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.
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.
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…..
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.
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".
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.
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?
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Tuesday, March 19:Kāinga Ora’s dry rot The Spinoff DailyBill McKibben on ‘Climate Superfunds’ making Big Oil pay for climate damage The Crucial YearsPreston Mui on returning to 1980s-style productivity growth NoahpinionAndy Boenau on NIMBYs needing unusual bedfellows Urbanism SpeakeasyNed Resnikoff's case ...
Negative yesterday, negative today. Negative all year, according to one departing reader telling me I’ve grown strident and predictable. Fair enough. If it’s any help, every time I go to write about a certain topic that begins with C and ends with arrrrs, I do brace myself and ask: Again? Are ...
Bryce Edwards writes – It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support ...
Inspirational: The Family of Man is a glorious hymn to human equality, but, more than that, it is a clarion call to human freedom. Because equality, unleavened by liberty, is a broken piano, an unstrung harp; upon which the songs of fraternity will never be played.“Somebody must have been telling lies about ...
Tax Lawyer Barbara Edmonds vs Emperor Justinian I- Nolo Contendere: False historical explanations of pivotal events are very far from being inconsequential.WHEN BARBARA EDMONDS made reference to the Roman Empire, my ears pricked up. It is, lamentably, very rare to hear a politician admit to any kind of familiarity ...
It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support for the various parties in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Housing Minister Chris Bishop delivered news – packed with the ingredients to enflame political passions – worthy of supplanting Winston Peters in headline writers’ priorities. He popped up at the post-Cabinet press conference to promise a crackdown on unruly and antisocial state housing tenants. His ...
Ele Ludemann writes – The Reserve Bank is advertising for a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion advisor. The Bank has one mandate – to keep inflation between one and three percent. It has failed in that and is only slowly getting inflation back down to the upper limit. Will it ...
Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency Waka KotahiThe fact that a ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Gavin Jacobson talks to Thomas Piketty 10 years on from Capital in the 21st CenturyThe SalvoLocal scoop: Green MP’s business being investigated over migrant exploitation claims StuffSteve KilgallonLocal deep-dive: The commercial contractors making money from School ...
It’s a home - but Kāinga Ora tenants accused of “abusing the privilege” may lose it. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Government announced a crackdown on Kāinga Ora tenants who were unruly and/or behind on their rent, with Housing Minister Chris Bishop saying a place in a state ...
This is a guest post by Connor Sharp of Surface Light Rail Light rail in Auckland: A way forward sooner than you think With the coup de grâce of Auckland Light Rail (ALR) earlier this year, and the shift of the government’s priorities to roads, roads, and more roads, it ...
Note: As a paid-up Webworm member, I’ve recorded this Webworm as a mini-podcast for you as well. Some of you said you liked this option - so I aim to provide it when I get a chance to record! Read more ...
TL;DR: In my ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Monday, March 18:IKEA is accused of planting big forests in New Zealand to green-wash; REDD-MonitorA City for People takes a well-deserved victory lap over Wellington’s pro-YIMBY District Plan votes; A City for PeopleSteven Anastasiou takes a close look at the sticky ...
Buzz from the Beehive Here’s hoping for a lively post-cabinet press conference when the PM and – perhaps – some of his ministers tell us what was discussed at their meeting today. Until then, Point of Order has precious little Beehive news to report after its latest monitoring of the ...
David Farrar writes – We now have almost all 2023 data in, which has allowed me to update my annual table of how labour went against its promises. This is basically their final report card. The promiseThe result Build 100,000 affordable homes over 10 ...
I’m a bit worried that I’ve started a previous newsletter with the words “just when you think they couldn’t get any worse…” Seems lately that I could begin pretty much every issue with that opening. Such is the nature of our coalition government that they seem to be outdoing each ...
Geoffrey Miller writes – Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. ...
Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture ...
Last week Transport Minster Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre. The new train control centre will see teams from KiwiRail, Auckland Transport and Auckland One Rail working more closely together to improve train services across the city. The Auckland Rail Operations Centre in ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson said in an exit interview with Q+A yesterday the Government can and should sustain more debt to invest in infrastructure for future generations. Elsewhere in the news in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 6:36am: Read more ...
Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. It is more than just a happy ...
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to March 18 include:China’s Foreign Minister visiting Wellington today;A post-cabinet news conference this afternoon; the resumption of Parliament on Tuesday for two weeks before Easter;retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson gives his valedictory speech in Parliament; ...
New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters’s state-of-the-nation speech on Sunday was really a state-of-Winston-First speech. He barely mentioned any of the Government’s key policies and could not even wholly endorse its signature income tax cuts. Instead, he rehearsed all of his complaints about the Ardern Government, including an extraordinary claim ...
A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
“I’ve been internalising a really complicated situation in my head.”When they kept telling us we should wait until we get to know him, were they taking the piss? Was it a case of, if you think this is bad, wait till you get to know the real Christopher, after the ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
.“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
“It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet – is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
Bob Edlin writes – And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ HeraldThomas CoughlanSimeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
TL;DR:Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it: We want our country to be a ...
The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading → ...
Ele Ludemann writes – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
What was that judge thinking?Peter Williams writes – That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop:Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
Buzz from the BeehiveThe text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary. It can be quickly analysed ...
For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
Questions need to be asked on both sides of the worldPeter Williams writes – The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop:The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
TL;DR:Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
Bob Edlin writes – The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
The New Zealand public voted for a change in direction at the 2023 general election and that is exactly what this coalition government has been delivering in its first 100 days. There was an immediate focus on the economy, easing the cost of living, cracking down on law and order ...
The Government has left the health system as an afterthought, announcing half-baked targets at the last minute of their 100-day plan, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
Kiwis are still waiting for their promised cost of living support after 100 days of a National Government that is taking us backwards, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
100 days of National taking NZ backwardsThe National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
The Government must commit to funding free and healthy school lunches, as thousands of people sign the petition to keep them, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti says. ...
If the Government was serious about moving families into public housing, they would build more houses so there is actually somewhere for people to go. ...
The free and healthy school lunches programme feeds our kids, helps them to learn, and saves families money – but it is at risk under this Government, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
The Government’s proposed changes to Firearms Prohibition Orders (FPO) add almost nothing new and are merely an attempt to distract from its plans to loosen gun laws, police spokesperson Ginny Andersen and justice spokesperson Dr Duncan Webb said. ...
The great Victorian era English politician Lord Macauley stood in the British House of Parliament and said, "The gallery in which the reporters sit has become a fourth estate of the realm".He understood and outlined even way back then, the significant role and influence media have in a democracy. ...
The government’s attack on Māori health this week is committing tangata-whenua to a premature death, says Te Pāti Māori. “The government have begun their onslaught on Māori health with the abolishment of the Māori Health Authority and smokefree laws in the same day” said health spokesperson and co-leader, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. ...
"The Government is moving quickly to realise an additional $46 million in tariff savings in the EU market this season for Kiwi exporters,” Minister for Trade and Agriculture, Todd McClay says. Parliament is set, this week, to complete the final legislative processes required to bring the New Zealand – European ...
New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April. ...
Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand. Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships. “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland Acknowledgements and opening Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says. “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024 Acknowledgements and opening Morena, Nga Mihi Nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country. “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week. “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee. “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today. “The Amendment Paper represents ...
Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level. “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024. “Lower fruit and vege ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
The coalition Government is supporting farmers to enhance land management practices by investing $3.3 million in locally led catchment groups, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “Farmers and growers deliver significant prosperity for New Zealand and it’s vital their ongoing efforts to improve land management practices and water quality are supported,” ...
Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction. Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
Recommendations from the Climate Change Commission for New Zealand on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction and unit limit settings for the next five years have been tabled in Parliament, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “The Commission provides advice on the ETS annually. This is the third time the ...
The coalition Government is beginning its fight to lower building costs and reduce red tape by exempting minor building work from paying the building levy, says Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk. “Currently, any building project worth $20,444 including GST or more is subject to the building levy which is ...
Proposed changes to tax legislation to prevent the over-taxation of low-earning trusts are welcome, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The changes have been recommended by Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee following consideration of submissions on the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill. “One of the ...
Assalaamu alaikum. السَّلَام عليكم In light of the holy month of Ramadan, I want to extend my warmest wishes to our Muslim community in New Zealand. Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, renewed devotion, perseverance, generosity, and forgiveness. It’s a time to strengthen our bonds and appreciate the diversity ...
Former Transport Minister and CEO of the Auckland Business Chamber Hon Simon Bridges has been appointed as the new Board Chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) for a three-year term, Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced today. “Simon brings extensive experience and knowledge in transport policy and governance to the role. He will ...
Good morning all, it is a pleasure to be here as Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology. It is fantastic to see how connected and collaborative the life science and biotechnology industry is here in New Zealand. I would like to thank BioTechNZ and NZTech for the invitation to address ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says he is looking forward to the day when three key water projects in Northland are up and running, unlocking the full potential of land in the region. Mr Jones attended a community event at the site of the Otawere reservoir near Kerikeri on Friday. ...
Associate Finance Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government has agreed to restore deductibility for mortgage interest on residential investment properties. “Help is on the way for landlords and renters alike. The Government’s restoration of interest deductibility will ease pressure on rents and simplify the tax code,” says ...
Sport and Recreation Minister Chris Bishop will travel to Switzerland today to attend an Executive Committee meeting and Symposium of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Mr Bishop will then travel on to London where he will attend a series of meetings in his capacity as Infrastructure Minister. “New Zealanders believe ...
Chumbawamba have reportedly issued the deputy PM a cease-and-desist notice after he used their song 'Tubthumping' before his state of the nation speech. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Deborah Lupton, SHARP Professor, Vitalities Lab, Centre for Social Research in Health and Social Policy Centre, and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society, UNSW Sydney kitzcorner/Shutterstock The assertion from Queensland’s chief health officer John Gerrard that ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Shutterstock Why are musicians so keen to get played on the radio? It can’t be because of the money. In Australia they are paid at rates so low they ...
"Farmers make a point not to tell our urban cousins how to live, yet Chlöe from central Auckland is hell-bent on having her say about farmers," says ACT Rural Communities spokesman Mark Cameron. “On her first day in the House as Green ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards – Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Curran, Associate Professor of Ecology, Lincoln University, New Zealand Getty Images/Gerald Corsi In the latest move to reform environmental laws in New Zealand, the coalition government has introduced a bill to fast-track consenting processes for projects deemed to ...
Uber has argued it does not have as much control over drivers as the unions suggest, and wants a judgment ruling that drivers are employees and not contractors set aside and sent back to the Employment Court. The 2022 ruling followed a three-week hearing in which four drivers sought to ...
What can and can’t be purchased by disabled people or their carers has been slashed in an effort by the Ministry of Disabled People Whaikaha to save money. The purchasing guidelines, a set of rules that sets out what can be purchased using the various streams of Government disability funding, ...
The Treasury has published today a new Analytical Note by Tod Wright and Hien Nguyen, Fiscal incidence in New Zealand: The effects of taxes and benefits on household incomes in tax year 2018/19 . Analyses of the distributional impact of taxation and government ...
The Treasury has published today a new Analytical Note by Cory Davis, Boston Hart and Benjamin Stubbing, Household cost-of-living impacts from the Emissions Trading Scheme and using transfers to mitigate regressive outcomes . This Analytical Note ...
A coalition of public transport and climate organisations, united as ‘Transport for All’, is actively opposing the government’s transport proposals. The draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) includes plans for higher fares for public transport, ...
Greater Wellington is inviting feedback on proposed changes to its Revenue and Financing Policy. The Revenue and Financing Policy covers the Council’s various sources of funding, and how the cost of services is shared across the region. This includes ...
Labour has conceded it could have done more to deal with disruptive state housing tenants while in government but says the current coalition is going too far. ...
The band has asked their record label to issue a cease and desist to stop the NZ First leader using their 1997 hit to support his ‘misguided political views’. “I get knocked down, but I get up again,” blared through the speakers on Sunday as Winston Peters took the stage ...
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist Food rationing is underway in remote areas in Papua New Guinea’s Highlands following torrential rain and flash flooding. More than 20 people have been reported dead in Chimbu Province. In nearby Enga Province, the centre of last month’s massacre, a 15-year-old boy has been ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Hughes, Lecturer, Research School of Management, Australian National University After months of debate and intrigue, the AFL’s 19th and newest team, the Tasmania Devils, finally launched its jumper, logo and colours in Devonport this week. The Devils will wear green, ...
Brannavan Gnanalingam reviews the debut novel by Saraid de Silva.One of the most baffling things for children who move to a new country is what their parents’ (or grandparents’) lives were like prior to moving – for kids in particular, they’re too busy trying to fit in in their ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Gaunson, Associate Professor in Cinema Studies, RMIT University Narelle Portanier/Binge “If you don’t know who your mob are, you don’t know who you are,” Detective Andrea “Andie” Whitford (played by Leah Purcell) is told early into the new crime ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elise Klein, Associate professor, Australian National University It’s commonly accepted that women do the vast majority of caregiving in Australian society. But less appreciated is that Indigenous women do larger amounts of unpaid care than any other group. Working with the Aboriginal ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne Joe Biden and Donald Trump have both secured their parties’ nominations for the November 5 United States general election by winning a ...
Comment: There has been a striking contrast in trans-Tasman interest about Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi’s visit to New Zealand and Australia. While the Australian press has been full of articles about the visit – including his curious decision to meet with former prime minister and China booster Paul Keating ...
After years of pressuring banks and other institutions to stop investing in fossil fuels, climate campaigners are making some progress. So how does divestment work?For years, climate activists have been pushing banks and other big institutions to divest from fossil fuels. New research from climate advocacy group 350 Aotearoa ...
For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others. The three young Polynesians are part of a K-pop fan community in Tāmaki Makaurau. It’s one of many that have sprung up worldwide as K-pop has gone ...
For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others. This one-off documentary presents three intimate portraits of young Polynesians who are pulled into a Korean cultural phenomenon. K-POLYS is directed by Litia Tuiburelevu, Produced by Hex ...
There’s ample evidence demonstrating free school lunch programmes provide wide benefits across schools, households and communities according to public health researchers. ACT Minister David Seymour wants to reduce the spending on Aotearoa New Zealand’s ...
By Wata Shaw in Suva Fiji is facing an exodus of Fijians as many are leaving for overseas seeking employment and education and others are migrating, says Opposition MP Viliame Naupoto. Speaking in Parliament, he said: “His Excellency’s speech (Ratu Wiliame Katonivere) comes after a little over one year of ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming comments from Christopher Luxon this morning recommitting to ‘no new taxes’ as part of Budget 2024. “Mr Luxon’s refusal at the Post-Cabinet press conference yesterday to repeat the ‘no new taxes’ promise ...
SAFE is urgently calling on the Environment Committee to reject the Government’s Fast-Track Approvals Bill, and is urging New Zealanders to rally behind the call. The proposed Bill, currently under consideration with the Environment select committee, ...
Teammates who spend all their time picking fights with spectators are only helpful for the other team, writes Madeleine Chapman. Anyone who has ever played a team sport competitively, particularly as a child and particularly, for some reason, basketball, will know that there’s a lot of politics involved. While there ...
The long-running Wellington music festival is too focused on the Jim Beam-ness and not enough on the Homegrown-ness.There is something about Homegrown that’s difficult to place. A barely perceptible-ness. Like feeling a ghost is watching you from the corner of the room but when you look, there’s nothing there. ...
The latest Ipsos New Zealand Issues Monitor reveals that fewer New Zealanders believe crime / law and order is one of the top issues facing our country. In 2018, Ipsos New Zealand started tracking the key issues facing New Zealand. In this wave ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Griffiths, Deputy Program Director, Budgets and Government, Grattan Institute Australia’s political donations rules are woefully inadequate, but donations reform is finally on the agenda. The federal government has signalled its interest in reform and will soon begin briefing MPs on its ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Patrick Taylor, Chief Environmental Scientist, EPA Victoria; Honorary Professor, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University Naiyana Somchitkaeo/Shutterstock A recent study published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine has linked microplastics with risk to human health. The study ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Albert Van Dijk, Professor, Water and Landscape Dynamics, Fenner School of Environment & Society, Australian National University Global climate records were shattered in 2023, from air and sea temperatures to sea-level rise and sea-ice extent. Scores of countries recorded their hottest year ...
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a teacher explains why he and his partner are in frugal mode – and how they’re making it work. Gender: Male Age: 35Ethnicity: Pākehā Role: I am an intermediate school teacher and my partner is ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Bendall, Senior Lecturer, Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences, Australian Catholic University Binge Mary & George, the new British television drama series, depicts the real-life story of Mary Villiers and her son George, and their social climbing at the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jason Nassios, Associate Professor, Centre of Policy Studies, Victoria University This article is part of The Conversation’s series examining the housing crisis. Read the other articles in the series here. Australian state and federal governments spend money in many ways to ...
The finance minister is denying that there’s a $5.6b shortfall in paying for the government’s campaign promises, including tax cuts. At his post-cabinet press conference yesterday, the PM refused to rule out new taxes to pay for the cuts, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s ...
Kāinga Ora tenants abused by their neighbours are doubting the government's crackdown on disruptive tenants will make a difference on their behaviour. ...
Kāinga Ora is New Zealand’s biggest residential landlord, housing more than 180,000 vulnerable people in more than 67,000 properties. Yesterday the government announced a crackdown on its tenants who fall behind on rent. One longtime Kāinga Ora tenant shares her experience.For 18 years I lived in a 1960s standalone ...
Why does this myth persist, and what’s the real reason our skin is suffering?It’s one of the biggest international grievances New Zealanders hold, up there with the sinking of the Rainbow Warrior and 1981’s underarm incident. We’re quick to tell international travellers that the world’s pollution led to the ...
SailGP’s races feature in-your-face action, with agile, hydro-foiling catamarans tacking and jibing for the title over several days. However, public comments ahead of the global series’ return to New Zealand have left this past year’s controversy in the shadows, as a key appointment attracts criticism from dolphin advocates. A year ...
Opinion: We are fast approaching a fundamental change in prisons. As the number of people on custodial remand looks set to overtake the number of sentenced prisoners, the main function of prisons in New Zealand may become incarcerating un-sentenced people who may not be guilty of offending. We have already ...
A huge seven months lies in store for the White Ferns, beginning this week with the visit of England and culminating with the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh in September and October. Starting on Tuesday in Dunedin, the world ranked No. 2 visitors will play five T20s and three ODIs, ...
Opinion: In a move that has shocked road safety advocates across the country, the new Minister of Transport, Simeon Brown, is poised to abandon the previous government’s speed limit reduction policy, particularly around schools. Even more alarmingly, he wants school speed limits to be variable rather than full-time, arguing ...
Auckland Council is opposing a fast-track development backed by Sir John Kirwan and Spark NZ, because it doesn’t meet stringent new climate adaptation requirements The post Surf-data centre faces new 3.8C climate warming rules appeared first on Newsroom. ...
When the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act was introduced in 2009 it was firmly targeted at gangs and drugs. The legislation means police no longer need a conviction to seize assets that criminals can’t prove were paid for legitimately, as long as their alleged offences are punishable by more than a ...
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Bob’s relationship with certain members of Lincoln’s academic staff continued to deteriorate in the 1990s. Others supported him publicly, though articles such as Roland Clark’s 1993 piece in Growing Today cannot have pleased the university management. Clark wrote that Bob was selling onions from the Biological Husbandry Unit to a ...
The letters, which were published last week, were addressed to Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Chairperson Megawati Sukarnoputri, National Democrat Party (NasDem) Chairperson Surya Paloh, National Awakening Party (PKB) Chairperson Muhaimin Iskandar, Justice and Prosperity Party (PKS) President Ahmad Syaikhu and United Development Party (PPP) Chairperson Muhammad Mardiono. In ...
Evicting more people from state housing is ignorant to the consequences of poverty, the Greens say, but the Housing Minister says it's a privilege that can be taken away if abused. ...
Evicting more people from state housing is ignorant to the consequences of poverty, the Greens say, but the Housing Minister says it's a privilege that can be taken away if abused. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emerald L King, Lecturer in Humanities, University of Tasmania IMDB Between Netflix’s 2023 live-action version of One Piece, and its latest take on Avatar: The Last Airbender, fans are once again asking: why are live-action anime adaptations so tricky to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emerald L King, Lecturer in Humanities, University of Tasmania IMDB Between Netflix’s 2023 live-action version of One Piece, and its latest take on Avatar: The Last Airbender, fans are once again asking: why are live-action anime adaptations so tricky to ...
The government says it still intends to deliver tax cuts by July, but will not lock them in until they have got them past their coalition partners. ...
Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII has hosted members of the Green Party Caucus at Tuurangawaewae Marae in Ngaaruawahia. The audience follows the King’s Hui-aa-Motu on 20 January, where more than 10,000 people gathered to discuss national ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dr Rachael Potter, Research Associate and Lecturer in Work and Organisational Psychology, University of South Australia Ground Picture/Shutterstock Pregnant women and workers with children are often unfairly treated by their bosses and colleagues, despite laws to protect against workplace discrimination ...
Reacting to Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s refusal to rule out introducing new taxes at the budget, Taxpayers’ Union Campaigns Manager, Connor Molloy, said: “Today’s refusal to rule out new taxes suggests the Government is nothing more ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Duckett, Honorary Enterprise Professor, School of Population and Global Health, and Department of General Practice and Primary Care, The University of Melbourne Aila Images/Shutterstock Aged-care workers will receive a significant pay increase after the Fair Work Commission ruled they ...
Are you the Virus?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4wdbibV3IM&ab_channel=KillingJokeVEVO
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?
https://twitter.com/protectheflames/status/1241403715036291072
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.
https://www.facebook.com/pascaleloussouarn/videos/10158127990963841/?t=1
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.
/
https://twitter.com/ashtonpittman/status/1241776290279063560
A nation led by dunces.
https://twitter.com/BillyCorben/status/1241747894304210945
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
https://twitter.com/NicolaSturgeon/status/1241808524939755520
😂
🙂
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://twitter.com/Fred_Adri/status/1241797518775779328
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
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHPOzQzk9Qo
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…
https://twitter.com/publicaddress/status/1241897330179051520
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.