to be on property ownership.
I'm a pensioner non-property owner who rents. My security is in some term deposits with an Aussie owned NZ bank. But I see Hickey is pretty much saying let the overseas banks crash, and protect the family home.
Some of us renters need our savings protected or we're up shit creek.
Anecdotally Govt departments in wellington laid off a lot of contractors on Friday.
Given that all through central & local govt , there are quite a lot of contractors with few employment protections doing largely run of the mill work for only average type remuneration – this is an under the radar layoff.
We are all in this together? – well only so long as we protect the existing economic distribution – dump on people at the bottom and protect those at the top.
The 7 Airnz directors who shared a pool in 2019 of $1.1million (plus $390 k of travel and entertainment expenses – likely gone) have apparently taken a 15% reduction reducing their average remuneration from $150k to around $122k for what is seen as part time work because they can and do hold other directorships.
Must be sooooooooo exhausting sacking people when you could be more altruistic.
No wonder some want a government of national unity – just in case workers get seats on boards , upper end incomes are cut or higher tax rates on high incomes are imposed.
I can see this type of behaviour becoming a flash point.
Decided to work from home today and kept the girls home from school. All of Miss 15's exams and assessments have now been cancelled until further notice.
Have asked the girls to each come up with a 14 day challenge, just in case. My youngest has decided her challenge is to learn Spanish. Hola!!!
Meanwhile I'm giving them a one day challenge that involves folding the washing, washing the floors and cooking dinner lolololz 🙂
No need to stress about situations we have no control over, better just to get on with it.
What great ideas Cinny! I'm keeping mine home too, and will think of some new skills they could learn, mine are a bit younger but I can leave them while I work thankfully.
This is our future. At this point the only explanation for not taking the most stringent measures possible that I have is that the government wants old people to die so they don't have to pay Super. Figure it out.
I live in Spain and just received this video via whatsapp with a crying doctor explaining that they’re taking away respiratory machines from +65 year olds to give to younger people. The older people get sedatives to die less painfully. pic.twitter.com/U4YlU4CltU
Wellington city wants just a few councillors making decisions on issues and not just corona virus.
Given we have a right wing mayor and a pretty left wing council this smacks of a takeover. And they are looking at processing annual plans and the like . Given that there are some likely controversial issues ( allowing property developers to build to multiple stories in heritage areas ) and there cannot be meetings on these –
Maybe we could make a list of jobs that we will need people to stay in, so we can see just how much child care will be needed if the schools were shut today.
police
medical staff (hospitals, medical centres, labs, community care)
petrol station attendents
supermarket staff (front line, people who do the ordering, shelf stacking)
people who provide cleaning and personal cares at home for elderly and disabled
freight companies
NZ Post
banks
mechanics
essential repair places (who is ok with a broken washing machine over the next few months?)
electricians
plumbers
armed forces
people who manage crucial infrastructure like power generation and water supplies.
Agreed…people picking fruit and veggies should also definitely be included on the essential jobs list. This is necessary both to feed the nation and for the economy/exports.
If left in the ground or on the tree/bush it will rot.
On another note, the sad news of the death of humble NZ underground music legend Peter Stapleton died this weekend. He had been active since the late 70s, in CHCH then here in Dunedin. The Terminals are/were the best rock band esp live, their albums are essential! He was also in bands like Dadama, Victor Dimisich Band, Scorched Earth Policy, Flies Inside The Sun, Handful Of Dust, any many more, he also ran labels and orgsnised the Lines of Flight music festival. He was a lovely, quiet guy, who was happy to talk with anyone, not pretentious or up himself at all. A drummer who wrote poetry.
[I’ve turned that into a link so we don’t have to look at sensationalised and alarmist headlines. My suggestion going forwards is to write a short intro to any vids in case I remove the visuals. Not aimed at you specifically A – weka]
thanks to my customers i managed to pay all my supplier bar one this month.
i deal with next month when it will come. Told my accountant that i shall ignore taxes and GST returns, the government can come and claim it when we are through on the other side. He agrees, it must have hurt him to say so.
Tomorrow evening i plan to get royally pissed, no pity, what we call in Germany "Kampf Drinken" and on thursday i shall sleep in.
I will dream of the smell of sanitzer for the rest of my life.
Just listened to the briefing. Looks like the government is doing everything correctly. Without panic (ie unlike the panic of Mike the Moron)… Timed well.
Now to write a post – provisional title : "Throw idiot vigilantes on their own island".
Watching these briefings and the subsequent press conference, it’s clear that the government wanted to have as much lined up as possible before announcing the most dramatic public action in our national history. Ardern has been able to answer every question.
Bridges wants lockdown now!!! Jeez I'm glad we have a rational, calm and thoughtful leader right now, imagine the confusion had we locked everything down without planning, or slowly moving people towards the idea. Now yes, WINZ and IRD need to help everyone, regardless if they're on a benefit or a Ranger owning property developer.
Anyone seen any kind of comprehensive list of what are essential services that remain open under a level 4 lockdown?
There's a lot of grey areas. Such as the veterinary care industry – I could see a callous argument that our furry friends aren't essential, but I would hope we've got more compassion than that. Plus the farming related side of it is an integral part of our food supply chain.
There has been a list around for decades that I know about. However it looked 'old' when I last saw it in the early 90s. Back then I was looking at it with regard for ISDN network support, EFTPOS network support, credit card network support, ATM network support, etc (the focus was from when I was working at a telco). It appeared to have cut off being updated somewhere in the mid 1970s.
I suspect that there has been some discussion recently on what needs to be updated.
This list may evolve over time. SectorsEntities providing essential services (including their supply chains)
Accommodation
Accommodation services for essential workers and people who need to be isolated/quarantined
Border
Customs New Zealand, Immigration New Zealand and the Ministry for Primary Industries
Building and construction
Building and construction related to essential services, critical infrastructure, or immediately needed to maintain human health and safety at home/work
Courts, tribunals and the justice system
Courts of New Zealand and tribunals
Critical Crown entities (eg Electoral Commission)
EducationAt level 3 only:
Schools and educational facilities (e.g. ECE centres)
Fast-moving consumer goods
Businesses involved in the supply, delivery, distribution and sale of food, beverage and other key consumer goods (but not takeaway shops)
Financial services
Banks, insurers and other financial institutions
Health
Hospitals, primary care clinics, pharmacies, medical laboratories, care facilities
Ambulance services
Mortuary services
Local and national government
Any entity involved in COVID-19 response or that has civil defence/emergency management functions
Key public services
Primary industries, including food and beverage production and processing
Packaging, production and processing of food and beverage products
Food safety and verification, inspection or associated laboratory services, food safety and biosecurity functions
Veterinary and animal health/welfare services
Public safety and national security
Emergency services
Security and intelligence services
Justice system
Public safety and national security roles
Science
Any entity (including research organisations) involved in COVID-19 response, hazard monitoring, resilience, diagnostics for essential services
Social services
Welfare and social services, including NGOs, which meet immediate needs (further guidance will be provided)
Transport and logistics
Transport services
New Zealand Post and courier services
Any small passenger service vehicle driver – including taxis and ride-share services
Utilities and communications, including supply chains
Electricity, gas, water, waste, fuel, telecommunication services, internet providers and media
These businesses will continue working, but will put in place alternative ways of working to keep employees safe, including shift-based working, staggered meal breaks, flexible leave arrangements and physical distancing.
I'm driving for "meals on wheels" here. I would assume that would fit under the Social Services category, meeting immediate needs. We can drop off the meal at the door – no need for face to face contact. However will await to hear confirmation from the hospital staff.
I'm thinking about low income people without cars right now. Unclear if the PT is stopping completely though. They may scale down and use a 2m rule (not sure how that might work for paying).
The PM said public transport will move to being for essential workers only.
But she also said they are working on ensuring supermarkets are able to implement physical distancing.
But it will be a problem for some to get to supermarkets. Help others is a partial solution.
Plus Hipkins was talking about working on getting homes with children without internet access, the connections and hardware needed. Should be for all low income households so they can organise visits to the supermarket.
There are older people (and some lower income households – who might be using public transport to access food bank help) without on-line shopping (no internet etc). This is going to become a problem.
I want to see my social media feeds over run with golden muffins fresh from the pan, rich velvet cakes dripping with icing and serving plates groaning under the weight of the biscuits (plain and fancy) piled there on.
Commentators like Mike Hosking and his chorus on social media have been getting nostalgic about the John Key years. If only he was still in charge, we would have moved much faster, closed the borders weeks ago, true leadership, blah blah.
So, just for the record, this is what John Key was doing in March 2020. I'll repeat that: March 2020. When the virus was already dominating the news …
If only they all dressed like that, it’s a fierce look
The UK has decided to take one for the team and cheer everyone else up by sending its widespread moron population to form huge and in some cases quite violent queues outside McDonald’s restaurants before they all close.
“Our first idea was to contribute to the global fight against the coronavirus by providing medical supplies and staff,” said a Number Ten spokesperson. “Then we realised that we don’t have any so instead thought we’d give other countries a giggle with footage of idiots ignoring social distancing and brawling just to buy a handful of sweaty mechanically recovered meat.”
“The rest of the world will see the long lines and the emergency services being deployed to them and they’ll be tickled pink. Proving that laughter really is the best medicine. Which is handy because we’ve got bugger all medicine.”
McDonald’s will close nationwide at 19:00 this evening. Let the games begin.
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Rt Hon Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister Fletcher Tabuteau MP, Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development The Rotorua Museum redevelopment and Whakarewarewa and Tokorangi Forest projects will be accelerated thanks to a $2.09 million Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) boost, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher ...
This week, we rolled out the next steps of our recovery plan, with new infrastructure investment, extra support for tourism operators, and a new programme to get Kiwis into agriculture careers. The global economic consequences of COVID-19 will continue to be a challenge, but we have a detailed plan to ...
Jenny Marcroft MP, Spokesperson for Health New Zealand First welcomes the passage of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission Bill through its final reading in Parliament today fulfilling a coalition agreement commitment. “This is an important step in saving the lives of New Zealanders and delivers a key coalition commitment ...
Whakatāne has been given a $2.5 million boost to speed up previously funded projects and create more than 450 jobs in the next decade. Of those, the equivalent of 160 full-time jobs could be delivered in the next six weeks. Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters is in town to make ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister Fletcher Tabuteau MP, Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) is investing $2.5 million to accelerate three infrastructure projects in Whakatāne, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau announced today. “This package is about ...
Infrastructure Minister Shane Jones is throwing his weight behind a bid by the Auckland Council to fast-track the more than doubling of the city's water allowance from the Waikato River. And he's coming out strongly against anyone who plans on getting in the way of this campaign. "It is my ...
The Green Party is thrilled to see changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that mean consents for large projects can be declined if they will have significant climate change implications that are inconsistent with the Zero Carbon Act and Aotearoa New Zealand’s Paris Agreement obligations. ...
Hon Ron Mark, Minister of Defence The Royal New Zealand Navy’s new ship, Aotearoa, set sail for New Zealand on 10 June from the Republic of Korea, and is due to arrive in Auckland tomorrow, announced Minister of Defence Ron Mark. “Aotearoa is the Royal New Zealand Navy’s new fleet ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Racing Racing Minister Winston Peters has today welcomed the Racing Industry Bill passing its third reading, creating the legislative framework for revitalising the racing industry while limiting the need for future government intervention. “For too long our domestic racing industry has ...
The Green Party has today put forward an amendment to the Electoral (Registration of Sentenced Prisoners) Amendment Bill to ensure all people in prisons can vote in general elections. ...
The Green Party welcomes the decision to not proceed with Public Public Investment (PPI) delivery of Auckland’s light rail project and to instead run the process through the public service. ...
Hon Ron Mark, New Zealand First List MP based in the Wairarapa New Zealand First List MP Hon Ron Mark welcomes the announcement of Provincial Growth Funding investment of $1.4 million to help secure the Wairarapa’s water supply. The funding boost will allow the Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC), and ...
New Zealand First list MP Mark Patterson has been selected to represent the party in the newly formed Taieri electorate at the upcoming election. Mr Patterson, his wife Jude and two daughters farm sheep and beef at Lawrence and Waitahuna. He previously stood in the Clutha-Southland electorate however boundary changes ...
Hon Shane Jones, Associate Minister for State Owned Enterprises A new ‘super depot’ to be built for NZ Post in Wellington will create around 350 jobs during construction, Associate Minister for State Owned Enterprises Shane Jones says. Shane Jones today attended a ground-breaking and blessing ceremony for the parcel-processing depot ...
Our strong economic management prior to COVID-19 - with surpluses, low debt and near-record-low unemployment - put us in a good position to weather the impact of the virus and start to rebuild our economy much earlier than many other countries.Now we're putting our plan to recover and rebuild ...
Darroch Ball MP, New Zealand First Spokesperson for Law and Order Recently released Police fleeing driver statistics have shown yet another increase in incidents with another record-high in the latest quarter. “This new quarterly record-high is the latest in a string of record-high numbers since 2014. The data shows incidents ...
New Zealand First MP Fletcher Tabuteau is pleased to be confirmed today as the party’s candidate for the Rotorua electorate. Speaking at the Rotorua AGM for New Zealand First, Mr Tabuteau said this is an election that is incredibly important for the people of Rotorua. “The founding principles of New ...
The Human Rights Commission’s PRISM report on the issues impacting people based on their sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and sex characteristics (SOGIESC) provides an excellent programme of work for future governments to follow, say the Greens. ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters said the trans-Tasman bubble had not been jeopardised after aborder botch-upresulted in New Zealand having two active cases of COVID-19. On Friday, Mr Peters told RNZ's Morning Report he had heard from Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison that borders for trans-Tasman travel would open by ...
Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters said today he was pleased the army was now running the quarantine and isolation process - up until now it has been the Ministry of Health. Peters told Newstalk ZB's Mike Hosking that the army knew how to introduce and follow protocols and instil discipline. ...
The Coalition Government has approved the purchase of a fleet of Bushmaster vehicles to replace the New Zealand Army’s armoured Pinzgauers, Defence Minister Ron Mark has announced today. The new fleet of 43 Australian-designed and built Bushmaster NZ5.5 will provide better protection for personnel and improved carrying capacity. “The age ...
The Government’s three prevention frameworks to reduce family violence in Aotearoa were launched this week by Associate Minister for Social Development Poto Williams. The frameworks were developed in partnership with communities around New Zealand, and build on the work the Government has already begun with its new family violence prevention ...
The Government is pleased to confirm funding for improvements to radiology and surgical services at Hawke's Bay DHB, Health Minister Chris Hipkins says. "The Minister of Finance the Hon Grant Robertson and former Health Minister Dr David Clark approved funding for Hawke's Bay DHB’s redevelopment of their radiology facilities ...
• New funding for four beds at Napier’s Springhill Residential Addiction Centre • A new managed withdrawal home and community service, and peer support before and after residential care at Tairāwhiti DHB • A co-ordinated network of withdrawal management services throughout the South Island • Peer support in Rotorua and ...
Introduction, seafarers and POAL Good morning everyone, I am delighted to be online with you all today. Before I begin, I have to acknowledge that COVID-19 has disrupted the maritime sector on an unprecedented scale. The work of seafarers and the maritime industry is keeping many economies around the world ...
A $13 million investment from Government will create jobs and improve the resilience of the rail connection between Christchurch and the West Coast, Infrastructure Minister Shane Jones and Regional Economic Development Under-Secretary Fletcher Tabuteau say. The funding comes from the tagged contingency set aside in Budget 2020 for infrastructure projects ...
The Government is investing $761 million to assist local government upgrade under-pressure water services across the country, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta announced today. The announcement was made at the site of the water bore that was found to be the source of the fatal ...
Recognised Seasonal Employers and migrant seasonal workers stranded in New Zealand will be able to continue working and supporting themselves with more flexible hours and roles, says Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway. The time-limited visa changes are: Stranded RSE workers will be able to work part-time (a minimum of 15 hours ...
The Government is making immediate short-term changes to visa settings to support temporary migrants already onshore in New Zealand and their employers, while also ensuring New Zealanders needing work are prioritised, Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway says. We are: Extending temporary work visas due to expire by the end of 2020 ...
Professor Peter Skelton CNZM has been appointed as Chief Freshwater Commissioner and Alternate Environment Court Judge Craig James Thompson as Deputy Chief Freshwater Commissioner for the newly established Freshwater Planning Process (FPP). Environment Minister David Parker today also announced the appointment of Chief Environment Court Judge Laurie Newhook as the ...
Auckland Queen’s Counsel Neil Campbell has been appointed a Judge of the High Court, Attorney‑General David Parker announced today. Justice Campbell graduated with a BCom and LLB (Hons) from the University of Auckland in 1992. He spent two years with Bell Gully Buddle Weir in Auckland before travelling to the United ...
The Associate Minister for Greater Christchurch Regeneration, Poto Williams, is seeking feedback on a proposal to better enable the development and operation of commercial film and video facilities in Christchurch. The Proposal, developed by Regenerate Christchurch in response to a request from Christchurch City Council, asks that powers under section ...
The Government has launched a bold plan to boost primary sector export earnings by $44 billion over the next decade, while protecting the environment and growing jobs. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern today released Fit for a Better World – Accelerating our Economic Potential, a 10-year roadmap to unlock greater value ...
A new approach to prevent family harm that encourages greater collaboration across government and community groups is being celebrated at the opening of a new facility in Auckland. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern today opened the Multi-Disciplinary Family Harm Prevention Hub Te Taanga Manawa in Lambie Road in Manukau. The facility ...
The Government has released a major new report on the options for relocating the Port of Auckland’s freight operations while deferring any decision on the issue. “That decision needs to be informed by policy analysis that is still to be completed. As a result it will be up to a ...
The history of Rāpaki is being restored through the inclusion of te reo in thirteen official place names on Te Pātaka-o-Rākaihautū / Banks Peninsula and around Lyttelton Harbour/Whakaraupō, the Minister for Land Information, Eugenie Sage, announced today. “I am pleased to approve the proposals from Te Hapū o Ngāti ...
Bookings for seats on Air New Zealand flights into New Zealand will be managed in the short term to ensure the Government is able to safely place New Zealanders arriving home into a managed isolation or quarantine facility, says Housing Minister Megan Woods. “Last week Air Commodore Darryn Webb and I ...
Grant Robertson has today announced the first major release of funding from the $265 million Sport Recovery Package announced at Budget 2020. “Today we’re setting out how $80 million will be invested, with $54 million of that over the 2020/2021 financial year for organisations from community level through to elite ...
The Government is maintaining current levy rates for the next 2 years, as part of a set of changes to help ease the financial pressures of COVID-19 providing certainty for businesses and New Zealanders, ACC Minister Iain Lees-Galloway says. “New Zealanders and businesses are facing unprecedented financial pressures as a ...
Small businesses are getting greater certainty about access to finance with an extension to the interest-free cashflow loan scheme to the end of the year. The Small Business Cashflow Loan Scheme has already been extended once, to 24 July. Revenue and Small Business Minister Stuart Nash says it will be ...
A package of 23 projects across the country will clean up waterways and deliver over 2000 jobs Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Environment Minister David Parker announced today. The $162 million dollar package will see 22 water clean-up projects put forward by local councils receiving $62 million and the Kaipara ...
Tena koutou katoa Nga tangata whenua o tenei rohe o Pōneke, tena koutou Nau mai, haere mai ki te hui a tau mo te roopu reipa Ko tatou! Ko to tatou mana! Ko to tatou kaupapa kei te kokiri whakamua Tena koutou, tena koutou, tena tatou katoa Welcome. I ...
The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) is investing $1.5 million to ensure QE Health in Rotorua can proceed with its world class health service and save 75 existing jobs, Under Secretary for Regional Economic Development, Fletcher Tabuteau announced today. The PGF funding announced today is in addition to the $8 million ...
A new programme, which sets a firm course for the Building and Construction sector to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, has been announced by the Minister for Building and Construction Jenny Salesa. “A significant amount of New Zealand’s carbon emissions come from the building and construction sector. If we’re serious ...
The Provincial Growth Fund is investing more than $7.5 million in Northland ventures to combat the economic impact of the COVID-19 virus, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones have announced. The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) investment is going to the Northern Adventure Experience and ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Education Minister Chris Hipkins today announced significant funding for Auckland’s Northcote College as part of the first wave of a new nationwide school redevelopment programme to upgrade schools over the next 10 years. The $48.5 million project brings the total investment in Northcote College to ...
The Government has opened an urgent response fund to support schools and early learning services to get children and young people back on track after the Covid-19 lockdown. “While we are seeing improvements in attendance under Alert Level 1 Ministry of Education data shows that attendance rates in our schools ...
The law to boost the economic recovery from the impact of COVID-19 by speeding up resource consenting on selected projects has passed its second and third readings in the House today. “Accelerating nationwide projects and activities by government, iwi and the private sector will help deliver faster economic recovery and ...
Five port-related projects in Whanganui will receive a $26.75 million Provincial Growth Fund investment to support local economic recovery and create new opportunities for growth, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. “This is a significant investment that will support the redevelopment of the Whanganui Port, a project governed ...
Whanganui’s Sarjeant Gallery will receive an investment of up to $12 million administered by the Provincial Growth Fund to support its redevelopment, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. The project is included in a $3 billion infrastructure pipeline announced by Finance Minister Grant Robertson and Shane Jones yesterday. ...
The Provincial Growth Fund is investing nearly $2.5 million into three Te Ara Mahi programmes to support Manawatū-Whanganui jobseekers and employees to quickly train and upskill, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. “Up to 154 local people will be supported into employment within the first year by these ...
This morning I have formally tendered my resignation as Minister of Health, which was accepted by the Prime Minister. Serving as Minister of Health has been an absolute privilege – particularly through these extraordinary last few months. It’s no secret that Health is a challenging portfolio. I have given ...
Scholarships for 57 early-career agricultural emissions scientists from 20 developing countries is another example of New Zealand’s international leadership in primary sector sustainability, says Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor. Mr O’Connor, announcing the scholarships today, says hundreds of applications were received for this fourth round of the CLIFF-GRADS programme (Climate, Food ...
A project to help rejuvenate the Horowhenua town of Foxton will receive a Provincial Growth Fund investment of $3.86 million, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. “This funding for the Foxton Regeneration project will be used to make the well-known holiday town even more attractive for visitors and ...
Moa bones and other sub-fossil remains of extinct species are set to have improved protection with proposals to prevent the trade in extinct species announced the Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage today. “We have lost too many of our native species, but these lost species, such as moa, remain an ...
The Government’s free and healthy school lunches programme moves south for the first time creating jobs for around 30 people in Otago and Southland. “Eighteen schools with 3000 students are joining the programme – 11 have already begun serving lunches, and seven are preparing to start during Term 3. This is ...
Thousands of Kiwi jobs and investment in New Zealand productions will be protected through a screen sector support package announced today by Associate Minister for Arts Culture and Heritage Carmel Sepuloni, Minister for Economic Development Phil Twyford and Minister for Broadcasting Kris Faafoi. The package also includes investment in broadcasting ...
The Government has established a new $10 million fund for the domestic events sector to help save jobs and protect incomes as it recovers from the impacts of COVID-19, Minister of Economic Development Phil Twyford announced today. This funding from Budget 2020 follows talks with the event sector designed to ...
The Government has taken another step in its commitment to making sure New Zealanders get a fairer deal at the petrol pump with the introduction of legislation to improve competition in the retail fuel market, says Energy and Resources Minister Megan Woods. “The fuel market study that this Government ordered ...
New Zealand has joined a global initiative that aims to enable all countries to access a safe and effective Covid-19 vaccine, Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters announced today. The COVAX Facility was recently launched by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. The Alliance includes the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the World Bank ...
The US Supreme Court’s recent decision on Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) has been discussed mainly in terms of its impact on the Trump administration’s immigration policy. It’s a demonstration of the importance of the court’s role in America’s separation-of-powers regime. And it says something about the current relationship ...
A man in an Auckland managed-isolation facility decided he’d like to slip through the hotel fence and get some groceries. Justin Giovannetti on what we know about his ill-advised adventure.He’d been back in New Zealand for four days and staying in the heart of Auckland, with the roar of Albert ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Scott Morrison will take a proposal to Friday’s national cabinet to slow the influx of Australians returning from overseas. Morrison’s proposal followed this week’s request from Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan that international flights be ...
Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Whātua has created an action station petition to oppose the application for the proposed Dome Valley Landfill. Find the petition here: https://our.actionstation.org.nz/petitions/protect-our-kaipara-moana The Petition asks that the Mayor of Auckland, Auckland Council and the Minister for ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Kaine, Associate Professor UTS Centre for Business and Social Innovation, University of Technology Sydney In late March, the Victorian government put private security firms in charge of hotel quarantine in Melbourne. This happened without a formal tender process. It was a ...
By RNZ News Health Minister Chris Hipkins says New Zealand’s latest case of covid-19 will be charged for breaching isolation and visiting a central Auckland supermarket last night. Hipkins said the 32-year-old man, who arrived from India on July 3, left his managed isolation last night to go to the ...
Claire from McLeod’s Daughters died in 2003 and Tara Ward is still not over it. The unexpected death of Claire McLeod is the most tragic event you’ll see on television. It was a miserable day when that white Brumby bolted across the road and made Claire drive off a cliff, ...
Luckily for Labour, Jacinda Ardern's leadership in the Covid-19 crisis is a much more powerful political weapon than bread-and-butter issues about the country’s future. ...
IrrigationNZ believes Government investment in the water sector is a step in the right direction – but calls for a broader strategy to encompass all water infrastructure, including storage and policy development. ...
The race relations commissioner, Meng Foon, has just sent the following letter to leaders of New Zealand political parties.Tēnā koe, Talofa, Fakaalofa lahi atu, Kia orana, 你好, Namaste.My role as Race Relations Commissioner is to promote and enhance harmonious communities in our diverse nation. As the leader of a political ...
National MP Hamish Walker's unconscionable privacy breach has already ended his career and that of a party stalwart - but his caucus colleagues may also be cursing his terrible judgment come September 19, Sam Sachdeva writes A young, promising politician gifted one of the safest seats in the country and the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Gillespie, Professor of Law, University of Waikato The leak of the confidential personal information of COVID-19 patients by Clutha-Southland MP Hamish Walker and influential party figure Michelle Boag has been highly embarrassing for the National Party. In less than 24 hours ...
An extract from The Quick and the Dead, the new memoir by Palmerston North pathologist Cynric Temple-Camp.Books editor Catherine Woulfe writes: Strong recommend for this medical memoir, the second by the most excellently-named Cynric Temple-Camp after his 2017 bestseller The Cause of Death.Ostensibly a collection of yarns and case studies, after ...
National Party leader Todd Muller has spoken about the controversy around Hamish Walker at a roading announcement this afternoon, saying the National MP's exit from politics was "the only option". ...
National Party leader Todd Muller has made another roading announcement this afternoon, as the controversy around the National MP who leaked Covid-19 patient details continues to unfold. ...
"Linking funding to commitment from councils to reform the investment, planning and delivery of their water assets is a welcome move," says Infracom (New Zealand Infrastructure Commission, Te Waihanga) Chief Executive Ross Copland, in response ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dani Larkin, Associate Lecturer in Law, University of Newcastle Gunnai-Kurnai and Gunditjmara woman Lidia Thorpe was recently elected by Greens party members to replace the former party leader, Richard Di Natale, as senator for Victoria. Thorpe is the first Indigenous woman to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Charlene Zietsma, Associate professor, Pennsylvania State University In May this year, we were convening a dream conference: 140 like-minded academics on a Greek island for three-and-a-half days to work on a topic we cared about – organising sustainably. We recognised the contradiction ...
“The Government’s long-awaited funding boost and water reform agenda is New Zealand’s best chance to create a high performing water sector for New Zealanders,” says Infrastructure NZ CEO Paul Blair. “The Government has today announced it will ...
Yesterday evening I received a letter from Leader Todd Muller, asking the National Party Board of Directors to urgently meet and consider some very serious, publicly reported, issues concerning Clutha-Southland MP Hamish Walker. The Board met at midday ...
Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Whātua is working with Marae, hapū, Post Settlement Governance Entities (Te Uri o Hau, Ngā Maunga Whakahī, and Ōrākei) and Fight the Tip to lead a hikoi in Tāmaki Mākaurau (Auckland) on Friday 17 July 2020. It is the position ...
The country's latest case of Covid-19 will be charged for visiting an Auckland supermarket last night, Health Minister Chris Hipkins has confirmed. Hipkins said the 32-year-old man, who arrived from India on July 3, left his managed isolation last night to go to the Countdown supermarket on Victoria Street in central ...
The Government has formally confirmed that it will not use any of the current or future serology tests to assess how widespread the Covid19 disease has been in New Zealand. In answer to an Official Information Request by the Covid Plan B group, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marina Yue Zhang, Associate Professor of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Swinburne University of Technology Only 40% of students in China who previously intended to study overseas still plan to, while just under 50% of those who had studied overseas plan to return to ...
Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) welcomes the announcement of $761 million for Tranche One funding as part of the Government’s three waters reform programme, saying it provides a measure of financial assistance to councils as they consider ...
Latest from the Beehive The government’s economic engineers were hard at work yesterday. One minister was set on establishing a base for film production in Christchurch while – much more critically for the wellbeing of the nation – a cluster of others led by the PM were unveiling their grand ...
Recent shocks to our economy have shown that when it comes to knowing how to manage our money, New Zealand still has a long way to go. Having now moved on from my first illustrious job as a graduate tax accountant, a lot of what I learnt about tax in my ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming the proposed removal of water services from local councils , but says that the new ‘Rolls Royce’ drinking quality standards risk lumping communities with the enormous costs of engineers' gold plating. Union ...
Auckland Action Against Poverty is launching a campaign to build commitment from Members of Parliament seeking to be part of Government to increase incomes across the board to liveable levels. The campaign launch will be held tomorrow, Thursday ...
As the settler government did in the late 1800s, it’s high time we erected a bunch of new monuments to the great people of this country (and maybe take some of the stink ones down). Ātea editor Leonie Hayden has some suggestions. Hundreds of heroic and revered ancestors proudly adorn walls, ...
New research from Unisys Corporation (NYSE: UIS) reveals New Zealand women are significantly more concerned than their male counterparts about the impact of COVID-19, according to the new 2020 Unisys Security Index™. ...
“The Zero Waste Network Aotearoa is extremely pleased to announce that we will host a free, international online zero waste conference in December this year. The conference is called Our Zero Waste World Digital Summit . It will highlight zero ...
The High-profile former National Party president has resigned from her campaign and electorate roles for Auckland Central MP and National deputy leader Nikki Kaye. ...
Murray Chong has been selected as the New Conservative candidate for New Plymouth for the 2020 General Election. “I’m delighted to be the New Conservative candidate for the 2020 election. Having stood for another party in 2017, only to be let down ...
Michelle Boag has stood down as Auckland Central MP Nikki Kaye's campaign chair for the upcoming election and no longer has any role with the party. ...
How did the bizarre story of Hamish Walker trying to leak confidential Covid details to media all play out? Radio NZ’s Jo Moir was one of the journalists contacted by the MP, and wrote this timeline. In an extraordinary move National Party leader Todd Muller has had one of his own ...
By RNZ News The opposition National Party leader says he has written to the party’s board asking them to remove MP Hamish Walker from the party after it was revealed he leaked private health information to New Zealand media. It was revealed yesterday that former National Party president Michelle Boag ...
COMMENT:By Nasya Bahfen in Melbourne Australia’s Victorian state government told returned travellers to quarantine for two weeks. Some broke the rules. It then paid for them to stay in hotels with security guards. Some of the guards couldn’t keep their dicks in their pants. Some of the returned travellers ...
Toby Manhire, Annabelle Lee-Mather and Ben Thomas on ministerial resignations in the recent and middle-distant past, a new book from Judith Collins, and the reinvention of Simon Bridges.This episode was recorded on Tuesday morning, before news broke that Hamish Walker and Michelle Boag were behind the Covid-19 data leak.The Gone ...
Fonterra will be greeted by drums, cow costumes, placards and a pile of coal on Thursday morning, 9 July, as Extinction Rebellion Ōtautahi ask the question, ‘Why are Fonterra still using coal in a climate emergency?’ The group will be gathering ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bjorn Sturmberg, Research Leader, Battery Storage & Grid Integration Program, Australian National University Electric vehicles can help keep the air clean in our cities – as we’ve seen recently with the reduction of traffic through COVID-19 lockdowns – but they face two ...
Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage.Today’s contentNational Party revealed as source of Covid-19 privacy leak Audrey Young (Herald): National’s failures on patient leak from top to bottom (paywalled) Luke Malpass (Stuff): National leader Todd Muller ...
Troy Mihaka , local Wellington Conservation Volunteer, Arts Manager and LGBTQ+ Advocate announces candidacy in the 2020 General Election. Standing in the Electorate of Rongotai , Mihaka will be representing the Integrity Party of Aotearoa New Zealand . A political ...
As universities around the world slash jobs and courses in response to the pandemic, Victoria University of Wellington is signalling its intention to introduce sweeping austerity measures, a group of concerned tutors write. A response from Victoria University of Wellington is at the end of this column.So far, 2020 has ...
New Conservative is appalled by the lack of consultation provided by DOC to stakeholders in the management of the New Zealand Tahr herd by not following protocol and not allowing all stakeholders to consult on the plan proposed. DOC released its new Tahr ...
For all The Spinoff’s latest coverage of Covid-19 see here. Read Siouxsie Wiles’s work here. New Zealand is currently in alert level one – read about what that means here. For official government advice, see here.The Spinoff’s coverage of the Covid-19 outbreak is made possible thanks to donations from Spinoff Members. To support this ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul Haskell-Dowland, Associate Dean (Computing and Security), Edith Cowan University In an age of isolation, video sharing platform TikTok has emerged as a bonding force for many. But recent headlines allege the service, owned by Beijing-based company ByteDance, is feeding users’ data ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kingsley Dixon, John Curtin Distinguished Professor, Curtin University This article is a preview from Flora, Fauna, Fire, a multimedia project launching on Monday July 13. The project tracks the recovery of Australia’s native plants and animals after last summer’s bushfire tragedy. Sign ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Shulmeister, Professor, University of Canterbury CC BY-NDClimate Explained is a collaboration between The Conversation, Stuff and the New Zealand Science Media Centre to answer your questions about climate change.If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dallas Rogers, Associate Dean, School of Architecture, Design and Planning, University of Sydney A target of 70% private and 30% public dwellings is an accepted standard for public housing renewal projects in several Australian states. This level of private ownership is said ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Simon Lacey, Senior Lecturer in International Trade, University of Adelaide When the United Kingdom completed its telecom supply chain review last year it gave a green light to Huawei by concluding that nationality-based bans did nothing to improve network security and could ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alison M Joubert, Lecturer in Marketing, The University of Queensland Cancel culture — withdrawing support for public figures when they do or say something offensive — has become so widespread it was Macquarie Dictionary’s 2019 word of the year. A practice where ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dan Fastnedge, Lecturer in Advertising Creativity, Auckland University of Technology When the New Zealand government wanted a campaign to keep kids safe online, naturally it turned to a couple of naked porn actors to get the message across. Actually the government turned ...
A grassroots campaign has launched this week calling on political party leaders to support the implementation of a gender-balanced Cabinet with 50 percent women and 50 percent men in this year’s election. The many vital issues discussed each ...
Air NZ shares fall as quarantine capacity stops it from selling new international tickets for at least three weeks and as Melbourne goes into complete lockdown ...
A flood of Kiwis returning home from Australia has overwhelmed quarantine capacity. Bernard Hickey reports the Government is looking at bringing in cruise ships to expand supply and a quarantine booking system to further restrict demand. Meanwhile, there is now no space for new guest workers, tourists or students for the foreseeable future. ...
The National Party leader says he has written to the party's board asking them to remove MP Hamish Walker from the party after it was revealed he leaked private health information to media. ...
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Scandal for MP after leaking confidential Covid data, new bookings for return to country put on hold, and Islamic Women’s Council release evidence of being ignored.We now know exactly how the leak of private information of all active Covid-19 patients happened. National ...
Opinion: While the investigation into the security of patient data may still find the Government wanting, a rookie National MP’s spectacular own goal has put the opposition in the firing line, writes Laura Walters Political gameplay 101: If you're trying to highlight that another political party shouldn't be trusted with ...
A new survey supports fundamental changes to the country's criminal justice system, but a parallel study shows many still believe in a punitive system, Laura Walters reports A new survey suggests strong support amongst Kiwis for fundamental changes in the resourcing and funding of the criminal justice system, as well as a ...
The Covid-19 lockdown has only confirmed how vital New Zealand’s early childhood sector is to the future of this country. Now is the time to bed in a systemic policy infrastructure to support resilient children, write three experts. The Early Learning Action Plan (ELAP), released in December 2019, was barely ...
Picked as a star by one of the great women golfers of all time, Wellington teenager Darae Chung is preparing herself mentally and physically to play overseas again. When 16-year-old Darae Chung travels around the country – and eventually around the globe again – playing golf, she will have the ...
He has been in the job less than a week, but new Health Minister Chris Hipkins is already making his presence felt on some critical Covid-19 issues, Sam Sachdeva writes When it was revealed Chris Hipkins would replace David Clark as Health Minister, some observers wondered whether the role may stretch him ...
Matteo Di Maio takes a look at New Zealand’s most expensive rare books. Anah Dunsheath from Rare Books in Auckland knows how you ought to take an old book off the shelf, and how you ought not to. Novices will just pull the book out by the top of its ...
The incoming government needs to wake up and have a critical look at the child protection monster that is Oranga Tamariki, writes Dr Ian Hyslop There is always risk of a chronic disconnect between the policy and operational arms of public service organisations. This risk is particularly acute in excessively ...
The genetic secrets of New Zealand’s predatory 'lion' have been revealed with the mapping of the stoat genome, and there's hope better, kinder ways of getting rid of the introduced killing machines might be found A stoat’s spleen, liquid nitrogen, supercomputers, and 18 months of international effort has led to the mapping ...
Auckland 'move the port' studies have averaged out to at least two per year over the last decade with almost every one of them throwing out a different option or result. ...
Open mike 23/03/2020 
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Are you the Virus?
Nope.
I am not the virus but I am a Killing Joke fan.
Here's a detailed but still accessible read about what the SARS-CoV-2 virus does at the cellular level and the what and how of potential therapies against it.
https://arstechnica.com/science/2020/03/covid-19-the-biology-of-an-effective-therapy/
Very good link.
Where the fuck are you all going?
OMG that's funny
Really funny, holy shit. So good to see people in authority doing it well.
Panic buying is not a socially acceptable response to the pandemic, but it is understandable.
The enemy is unseen and could be spreading from the person next to you in the lift, or the handrail you touched on your way up the stairs. There is no adequate protection against such an invisible enemy. [Apart from strict social distancing].
So what can a person do? Well, attempt to control the things that are within control – if I have to be locked in my house, at least I can make sure I won't starve. Hence the buying of goods that are unlikely to run out, like bread and flour.
That's the explanation I heard from a psychologist and it makes a certain amount of sense.
it makes perfect sense.
But then, it is easier to blame fear and panic on those that risk losing everything, while doing nothing really to squelch the fear and panic but actually doing what should be done.
declare total shut down
IRd to send checks to all
Supermarkets to go to online ordering only
rationing as per nutrituional value etc
and then strict enforcing of rules as in France/Germany etc where the police and the army drive through empty streets reminding people that staying at home is saving lifes.
so far in NZ we continue to go to work, and the fear is everywhere.
We need the government to do the right thing and declare shut down.
We the people of this fair land need to stay the fuck at home, and staying at home should not bankrupt anyone, nor should it render anyone destitute.
The problem with total lockdown is many people in "liberal democracies" are defying the lockdown.
It works in an authoritarian state, but many young people internationally are defying it.
Stuff report on flouting it from France to Florida & Aussie
To have a lockdown, there needs to be adequate enforcement systems in place.
People defying the lockdown probably do it for similar reasons to people doing panic buying.
The supermarkets limiting opening times might seem logical for shelf stocking reasons, but it is increasing the panic buying and lack of physical distancing. The Government needs to find a way to ensure supermarkets get increased staffing
And there is the problem, amongst all this "lockdown" talk are all the logistics that need to be undertaken, all the planning, the organising. That was my first thought about limiting supermarket times, is less time for ppl to shop, the call to give everyone 1k (more than I earn a week btw) would just increase panic buying. There has to be a huge, top down plan, and I'm sure there are people doing this planning right now. Is it happening fast enough? Maybe not, but clearly people need to be told what to do, which is quite sad really.
well we then will do what the other countries do.
This is Place Massena in Nice – one of my old stomping grounds. At this time a year, until October this place is packed. The images are taken from a balcony on hte other side of the square ' Old Nice'. My beautiful Nissa la Bella.
personally if people want to defy the lock down that is their choice, i now however want the government to provide a reason for people to stay at home.
Because frankly you might want to think of shop keepers and supermarket/gas station/mitre ten/bunnings staff etc as heros, but with all due respect, they and myself we are just shitting ourselfs.
I have gone to online order only, i have run out of hand sanitizer to give to my customers and literally spray myself down with industrial kitchen santizer, gloves are starting to be in low supply and hard to come by.
the government needs to shut down. It has spend enough time protected big business, it is subsidizing the wages of those whose businesses are still alive, now its the time to help the rest of the country.
I have posted a few links from italy and france, these images from the hospitals are not 'the hardest' hit, they are the ermergency services. I suggest that people look at these images and understand that this is us.
And by gosh, we don't even have an ambulance service that would cope. We.Need.To.Stay.At.Home.
So why are you open for customers? I think you are a bullshitter.
nope, open for online orders only.
table at the doorway, people order online, specify pick up or delivery.
Pick up will take what is by the table.
I had two deliveries today, and three pick ups.
No am not a bullshitter, but hey what ever makes you feel better.
cause we need the fucking money.
Because i need to pay my lease on the 7th of the month.
Because i need to pay bills on the 20th of the month.
Because i do not want to pick up a loan on the eve of the biggest financial calamity that this world has ever seen.
Because no one is going to buy my 'assets' at a time of the Global Financial Crisis 2020 that will make the Global Financial Crisis 2008 look like childs play.
And this is the reason all of us that go to work, still go to fucking work.
So if you can stay the fuck at home, do so. Because you are at risk, not form those in self isolation but from us that can't.
because at the end of the day, when all this is said and done, the debt collector will want his pound of flesh, and they will have no issue stripping us to the bare bones.
https://covid19.govt.nz/government-actions/covid-19-alert-system/
Essential Industries. That's another very strong phrase when it comes from Government during a State of Emergency, which is where we are now with the Pandemic Plan being rolled out. Government will do what is required, people will be asked / directed to work where they are required.
In reading the Pandemic Plan the supermarkets have been involved in planning for this eventuality for a long time, it'll all happen fine from their end. Managing the public's behaviour might be different.
Well, I hope it can be managed. As far as I can see, the big problem is lack of staff, and that's where the government can help. More shelvers, more managed shopping – queues with physical distances, and limited shoppers in a supermarket at any time. More drivers to deliver to supermarket, more people doing home deliveries… etc.
Backed up by police maintaining a balance between friendly community engagement, and tough on people who break the rules.
Government has asked (told) the Commerce Commission to be relaxed about competing businesses working together.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12318864
Thanks. Hope there is proper oversight so that businesses don't use this as an excuse for hoarding or price gouging.
IMHO, this coronavirus crisis has exposed the NZ pundit class as a bunch of out of touched reckons with not much insight, not much to say, and very of what they say having any value.
Every last one of them is either part of an out of touch white upper middle class or useless boomers who reflexively support National and whose every utterance reeks of their privilege.
This crisis should lead to a shake up of the opinion writers in our MSM, a new broom to sweep away the dessicated detritus of people who intellectual peak is well in the past and whose insight shrivelled up and blew away twenty or thirty years ago, but it probably won't.
1ZB got an absolute grilling (comparatively, for the normally very sedate Colin Peacock) by Mediawatch.
Basically calls them incoherent and dangerous.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/mediawatch/audio/2018739390/media-strive-to-adapt-to-the-new-normal
Jack Tame's opinion is worthy of a read or a listen:
https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/saturday-morning-with-jack-tame/opinion/jack-tame-were-all-in-this-together/
Well done Jack. You put some of your narcissistic, brain-addled partisan colleagues to shame.
Yes on both the diagnosis and the prediction. I think their gravy train has just pulled into a siding for a while.
It is just astonishing, the complacency and vapidity and lack of relevance of almost all of it. The lazy horse race analysis that is the warp and weft of so much of what passes as analysis here has been brutally exposed for it's feeble irrelevance buy this virus while the squalid cynical scorn of privileged right wing pundits, usually disguised as the world weary sophistication of realists, has also be revealed in a lurid and ghastly precision by the coronavirus. GAH!!!!
No-one could say it better Sanctuary. You've nailed the situation, and pinned the sadistics, like butterflies, to a billboard for all to see.
Couldn’t agree more Sanctuary.
Potential for so many things to change for the better. Good to keep an eye on that ball amongst everything else. What do we want it to change to?
Jacinda, close the schools etc
You and Parliament are gambling with lives using a really bad hand.
Whoever is advising you is giving you wrong advice. Is Psychological operations from enemy countries advising you?
From a PR perspective, if you close schools there is no massive down side. You’ll be seen to be strong, If you don’t
……….
Will you forever be known, as “coward of the county”
Lines from the Gambler being your swan song
You seem pretty certain the government is getting the wrong advice. What do you base that assumption on?
Risk = probability x consequence
Are you willing to bet the lives of your loved ones, your house, your savings the Gov is doing the right thing
[deleted image (broken). Karl the “Risk = probability x consequence” thing is now kind of spammy. If you want to explain it please do, but otherwise there’s no need to keep repeating it so often.
I’m also uncomfortable with calling the govt cowards. There’s a balance to be had between critiquing govt policy, strategy and action, and undermining confidence in them in a time of crisis. Please have a think about how you comment in that regard, thanks – weka]
My sector is already screwed for 18 months or more so I have nothing with which to bet.
I think it's incumbent upon all of us to remain calm and follow the authorities' guidelines. If we do this we may not even reach Level 3 or 4.
The hysterical reaction isn't helping anyone.
Hi Mutton bird, I appreciate and understand your concern. However, my theory is the potential line of advice given to JA is that all NZD kids will go off running madly through the streets if not at school. I know kiwi kids are better than that. Yeah,some kids will need care at school but not all. There are other alternatives. This is one of the best opportunities for NZINc to practice emergency protocols (& developing new ones)
If you look at critical path analysis, children are one of the main vectors for infection. It’s almost as if the gov has gone out of its way to make it spread.
Take care M Bird, I do get where ya coming from but respectfully disagree.
Just to be cheeky, you did not answer the question, would you bet your loved ones lives on the Govs approach given the evidence from around the world
yes or no?
Be safe
Aside it’s as almost as if this has happened to our gov, in that NZInc is being taken down by some other Nations Psychological operations (PSYOP). The real truth maybe worse we have people advising that are just wrong
Hi Karl. I don't subscribe to such conspiracy theories, and I won't be entertaining a bet which involves loved ones' lives – it's kind of grotesque really.
As far as I know the current policy on schools is to maintain normality in children's lives. Also sending them home into isolation prematurely will cause havoc in many households, particularly vulnerable ones.
This eventuality is not the same as normal school holidays where there is no lockdown.
Using your own equation; Risk = probability x consequence.
The word lock down is rather emotional and can mean different things spplied on a sliding scale
I respect your comments
“won't be entertaining a bet which involves loved ones' lives – it's kind of grotesque really.”
Thanks, you answered my question ….. we know where you stand
Take care
your "psyop" idea is incredibly silly.
As for the "bet", frankly I'll take the government advice over anything from commenters or msm opinion pieces.
But then I know some of the people involved in that advice, and I know the balance that needs to be struck. That's why I had coffee with colleagues in an almost empty cafe today (after completing the registration process required for contact tracing).
Because even if our covid, flu, gastro, and STI rates go to the floor because of all the handwashing and physical distancing, as companies fold and people are trapped in houses together our suicide, abuse, and depression rates are likely to correspondingly increase if isolations are too long and strict.
Quoted for Truth
well, that didn't age well.
My whole morning just aged incredibly fast.
mod note for you above Karl.
Message received loud and clear Weka
Will do
Take care
This needs to be debated rationally, and words like "coward" are not helpful.
No political courage is needed to do what people are demanding. That's a day's good press, for sure. Whether it's the right thing to do is a much harder dilemma.
Announcing is easy. Enforcing is another matter altogether.
Ardern has to address the growing calls for moving to a lockdown and for at least school closedown.
It's going to happen soon anyway, so why not reduce risk and do it now?
I'm setting up to work from home from today, and setting up a quarantine zone at home for family members at greater risk. It's just not worth the risk waiting a few days.
She addressed the entire nation on Saturday. The information is all in the Alert Level document.
Here's the document if you haven't read it. I have it stuck on the fridge for handy reference. You might wish to do the same.
I've read it all and posted on it all over the weekend. I'm acting on level 2 advice now.
But that was on Saturday, which itself was a significant change from what was announced on Friday and on Thursday.
Since then a number of experts and medical professions and teacher representatives have made it clear that the current measures aren't enough, they are too big a risk.
I think Saturday's effort was good at the time and seems to have been an attempt to prepare people and phase in changes, but that now seems behind the curve.
It makes no sense to let things spread further – and that will be happening – waiting for some sort of measurement while risks increase (which means lives are further endangered).
The only thing which has changed from Saturday is the opinion of some health professionals and teachers, not actual risk factors.
It might pay to bear this in mind.
Some health professionals and teachers seem to think that the risk factors increase every day that there is still widespread social interactions.
It has even been quantified – the number of CONFIRMED cases is currently doubling every three days in New Zealand, similar to rates in other countries.
So that means potentially a doubling in risk every 3 days.
It might pay to bear this in mind.
And yet official advice to the government appears not to support the opinions of a selection of doctors and teachers.
When the risk factors do go up you will be alerted because it will be announced we are on Level 3.
It must be remembered New Zealand had a heads-up on this pandemic and were able to put in place measures which weren't put in place early enough in other countries.
Normally a stickler for precise and authoritative evidence, you appear to have set sail for the choppy waters of conspiracy and mistrust.
Pete, instead of hand-wringing at home and compartmentalising your house, you’d be doing your country a great service by getting out and shutting down those student parties along the road.
Lucky you being able to continue to work, albeit from home. I am one millions of NZers for whom that’s not possible. A total lockdown will most likely see me and a lot of others on the dole queue. Is it any wonder the PM is treading very carefully? I assume that lockdown is coming, preparing us for that, was presumably, the point of the PM’s address on Saturday.
They waived the stand downs, apply online. Done.
The recovery figures don't show the permanent lung damage that can remain for some people. Welfare is temporary, the support the system will need to give you if this type of damage occurs will not be.
Let's be brutally honest about this. Your post (ScottGN) outlines the other aspect of this pandemic. This pandemic isn't just a health issue – otherwise we would be at stage four by now. Unfortunately, the advice of medical experts is just one consideration the government has to consider. It also has to try and prevent a complete economic catastrophe. So like a war, it is about balancing loss of life vs trying to keep the economy going.
No one will put it as blunt as to say it in those terms, but yeah. That is why Jacinda looks so worn out. She is balancing human lives vs economic survival. I wouldn't have her job for all the tea in China.
yup. Economic disruptions kill, too.
It also has to try and prevent a complete economic catastrophe.
Overseas forecasts for the next quarter are, in the US -14% and likewise for the UK.(Larry Elliot, writing a worthwhile piece in the Guardian quotes 'Capital Economics' figures of 14 – 20%)
To put that in perspective , when the USSR 'headed south', the economy shrunk by about 9% p.a. over a number of years.
The government does not have to prevent an economic catastrophe – it can't. But it ought to be bent on preventing a human catastrophe coming off the back of that economic one. But it's not. And it won't. We have allowed ourselves to be ruled by clowns and dullards who simply can't think outside their wee chrematistic box.
In their world, when their idea of what an economy is sinks, then we all get to hang on to boulders and plummet right alongside the dive.
Elliot link – https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/mar/22/the-coronavirus-is-leading-to-a-whole-new-way-of-economic-thinking
It takes time to plan and organise on such a large scale, Pete. Saying “make it so” doesn’t make it so.
Pete… I did some work on CD stuff decades ago.
There are several differences between this and something like a earthquake, volcano, or tsunami.
The problem is that if you just shut everything down and push the army into the streets to shoot people (ie the far end of phase 4 and what may happen) which is YOUR logical end of argument – then even worse things happen.
You have breakdowns in supply chains – including (and especially for) medical supply chains. You don't have plans for how people can get food. You don't have plans for anything that are widely understood and accepted.
You also don't have any way to make this consistent over the whole country. Which essentially means that you're going to have idiotic knowit all fuckwits who think that they know better precipitously screwing the pooch and building pockets of disease to cause waves of disease to keep flooding the rest of the country when you finally get to lift restrictions.
Personally I'm in favour of just shooting the loudmouths who don't know what they're talking about when it comes to political decisions. However I'm not that willing to commit suicide at present. But I recognise that I'm not making the balanced decisions that are designed to carry society safely over the next 4 months…
I'd suggest that you read the pandemic plan – I put it up in a post a few days ago.
It's very interesting seeing much of the discussion missing the fact that all our lives are dependent on big, complex systems, and you don't take those down at short notice unless you *really have to. It's almost like people don't understand how interdependent everything is.
the other important difference is that in big natural disasters there's a lot of community self reliance based around people coming together to sort things out until things get back to normal. Can't do that with a pandemic.
Agree with both Lynn and weka, about the way some people would respond to a sudden shut down, and the problem with complex interdependent systems.
It seems to me the calls for immediate lock down are more panic responses, and it has a contagious impact on people's contacts and networks – everyone gets over-hyped.
Maybe just calm down and follow the safe practices – good hand washing practices, social distancing, and providing support for others as needed. Allow NZ's systems and infrastructure time to adjust to the new normal. Follow official guidance that is leading is through the alert levels when the time is right.
'Personally I'm in favour of just shooting the loudmouths who don't know what they're talking about when it comes to political decisions. However I'm not that willing to commit suicide at present.'
Heh …….. and there but for the grace of jeebers go us all
If any of you have been out it's not like those non essential businesses are doing a roaring trade. They might as well close.
People generally are standing back, washing their hands but going about their lives as if going out to restaurants, visiting friends, traveling within a few hours drive is not causing harm – it is and it needs to stop.
El Salvador just declared a 30 day lockdown for all but essential movement, only one person per household allowed out. NZ is pathetically lagging at a point where every single hour that passes without lockdown increases the risk against a virus with exponential growth and a health system that was already harming people (blindness, death, suicide..) before this began.
Don't be one of them Gatlin boys, you know how things ended for them.
Hugs n kisses off planes from folk who have just come through the most likely point of infection, an international airport/airline !
The lack of social distancing, zero masks/gloves was concerning. Their announcement was also stating a 1m distance not the 2m suggested elsewhere.
We're not helping ourselves.
That's why the constant cries of "Government, Make The Decision For Us!" are too simplistic.
Hugs and kisses at the airport should be stopped. By us. Not by police arresting the law-breaking huggers.
TO:
GCSB
NZDF
POLICE ETC……
SHUT THE SCHOOLS DOWN etc
You need to chat to JAcinda.. help her get there, she has the wrong advice
Are you advocating a military coup? Such talk could be seen as treasonous. Be careful what you say.
Hi Marco….
Thanks for the comments
Nope, not a military coup, just a quiet chit chat.
I suspect certain voices are not being heard or worse, truthful opinions not shared
Why doesn't Simon Bodges come out and say this himself?
Yup, babby Yehua’s dad’s gonna to sort it.
/
A nation led by dunces.
I think it would be helpful if the PM announced a Committee of the most senior MPs in Parliament to give advice and to act as a sounding board for the ministerial committee that is meeting daily. Probably 4 from government (2 from Labour, one from NZF, one from the Greens) and 3 from National. It would reinforce the sense of national unity that is essential at this time. The members would be the most senior by position, a bit like the Intelligence Committee.
I also think the election should be delayed to the last possible date (probably Dec 12). If it needed to be later, that would have to be done by special legislation.
As for the Levels, I think they are about right, though they could be refined. For instance is 100 people in one place too many? It surely could be reduced to 50. At present I think Level 2 is about right.
I sure would like to see the airport sorted. Maybe it is by now. But last week looked real bad.
Is a nationwide shutdown of schools warranted yet? I think not, based on everything I read. There is no real evidence that they are a particular danger point. But people are sure anxious about that. Maybe more public information is needed about specific risks.
Self isolation for those testing positive? I would prefer actual quarantine, in special facilities. Maybe the govt could rent a couple of hotels for this purpose. But of course on the actual medical issues I imagine the government is acting on advice from the Director General, who seems to be doing a really great job.
I think things will be redefined, constantly. I have school age kids and was happy to keep sending to school, but now I see the teachers council are lobbying to shut the schools, likewise with the health professionals petition, the people at the coalface. I think the Govt are doing as well as they can, but I'm also gonna think for myself.
Having Simon Bridges anywhere near this committee would be a terrible idea.
I suspect the government would be thankful for the extra skills and input at the Covid-19 decision-making table but Bridges has proven himself incapable of concentrating on the task at hand, instead preferring to use the situation for political advantage, and he has shown no interest whatsoever in a "sense of National unity".
Of course if National got rid of Bridges…
The whole point of bringing the opposition on board is just that. The government doesn't get to dictate who the opposition are. Yes, Simon could have done better last week (and I am sure learnt a lesson from that), but he is still the leader. So you deal with the opposition as they are, or you don't.
The government doesn't have to do this, but I reckon they are making a mistake if they don't.
First, they tried a unity government in WW2. After six weeks of delicate negotiations, Sid Holland and one other National MP joined a war cabinet. They lasted about two months before flouncing off – it was a total waste of time. So New Zealand has NEVER had a successful unity cabinet, even in the extremity of an actual war to the actual death against actual Nazis.
Second, being in a cabinet would actually constrain the opposition (if it was responsible) from doing it's job. In a democracy effectively co-opting the democratic choices of the people is always a terrible idea. Let the government do it's job and the opposition do theirs.
Wayne, I appreciate that your comments are in good faith, but the last 2 years have taught Simon Bridges many such lessons, repeatedly – and little has been learned.
I don't need to go through the whole list (accusing everyone from Speaker to Parl services of leaking his travel details, and never apologising when the culprit was in his caucus all the time, joining in the social media nastiness against the PM, belittling her as "photo op" while doing his photo ops, backsliding on gun reform, even descending to a shameful implication of "anti-semitism" only 2 months ago … that's just for starters).
He chose to lead in a particular way (these aren't "mistakes", as I'm sure you know, they're a deliberate strategy, made in the Republican USA).
Nobody will lose out if Bridges isn't in on the decision-making. The NZ public have no reason to believe in his good faith, and that's nobody's fault but his.
I think Simon needs to make an apology of some sort. Extend the hand and acknowledge his actions and the entirety of method are/were wrong.
Can't see the government valuing his opinion or input with his current settings. He'd do more damage than good. That’s the problem when your key focus has been to attack others rather than be constructive.
Paul Goldsmith on the other hand…
I think National has already proven, at least with today’s National party, that honesty, good faith and working for the best of the country, rather than instilling fear, using US attack dog division, and dog whistling, are foriegn concepts.
Surely he can advocate for his paymasters quite satisfactorily as things stand?
Agree with each of your points ……
A committee of seven senior permanent politicians is how the Swiss manage Switzerland at all times .
Incoming planes should only be coming into Auckland now and everybody coming in should be put into quarantine for 14 days because of all the flouting of the self- quarantine requirement and airline crew should be contained somewhere isolated from the community between flights.
Switzerland also profiteered from the Holocaust and you almost literally requires your neighbours permission to change the clour of your letterbox. It offers no particular role model either culturally or morally for us to follow.
Yup, bang up job they're doing.
/
One of the biggest surprises is the severe situation that Switzerland finds itself in. The majestic mountain redoubt that is so organized that you can set your watch by the trains, because they are rarely even a few seconds late, has the second-highest rate of COVID-19 infection in the world. The rate of infection is going up so quickly — 758 new cases on Saturday — that the government says it has been having trouble keeping track of the growing numbers.
https://globalnews.ca/news/6713906/coronavirus-switzerland-commentary/
They are in the exact opposite position to us. In the middle of a continent with 1000s of workers crossing the borders of Germany, Italy and France to work each day. They got their first case about 1 day before us. They quickly locked down their borders but they are allowing the outside workers in still – many of them work in the hospitals ! Everyone who can stays at home they are compliant. Shops and businesses are closed and no grouping is allowed in most areas- police break it up and fine them if a group is found.
Supermarkets are actively restricting the numbers of people allowed into shop at one time. No more than 50 and as one comes out one more can go in.
Lets hope we don,t get to that point too.
Sensible and I suspect it will happen soon – like this week. The committee presided over by Jacinda Ardern – as an extra person (chairperson) over and above the suggested committee number.
If they had to do this I think Goldsmith (Finance), Collins (Planning) and Woodhouse (Health) would be acceptable.
Definitely not Bridges, Bennett or Mitchell.
They would be my picks too.
And for Labour: Robertson, Parker and (maybe) Woods.
Min of Health, David Clark needs to be freed up to concentrate on the massive heatlh related logistics involved – I would think.
If such a committee is formed the government won’t get to dictate who the opposition nominates, and of course they know that. I expect the committee would be chaired by the PM. And she won’t have nearly the problem about Simon that many here have. They know each other quite well from their time on TV together.
My experience tells me that MP’s from opposing parties especially senior ones, know how to work together if needs be. There is a lot more interaction than the public generally understand. They also know the demands of particular roles, and are quite able to look past various missteps.
They could certainly refuse a nomination if they thought that person had a history of not working constructively and was unlikely to benefit the committee because of that.
I'm again thinking of Bridges, Bennett and Mitchell here.
Muttonbird
The government (assuming they establish such a committee) won't do that. They know they will have to deal with National's leadership. So that means Bridges, probably Bennet (National might go with Woodhouse) and I would imagine Goldsmith.
As I have said, senior MP's do actually know how to work together, even if they are on opposites sides.
the same Woodhouse that underfunded the healthcare system to what it is now?
great.
That's true, but for the purposes of the committee Wayne has asked for, Woodhouse is the Opposition spokesperson for Health, so Woodhouse it is.
The armchair punditry is becoming really, really tiresome.
Hey ScottGN…,
Wondering what you think about Govs Covid response
Would you bet your loved ones life on it or bank account
See Muttonbird’s reply to the same question from you further up the thread.
I’m with him/her.
Me too Scott.
Thanks, you answered my question ….. we know where you stand
Take care
Karl do you think that it is possible that the Opposition Dirty Tricks Team have set out to sow alarm and distrust with the Government actions?
Genuinely, I think the Nats are very happy with what the gov is doing…….(tick tick tick)
The lack of action will provide the Nats good ammunition if the Gov is wrong.
Personally, if they put the right support in place and mechanisms JA will be seen to be hero’s if they close schools etc.cant loose and will be seen not to be gambling with our vulnerable population.
Take care
good night and good luck
this i agree with you.
what our government is doing now is what National would have done. Minus the lifting of the GST.
Heck they did not even cancel the end of the year or push it out to July/August.
But then i guess the suits want their wages. Has any of them offered to take a pay holiday for a month or two to help?
no.
bullshit.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/22/world/europe/germany-coronavirus-budget.html
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-03-22/germany-asks-carmakers-to-produce-medical-gear-for-virus-fight
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8095835/Overwhelmed-Italian-hospitals-running-200-cent-capacity.html
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/11228626/frontline-nhs-doctor-describes-horror-coronavirus-victims/
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8140335/Coronavirus-claims-651-lives-24-hours-Italy-bringing-devastating-death-toll-5-476.html
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/coronavirus-europe-death-toll-spain-lombardy-lockdown-a9417081.html
https://nltimes.nl/2020/03/22/total-coronavirus-cases-quadruple-week-4204-death-toll-reaches-179
They need to keep kids at home, they need to allow people to stay at home.
heck at the best of the time our health system is not coping – waiting times, no ETA from Ambulances when all are out in the field, and so on and so forth. And we are pretending this is business as usual, and hope the devil has pity with us. It.is.not.
In his little corner of the world Mike Hosking is doing that. In other words, business as usual.
A non-exhaustive list of media cliches and lazy reckons that should be consigned to history after the reality of Covid-19:
"Lazy public servants" … turns out they're the people keeping the country going, and the public informed. Ashley Bloomfield, not a "faceless bureaucrat", just conscientiously doing his job.
"Ivory tower academics" … sure, you could get your advice from graduates of the School of Talkback, but people who have studied the thing at those out-of-touch universities – they seem a bit more useful, eh?
"Kiwi Mums and Dads" … sure, that's most of us, and we like to think we're good people, but you know those panic-buyers and careless queuers at the supermarkets? they're "Kiwi Mums and Dads" too. Common sense is not a given.
etc.
Good list – please add some more as they come to mind. Also it's worth thinking about the inverse of each of these. The inverse, which was meant to be true, is now revealed as bullshit as well. So the inverse of "lazy public servants" is meant to be "the dynamic and efficient private sector" – also a myth.
The inverse of “ivory tower academics” is “practical, down to earth ZB talkback hosts”. Etc.
WINZ wait time on helpline….88 minutes
well i guess no extra staff was hired? Btw, i hope these crittes work from home.
And yes, it would have been easier to simply mint that trillion dollar coin, and instruct IRD to send every single adult in this country a check – min wage – for the next few weeks.
Or legislate by emergency degree a rent/bill/holiday for all.
But now, you must try and reach Winz, who already in the best of times is not up to task.
This is just abject bullshittery by those that have know their wages and bills will be paid.
Just a snide comment from me, but maybe a few weeks of everyone on min wage will make some people realise min wage ain’t all it’s cracked up to be …
true that, but it might also help those that have absolutly no income.
I use min wage as that is what is government instituted. And it is the amount of the wage subsidiy that the government pays to businesses that still have employees. You know, solidarity, treating everyone the same, oh and that would include all the government critters. 🙂 Maybe then they would understand that our system can not be fixed with a wee trickle down here and hten, but needs proper regulations and rules for the common good of all rather then just assuring survival of a few.
Wayne, a joint committee of MPs from all parties would be worthwhile. Just keep Simon Bridges off it. He is not up to it, having no sensitivity awareness at what is a difficult time.
Hmm yeah…Amy Adams, Nikki Kaye, Paul Goldsmith
In breaking fake news the entire parliament who supports the current COVID19 approach of leaving schools open etc will be betting their entire life savings on their strategy
Some have even gone further and doubled down saying they will put their loved ones on the frontline 24/7
Apparently those who agree in the public space are Showing solidarity by doing the same…..
heh
😂
🙂
Not sure who has been talking about lazy public servants and ivory tower academics – but having a close relative working at MOH I am aware of the 12 hour days, as well as weekend and evening work that has been undertaken for the last 4 – 6 weeks. They are pretty tired. But I would go by their advice before the Mike Hosking and other talkback ranters and ravers, who disgust me.
Jesus, I hate to go on about it but the MSM is just so fucking useless.
NZ Herald/Newshub/Stuff news cycle:
DAY 1: PANIC/ ANECDOTE/ SECOND GUESS/ RECKONS / PANIC/PANIC!
DAY 2: PANIC/ ANECDOTE/ SECOND GUESS/ RECKONS / PANIC/PANIC!
DAY 3: PANIC/ ANECDOTE/ SECOND GUESS/ RECKONS / PANIC/PANIC!
DAY 4: CONTRARIANS / LOOK AT ALL THE FOOLISH PANICKING! SILLY FOOLS! HOW TO PANIC CONSTRUCTIVELY!
DAY 5: WHY IS EVERYONE PANICKING? BOOMER SAYS SOMETHING.
Rinse and repeat.
Heh, much like The Standard …
It is sad ….
watching the words of Karl Sinclair slop around like those of a lunatic.
That he is given a childlike massive amount of space on this little blog – which itself is miles below that of health and economy experts – is not helpful in the least.
Flinging abuse at the Prime Minister further scums this blog down.
Observer Thanks for you passionate response, I see your happy to gamble and go with gov approah. The unfortunate thing is your gambling with my loved ones to.
please read this, oh, and take care
Coronavirus: NZ must 'work very hard to eradicate this infection now' – epidemiologist https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/412381/coronavirus-nz-must-work-very-hard-to-eradicate-this-infection-now-epidemiologist
Observer T, also this
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2020/03/coronavirus-new-zealand-needs-to-go-into-extreme-shutdown-leading-science-adviser.html
covid interactive map for those inclined
https://covid19map.co.nz/?fbclid=IwAR3OYotM8GeWICWzMmLc13gRb3bSn7MbmX0IfkzC_34JvSoiuWPPFSric30
So now I am officially grounded. Under GP's instruction to self-isolate.
Not a great time to get a bout of tonsillitis – probably strep throat/tonsils. My right tonsil looks like it did in my younger days when I was prescribed antibiotics. It's a mild irritation, and I feel fine otherwise.
From today, my GPs have gone to phone consults for immediate issues, and advance, non-urgent in person consultations booked up til next week some time – because of the pressures they are now under.
I had a very good phone consultation with a GP this morning.
Basically, she thinks it's either a virus or bacterial infection, or the result of past infections, – the latter not a problem. She's prescribing me antibiotics to clear any bacterial infection, and arranging for the chemist to home deliver it within the next day or 2. Chemist are also under pressure, and she thinks my case is not urgent.
Unless my condition deteriorates noticeably in the mean time, she has booked me for a flu vaccination next week.
I have been doing social distancing for a while, and have not had any close contact with people/groups since beginning of March. I have not knowingly been in contact with anyone who recently travelled overseas.
If, perchance it is Covid-19, though unlikely, it would be a mild case – hence self-isolate. She asked if I had relatives who could deliver a food package from time to time – done – email sent to nephew across town who offered such help.
I have a home delivery scheduled for Sunday from my local supermarket. But there's no certainty if I'll be able to book a slot in the future.
Sorry to hear you are unwell. The medical people sound like they have things sorted, which is encouraging. Hope you get lots of rest and recover swiftly.
Thanks. Actually I don't feel unwell – just the scratchy throat and also feels a bit like a lump in my throat from the swollen tonsil. In fact, I felt I didn't seem bad enough to go to a GP, but thought it best to check.
I mostly rest. But, I asked the GP if it was OK to keep working out on the exercise bike in my flat. She said "sure" and to just listen to my body and stop if I'm feeling too tired, or not up to it.
She was not my usual GP, but said from my record I am pretty healthy, and it is more over 70s with other health conditions that are at risk from the impact of Covid-19.
I was impressed with her response. The GPs do see under a lot of pressure right now.
my friends called me to tell me her mum is dying.
if the home can find a suit, mask, gloves, goggles n stuff she can come and see her mum a last time, if not she won't be allowed in.
And she is to self isolate at home as a risk group and to deal with this on her own.
We are going to be a very different country when this has passed us, as it will. I can't see how we can go back to business as usual.
Gee, that's tough for your friend. Is her mum dying of THE virus or something else?
Condolences to your friend.
frankly i don't know.
she has trouble breathing, etc but she is also very old. In saying that we had planned a big 90/s birthday party for her.
her other son is in self isolation with his wife. My friend has been not leaving the house for about 4 weeks now.
Gosh. That's sad about the 90th party.
Tough times. Hope the son in self isolation will be OK.
Hawaii is gone into shutdown, so frankly i hope he is a lucky guy, his wife is a smoker etc etc a prime candidate.
Luckily i have friends who finally have cancelled a trip to the South Island to visit Dad.
This came in from my Accountant in Auckland:
Assistant Director of Nursing at QE has said they’ve had a message today that virus seems to be spreading quickly via petrol pumps so they advise to wear gloves when filling up or use paper towel and bin straight away. Can you copy and paste to your status to let everyone know. Could make huge difference.
If you have gloves wear them, wipe down super market trollies, wipe down your door handles at the care when coming back from shops etc.
and yeah, feel free to call me a bullshitter. who cares.
Wow. The one time I've been out early last week was to pick up some library books I had requested, and fill up with petrol. I had with me some Detol handwipes I had at home, from before Covid-19 times.
I hand wiped my hands and car doors after the library and after filling up. As I was getting into my car, I guy approached me for help cos his car was low on petrol or something. Me, who has been social distancing a lot, thought "WTF! Why pick on an elderly woman at this time". I said I was in a hurry, ask the petrol station staff, and got in my car.
If people start talking about mortgage holiday to help people, or making it impossible for banks to foreclose of people who can't pay their mortgage, what about a rent freeze as well? Ie people who live in rental accommodation who can't find the money to pay their rent because they have lost their job etc not having to pay their rent for a few months? After all, 50 percent of New Zealanders now live in rental accommodation with no hope of buying a house and they are the people who are most likely to be on low wages and finding it tough to make ends meet. Landlords who aren't collecting their rent should then be protected from the banks foreclosing on them.
Yes, the focus seems STILL to be on property ownership.
I'm a pensioner non-property owner who rents. My security is in some term deposits with an Aussie owned NZ bank. But I see Hickey is pretty much saying let the overseas banks crash, and protect the family home.
Some of us renters need our savings protected or we're up shit creek.
Yes we need a full rent/lease/mortgage and bill holiday.
i linked to how El Salvador does it yesterday. Two years to pay back the accrued bills with no interest charged.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/
Anecdotally Govt departments in wellington laid off a lot of contractors on Friday.
Given that all through central & local govt , there are quite a lot of contractors with few employment protections doing largely run of the mill work for only average type remuneration – this is an under the radar layoff.
We are all in this together? – well only so long as we protect the existing economic distribution – dump on people at the bottom and protect those at the top.
All traffic control guys will be pulled back i was told just right now.
We are all in this together ?- not really.
The 7 Airnz directors who shared a pool in 2019 of $1.1million (plus $390 k of travel and entertainment expenses – likely gone) have apparently taken a 15% reduction reducing their average remuneration from $150k to around $122k for what is seen as part time work because they can and do hold other directorships.
Must be sooooooooo exhausting sacking people when you could be more altruistic.
No wonder some want a government of national unity – just in case workers get seats on boards , upper end incomes are cut or higher tax rates on high incomes are imposed.
I can see this type of behaviour becoming a flash point.
Decided to work from home today and kept the girls home from school. All of Miss 15's exams and assessments have now been cancelled until further notice.
Have asked the girls to each come up with a 14 day challenge, just in case. My youngest has decided her challenge is to learn Spanish. Hola!!!
Meanwhile I'm giving them a one day challenge that involves folding the washing, washing the floors and cooking dinner lolololz 🙂
No need to stress about situations we have no control over, better just to get on with it.
What great ideas Cinny! I'm keeping mine home too, and will think of some new skills they could learn, mine are a bit younger but I can leave them while I work thankfully.
This is our future. At this point the only explanation for not taking the most stringent measures possible that I have is that the government wants old people to die so they don't have to pay Super. Figure it out.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/120487452/wellington-city-council-set-to-operate-on-skeleton-crew-as-it-readies-for-coronavirus-outbreak
Wellington city wants just a few councillors making decisions on issues and not just corona virus.
Given we have a right wing mayor and a pretty left wing council this smacks of a takeover. And they are looking at processing annual plans and the like . Given that there are some likely controversial issues ( allowing property developers to build to multiple stories in heritage areas ) and there cannot be meetings on these –
Maybe we could make a list of jobs that we will need people to stay in, so we can see just how much child care will be needed if the schools were shut today.
Please add to the list.
NZ is in the middle of the national harvest is that an essential business?
Yes 🙂
Sensible.
All food, grocery and medical production should be essential.
Agreed…people picking fruit and veggies should also definitely be included on the essential jobs list. This is necessary both to feed the nation and for the economy/exports.
If left in the ground or on the tree/bush it will rot.
Farming. Shipping. Ports. Rail.
MetService. Always gets forgotten. 🙂
On another note, the sad news of the death of humble NZ underground music legend Peter Stapleton died this weekend. He had been active since the late 70s, in CHCH then here in Dunedin. The Terminals are/were the best rock band esp live, their albums are essential! He was also in bands like Dadama, Victor Dimisich Band, Scorched Earth Policy, Flies Inside The Sun, Handful Of Dust, any many more, he also ran labels and orgsnised the Lines of Flight music festival. He was a lovely, quiet guy, who was happy to talk with anyone, not pretentious or up himself at all. A drummer who wrote poetry.
A great drummer is the engine of any band. Always mocked and underrated, without them the entire genre of modern music would be neutered.
Australian cases now doubling every 3.5 days
Video on youtube
[I’ve turned that into a link so we don’t have to look at sensationalised and alarmist headlines. My suggestion going forwards is to write a short intro to any vids in case I remove the visuals. Not aimed at you specifically A – weka]
Warning … being proven right by events is not a virtue around here.
no kidding.
Hey … sympathy isn't much use to right now, but best wishes with your business. Tough times.
I finally cracked and went shopping this morning. Two weeks ago shopping was boring, now it's an adventure where you take you life into your hand
Still the woman standing in the queue next to me said "beer and black humour" will get her through. Must have German genes …
Magnum icecream does it for me. If I am going down I am sure as hell going to enjoy my Magnums beforehand.
thanks to my customers i managed to pay all my supplier bar one this month.
i deal with next month when it will come. Told my accountant that i shall ignore taxes and GST returns, the government can come and claim it when we are through on the other side. He agrees, it must have hurt him to say so.
Tomorrow evening i plan to get royally pissed, no pity, what we call in Germany "Kampf Drinken" and on thursday i shall sleep in.
I will dream of the smell of sanitzer for the rest of my life.
And this is for all of us
mod note for you A.
Just listened to the briefing. Looks like the government is doing everything correctly. Without panic (ie unlike the panic of Mike the Moron)… Timed well.
Now to write a post – provisional title : "Throw idiot vigilantes on their own island".
Lol. I'm thinking about one on how to manage our inner authoritarian.
Level Four. Thanks PM, we can't ask for more than that. Take care!
In 2 days…
Bridges wants lockdown now!!! Jeez I'm glad we have a rational, calm and thoughtful leader right now, imagine the confusion had we locked everything down without planning, or slowly moving people towards the idea. Now yes, WINZ and IRD need to help everyone, regardless if they're on a benefit or a Ranger owning property developer.
we are so, so lucky.
Anyone seen any kind of comprehensive list of what are essential services that remain open under a level 4 lockdown?
There's a lot of grey areas. Such as the veterinary care industry – I could see a callous argument that our furry friends aren't essential, but I would hope we've got more compassion than that. Plus the farming related side of it is an integral part of our food supply chain.
I don't think they've released it yet. Guessing: farm vets yes, home vets for emergencies yes, home vets for allergies and vaccinations, probably not.
Hasn't been released yet as far as I am aware.
There has been a list around for decades that I know about. However it looked 'old' when I last saw it in the early 90s. Back then I was looking at it with regard for ISDN network support, EFTPOS network support, credit card network support, ATM network support, etc (the focus was from when I was working at a telco). It appeared to have cut off being updated somewhere in the mid 1970s.
I suspect that there has been some discussion recently on what needs to be updated.
Now online:
Thanks for that Andre
I'm driving for "meals on wheels" here. I would assume that would fit under the Social Services category, meeting immediate needs. We can drop off the meal at the door – no need for face to face contact. However will await to hear confirmation from the hospital staff.
There may be enough food, but there is going to be hardship for some getting it.
Those dependent on public transport for access, and on-line systems not being able to cope, with the ordering, let alone delivery scheduling.
I'm thinking about low income people without cars right now. Unclear if the PT is stopping completely though. They may scale down and use a 2m rule (not sure how that might work for paying).
The PM said public transport will move to being for essential workers only.
But she also said they are working on ensuring supermarkets are able to implement physical distancing.
But it will be a problem for some to get to supermarkets. Help others is a partial solution.
Plus Hipkins was talking about working on getting homes with children without internet access, the connections and hardware needed. Should be for all low income households so they can organise visits to the supermarket.
There are older people (and some lower income households – who might be using public transport to access food bank help) without on-line shopping (no internet etc). This is going to become a problem.
There are significant driver shortages with the grounding of over 70's.
http://wellington.scoop.co.nz/?p=126725
There is going to be a lack of delivery vans/small trucks (area deliveries – scale – keeps the cost per house down).
The higher cost of using other vehicle delivery (cars/utes) would have to be subsidised by government, or be prohibitive.
we could use the Army.
I have tried three times today to log on to New World on-line shopping and nothing,
Everyone go home and eat for victory!
I want to see my social media feeds over run with golden muffins fresh from the pan, rich velvet cakes dripping with icing and serving plates groaning under the weight of the biscuits (plain and fancy) piled there on.
I thought it was going to be couch surfing for victory! And connecting online for physical distancing!
Good Work NZ Govt
I Salute you for today’s decision
Commentators like Mike Hosking and his chorus on social media have been getting nostalgic about the John Key years. If only he was still in charge, we would have moved much faster, closed the borders weeks ago, true leadership, blah blah.
So, just for the record, this is what John Key was doing in March 2020. I'll repeat that: March 2020. When the virus was already dominating the news …
He wanted to "entice visitors" to New Zealand. Seriously.
No wonder he's been silent since.
UK to give world a bloody good laugh by getting morons to panic buy McDonald’s
If only they all dressed like that, it’s a fierce look
The UK has decided to take one for the team and cheer everyone else up by sending its widespread moron population to form huge and in some cases quite violent queues outside McDonald’s restaurants before they all close.
“Our first idea was to contribute to the global fight against the coronavirus by providing medical supplies and staff,” said a Number Ten spokesperson. “Then we realised that we don’t have any so instead thought we’d give other countries a giggle with footage of idiots ignoring social distancing and brawling just to buy a handful of sweaty mechanically recovered meat.”
“The rest of the world will see the long lines and the emergency services being deployed to them and they’ll be tickled pink. Proving that laughter really is the best medicine. Which is handy because we’ve got bugger all medicine.”
McDonald’s will close nationwide at 19:00 this evening. Let the games begin.
I'm going to miss expecting more from the Warriors, anticipating the Blues results and swearing at the Crusaders.
F1 is on ice. Someone mouthier than me should front Red Bull and say "Hey you know the 17 million you saved because the Melbourne GP was called off, wanna do some good with that money?
Lob 1000 kayaks into coastal schools.