Yes and you have to pay when it's a required procedure. The system can reject you even going on the waiting list.
There's far too much of that ! Surgeons have expressed to private patients they should've been already via public. Some fixing dhb botched efforts even.
In the regions, like Northland , this has been the case for many years….we are waiting on surgery from the same surgeon. be it public or private , and the private ones get the jump on those provided by New Zealand's free health system.
Seen it frequently – medical specialists engaging in cartel behaviour by charging very high prices that can be leveraged through private insurance – the consumer buys insurance or faces painful delay.
The profession also restricts access into the profession and then again into specialist colleges. Many people perfectly intellectually capable of being doctors, and who would love to be doctors, can't get admission to medical schools.
Short-term fix would be to pay the Cubans to train a thousand or so (including specialists) for us – then import them to work in the public sector.
Yeah but, I had to get a hip op with a 7 month wait because there is only so much money allocated to hip operations, so I paid for it myself because it would cost me more to employ someone for 8 months or so to run my farm, I dont have health insurance because I'm 70 and 3 years premiums is about the same money, 21K. BTW, because I got it done just as I needed a stick to walk, I was able to be back on the tractor after 2 weeks and full on after 4 weeks, the extra 6-7 months on public would have meant not being able to walk on the farm like 10 years before for the other leg.
If everybody, particularly us old buggers, got what they wanted right now the health bill would be stratospheric with ironicly a lot of waste, its complex why' but having huge numbers of highly trained and expensive specialist medical staff hanging around doing SFA in times of little demand is one reason and no, an orthopedic surgeon can not do bypasses or brain surgery. Sure the wait is twice as long as it needs to be but there aren't that many surgeons about.
Anyway the thing that surprised me was that the actual surgeons charge was only about 20-25% of the bill, now if you get a free one you don't see the breakdown of the costs, things like overnight stays in a private hospital are expensive ( but about the same as public maybe even cheaper ) although surprisingly only about the cost of a nights quarantine at the moment. I cut my bill down by doing a runner on the second day, you can be quite quick on crutches, must have been the drugs.
Private practice does serve a purpose by taking a load of the public system.
The only thing that I would change is a tax break for people who pay for themselves, maybe not nessecarily those with insurance, in my case I saved the government 20k or so, happy to do so even though I couldn't really afford it ( I drive a 4th-hand 20 year old car ) but it was going to cost me that anyway and ironicly if I had employed a manager if one could have been found I would have gotten tax relief on those expenses.
Specialists have huge expenses, their insurance costs are well over 100kp/a, there is a compulsory retraining period every year which they pay for themselves and generally a nurse or office person as well and they don't start earning until late 30s. It is a mugs game. Although I did appreciate the Maserati parked outside though I think the Toyota Corolla was my mans one.
Sure – it's more complex than my mischievous Cuban suggestion implies. But the reason we have such marked inequality is because some people can get into privileged positions where they can indulge in cartel behaviour, price gouging and ticket clipping, externalisation of their costs onto the public, or feast on income streams derived solely from the ownership of assets. And other people can't – and whether you can or can't bears little or no relation to effort, skill, or contribution to society.
Agreed AB but the cost of a surgeon is a world price and there is a world shortage. A Cuban would be a good surgeon no doubt but for your safety his English would have to be first class and his knowledge of Aus/NZ practice sharpened up and of course he would still have to pay for his own insurance because if he made a fuck up ACC would be on his case so I'll bet your Cuban would pretty soon be nailing down the world price for his efforts.
"Seen it frequently – medical specialists engaging in cartel behaviour by charging very high prices that can be leveraged through private insurance – the consumer buys insurance or faces painful delay."
That's the American system that the likes of Goldsmith and other Tories would like to see in this country
Why do you think the health system has been rundown with shit descovered in the walls of hospitals when this administration took over?
with private insurance two years ago i waited ….. six week for an appointment, three weeks for a scan, three weeks for an appointment, three weeks for the steroid injection.
i have frozen shoulder syndrom. Getting of the drugs was nice.
But when you only have one specialist per town you wait. With or without insurance.
So it is not about having a surgeon available, it is about the capacity within the public health system.
To avoid privatisation there needs to be a criteria a person reaches that they can access funding to have the treatment done privately but the government pays.
Those who have private health insurance would not like this. People are dying on the waiting list or when they are acute the surgery may be best done when not acute. Surgeon may recommend surgery in a month, 4-5 months go by and finally surgery but other factors can come into play underlying health issues not related to the actual surgery.
Also problems occur with referrals, and people die needlessly.
So it is not about having a surgeon available, it is about the capacity within the public health system.
Nope. The public health system would have the capacity – if the doctors weren't moonlighting for the private sector to make a higher profit for themselves. The effect of this is that the people on the public waiting lists are there longer.
To avoid privatisation there needs to be a criteria a person reaches that they can access funding to have the treatment done privately but the government pays.
Simpler, and better, to just get rid of the private system. Its existence is only making the whole system worse. The people dying on the public waiting lists are doing so because of the private system.
Were surgeons paid enough in the public health system there would be no need to operate else where. So the capacity problem is the payment for the surgeon's service.
About 20 years ago I heard that a person could have private surgery at say Wakefield hospital and require an ICU bed and be transferred from Wakefield hospital to Wellington ICU.
If so an ICU bed would need to be available at a public hospital for a private operation.
Possibly a private hospital now has their own ICU or high risk procedures are not carried out in a private hospital.
Certainly Middlemore has a steady flow of botched private sector operations to fix, some terrible cases, and if you have a heart attack on the private sector operating tables you get rushed to the public system.
The private sector does a narrow range of operations with a narrow range of equipment. Mainly stuff that has a private demand and is profitable.
Those who run down the public sector health system don't mind it when they have their major car accident or heart attack or stroke. The fact is that the private system doesn't have to meet the costs of major surgery, an accident and emergency system or really risky stuff like major back surgery.
The public system doesn't have to meet the cost of vanity surgery like face-lifts (though as noted they do sometimes have to fix the poor outcomes when they occur) and if the wealthy can bypass the public system by paying to go private that does help.
Where I object is the public system winding down stuff they used to do as a matter of course like varicose vein surgery or breast reduction surgery where these are needed in the expectation that you will now get that down privately. I also mind the surgeons insisting on and charging for things like "compulsory consults" in the public system for things like grommet operations after a GP referral when in the private system they will simply take the GP referral direct. Such consults are a good slice of pocket money.
I don't mind them working in both either – there is a public good in having private sector surgeons develop and maintain expertise beyond the narrow range of private sector operations. It is part of the countries resilience building should severe things happen.
Awful to say this, the transfer with a cardiac arrest would be so no liability.
I thought public hospitals have there own insurance and I know they can tap into ACC.
Do you know anything about hospitals having insurance?
I have dealt with the HDC, coroner and a DHB. I have been blocked with ACC as the person did not have an executor. A day of reflection today as the anniversary of the death and the case is in bits, not active and no decision and ongoing investigation required.
In my case coroner did not even look at the ACC treatment injury form which is inaccurate and person came back from injury repair dying. Neither did coroner look at what the vascular surgeon said and injury was worse than what ICU put on the ACC form. ICU have misled ACC. No post mortem. The way a coroner can close a file without next of kin permission is not right, a family representative had the say on file being closed as letter was not addressed to next of kin. Everything that could have gone wrong did. A dead person has very few rights.
So when it comes to medical misadventure there is misadventure from those whose job it is to ensure everything which led to the death was looked into.
I know how the medical system and ACC operate. I have had dealings with both over many years and I am not a giver upper when I know I am being bull shitted to and mucked about. I do get pissed off with medical issues wasting my time but someone needs to take action against the flaws in the rubbish system.
I am about to apply for legal aid for a dead man once I find the right lawyer.
This is the way that NZ fills its medical needs – has done for a long time. It contracts with surgeons etc for part of their time, then they also have the private patients. That way top-class people can earn a decent income, and we have up to the minute techniques available.
What you say even happens with a surgeon/specialists consultation.
After ACC heavily grills you, (the branch medical advisor)private surgeons and private specialists are then funded to give treatment. Some surgeons and specialists are on a good wicket with ACC and they have the say over whether or not the injury will be treated.
Frank Macskacy has summed-up the situation very well:
"National will lose in September. And most likely in 2023 if the pandemic has not been defeated. Their laissez faire approach to government and economics has been revealed to be utterly inappropriate for the challenges in the Age of the Virus.
National has been caught out – like the proverbial possum frozen in the glare of oncoming headlights – as the human race struggles to adapt to the new norm of responding to the spread of contagion.
There is an inexorable inevitability to how politics has begun to change radically with the advent of a global pandemic."
Under MMP parties don't win or lose elections. Last election National won but lost, Labour lost but won, Greens came fourth and won their first stint in Government, and NZ First came third but somehow won the management of coalition negotiations and a disproportionate amount of Cabinet negotiations.
It's hard enough predicting what will happen in two months.
Trying to predict what will have happened with Covid, the economy, employment, how Labour will be doing, and who will be the leader of National by 2023 is a meaningless mug's game.
Only for those people who still can't adjust their brains to the electoral logistics of the MMP system that a clear majority of citizens voted for in the mid 1990s.
It makes perfectly good sense if you substitute the word 'winning' for 'gained the most votes'. It's not the information that's awry so much as the attitude
If you post your measurements @ Pete, I'll get out the Elna (actually a Brother with all the stitches), and run you up a lovely linen beige leisure suit for the summer. I feel the need to exercise my feminine side a little more (in this space going forward).
I might even extend to a pale blue number for @Wayne as well for his next rent-a-voice gig on the weekend 'incisive, and in-depth' mover and shaker TV Currant Fears "shows".
It'd all be quite entrepreneurial doncha think? I might even become a regular thing.
And I will crochet a nice Bennie and a shoulder bag for Pete and Wayne. No trouble as I have the time and they are very fortunate that the only colours of wool I have are light and dark blue. Don't worry I have enough balls of wool (30) I unravelled 2 good second hand jumpers I got from the op shop.
If the beige leisure suit clashes with the blue Bennie and shoulder bag Pete can wear them on separate days.
Vietnam – 413 cases of Covid-19 so far, no deaths, in a population of 98 million (from Worldometer data), has now banned all wildlife imports , dead or alive – a major source of zoonotic diseases. Vietnam must be the quiet, world leader in Covid-19 response.
Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia all have low infection and death rates, in an article yesterday Guardian ? New Scientist? the assumption is that as this is the area where Horseshoe Bats are native and endemic the locals may have an immunity built up over hundreds of years to corona type viruses. There is also no reason to suspect the numbers, there hasn't been an increase in funerals. Also it is now suspected that this is where it mutated and transferred to the Wuhan market.
It's getting them from point of entry to the 'facility'. That's manageable for Hamilton and Rotorua with a single bus trip. Going much further and all sorts of complications arise, which evidently became a factor in discarding Dunedin,and one of the many that ruled out Queenstown. There's also the problems of dealing with an infected person that requires hospitalisation.
longer term we will need facilities adapted for purpose. Hacking hotels is a good interim measure, but I'm betting that improved design will make the process better for people in Q. Here's hoping they focus on that as well as the security issues.
With the sense of entitlement some have I'd suggest the Chateau Tongariro. It has been used previously for health reasons – rehabilitating soldiers, asylum!
I don't think that people should be put off from putting their ideas forward because it has been on the media previously. Perhaps just give them a link of the source and they might come up with something even better, or add to the previous ideas. Squashing pesky insects personally is the preferred organic way, but let's not be organically destructive about people with ideas.
No squashing intended. Relaying an angle I'd seen discussed (but could not remember enough to link) and ended up just echoing Graeme at 5.1 to some extent.
Clearly, it is a one person noisy bucket, dragged around by Winston Peters who happens to be, Deputy PM of our NZ Parliament. He has his failings. So do I.
He reminds me of a very old greywarshark stalking around in a stuffy old dirty museum.
He has a friend in there – called Trotter. Who seems to be slipping away, having numerous weird upsets over tiny Lefties who refuse to sign up for War.
Being a Lawyer, our Deputy Prime Minister for one reason or another, failed some time back to pay considerable monies, belonging to the Citizens of New Zealand.
For which he blamed quite a number of Politicians – and said so out loud.
Being a Lawyer, he is able to accuse any number of Politicians, because he is free to name whom he wants in the Chamber.
Joe Blow – has no such Freedom.
I am not suggesting that greywarsharks are Lawyers – but I am tempted. However, I quickly realise that our messy greywarshark knows everything and is always right. Inside and out. He's a nice old thing.
While I appreciate anyone attempting to do political analysis about Peters, I'm not entirely sure what you are trying to say here, and I'm not seeing the connection with greywarshark other than to somehow diss her. Please leave the personal stuff out of your comments.
Hey that's not true, I don't know everything just a lot about some of the things I write about. And I like to cast my net wider than just thinking about myself and my preferences, so take an interest in what's going on around me, trying to be informed. That is all!
unless it can't or the people organising it won't. Not an excuse to break Q. We do need to adopt new cultural practices around funerals and grieving, and adapt.
some people manage change better than others. Having new cultural practices as the norm should help (rather than having to adapt personally under stress, which not everyone is good at).
I'm sill in favour of prosecuting people who abscond as well.
I suspect police holding facilities and prisons are not well equipped to deal with the health aspects of covid testing and possible infection. Doubtless we will find out more about how they got out; sadly it may make it harder for future "bubbles" in isolation to be able to gather together.
I could have said 'holding cell' – point is that they have forfeited usual justice process by breaching isolation. Needs to be a strong signal to other returnees that the consequences are immediate and firm. No bail, no returning to a hotel.
The risk of killing many many people is still pretty low though. Compare to someone drink and reckless driving and hitting a bus load of people maybe. If the person gets caught before they hit the bus, what happens to them that day?
I agree about strong signals, and I'll be curious as to why they're being returned to Q. But if we have another outbreak, we want people to feel good about going into isolation, be willing to be honest about symptoms, so I think there is a fine line between making Q a good experience or a punitive one.
Maybe hefty instant fines would straddle that line.
PaddyOT, why are you conflating the NZ situation with the US one when they are obviously very, very different? We have containment and contact tracing processes in place, better than we did when we had community transmission. The chances of mass deaths from a Q absconder is very low because of all the work we've done to date. This is the opposite of the US situation.
Maybe have them sign paperwork that holds them liable for the cost of the quarantine, the cost of retrieving them and hte cost of returning them to the quarantine centre should they break quarantine.
* 5 as in this case and you are quickly talking about money.
What about kindness and set up skype for them. Families sticking together and being co-operative will help us through our future travails, they are supposed to be important until apparently the state says they aren't, to it. We have the technology, where there is a will there's a way; we aren't trying to get to the moon which apparently the world can afford.
Surely the children would have just followed the mother, or the mother would have expected them to. Mother therefore not leading by example.
Surely 'someone' should be talking to Maori elders to get around the impasse caused by unattainable, for the moment, cultural norms so
funerals can be delayed
bodies embalmed to allow for this
Lower the expectation that families are expected to fling themselves across the world to go to tangi etc etc. it must be costing overseas NZ families $1000s to be here.
Generally children are not to be interned in Jail. There are secure facilities for children but they are not prisons.
Under the Sentencing Act 2002, a child or young person under 17 cannot be sentenced to prison or home detention unless they commit a Category 4 offence (e.g. murder, manslaughter, crimes against the State) or an offence where the maximum penalty is 14 years imprisonment or more.
Such a small group that I doubt there are useful patterns. Best to focus on the behaviour and modify that, which is the current approach (eg: station people at each site with power to arrest).
I agree at this stage but given this situation is likely to continue for some time, then an analysis might ultimately become useful for those who are in charge of these facilities and keeping the occupants inside them.
You would need dozens of escapes to see a statistically significant pattern that could be relied on to drive policy responses. It seems they are responding promptly enough to each one that arises.
As it has elsewhere in the world, the coronavirus found a hole in Australia’s system: It spread in part because of the sharing of a cigarette lighter among security guards working at a hotel where returning international travelers are being quarantined. Along with this the other vulnerabilities were quarantine hotel workers returning home to families and spreading the virus. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/world-australia-53259356
Returned NZers as Escapees may not be the next cause of another outbreak.
Some nurses who have been doing clinics in quarantine hotels here, are then going back to their shifts at hospitals. AND that these nurses working in our quarantine hotels are not mandatorily required to wear full PPE.
I would like to have some analysis about those returning full stop.
Ages
Groupings ie families singles, couples
how long away
are they returning to a home/job
where they have been living until now and for how long
do they hold PR or citizenship anywhere else.
But then I am nosy & cynical. It would certainly help allay my fear that many will be coming to rest & recuperate, possibly with the help of the social welfare system here before leaving again to go 'home' when the rest of the world settles down. So I am sceptical that they coming here with the idea of helping us get through the next bit of NZ's response to Covid-19 and that is to take the opportunity to make NZ a better place.
Air Commodore Darryn Webb has revealed the group of five entered New Zealand from Brisbane on flight NZ146 on July 21. Webb said the family's request for an exemption from isolation to attend the family member's funeral was refused because they had not been administered a day-3 Covid-19 test.
A further request was made yesterday to view the body of the deceased relative, which the Ministry of Health was working to organise, Webb said. These discussions were occurring with iwi, Maori wardens, and police.
Webb said the family was told their application was "looking positive" last night and that a decision would be made by 8pm.
At 6:58pm yesterday people were seen climbing over the perimeter fence of the Distinction Hotel.
They had flown over from Brisbane after the children’s father suffered a stroke and died on July 20.
…
The mother scrambled to create a new plan and eventually organised with hotel staff, police and Defence Force security staff for the man’s body to be taken to an empty facility nearby where the family could view the body for one hour, she said.
However, the plan was dependent on approval from the Ministry of Health, which kept pushing back the time it promised to give her an answer by, she said.
Clearly there were specific circumstances with this family, quite different from the previous individual instances, which only highlights how the instant simplistic "solutions" really aren't helpful. Countdown guy in Auckland was an idiot taking selfies, the one in Ellerslie had "issues" that required mental health workers, and this was a family desperate to go to a funeral, the reason they had returned to NZ.
Somebody at the press conference suggested ankle bracelets. Woods did well to answer it patiently, without rolling her eyes. Having something on (implanted in?) your body doesn't stop you moving. You don't get immobilised. That's a sci-fi movie.
I don't like the idea of ankle bracelets for people that haven't been convicted of a crime, but isn't the point of them that they notify the police if someone leaves the hotel? In real time.
Their application looking positive and decision at 8pm. Officials working hard to try and accomodate grieving family, then they blow it. If they are only here for the funeral, send them back right away. We did not need these types wasting police time and resourses. Name them, name and imprison their accomplices…………..
Many people will miss out on funerals. Many people did before Covid. Half my family overseas when a parent died and they chose not to come back, but we would have held the funeral for them. Plenty of help for people grieving e.g. counselling. Attending a funeral does't guarantee you don't have a complicated grief response.leave…..
What completely irresponsible people. I have no sympathy that they will miss out now
Yes Anker. These totally irresponsible idiots need a really hard lesson but so did those that aided and abetted the escape. The interview with the father of the dead person's only regret was that the family didn't succesfully escape. It is more than clear that these fwits should be hauled before the courts and punished. But the reality is that they won't be because they are maori. And that is racist. Justice should be colour blind but it isn't.
Bullshit. The people that aided and abetted these fwits have, to my knowledge, not been charged. My point to you and solkta is that despite clear evidence that people have acted to aid and abet that there is no charge because of "cultural sensitivity". CRAP.
You’re free to believe whatever you want to but you have zero evidence that those who aided the absconders have not been charged because they are Māori and “cultural sensitivity”. Your strong language won’t change that fact.
I doubt the Police have or could get enough evidence to convict anybody who helped these people. I doubt they even know who was involved. The four were arrested before they met up with their accomplice(s) and the one who made it to Auckland gave himself up.
If you know something more then please share it. Otherwise you are just talking out your arse.
Goodgrief ffs we don't even know who aided and abetted these people, i.e. if they were Maori……….when I posted my comment I didn't know the family were Maori and frankly IMHO it is irrelevant. Your speculation that they didn't charge the enablers because they were Maori is unacceptable.
The Judge gave this woman a very stern warning. I am disappointed the media published her side and the 17 years side of why they absconded. Its a pandemic. They would have known the might not get compassionate leave. The 17 year old got to see his father, but by absconding they prevented the other kids from doing this.
People can still grieve the loss of a parent without attending a funeral. This debacle created by the children's mother has made it so much worse for them
If the mother found it so important that her kids were close to their father, why did she haul them off to Queensland?
Or perhaps they were all there at one point but he was deported. In that case they can blame the Australian government.
Further evidence that Australia and Australian people simply do not get Coronavirus. The slack attitude of the AUS government and people is why nearly 50 people have died after they supposedly beat Covid.
Their surge in deaths is almost 50% of their initial deaths.
And to think we had the Plan-B people here backed in tone by the National Party claiming Australia got it right.
Make no mistake, if the National Party are the next government, Covid 19 will re-enter New Zealand
Her own actions have likely prevented closure for her children…………..What a bloody awful performance she has put her kids through.
Sometimes we don't always get what we think we need to get especially in a pandemic…….I know of many people in really bad situations because of this pandemic……………
Easy for us to say and judge from the sideline and the comfort of our keyboards. Until we walk in her shoes we have no idea what she was feeling let alone thinking; it must have been awful. Apparently, she tried to do the best for her children. I’d hazard a guess that better communication with and between the authorities might have prevented the whole thing from happening. The response: more security 🙁
Doing the best for your children in a pandemic under these circumstances, imho involves supporting them in their grief in Queensland as travelling during a pandemic with quarantine meant their trip was problematic from the get go.(no guarantee of getting compassionate leave). So she put her children through a horrendous trip with two weeks in quarantine. Just as they were waiting on a decision about getting to see the body, she decided to break the law and abscond by breaking open a window and climbing over a very high fence. Possibly one of them could have fallen and injured themselves or worst. Then put her children in the position when they were arrested by the police, while her 17 year old was on the run with police helicopter hovering. One child saw his fathers body, the others didn't. Then they appear in court and get a very stern message from the judge. I think these were very very poor choices for her children. She has also taught her children you don't need to worry about rules, if you really want to do something, just do it, break the law and risk arrest. Actually as I write this, I think this woman has shown appalling judgement.
I reserve no sympathy for any absconders. They are prioritizing themselves over everyone else in a pandemic, including the poor bloody police who have to arrest them, not knowing whether they have covid.
James Shaw throwing some shade on Winston Peters and NZF. Subtle zen vibe to Peters' brass knuckles.
"Ultimately the constellation of parties that make up the next Government is a result of the election," said Shaw, asked whether he'd be happy to work with NZ First again.
"That really is up to the voters of New Zealand… We have done an enormous amount in the last three years. Yes, there have been things we didn't get over the line – but in terms of the things that we did get over the line, we actually did get those things through as a result of our partnership with NZ First.
"It's not been comfortable at times – they have been a chaotic and disorganised partner in Government at times, but actually, you know, ultimately I think the people of New Zealand will judge what will make up the next Government. I'm pretty confident that we'll be in a position to form a Government with Labour."
Colbert on Trump last night. It's not the cognitive test Trump explains that's the only farcical take but a little bit further in the video is Trump's evaluation on the qualities of Dr. Deborah Birx.
Tiwai – there was a discussion yesterday about the power being freed up. Has the Government ensured that the extra supply being freed up will be used in the national interest by cancelling resource permits or some such if it is not?
I wouldn't put it past any power company to sign up to supply some dodgy enterprise so long as the return was sufficent to keep the executive salaries up.
At current share prices Meridian and Genesis (half of each) is about $7 billion. Makes you wonder if restoring state ownership, merging and the reducing power prices so benefits went further would not be a massively good investment. At some point privatisation should get push back otherwise every right wing government just sells more.
I wouldn't put it past any power company to sign up to supply some dodgy enterprise so long as the return was sufficent to keep the executive salaries up.
Business pay less per kw/h than residential so you'd think that they'd be keen to get that extra from residential users.
At some point privatisation should get push back otherwise every right wing government just sells more.
There was push-back but the government sold it off any way. As I say, we don't have a democracy – we have an elected dictatorship.
True but there was also a referendum showing that most people didn't want him to do that. If we were a democracy he, and the rest of National, would have changed those plans.
I'm not thinking of just push back at the time but actually looking at undoing some of this after the right is voted out. ACC has been about the only thing where the left made it very clear that they would renationalise if it was sold and losses would not be compensated for. We have things like the Hamilton prison that is a 35? year privatisation contract and it just gets left. It becomes a one way street with more and more going into the private sector.
Imagine the outrage from the right if say the teachers in public schools all worked for the one company that they owned. And a left government signed a 35 year contract with the company complete with manning formula's and wage escalation and site agreements so that future governments were committed to it.
Yea, well it's about time All infrastructure entities were (re)nationalized, back to the peoples' benefit. Lets see how socialist, Labour can be in the next 3 terms of government, let's see shades of Big Norm come through.
We've had our deliberations about our reactions to sexual misconduct by pollies, whether we're too tough or not tough enough. But things could be waaaay worse.
Let those words sink in and then let us revisit the things Bill O’Reilly said about Dr. George Tiller before Dr. Tiller was actually assassinated in 2009.
According to Salon O’Reilly brought up Dr. Tiller 27 times on his national show over four years (from 2005 to 2009 before Dr. Tiller was murdered). That’s almost seven times a year or every two months.
Here are some of the ways O’Reilly targeted Dr. Tiller on his national platform:
I ran across a recent essay from The Brothers Krynn, which attempts to map common horror monsters onto the Seven Deadly Sins: https://canadianculturecorner.substack.com/p/horror-monsters-and-vice My interest, however, is not in the meat of the piece, but rather the opening paragraph: It is an interesting fact that in recent decades, Vampires have ...
Buzz from the Beehive Transport Minister Simeon Brown dutifully issued advice to all road users to keep safe on our roads during the Easter weekend. He encouraged them to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. ...
Oliver Hartwich writes – New Zealanders recently learned about a new feature film. It will be about former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern – and taxpayers will subsidise it to the tune of NZ$800,000. Ardern had nothing personally to do with either the film or the subsidy. But her government’s ...
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Open access notables A survey of interventions to actively conserve the frozen North, van Wijngaarden et al., Climatic Change:The frozen elements of the high North are thawing as the region warms much faster than the global mean. The dangers of sea level rise due to melting glacier ice, increased ...
Bryce Edwards writes – New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure. The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On ...
In 2015, then-Prime Minister John Key announced plans for a huge ocean sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands, banning fishing and mining from 15% of Aotearoa's EEZ. It was bold, it was ambitious, and it suggested that National might actually care about the environment. Except they fucked it up: Key failed ...
1. Who has just been given the accolade New Zealander of the Year?a. The Kokakob. The Cook Strait Ferryc. Fair God. Dr Jim Salinger 2. Which of these is an affront to decent society?a. Dame Edna Everageb. Mrs Doubtfire c. Dr. Frank-N-Furterd. Brian 3. Who is Penny Simmonds?a. The aspiring actress in Big ...
New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure.The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On the face of it, the court found ...
Buzz from the Beehive Waves of rain are set to lash much of the North Island during Easter Weekend as a low-pressure system forms east of New Zealand, according to a weather forecast published in the past day or so. Niwa was warning of a “moisture-laden” long weekend, with rain expected ...
Look around us…Nicola Willis’ promises of balancing the books, of cutting spending without reducing services, and of delivering game changing tax cuts are disappearing before her eyes.Everyday we see stories of violent crime ending in horrific injuries, or worse. The cost of living worsens, whereas the PM claimed renters would ...
TL;DR: My top six news of note on the morning of Thursday, March 28 include:The Government will have to borrow between $10 billion to $15 billion more than previously expected in order to make up for a slowing economy and to pay for $14.9 billion of tax cuts, according to ...
This story by Naveena Sadasivam and Kate Yoder was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. The long-awaited jobs board for the American Climate Corps, promised early in the Biden administration, will open next month, according to details shared exclusively ...
Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don’t think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of ...
Treasury’s first report on the economy since the change of government presents a damning indictment of Labour’s economic management. The problem for National is that it is so damning that logically, coupled with a rapidly slowing economy, Finance Minister Nicola Willis should respond to it by postponing or even cancelling ...
Budget tensions are becoming evident within the Coalition Government. Winston Peters made numerous political points in his speech to the NZF annual conference. But the attack on his own government’s fiscal policies raised issues of substance. ‘Today in the Sunday Star Times, journalist and former advisor to the Labour ...
Buzz from the Beehive The media – sure enough – have been binging on Finance Minister Nicola Willis’ release of the Budget Policy Statement and a statement headed Government announces Budget priorities This assures us – or rather, this parrots the Luxon team mantra – that the Budget “will deliver ...
The Ides of March brought me COVID followed by a bereavement. No wonder they tell you to be careful of them.I’m home now and have resumed the interrupted recuperation. Very much looking forward to getting back to regular things. Meanwhile, some thoughts…OneThis new Prime Minister guy just keeps getting more dire. ...
News that the Chinese ATP 40 cyber-hacking unit penetrated parliamentary internet networks in 2021 has renewed concerns about the PRC’s malign intentions in Aotearoa. But is the hack that significant given the length of time that has passed since its … Continue reading → ...
When Parliament passed the Intelligence and security Act in 2017, they assured us all that it was full of safeguards. Any intrusive surveillance of New Zealanders would be subject to a "triple lock", requiring the approval of the Minister and (supposedly independent) Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants, as well as post-facto ...
Eric Crampton writes – Richard Harman’s Politik newsletter provides a bit of the context that ought to have been showing up in other media reports on potential reductions in public service staffing. Media has been reporting on staffing cuts on the order of about 7%. Is that ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – It’s becoming increasingly apparent that many perceive free speech to have become the preserve of the politically right wing, the religiously conservative, the libertarian fringe, the anti-trans, the anti-Māori and…. well, just fill in with whatever groups or individuals you don’t like and don’t ...
Don Brash writes – As everybody who is not blind and deaf is aware, there is a huge political preoccupation with climate change at the moment, a widespread (though by no means unanimous) belief that global temperatures are rising mainly as a result of the greenhouse gases created ...
TL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy on Wednesday, March 27 include:Chris Bishop laid out his vision for filling Aotearoa-NZ’s $100 billion infrastructure deficit in a speech yesterday, emphasising user pays and private funding, but failed to say how to achieve bipartisanship on population, public borrowing and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Former Finance Minister Grant Robertson and former Prime Minister Chris Hipkins have been conveying how unhappy they are with the tax system. Last week in his valedictory speech, Robertson called for the introduction of a wealth or capital gains tax. And this week Hipkins ...
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 ...
Buzz from the Beehive China has loomed large in Beehive considerations over the past 24 hours, largely because of that country’s mischief-making in the cyber espionage department. Two media statements emerged on that subject hard on the heels of the PM baulking at questions put to him on RNZ’s Morning ...
Chris Trotter writes – WHY IS THE NATIONAL PARTY doing so much for landlords, property developers, trucking, and construction companies, and so little for everybody who isn’t already pretty well-off? It’s as if protecting landlords’ investments and building apartments and roads now constitute the whole of National’s ...
Bryce Edwards writes – When she was campaigning to be Minister of Finance last year, Nicola Willis pledged that she would resign from the job if she failed to deliver tax cuts in her first Budget. Now, it’s that pledge, along with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s ...
Robert MacCulloch writes – The Reserve Bank has doubled staff numbers in five years to 510, with personnel costs rising to $80 million in 2023 from $32 million in 2018 – up by a whopping 150%. I guess when you print $50 billion and flood markets with liquidity, ...
The furore. In case you didn’t notice there was a controversy in the weekend involving dolphins in a little town off the South Island. Don’t panic, they haven’t declared independence and resumed whaling, this was simply a sailing event.The problem began when racing was cancelled on the opening day of ...
For 20 years or more, the case for a meaningful capital tax gains has been mulled over and analysed to death, including by the tax working group chaired by Sir Michael Cullen. More than once, the International Monetary Fund has said a CGT would be a good idea for New ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: The Public Health Communications Centre (PHCC) call for urgent preventive action and a risk assessment survey of long covid in this briefing noteLocal scoop: NZ road deaths surpass OECD rates, so why is the govt reversing safety plans? ...
This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. This story is part of a collaboration with Grist and WABE to demystify the Georgia Public Service Commission, the small but powerful state-elected board that makes critical decisions about everything from raising ...
This is a guest post from Robert McLachlan Global warming is accelerating; 2023 was off the charts. We need to stop burning fossil fuels. In New Zealand, transport accounts for half of all fossil fuels burnt. In the Emissions Reduction Plan, transport emissions fall 41% by 2035. As the ...
Labour productivity has been receding rapidly over the past two years, reversing a post-lockdown rise. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy as at 6:26am on Tuesday, March 26 include:Workers have been treading water in output per hour worked for 12 years, ...
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 2 include:Today, Parliament resumes sitting at 2pm for the second week of a two-week session. Officials for SIS and GCSB report their annual reviews in public to the Intelligence and Security Select Committee from 5.10pm.Tomorrow, ...
Faced with a barrage of criticism over the promised tax cuts from usually supportive commentators, Finance Minister Nicola Willis yesterday reaffirmed her intention to include them in this year’s Budget. The Government is up against it over the cuts just about every way it turns. Commentators like Fran O’Sullivan, Matthew ...
Here’s my pick of today’s substack posts as of 6:26pm on Monday, March 25: writes via his substack that Market-rate housing will make your city cheaper writes via his substack about the problems talking to double-cab ute (truck) drivers about their vehicles. today about moments of radicalisation in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Just before Christmas, Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivered something that was pitched as a mini-budget and brayed about the decisive action being taken to repair the Government books and support income tax relief in Budget 2024. In a statement headed Fiscal repair job underway. she introduced ...
My sister Belinda asked Dad yesterday what one word would describe Mum best. He said: vivacious.If you only knew her from the photos on the slideshow we've made for today,you might wonder about that, because the camera tended to lie with Mum.If ever she saw a camera pointed at her, she ...
There are two major public consultations closing in the next week, Auckland Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP), and the draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport (GPS). Closing dates and times: LTP closes Thursday 28 February, at 11.59pm – a minute to midnight! GPS closes Tuesday 2 April, at 12pm noon – note that’s ...
From Kiwiblog’s David Farrar – Bryce Wilkinson writes: Senior Fellow Bryce Wilkinson’s analysis reveals that since March 2009, New Zealand has spent $158 billion more overseas than it has earned, but its NIIP has only fallen by $32 billion.Statistics New Zealand shows that receipts from overseas reinsurers have ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition? Brian Easton writes – The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could ...
Dear Nicola Willis,Right now you’ve probably got lots of competing demands coming at you. Ministers who’ve inherited quite a mess, or so you’ve told us, looking for money in the budget to improve things. I imagine that’s why they came to parliament - to make things better.You’ll have to make ...
The Local Government, Transport and Auckland Minister hasthreatened councils with intervention if they don’t merge water assets to take them off balance sheet, just as the now-repealed Three Waters plan directed. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things of note this morning for Monday, March 25 include:Simeon ...
A listing of 36 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 17, 2024 thru Sat, March 23, 2024. Story of the week Thanks to John Mason having the stamina to sit down to watch "Climate - the Movie" ...
This morning the Q&A programme had Simeon Brown on to talk about National’s replacement for Three Waters. In case anyone’s forgotten the three are - drinking water, waste water, and sewerage. It’s quite important not to get them mixed up. In much the same way that you wouldn’t want to ...
Today’s newsletter comes with a mini-podcast conversation between me and my buddy Liv Tennet, talking about her time as a child actor in Lord of the Rings. It’s a conversation with a lot of giggles as she talks about falling off a horse, and becoming a meme. Read ...
The Desmog Climate Disinformation Database documents, "individuals and organisations that have helped to delay and distract the public and our elected leaders from taking needed action to reduce greenhouse gas pollution and fight global warming." It's a who's who of the organised climate change denial movement, in other words. In ...
Bob Edlin writes – A High Court judge has decided miscreants who have mana – or who claim to have mana – should be treated differently from miscreants who have none. It’s a ruling that suggests indigenous law-breakers have a better chance of securing a discharge without conviction ...
Welcome to the first, and possibly last, edition of Brickbats, Bouquets and Bull’s Wool. In which I’ll take a look at the events of the last week or so, and rate them.In such ratings the numbers usually have more to do with the opinions of the reviewer, than the actual ...
Roger Partridge writes – My earlier column this month, New Zealand’s highest court could be facing a turning point, prompted a flood of feedback from business readers and lawyers alike. A common query was what Parliament can do to restrain an overreaching judiciary. This week I discuss two steps Parliament ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.16pm on Friday, March 22: writes about New Zealand's Building Boom—And What the World Must Learn From It over at his substack. challenges the Auckland Council’s use of a 3.8 degrees of warming forecast to oppose a wave-park and data centre project ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition?The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could deliver her promised income tax cuts. Appointed minister, she ...
Buzz from the Beehive Ministers of the Crown have drawn attention to one sector of the science sector which is unlikely to be subjected to heavy spending cuts, a state-funded broadcaster which is doing nicely, thank you, and a sporting event that had $5.4 million from the public purse puffed ...
Abbott’s Freestyle Libre sensors allow continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). The sensor is applied to the back of the patient’s arm, with a thin filament under the skin measuring glucose levels constantly. But it costs around $100 per sensor and must be replaced once every 14 days. Photo by BSIP/Universal Images ...
The Inspector General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) recently released a report in which he exposes the existence of a foreign intelligence partner-controlled technological “capability” inside the headquarters of the GCSB, NZ’s 5 Eyes-affiliated signals intelligence collection and analysis agency. … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – Nearly three decades after the introduction of MMP and multiparty governments there should be a greater level of understanding about their finer points than often appears to be the case. The reaction to the despicable outburst from the Deputy Prime Minister at the weekend highlights ...
The sweet kisses from fruit of summerHave slowly been turning dullerYou say, "those times"And "remember the daysWhen we went outside and there still was the shade?"Taking no reason into play…Autumn. Clear, blue days shortening to longer nights, growing colder. Aotearoa.That’s us. The temperature dropping, the looming car crash - so ...
Bryce Edwards writes – “It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April ...
David Farrar writes – The Electoral Commission has published the expense returns for political parties for the 2023 election. I’ve put them in a table with how many votes a party got so we can see the spend per vote. National only spent $3.34 for every vote they got, almost ...
Winston Peters’ headline-making actions over the past week may have been a show of political power intended to strengthen his hand in Budget negotiations. It was no accident that his State of the Nation speech was as it was. He made it as New Zealand First Leader, not as Deputy ...
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:Former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson bowed out of politics this week, giving a series of exit ...
Graham Adams writes — If you love the law or sausages, as the saying goes, best not to look too closely at how they are made. And after watching the orgy of self-pity when Newshub’s closure was announced on February 28, television journalism should definitely be added to the list of those ...
Venerable New Zealand political commentator, Chris Trotter (https://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/), is a sad creature these days. Once one of the most reliable Leftist writers out there – Economic Left at that – Trotter seems to have absorbed the worldview of Auckland culture-war obsessives. It is not for me to categorise what he ...
The Coalition Government’s plan to ‘get Auckland moving’ is a cuts cover-up that will ultimately cost Aucklanders more to move around the city, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Slashing the Ministry of Pacific Peoples by 40% will have a devastating impact on pacific communities and further highlights how little this government cares about anything other than cutting taxes for the wealthiest few. ...
Labour has proposed an urgent inquiry to investigate the ever-increasing profits of supermarkets, aiming to lower costs for shoppers and food producers alike, says Labour Spokesperson for Commerce and Consumer Affairs Arena Williams and Primary Production Spokesperson Cushla Tangaere-Manuel. ...
With 14% of jobs on the line at the Ministry for Ethnic Communities, the responsible Minister Melissa Lee is failing to stand up for the very communities she’s meant to be representing. ...
COURT OF APPEAL: TRIFECTA OF VICTORY FOR NZ FIRST, TRIFECTA OF FAILURE FOR OPPONENTS For the third time since April 2020, New Zealand First has defeated the Serious Fraud Office and all those complicit in a malicious attack against a political party going about its lawful business in a lawful ...
The Green Party stands with people who live in public housing, people in dire housing need, experts and advocates in demanding better than the Government’s archaic approach to housing those who need our support the most. ...
New Zealand has recently lost the hosting rights of some major international sporting events including the America’s Cup, the Rugby Championship, Netball World Cup, and the Wellington Sevens. We are now at a huge risk of losing SailGP as well. And it won’t stop there. The recent issues with SailGP ...
A Member’s Bill drawn this week would modernise insurance law and make things fairer and more transparent for consumers, Christchurch Central MP Duncan Webb said. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues has confirmed she was aware of funding issues in mid-December and did nothing to stop it. On 14 March, she signed off on changes that were announced and implemented on 18 March without any consultation with disability communities. ...
Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter says her members' bill is an opportunity for the coalition government to plug the gap in electric vehicle incentives. ...
The National Government continues to talk about irresponsible tax cuts that will only drive up inflation, despite the country entering a technical recession. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues must act urgently to reinstate flexibility around the funding for disability support and apologise to disabled carers. ...
This story has been initiated by a leftie shill reporter who proactively sought to call a member of a former band, which disbanded twelve years ago, give their biased appraisal of what was said in my speech, and concocted a ham-fisted attempt at a story that does nothing but show ...
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. ...
Many in the mainstream media have taken what was said in New Zealand First’s State of the Nation Speech in Palmerston North on Sunday and deliberately, deceitfully, and ignorantly misrepresented what I said and why I said it. The headlines and commentary on the news stated that I compared ‘co-governance ...
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 ...
Good afternoon. Thank you for, in your very busy lives, turning up to this meeting today. On October 14th last year New Zealanders overwhelmingly voted for change. That is exactly what this new government is bringing. New Zealand First campaigned to ‘take back our country’ and stop the disastrous economic ...
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. ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April. “It was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates. Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend. “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” Mr Peters says. Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. “Road safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “Our relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track. “Dam safety regulations ...
The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “I have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the government’s finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Government’s Budget objectives. “The coalition Government intends ...
The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says. “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009. ...
The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Education’s School Property Function. The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. “There is a clear need ...
State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Today I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. “The use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,” Minister Responsible for ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. “We’re sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union. “I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says. “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “Comprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. “I would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. “This is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women don’t ...
Good morning, it’s great to be here. First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning. I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Government’s ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Government’s commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, I’m proud to ...
Before moving onto the substance of today’s address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and I’m sorry I can’t be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed. “Northland has faced a number ...
New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata Māori 20 years ago, says Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisation’s 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
COMMENTARY:By Ronny Kareni Since the atrocious footage of the suffering of an indigenous Papuan man reverberates in the heart of Puncak by the brute force of Indonesia’s army in early February, shocking tactics deployed by those in power to silence critics has been unfolding. Nowhere is this more evident ...
Analysis - Nicola Willis is holding firm on tax cuts despite the economic outlook being worse than forecast and critics urging her to wait, writes Peter Wilson for The Week In Politics. ...
Opposition MPs and unions are criticising a proposal by New Zealand’s Ministry of Pacific Peoples to cut staff by 40 percent. The country’s largest trade union — The Public Service Association — says the ministry has informed staff that it is looking to shed 63 of 156 positions. Opposition MPs ...
A poem by Poetry Aotearoa Yearbook 2024 featured poet Carin Smeaton. Daughtr of the 90s when she gets promoted to usherette a baby blu eel carries her all the way up to mothership she’s hovering high she lets the underaged in to see keanu reeves she lets the only lonely ...
Analysis by Keith Rankin. Keith Rankin, trained as an economic historian, is a retired lecturer in Economics and Statistics. He lives in Auckland, New Zealand. My earlier article – Can ‘Good’ be the Greater Evil? – looked at the issue of how wars should end, and how Good versus Evil ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 AMMA by Saraid de Silva (Moa Press, $38)A stunning debut novel reviewed by Brannavan ...
From Steve Martin to Ricky Stanicky, a pick’n’mix of things worth watching and listening to this long weekend. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. If you’re at a loss for something to occupy yourself with this Easter, don’t panic: The Spinoff’s got ...
Jesus had dinner with his 12 disciples right before he died. Noted historian Madeleine Chapman finds out who really deserved to be there.First published in 2018 but let’s be honest, the subject is timeless. As you sit on your couch this Easter Sunday, eating a chocolate egg you know ...
The newly-promoted Northern League club is on a mission to return to the National League for the first time in two decades. Plenty about domestic football in New Zealand has changed in that time – but the sense that this amateur competition is not an entirely level playing field remains. ...
Comment: Every year on February 2, a dozen men in tuxedos and top hats approach the burrow of a groundhog in Gobbler’s Knob, Pennsylvania and entice the beaver-like rodent to emerge and predict the weather. If the groundhog, named Punxsutawney Phil, sees its own shadow when it is summoned, legend ...
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Auckland Council has put a deadline on new weather-impacted property owners applying for categorisation as government funding looks set to run out. Councillors have voted to support a deadline of September 30 for property owners who haven’t accessed support to come forward and engage with the council’s recovery office. It ...
NONFICTION 1 BBQ Economics by Liam Dann (Penguin Random House, $40) “It’s official,” wrote Dann nine days ago in the Herald, where he works as business editor at large, “we’re in recession.” Yeah, great. He delivered the bad stats: “GDP fell 0.1 percent in the December 2023 quarter, compared with ...
By Anneke Smith, RNZ News political reporter A petition urging the New Zealand government to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people has been tabled in the House. More than 200 people gathered on Parliament’s forecourt today and they were met by MPs from Labour, the Greens and Te ...
Pacific Media Watch The Paris-based global media freedom watchdog RSF (Reporters Without Borders) has appealed for information about the “disappearance” of Palestinian journalist Bayan Abusultan. She was reportedly last seen on March 19 among people “sequestered” in this week’s raid and siege of Al Shifa hospital by Israeli troops in ...
EDITORIAL:The Jakarta Post It happens again and again; indigenous Papuans fall victim to Indonesian soldiers. This time, we have photographic evidence for the brutality, with videos on social media showing a Papuan man being tortured by a group of plainclothes men alleged to be the Indonesian Military (TNI) members. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robyn J. Whitaker, Director of the Wesley Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Policy & Associate Professor, New Testament, Pilgrim Theological College, University of Divinity A strange and eclectic range of activities takes place across these few weeks of the year. Some ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Panizza Allmark, Professor Visual & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University It’s Easter weekend, which means many of us will be kicking back with the greatest hits on repeat. But whether you’re a boomer, or an ‘80s or ’90s kid, you might be ...
RNZ Pacific Fiji’s Acting Public Prosecutor has filed an appeal against the sentences of former prime minister Voreqe Bainimarama and suspended police chief Sitiveni Qiliho in their corruption case. Bainimarama was granted an absolute discharge for attempting to pervert the course of justice while Qiliho received a conditional discharge with ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Arosha Weerakoon, Senior Lecturer and General Dentist, School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland Casezy idea/Shutterstock How does toothpaste work? What did people use before toothpaste was invented? – Amelia, age 7, Meanjin (Brisbane) Thanks for your ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brett Hallam, Associate professor, UNSW Sydney IM Imagery/Shutterstock Solar SunShot is well named. The Australian government announced today it would plough A$1 billion into bringing back solar manufacturing to Australia, boosting energy security, swapping coal and gas jobs for those ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Dix, Research Fellow in Nutrition & Dietetics, The University of Queensland Easter is the time for chocolate. The shops are full of fantastically packaged and shiny chocolates in all shapes and sizes, making trips to the supermarket with children more challenging ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Felton, Adjunct Senior Researcher, University of South Australia Even in a stubborn cost-of-living crisis, it seems there’s one luxury most Australians won’t sacrifice – their daily cup of coffee. Coffee sales have largely remained stable, even as financial pressures have ...
Mining company Trans-Tasman Resources has unexpectedly withdrawn its application for a consent to suck the valuable metals vanadium and titanium from the Taranaki seafloor, as it apparently wagers on the Government’s new fast-track process. It had spent two-and-a-half days putting its case to the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision-making committee, at ...
Contrary to the Associate Minister of Education’s claims, analysis of Healthy School Lunches Programme - Ka Ora, Ka Ako assessments has revealed it provides excellent value for the taxpayer dollar, as a groundswell of public opposition to Government ...
Greenpeace says wannabe Taranaki seabed miner Trans-Tasman Resources is likely banking on Christopher Luxon’s fast-track process to side-step proper scrutiny of its Taranaki seabed mining proposal by bailing out of the Environmental Protection Agency hearing ...
Kiwis Against Seabed mining today slammed Australian owned would-be seabed miner Trans Tasman Resources (TTR) for abandoning its application to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to mine the seabed of the South Taranaki Bight. The company ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katie Attwell, Associate Professor, School of Social Sciences, The University of Western Australia Ground Picture/Shutterstock Months after COVID vaccines were introduced in 2021, governments and private organisations mandated them for various groups. Health and aged care workers were among the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Dzurak, Scientia Professor Andrew Dzurak, CEO and Founder of Diraq, UNSW Sydney Diraq For decades, the pursuit of quantum computing has struggled with the need for extremely low temperatures, mere fractions of a degree above absolute zero (0 Kelvin or ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne A national Essential poll, conducted March 20–24 from a sample of 1,150, gave the Coalition a 50–44 lead including undecided, a reversal ...
The Taxpayers’ Union has today made a formal request under the Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on Open Government Information () for information held about how New Zealand Members of Parliament are spending taxpayer ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Nelson, Honorary Principal Fellow, The University of Melbourne A Byzantine depiction of the Eucharist in Saint Sophia Cathedral, Kyiv.Jacek555/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA A nasty quarrel arose in the 11th century over what kind of bread should be used in holy ...
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Whether you’re facing layoffs or are just an emotional junior staffer, it’s always a good idea to scout out a good crying place before you need it. It’s an incredibly hard time for Wellington. Across the city, thousands of public servants are hearing tough news about redundancies and layoffs. Government ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Miller-Jones, Professor, Curtin University Nuclear explosions on a neutron star feed its jets. Danielle Futselaar and Nathalie Degenaar, Anton Pannekoek Institute, University of Amsterdam, CC BY-SA How fast can a neutron star drive powerful jets into space? The answer, it ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daryl Adair, Associate Professor of Sport Management, University of Technology Sydney Earlier this week, independent MP Andrew Wilkie accused the AFL of conducting “off the books” illicit drug testing to identify players using substances of abuse, then inappropriately withdrawing them from matches ...
The Government’s announcement that it will scrap plans for a vast marine sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands is ‘shameful’ and will make it impossible for Aotearoa New Zealand to meet its international commitments, says the World Wide Fund for Nature ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Quiggin, Professor, School of Economics, The University of Queensland Shutterstock The federal government has bowed to pressure from the car industry, announcing it will relax proposed emissions rules for utes and vans and delay enforcement of the new standards ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Suzanne Rutland, Professor Emerita, University of Sydney In his latest book, Jewish Life in Medieval Spain, Jonathan Ray focuses on the tumult of the 14th century in Spain – a time of the plague, civil strife and war between the two largest ...
While creating a slate of world-class shows, Whakaata Māori also developed a generation of world-class creatives. Television is an odd word. It mixes the Ancient Greek and Latin languages, and its most literal meaning is “far-off sight”. In the contemporary and living language of te reo Māori, “whakaata” as a ...
Yesterday the UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Israel’s war on Gaza. This significant step and the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza prompted an urgent debate in the New Zealand Parliament. Leader ...
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Apples are available year-round, but the wide variety on offer involves intensive scientific research – and large-scale commercialisation. What’s beautiful, red, sweet and crunchy? Tony Martin’s favourite kind of apple: Sassy. The CEO of apple and pear breeding organisation Prevar, Martin’s fondness for Sassy represents professional success as well as ...
Family violence specialist service Shine is calling on employers to stop asking for proof of domestic violence in order for employees to access domestic violence leave. The call comes five years after the introduction of the Domestic Violence ...
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Brutal government spending cuts that will see the size of the Ministry for Pacific Peoples slashed by 40% will hit Pasifika communities hard, the PSA says. The Ministry has told staff that it is seeking voluntary redundancies, and to redeploy and reassign ...
I live with five people I mostly love, but our different ideas about generosity are starting to really irk me.Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nzDear Hera,This is a bit of a random one but here goes. I’m 22 and work an OK job (OK meaning I get paid ...
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While Nicola Willis wouldn’t give any details on its size, she said a package of tax cuts is definitely still coming in this year’s budget, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...
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A lengthy response to the recently released draft Government policy statement on transport will soon be delivered from Auckland Council to Minister of Transport Simeon Brown. A submission raising concerns about funding distribution and the plan’s treatment of Auckland passed through the council’s transport committee on Wednesday, despite some councillors ...
Had a recent chat with a guy , after 5 months of not sleeping drs have worked out what's wrong,.
He has too options for treatment go pay for private at about $14k and be treated in 3 weeks time or go public which will be 4 to 5 months wait .
The real kicker is it's the same surgeon that would be doing it in both cases.
This is how they are privatising health in nz .
+100
Seen it lots, very close.
Health is NZs ultimate 2-tier citizenship divider.
Yes and you have to pay when it's a required procedure. The system can reject you even going on the waiting list.
There's far too much of that ! Surgeons have expressed to private patients they should've been already via public. Some fixing dhb botched efforts even.
That's messed up.
In the regions, like Northland , this has been the case for many years….we are waiting on surgery from the same surgeon. be it public or private , and the private ones get the jump on those provided by New Zealand's free health system.
Seen it frequently – medical specialists engaging in cartel behaviour by charging very high prices that can be leveraged through private insurance – the consumer buys insurance or faces painful delay.
The profession also restricts access into the profession and then again into specialist colleges. Many people perfectly intellectually capable of being doctors, and who would love to be doctors, can't get admission to medical schools.
Short-term fix would be to pay the Cubans to train a thousand or so (including specialists) for us – then import them to work in the public sector.
Yeah but, I had to get a hip op with a 7 month wait because there is only so much money allocated to hip operations, so I paid for it myself because it would cost me more to employ someone for 8 months or so to run my farm, I dont have health insurance because I'm 70 and 3 years premiums is about the same money, 21K. BTW, because I got it done just as I needed a stick to walk, I was able to be back on the tractor after 2 weeks and full on after 4 weeks, the extra 6-7 months on public would have meant not being able to walk on the farm like 10 years before for the other leg.
If everybody, particularly us old buggers, got what they wanted right now the health bill would be stratospheric with ironicly a lot of waste, its complex why' but having huge numbers of highly trained and expensive specialist medical staff hanging around doing SFA in times of little demand is one reason and no, an orthopedic surgeon can not do bypasses or brain surgery. Sure the wait is twice as long as it needs to be but there aren't that many surgeons about.
Anyway the thing that surprised me was that the actual surgeons charge was only about 20-25% of the bill, now if you get a free one you don't see the breakdown of the costs, things like overnight stays in a private hospital are expensive ( but about the same as public maybe even cheaper ) although surprisingly only about the cost of a nights quarantine at the moment. I cut my bill down by doing a runner on the second day, you can be quite quick on crutches, must have been the drugs.
Private practice does serve a purpose by taking a load of the public system.
The only thing that I would change is a tax break for people who pay for themselves, maybe not nessecarily those with insurance, in my case I saved the government 20k or so, happy to do so even though I couldn't really afford it ( I drive a 4th-hand 20 year old car ) but it was going to cost me that anyway and ironicly if I had employed a manager if one could have been found I would have gotten tax relief on those expenses.
Specialists have huge expenses, their insurance costs are well over 100kp/a, there is a compulsory retraining period every year which they pay for themselves and generally a nurse or office person as well and they don't start earning until late 30s. It is a mugs game. Although I did appreciate the Maserati parked outside though I think the Toyota Corolla was my mans one.
Sure – it's more complex than my mischievous Cuban suggestion implies. But the reason we have such marked inequality is because some people can get into privileged positions where they can indulge in cartel behaviour, price gouging and ticket clipping, externalisation of their costs onto the public, or feast on income streams derived solely from the ownership of assets. And other people can't – and whether you can or can't bears little or no relation to effort, skill, or contribution to society.
Agreed AB but the cost of a surgeon is a world price and there is a world shortage. A Cuban would be a good surgeon no doubt but for your safety his English would have to be first class and his knowledge of Aus/NZ practice sharpened up and of course he would still have to pay for his own insurance because if he made a fuck up ACC would be on his case so I'll bet your Cuban would pretty soon be nailing down the world price for his efforts.
The only two things that the private sector does is:
Health, like telecommunications and power, needs to be a monopoly to get the best efficiencies.
AB @ 1.5 wrote
"Seen it frequently – medical specialists engaging in cartel behaviour by charging very high prices that can be leveraged through private insurance – the consumer buys insurance or faces painful delay."
That's the American system that the likes of Goldsmith and other Tories would like to see in this country
Why do you think the health system has been rundown with shit descovered in the walls of hospitals when this administration took over?
with private insurance two years ago i waited ….. six week for an appointment, three weeks for a scan, three weeks for an appointment, three weeks for the steroid injection.
i have frozen shoulder syndrom. Getting of the drugs was nice.
But when you only have one specialist per town you wait. With or without insurance.
So it is not about having a surgeon available, it is about the capacity within the public health system.
To avoid privatisation there needs to be a criteria a person reaches that they can access funding to have the treatment done privately but the government pays.
Those who have private health insurance would not like this. People are dying on the waiting list or when they are acute the surgery may be best done when not acute. Surgeon may recommend surgery in a month, 4-5 months go by and finally surgery but other factors can come into play underlying health issues not related to the actual surgery.
Also problems occur with referrals, and people die needlessly.
Nope. The public health system would have the capacity – if the doctors weren't moonlighting for the private sector to make a higher profit for themselves. The effect of this is that the people on the public waiting lists are there longer.
Simpler, and better, to just get rid of the private system. Its existence is only making the whole system worse. The people dying on the public waiting lists are doing so because of the private system.
Were surgeons paid enough in the public health system there would be no need to operate else where. So the capacity problem is the payment for the surgeon's service.
If the public health system paid more then the private system would just pay more again resulting in the same problem.
The only fix is to get rid of the private system.
Never enough for some and you have the solution.
And proof that the problem of long waits on the public health is caused by the private sector and their maldistribution of our resources.
About 20 years ago I heard that a person could have private surgery at say Wakefield hospital and require an ICU bed and be transferred from Wakefield hospital to Wellington ICU.
If so an ICU bed would need to be available at a public hospital for a private operation.
Possibly a private hospital now has their own ICU or high risk procedures are not carried out in a private hospital.
Certainly Middlemore has a steady flow of botched private sector operations to fix, some terrible cases, and if you have a heart attack on the private sector operating tables you get rushed to the public system.
The private sector does a narrow range of operations with a narrow range of equipment. Mainly stuff that has a private demand and is profitable.
Those who run down the public sector health system don't mind it when they have their major car accident or heart attack or stroke. The fact is that the private system doesn't have to meet the costs of major surgery, an accident and emergency system or really risky stuff like major back surgery.
The public system doesn't have to meet the cost of vanity surgery like face-lifts (though as noted they do sometimes have to fix the poor outcomes when they occur) and if the wealthy can bypass the public system by paying to go private that does help.
Where I object is the public system winding down stuff they used to do as a matter of course like varicose vein surgery or breast reduction surgery where these are needed in the expectation that you will now get that down privately. I also mind the surgeons insisting on and charging for things like "compulsory consults" in the public system for things like grommet operations after a GP referral when in the private system they will simply take the GP referral direct. Such consults are a good slice of pocket money.
I don't mind them working in both either – there is a public good in having private sector surgeons develop and maintain expertise beyond the narrow range of private sector operations. It is part of the countries resilience building should severe things happen.
Nothing changed in 20 years.
Awful to say this, the transfer with a cardiac arrest would be so no liability.
I thought public hospitals have there own insurance and I know they can tap into ACC.
Do you know anything about hospitals having insurance?
I have dealt with the HDC, coroner and a DHB. I have been blocked with ACC as the person did not have an executor. A day of reflection today as the anniversary of the death and the case is in bits, not active and no decision and ongoing investigation required.
The transfer with a cardiac arrest would be so no liability.
They just don't have the gear. Medical equipment is incredibly expensive.
Do you know anything about hospitals having insurance?
If you mean for medical mis-adventure that is covered by ACC.
In my case coroner did not even look at the ACC treatment injury form which is inaccurate and person came back from injury repair dying. Neither did coroner look at what the vascular surgeon said and injury was worse than what ICU put on the ACC form. ICU have misled ACC. No post mortem. The way a coroner can close a file without next of kin permission is not right, a family representative had the say on file being closed as letter was not addressed to next of kin. Everything that could have gone wrong did. A dead person has very few rights.
So when it comes to medical misadventure there is misadventure from those whose job it is to ensure everything which led to the death was looked into.
I know how the medical system and ACC operate. I have had dealings with both over many years and I am not a giver upper when I know I am being bull shitted to and mucked about. I do get pissed off with medical issues wasting my time but someone needs to take action against the flaws in the rubbish system.
I am about to apply for legal aid for a dead man once I find the right lawyer.
This is the way that NZ fills its medical needs – has done for a long time. It contracts with surgeons etc for part of their time, then they also have the private patients. That way top-class people can earn a decent income, and we have up to the minute techniques available.
What you say even happens with a surgeon/specialists consultation.
After ACC heavily grills you, (the branch medical advisor)private surgeons and private specialists are then funded to give treatment. Some surgeons and specialists are on a good wicket with ACC and they have the say over whether or not the injury will be treated.
Frank Macskacy has summed-up the situation very well:
"National will lose in September. And most likely in 2023 if the pandemic has not been defeated. Their laissez faire approach to government and economics has been revealed to be utterly inappropriate for the challenges in the Age of the Virus.
National has been caught out – like the proverbial possum frozen in the glare of oncoming headlights – as the human race struggles to adapt to the new norm of responding to the spread of contagion.
There is an inexorable inevitability to how politics has begun to change radically with the advent of a global pandemic."
https://fmacskasy.wordpress.com/2020/07/25/life-in-level-1-the-doom-of-national/
Under MMP parties don't win or lose elections. Last election National won but lost, Labour lost but won, Greens came fourth and won their first stint in Government, and NZ First came third but somehow won the management of coalition negotiations and a disproportionate amount of Cabinet negotiations.
It's hard enough predicting what will happen in two months.
Trying to predict what will have happened with Covid, the economy, employment, how Labour will be doing, and who will be the leader of National by 2023 is a meaningless mug's game.
Pretty good summation actually.
Only for those people who still can't adjust their brains to the electoral logistics of the MMP system that a clear majority of citizens voted for in the mid 1990s.
Feel free to point out which bit is wrong.
It makes perfectly good sense if you substitute the word 'winning' for 'gained the most votes'. It's not the information that's awry so much as the attitude
If you post your measurements @ Pete, I'll get out the Elna (actually a Brother with all the stitches), and run you up a lovely linen beige leisure suit for the summer. I feel the need to exercise my feminine side a little more (in this space going forward).
I might even extend to a pale blue number for @Wayne as well for his next rent-a-voice gig on the weekend 'incisive, and in-depth' mover and shaker TV Currant Fears "shows".
It'd all be quite entrepreneurial doncha think? I might even become a regular thing.
And I will crochet a nice Bennie and a shoulder bag for Pete and Wayne. No trouble as I have the time and they are very fortunate that the only colours of wool I have are light and dark blue. Don't worry I have enough balls of wool (30) I unravelled 2 good second hand jumpers I got from the op shop.
If the beige leisure suit clashes with the blue Bennie and shoulder bag Pete can wear them on separate days.
Last election National lost. Labour, NZFirst and the Greens won.
You don't like that truth and so you lie to yourself and others in the hope that we'll go back to a less democratic system.
The virus of dirty politics within the National caucus will not be eliminated or eradicated until the spreader is gone.
National have no show in eliminating Covid-19 were community transmission to return, they cannot even control Co-20 in their caucus.
Vietnam – 413 cases of Covid-19 so far, no deaths, in a population of 98 million (from Worldometer data), has now banned all wildlife imports , dead or alive – a major source of zoonotic diseases. Vietnam must be the quiet, world leader in Covid-19 response.
Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia all have low infection and death rates, in an article yesterday Guardian ? New Scientist? the assumption is that as this is the area where Horseshoe Bats are native and endemic the locals may have an immunity built up over hundreds of years to corona type viruses. There is also no reason to suspect the numbers, there hasn't been an increase in funerals. Also it is now suspected that this is where it mutated and transferred to the Wuhan market.
Adrian. That is what Lyn Prentice was explaining yesterday.
https://thestandard.org.nz/covid-19-a-human-adapted-virus/
Jonathan Pie skewers Boris Johnson's government about face masks.
We need to change our culture on this as well.
If there is a breach of the border and we return to Covid 2 , masks must be mandatory.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZQkBHysrig
On the same subject.
"Karen, Please Just Wear A Mask"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=25&v=AdUEUXKl-S4&feature=emb_title
Sarah Cooper
'How to mask'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMKgX3V3Y_k
Ffs! You and Bomber too. What is this…the AGM of misogynists anonymous?
https://www.businessinsider.com.au/men-less-likely-to-wear-masks-because-not-cool-study-2020-5?r=US&IR=T
https://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/editorials/article243747072.html
https://www.vogue.com/article/why-dont-men-wear-face-masks-when-their-female-partners-do
https://www.vogue.com/article/why-dont-men-wear-face-masks-when-their-female-partners-do
https://www.latimes.com/lifestyle/story/2020-06-22/masks-and-masculinity-better-fit
Is it possible to put kiwi's in quarantine at vacant RSE worker accommodation in the boonies? One road in one road out.
Some selfish people are messing it up for everyone, maybe city accommodation isn't the best place to house those in quarantine.
It's getting them from point of entry to the 'facility'. That's manageable for Hamilton and Rotorua with a single bus trip. Going much further and all sorts of complications arise, which evidently became a factor in discarding Dunedin,and one of the many that ruled out Queenstown. There's also the problems of dealing with an infected person that requires hospitalisation.
longer term we will need facilities adapted for purpose. Hacking hotels is a good interim measure, but I'm betting that improved design will make the process better for people in Q. Here's hoping they focus on that as well as the security issues.
Hotels are also a way to prop up the tourism industry a little longer.
With the sense of entitlement some have I'd suggest the Chateau Tongariro. It has been used previously for health reasons – rehabilitating soldiers, asylum!
The big problem with remote places is lack of access to health facilities and staff, apparently. Was discussed weeks ago in media.
I don't think that people should be put off from putting their ideas forward because it has been on the media previously. Perhaps just give them a link of the source and they might come up with something even better, or add to the previous ideas. Squashing pesky insects personally is the preferred organic way, but let's not be organically destructive about people with ideas.
No squashing intended. Relaying an angle I'd seen discussed (but could not remember enough to link) and ended up just echoing Graeme at 5.1 to some extent.
I don't think there vacant ones anywhere and there has to be a separate bathroom per room per person or family.
Access to mental health and addiction support services are a consideration too, sadly.
Don't think they would enjoy living in old woolsheds with holes in the walls and one toilet/wash handbasin for 12 people.
Besides. Why punish the thousands of people who have, and will comply with the isolation rules, because of a few idiots.
leave them alone ….they'll come home
I have never really known what "NZFirst" is.
Clearly, it is a one person noisy bucket, dragged around by Winston Peters who happens to be, Deputy PM of our NZ Parliament. He has his failings. So do I.
He reminds me of a very old greywarshark stalking around in a stuffy old dirty museum.
He has a friend in there – called Trotter. Who seems to be slipping away, having numerous weird upsets over tiny Lefties who refuse to sign up for War.
Being a Lawyer, our Deputy Prime Minister for one reason or another, failed some time back to pay considerable monies, belonging to the Citizens of New Zealand.
For which he blamed quite a number of Politicians – and said so out loud.
Being a Lawyer, he is able to accuse any number of Politicians, because he is free to name whom he wants in the Chamber.
Joe Blow – has no such Freedom.
I am not suggesting that greywarsharks are Lawyers – but I am tempted. However, I quickly realise that our messy greywarshark knows everything and is always right. Inside and out. He's a nice old thing.
While I appreciate anyone attempting to do political analysis about Peters, I'm not entirely sure what you are trying to say here, and I'm not seeing the connection with greywarshark other than to somehow diss her. Please leave the personal stuff out of your comments.
Hey that's not true, I don't know everything just a lot about some of the things I write about. And I like to cast my net wider than just thinking about myself and my preferences, so take an interest in what's going on around me, trying to be informed. That is all!
https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/122247176/police-charge-four-people-who-allegedly-escaped-covid19-isolation-in-hamilton
Why not straight to jail?
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12350876
If you are coming home to a funeral the funeral can wait……
unless it can't or the people organising it won't. Not an excuse to break Q. We do need to adopt new cultural practices around funerals and grieving, and adapt.
Yes. Many families already had to during lockdown.
some people manage change better than others. Having new cultural practices as the norm should help (rather than having to adapt personally under stress, which not everyone is good at).
I'm sill in favour of prosecuting people who abscond as well.
Agree. And hence my issue with not putting them in jail after capture. Why open the possibility of a repeat performance.
I suspect police holding facilities and prisons are not well equipped to deal with the health aspects of covid testing and possible infection. Doubtless we will find out more about how they got out; sadly it may make it harder for future "bubbles" in isolation to be able to gather together.
You'd hope they would be, what with the continual comings and goings they're very much noted for.
wouldn't that be decided at the court hearing today?
other offences that put people at risk don't automatically end in jail upon arrest eg drink driving.
I could have said 'holding cell' – point is that they have forfeited usual justice process by breaching isolation. Needs to be a strong signal to other returnees that the consequences are immediate and firm. No bail, no returning to a hotel.
Also, most other offences do not put many many lives at risk. It's why there are specific charges for these.
The risk of killing many many people is still pretty low though. Compare to someone drink and reckless driving and hitting a bus load of people maybe. If the person gets caught before they hit the bus, what happens to them that day?
I agree about strong signals, and I'll be curious as to why they're being returned to Q. But if we have another outbreak, we want people to feel good about going into isolation, be willing to be honest about symptoms, so I think there is a fine line between making Q a good experience or a punitive one.
Maybe hefty instant fines would straddle that line.
"The risk of killing many many people is still pretty low though."
Trump Falsely Claims ‘99 Percent’ of Virus Cases Are ‘Totally Harmless’ 5th July NY times.
148 000 deaths later….
PaddyOT, why are you conflating the NZ situation with the US one when they are obviously very, very different? We have containment and contact tracing processes in place, better than we did when we had community transmission. The chances of mass deaths from a Q absconder is very low because of all the work we've done to date. This is the opposite of the US situation.
Maybe have them sign paperwork that holds them liable for the cost of the quarantine, the cost of retrieving them and hte cost of returning them to the quarantine centre should they break quarantine.
* 5 as in this case and you are quickly talking about money.
What about kindness and set up skype for them. Families sticking together and being co-operative will help us through our future travails, they are supposed to be important until apparently the state says they aren't, to it. We have the technology, where there is a will there's a way; we aren't trying to get to the moon which apparently the world can afford.
this makes sense of the motivation at least.
Four childeren, the eldest 17 and the mother
I assumed that, but where does it say mother?
Surely the children would have just followed the mother, or the mother would have expected them to. Mother therefore not leading by example.
Surely 'someone' should be talking to Maori elders to get around the impasse caused by unattainable, for the moment, cultural norms so
funerals can be delayed
bodies embalmed to allow for this
Lower the expectation that families are expected to fling themselves across the world to go to tangi etc etc. it must be costing overseas NZ families $1000s to be here.
Four of them were kids. Good luck with sticking them in Parry.
Local cells. Don't get carried away.
Generally children are not to be interned in Jail. There are secure facilities for children but they are not prisons.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Youth_justice_in_New_Zealand
This has been the case in NZ since the 1925 Child Welfare Act.
I would be interested in an analysis of the type of people who break quarantine. Such questions as:
1) Are they outgoing, articulate people or are they loners?
2) Does one particular age group dominate?
3) Do they have family and friends who are keeping in touch with them?
4) Are they average citizens who, in normal circumstances, will have a full-time job?
5) What is the majority reason given why they choose to break out?
6) Or are they just ignorant idiots who can’t comprehend the reasons why they have to quarantine.
I think most would go for no.6, but that might be unfair on some of them.
Such a small group that I doubt there are useful patterns. Best to focus on the behaviour and modify that, which is the current approach (eg: station people at each site with power to arrest).
I agree at this stage but given this situation is likely to continue for some time, then an analysis might ultimately become useful for those who are in charge of these facilities and keeping the occupants inside them.
You would need dozens of escapes to see a statistically significant pattern that could be relied on to drive policy responses. It seems they are responding promptly enough to each one that arises.
Paperwork as the solution?
As it has elsewhere in the world, the coronavirus found a hole in Australia’s system: It spread in part because of the sharing of a cigarette lighter among security guards working at a hotel where returning international travelers are being quarantined. Along with this the other vulnerabilities were quarantine hotel workers returning home to families and spreading the virus. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/world-australia-53259356
Returned NZers as Escapees may not be the next cause of another outbreak.
Some nurses who have been doing clinics in quarantine hotels here, are then going back to their shifts at hospitals. AND that these nurses working in our quarantine hotels are not mandatorily required to wear full PPE.
I would like to have some analysis about those returning full stop.
Ages
Groupings ie families singles, couples
how long away
are they returning to a home/job
where they have been living until now and for how long
do they hold PR or citizenship anywhere else.
But then I am nosy & cynical. It would certainly help allay my fear that many will be coming to rest & recuperate, possibly with the help of the social welfare system here before leaving again to go 'home' when the rest of the world settles down. So I am sceptical that they coming here with the idea of helping us get through the next bit of NZ's response to Covid-19 and that is to take the opportunity to make NZ a better place.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12350897
the plot thickens.
And thickens.. https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/300065838/mum-who-escaped-coronavirus-isolation-i-wanted-to-give-my-children-closure
https://twitter.com/keith_ng/status/1286918872755404806
Clearly there were specific circumstances with this family, quite different from the previous individual instances, which only highlights how the instant simplistic "solutions" really aren't helpful. Countdown guy in Auckland was an idiot taking selfies, the one in Ellerslie had "issues" that required mental health workers, and this was a family desperate to go to a funeral, the reason they had returned to NZ.
Somebody at the press conference suggested ankle bracelets. Woods did well to answer it patiently, without rolling her eyes. Having something on (implanted in?) your body doesn't stop you moving. You don't get immobilised. That's a sci-fi movie.
I don't like the idea of ankle bracelets for people that haven't been convicted of a crime, but isn't the point of them that they notify the police if someone leaves the hotel? In real time.
Their application looking positive and decision at 8pm. Officials working hard to try and accomodate grieving family, then they blow it. If they are only here for the funeral, send them back right away. We did not need these types wasting police time and resourses. Name them, name and imprison their accomplices…………..
Many people will miss out on funerals. Many people did before Covid. Half my family overseas when a parent died and they chose not to come back, but we would have held the funeral for them. Plenty of help for people grieving e.g. counselling. Attending a funeral does't guarantee you don't have a complicated grief response.leave…..
What completely irresponsible people. I have no sympathy that they will miss out now
Yes Anker. These totally irresponsible idiots need a really hard lesson but so did those that aided and abetted the escape. The interview with the father of the dead person's only regret was that the family didn't succesfully escape. It is more than clear that these fwits should be hauled before the courts and punished. But the reality is that they won't be because they are maori. And that is racist. Justice should be colour blind but it isn't.
Ummm, i think you will find there is a surplus of Maori being "hauled before the courts and punished".
Bullshit. The people that aided and abetted these fwits have, to my knowledge, not been charged. My point to you and solkta is that despite clear evidence that people have acted to aid and abet that there is no charge because of "cultural sensitivity". CRAP.
I’ve got some facts for you: https://www.corrections.govt.nz/resources/research_and_statistics/quarterly_prison_statistics/prison_stats_march_2020
You’re free to believe whatever you want to but you have zero evidence that those who aided the absconders have not been charged because they are Māori and “cultural sensitivity”. Your strong language won’t change that fact.
I doubt the Police have or could get enough evidence to convict anybody who helped these people. I doubt they even know who was involved. The four were arrested before they met up with their accomplice(s) and the one who made it to Auckland gave himself up.
If you know something more then please share it. Otherwise you are just talking out your arse.
Goodgrief ffs we don't even know who aided and abetted these people, i.e. if they were Maori……….when I posted my comment I didn't know the family were Maori and frankly IMHO it is irrelevant. Your speculation that they didn't charge the enablers because they were Maori is unacceptable.
The Judge gave this woman a very stern warning. I am disappointed the media published her side and the 17 years side of why they absconded. Its a pandemic. They would have known the might not get compassionate leave. The 17 year old got to see his father, but by absconding they prevented the other kids from doing this.
People can still grieve the loss of a parent without attending a funeral. This debacle created by the children's mother has made it so much worse for them
It just smacks of entitlement
'
They have appeared before a judge and are on bail.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/122247703/alleged-isolation-escapee-told-new-zealanders-sick-and-tired-of-quarantine-breaches
You were saying?
If the mother found it so important that her kids were close to their father, why did she haul them off to Queensland?
Or perhaps they were all there at one point but he was deported. In that case they can blame the Australian government.
Further evidence that Australia and Australian people simply do not get Coronavirus. The slack attitude of the AUS government and people is why nearly 50 people have died after they supposedly beat Covid.
Their surge in deaths is almost 50% of their initial deaths.
And to think we had the Plan-B people here backed in tone by the National Party claiming Australia got it right.
Make no mistake, if the National Party are the next government, Covid 19 will re-enter New Zealand
I read several times that she wanted closure for her children.
Her own actions have likely prevented closure for her children…………..What a bloody awful performance she has put her kids through.
Sometimes we don't always get what we think we need to get especially in a pandemic…….I know of many people in really bad situations because of this pandemic……………
Easy for us to say and judge from the sideline and the comfort of our keyboards. Until we walk in her shoes we have no idea what she was feeling let alone thinking; it must have been awful. Apparently, she tried to do the best for her children. I’d hazard a guess that better communication with and between the authorities might have prevented the whole thing from happening. The response: more security 🙁
O.k. Incognito I hear your point of view.
Doing the best for your children in a pandemic under these circumstances, imho involves supporting them in their grief in Queensland as travelling during a pandemic with quarantine meant their trip was problematic from the get go.(no guarantee of getting compassionate leave). So she put her children through a horrendous trip with two weeks in quarantine. Just as they were waiting on a decision about getting to see the body, she decided to break the law and abscond by breaking open a window and climbing over a very high fence. Possibly one of them could have fallen and injured themselves or worst. Then put her children in the position when they were arrested by the police, while her 17 year old was on the run with police helicopter hovering. One child saw his fathers body, the others didn't. Then they appear in court and get a very stern message from the judge. I think these were very very poor choices for her children. She has also taught her children you don't need to worry about rules, if you really want to do something, just do it, break the law and risk arrest. Actually as I write this, I think this woman has shown appalling judgement.
I reserve no sympathy for any absconders. They are prioritizing themselves over everyone else in a pandemic, including the poor bloody police who have to arrest them, not knowing whether they have covid.
James Shaw throwing some shade on Winston Peters and NZF. Subtle zen vibe to Peters' brass knuckles.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2020/07/nz-election-2020-greens-throwing-everything-at-auckland-central-to-ensure-place-back-in-parliament.amp.html
Colbert on Trump last night. It's not the cognitive test Trump explains that's the only farcical take but a little bit further in the video is Trump's evaluation on the qualities of Dr. Deborah Birx.
https://youtu.be/ejKvwawO0uA
Seems there's now a viral fan base for her 'style' as the US's current focus.
Scarf fan defends naughty boys.
https://amp.rnz.co.nz/article/d79cae55-56a7-4277-b46e-6593d67ed591
https://www.nydailynews.com/coronavirus/ny-coronavirus-birx-trump-disinfectant-injection-20200426-pgl3lmbpjfd6he5qrffipyx6aq-story.html?outputType=amp
Tiwai – there was a discussion yesterday about the power being freed up. Has the Government ensured that the extra supply being freed up will be used in the national interest by cancelling resource permits or some such if it is not?
I wouldn't put it past any power company to sign up to supply some dodgy enterprise so long as the return was sufficent to keep the executive salaries up.
At current share prices Meridian and Genesis (half of each) is about $7 billion. Makes you wonder if restoring state ownership, merging and the reducing power prices so benefits went further would not be a massively good investment. At some point privatisation should get push back otherwise every right wing government just sells more.
Business pay less per kw/h than residential so you'd think that they'd be keen to get that extra from residential users.
There was push-back but the government sold it off any way. As I say, we don't have a democracy – we have an elected dictatorship.
While I agree with most of what you say about the power
parasitescompanies..I seem to recall Key winning an election saying he would flog off the the family silver.
True but there was also a referendum showing that most people didn't want him to do that. If we were a democracy he, and the rest of National, would have changed those plans.
I'm not thinking of just push back at the time but actually looking at undoing some of this after the right is voted out. ACC has been about the only thing where the left made it very clear that they would renationalise if it was sold and losses would not be compensated for. We have things like the Hamilton prison that is a 35? year privatisation contract and it just gets left. It becomes a one way street with more and more going into the private sector.
Imagine the outrage from the right if say the teachers in public schools all worked for the one company that they owned. And a left government signed a 35 year contract with the company complete with manning formula's and wage escalation and site agreements so that future governments were committed to it.
Yea, well it's about time All infrastructure entities were (re)nationalized, back to the peoples' benefit. Lets see how socialist, Labour can be in the next 3 terms of government, let's see shades of Big Norm come through.
We've had our deliberations about our reactions to sexual misconduct by pollies, whether we're too tough or not tough enough. But things could be waaaay worse.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mo1lDJrZKx8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZM3PXONHFUg
https://twitter.com/donwinslow/status/1286814475899662336
Which one of two is the polly?
George Tiller allover again. They're going to get Fauci killed.
https://twitter.com/oliverdarcy/status/1286864655550500868
https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1286864655550500868.html
Let those words sink in and then let us revisit the things Bill O’Reilly said about Dr. George Tiller before Dr. Tiller was actually assassinated in 2009.
According to Salon O’Reilly brought up Dr. Tiller 27 times on his national show over four years (from 2005 to 2009 before Dr. Tiller was murdered). That’s almost seven times a year or every two months.
Here are some of the ways O’Reilly targeted Dr. Tiller on his national platform:
https://drjengunter.com/2017/04/18/bill-oreilly-who-targeted-dr-george-tiller-now-cries-about-character-assassination/
'Murica
https://twitter.com/TalbertSwan/status/1286834171076386819
Southland District Mayor calls out Winston Peter to do some work and back up what he says.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/421908/tiwai-point-southland-mayor-keen-to-hear-winston-peters-solution
I imagine Gary Tong is pretty upset with Winston for blocking a relief package.
Wow… this is some pure crazy…
https://www.nzpublicparty.org.nz/
Indeed.
https://twitter.com/JoshVanVeen/status/1282581391469764609
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/122230329/one-crucial-question-will-decide-who-rules-us-after-the-election
Not someone I expected to say the Labour and Greens are the best option.