I think this government is certainly dragging its feet on all aspects of housing, but it's a bit rich for Collins and the Nats to be lecturing and grandstanding.
The government needed to have put in place a measure for rent not going up more than 10% in a year. Once the Covid rent freeze was lifted rent has become unmanageable for those already struggling. An interim payment needs to be introduced until there is the right balance in home ownership and private rental.
The government cannot build subsidised housing quick enough. Some people have high health needs and they already have enough daily stress caused by their health. Terminal conditions, bleeding conditions requiring a blood transfusion, mobility conditions….
I don't think it makes any difference whether Labour or National are in regarding the increasing house prices. Even back in Helen Clark's days, house prices were rising sharply. NZ and Auckland in particular are a very desirable place to live.
The criteria under National to get a state home was dreadful, even with several health conditions. In 2016 I got put on the B list low down when I had 3 weeks to find a place as the landlord sold. The A list was numbered with 20 places.
The rental market is so much worse now. I find it stupid that Work and Income ask if you are looking for other accommodation. As if people can afford private rental.
and that is what opposition parties do, they grand stand, and considering that Labour. is in their second term ……….well maybe its time for hte opposition to put fire under the bums of those that want to drag their feet because they ran out of ideas on how to fix it.
So who should lecture ? No party in parliament, as even the greens have had to swallow dead rats so their moral credibility could be questioned by some. This sounds to be as a deflection to anyone asking why has nothing tangible been done, and we have had 20% increase in the property values in some markets over the last year🤬
listen to the phrasing of the government there are no actions or plans , we have to wait for a treasury report to come out. FFS. Where is the Winteck development that was 2 years ago 10 years to complete . There is no action on the site.
"Tourism has been of huge importance to the country, pre-Covid, as our biggest export earner and the direct employer of 225,000 people. Before the pandemic took hold, total spend by tourists had reached $42 billion a year, 58 percent of which was from domestic tourism. About $1.8 billion of GST was paid annually by international visitors."
Motorcycle couriers driving on the footpath in full ear-covering helmets really irritate me. Especially in suburban streets during the school holidays! I didn't mind the old Posties on bikes, and helmets you could hear through (even the new electric mobility vehicles – though I imagine that I might have a different view if I was still pushing prams, or in a wheelchair), because they retained situational awareness. I have tried ringing the courier company, and the police – but it's just not stopping.
So today I am going to go through all the fun of heading into the middle of town to make a formal written complaint at the police station today, having noted the license number this morning. Does that seem an over-reaction? And is this an issue in places other than Dunedin?
Ta for the link TA, I will have a look at it before I head in. But this motorcycle courier was driving on the footpath past driveway entrances in front of houses that they were not stopping at. If they were just looping in and out from the road, that'd be slightly different (though with the reduced hearing, still dodgy)
When I have rung the police in the past, they have seemed not entirely dismissive, but unwilling to take it any further if I didn't come in to make a written complaint. The courier company made soothing noises, but seemed unlikely do anything. After all they are the ones who set unreasonable workloads for their employees/ contractors in the first place.
It's one thing making sure my kids know to stay away from the roads because of traffic being dangerous. Having to keep them fenced up off the footpath is another, especially since the older one is starting to get tall enough to open the gate.
Edit: had a look at your link now, that quote is from a section clearly headed: Information for moped riders. So that’s irrelevant to this instance. Somewhat confusingly,on a different page it says bluntly:
You cannot ride motorcycles or mopeds on the footpath.
I guess if they have the permission to ride on the pavement, they can ride on the pavement, no matter how annoying. If they don't, they're illegal, so dob them in.
Basically desk staff said they'd get back to me. I was typing a longer response but that vanished somehow with clumsy fingers. Which is irritating!
She did briefly seem quite interested, when I told her the area of town; probably assuming gang members. But even they are not that socially irresponsible! So I guess if you want to be a renegade biker, the best patch to keep you safe from the cops is; a company logo.
Anyone else feeling very concerned about this Northland covid outbreak? I find it hard to believe that there isn’t community transmission given the strain is highly infectious……..
I have had tremendous faith in the govts response to date, but I feel pretty uneasy about this. People I know in the cafe one hour after the woman have tested negative, and now have been told they are free to get on with life…..
btw sick of people moaning about long queues to be tested……it seems people expect ease and comfort, not remembering that we are in a pandemic and they need to suck it up and do the right thing. I am not saying health board shouldn’t try and improve things.
same with people flying to Oz whose flights were canceled. People need to realise we are not living in pre-covid days…..
How many close contacts, including her husband, have been tested and were negative, 15, wasn’t it? But let’s lockdown Northland now and close all borders for a few weeks till the dust settles. And start vaccinating everybody tomorrow. It’s not good enough, as Judith says and David wants to wear his white T-shirt without a face mask.
The woman with the original infection didn't have respiratory symptoms. I'm guessing that is a big part of why there's been no community transmission.
Pretty sure that the govt would have acted quickly if there was community transmission (and will when there is). All the contact tracing will be happening. The system works, and even where it fails at the first barrier, or the second, we still have other actions for elimination.
I am more puzzled by it. I did raise that the woman could have had a false positive test or contamination in the lab. I would retest her to be sure on this.
I am concerned about the flaws in MIQ. Nurses not wearing visors when testing. People handling luggage not wearing PPE or gloves. Bus drivers transporting MIQ guests not wearing a mask. Guests mingling in exercise and smoking areas.
We do seem to be extremely lucky that all her close contacts have now tested negative, even her husband. As this South African strain is supposed to be far easier to spread around.
Tested negative so far, Jimmy. More than a week yet before they have their second test even if they remain asympyomatic, and I wouldn't bet on the husband, at least; staying that way. Plus there are the two new Pullman probables.
I wasn’t suggesting any of those things incognito, just expressing uneasiness.
yes husband tested negative and 15 other contacts negative, but don’t we have to wait another 12 days for his second test?
Queensland did a sharpe 3 day lockdown when SA variant in the cmty. And boarder worker only had it for a few days.
I don’t think we should shut our boarders, but as I posted recently tighten the criteria for people coming in. People need a very compelling reason to be travelling during a pandemic, imho.
I don’t have a huge amount of faith in the vaccine really, not that I am an anti Vaxer and I will definitely have my jab. It’s just that there is no evidence that it will stop transmission or will be effective against the mutating strains. All this “we should have the vaccine sooner” is just politicking.
my reading is that there are a lot of people feeling anxious, in part from last year, and who want some simple solutions to alleviate their anxiety and stress. The vaccine is an easy one to latch on to. Like you, I don't believe the vaccines are going to offer any quick fixes, and I think apart from the front line workers (who deserve protection) we should be letting countries with community transmission have first dibs.
One of the things for NZ about 2021 is to upskill people in how to manage chronic stress. This isn't going to go away any time soon, and I suspect many people still think it will. Was pleased to see Ardern yesterday making it clear that it's not.
Our upskilling to treat chronic anxiety is called anti depressant and anti anxiety meds. And we stay away from the news and the speeches of highly paid suits that really still try to sell us that going back to 'normal' will be a thing.
Those of us that are trying to keep our business afloat we are pretty much all on it. (these are the people that have businesses with whom i speak, most of them women – who pretty much so far have born the brunt of the pandemic – be it working from home/homeschooling etc during lock downs, having anxiety ridden kids, losing their jobs, losing their businesses, and not being paid any benefits because the partner still makes a coin).
The vaccine is what is needed to be done, and now we have world wide large scale testing that will tell us if it will work. So seriously we should not be rushing into it.
But anyone at this stage pretending that this is not an issue and will be over by christmas, gone just like this, like a miracle etc……..is just fooling him/herself.
And even then, so its over now, the pandemic is gone, half of the world has not properly worked in a long time and is broke as, a lot of people are dead, etc, do we really think we can just go back to March 1 2020 and pretend it did not happen?
another 12 months is a long time. Meds are ambulances at the bottom of the cliff. Useful, but we can put some fences at the top too. Long term stress, esp in a situation like this that has so many unknowns, is a big burden. Best we pay attention to how we adapt sooner rather than later. Chch should have taught us some things about this (but so much we didn't learn there).
Adapting is the best way forward. Pulling the plug on a business is sometimes necessary. It is the unknown which causes the most fear. All one can do is go a day at a time.
Still a fair amount of denial about our situation methinks. Which is interesting for those of us involved in climate action. This one is more in our faces, but still taking some time for people to get to grips with the long nature of teh crisis.
Meds is pretty much the only thing available to most of us, so meds it is. People like me, and those that i know, we don't have the luxury to dream about stuff that ain't never gonna happen and good mental care is one of these 'nice things to have' that we should have, but all we get is meds.
We adapt, we work through our grief, and we understood that this Covid thing is going to be a marathon not a sprint. So the best that one can do is go day by day, one step at a time and hopefully stay afloat and make it through the other side, mentally and emotionally not too damaged.
Chances are this is going to take the better part of another 2 – 3 years until it has run its course – either by humans becoming more adapt at the virus, or the virus running out of bodies thanks to vaccines or a combination of both.
The best mental health advise that i can give at this current time, is don't expect these things to happen fast, do expect lockdowns in the future – hopefully only short and isolated ones, and a bit more hardship just generally. So no need to rush anything, expectations or wishes, and just go slowly. And if it gets to much, Meds.
Meds is pretty much the only thing available to most of us, so meds it is. People like me, and those that i know, we don't have the luxury to dream about stuff that ain't never gonna happen and good mental care is one of these 'nice things to have' that we should have, but all we get is meds.
Yes, this is why I am suggesting that NZ doesn't leave the stress to our usual poor attention to mental health. We've got some breathing space that many others in the world don't have, we could actually attend to this now.
The government could do so much, not only for the reasons mentioned by you, but also by the fact that they were elected in majority and could right now simply govern, boldly and with the future in mind.
I don't see it happening, i don't hear it happening and i have confined the ideas that government (well a Labour led government) could and will do something to the dust bin of history.
Running on not bettering the life of our most vulnerable has ruled sensible things such as better mental healthcare out full stop. Why you may say? Because our most vulnerable have lived in uncertainty – financially, physically for the longest time and they would know something about depression and anxiety, and they only have meds if they are lucky to have a doctor to go too.
Sometimes anxiety is an appropriate reaction to a very stressful event, like potential exposure to covid or anxiety about ones business failing due to covid. If you are wired to experience anxiety more intensely then meds are a good idea, unless is it a temporary stressor such as waiting for a covid test to return.
Just for the record, I didn't say I was anxious, just very concerned about the situation in Northland. Registering concern or even anxiety can be a very helpful thing as it can lead to behaviours like scanning, social distancing or even getting tested if it is warranted. The people I worry about are the over confident people who think we are still living pre covid and that we have can still have that life (and that they expect and feel entitled to that life). These are the people who will let the side down because they will not take the pandemic seriously and realize they have a crucial role in stopping the spread of the virus. We all do. They are the people who are still partying as the Titanic sinks. Unfortunately there are a few of these in my life and they cause some frustration and concern. This is not a time to be wildly optimistic.
It is not for me to say how anyone should feel. When stress goes up it needs to come down. People need access to services when required. I am not immune to stress.
Being over confident about Covid can be the cause of a person being infected or worse.
I think I got the reply wrong. You raise some good points.
All in all, NZ is in a pretty good place at the moment: good border controls, and testing capacity for when those controls leak. So I don't think a widespread outbreak from this case is likely to have been missed.
We still need to scan/log contacts better, and there will be a review on how the person was released from isolation with the virus (just as a matter of business as usual). Maybe there are things that need addressing there.
If community cases are detected, then the next step is a regional lockdown like Auckland had.
But while it's possible, this particular Sword of Damocles is the new normal. Maybe a vaccine will stop transmission, maybe not.
Personally, I stopped closely following the covid news sometime in lockdown. Not to "bury my head in the sand", but I realised that 90% of the news regarding it won't actually affect my behaviour, so why reinforce the stress?
Either I get to go to work and potter around stores and cafes, or I'm back in some level of lockdown. I can deal with either. I'll miss hugs, though.
same re following the news closely. Can't remember the last time I listened to a live press conference on covid. I figure I'll hear what I need hear on TS or twitter or look it up on RNZ. I do like talking through the issues though, which I'm not sure is that great stress wise.
Anker, my comment about stress was in response to "All this “we should have the vaccine sooner” is just politicking." I was pointing to the possibility that people's politics are in part being driven by the chronic stress and anxiety.
Completely agree that anxiety is a reasonable response to the situation we are in. Chronic stress wears away at people, lowers immunity, affects cognition, makes it harder to handle painful emotions and experiences. I really think we should be looking at this, mostly because I think this is how it is going to be from now on. People used to living under chronic stress understand this, and there are a lot of people for whom this is a new thing.
I wasn’t suggesting any of those things incognito, just expressing uneasiness.
Yes, I know, but others did and I was just expressing my sarcasm about that but I forgot to include the \sarc tag; it is important to keep a sense of perspective. My apologies for the confusion.
It appears that current vaccines are effective against current strains although a booster shot might be desired/required, which is quite similar to flu vaccinations.
You’re correct that, as far as I know, it is not yet known if current vaccines will stop transmission. My guess is they won’t.
The Europeans are going to stiff us all over vaccine deliveries, you just know it. Our only role is to go up there and save them from fascism, then they can get back to shitting on everyone else.
a request of people who visit this site and I hope it is o.k. to make this request. A small survey.
If you were invited to a rather large indoor party with someone who left MIQ a week before would you attend the party? Very interested to hear peoples view including any qualifiers.
Well, before Christmas I picked up my brother and sister-in-law from their two weeks in managed isolation and drove them for an hour to their place. Then spent the rest of the afternoon with them. So I'm not that bothered about spending time with people straight out of MI.
On the other hand, she had covid way back in March last year, along with their son, and he was in the house the whole time while they were ill, so there's a pretty good chance they currently have immunity.
Yes of course. Despite the failures at the border, these are the exceptions, not the rule. And let's face it, the MOH and other government agencies have knowledge and expertise now that dwarfs what they had 10 months ago, and will competently deal with any rare breaches 8n a fast and effective way.
And ffs, life goes on. Let's get real here. We are a lucky country and should embrace our good fortune rather than become hostage to fear.
But then I probably wouldn't go to a; rather large indoor party, anyway; even if it wasn't with someone who left MIQ a week before. Not so keen on subjecting myself to compromise music, and drunken blather; aside from the infection risk. I might do a smaller more focused event (say; a 6 person meal, or board-game) if they were definitely asymptomatic when I arrived though.
Anyone else starting to wonder if the test being used at the Pullman was ineffective with the South African variant? Maybe improperly stored or transported, because the later tests were successful in detecting it.
As for the survey; still a provisional yes for a smaller (brie) gathering, rather than a shindig (or hootenany).
If they're emphasising pushing numbers through community screening and previous MIQ residents, they might have shifted to a more rapid, more sensitive, but less specific test. So more false positives and detection of historic cases.
There's a fair chance at this stage that the shepherd equivalent is to be looking for a lost sheep and finding a couple of others that died ages ago. Maybe the live sheep is still out there, maybe not.
I just cannot believe the sense of entitlement of some of these people. How about showing some gratitude that we, the 5m, are even allowing you back into NZ and the risk we, the 5m, are taking as a result.
Well before the 2020 border closures, both our Prime Minister and her Deputy repeatedly warned come home now, or maybe it will not be possible.
My dad's special recipe: get an old baguette and put it out in the sun for a day or two to harden up. Use a table saw or bandsaw to cut it up into cubes. Fry the cubes up in butter and seasonings or garlic to make sure any residual soft bits go jawbreaker hard.
No – that's for breadcrumbing the rat cutlets. You have to use the right implement for the right dish BG!
Of course, the trick is getting those rodents to run fast enough on the treadmill to turn the grinder wheel. No solar panels back in them old days. Not being the one on the hubcap frypan is wonderful incentive there.
You cannot please everyone! Over the last six or seven years or so, I have never had a bad Air NZ meal………haven't had one for over a year mind you, but people always complained about airline food. I always thought Air NZ food was pretty good.
Returning to NZ is a bit like the hospital waiting list for surgery. You need to wait, the surgery can be postponed, rescheduled and then postponed again. Once you have your procedure you usually feel better. You can pick up an infection while in hospital and need to remain longer.
I nearly forgot, some people complain about the hospital food.
lol travelling to a first nations region in a private jet and claiming to be motel workers to scam yourself ahead of the vaccine queue is a ruse so low that it even gets you kicked from a casino company.
But this scam reminds me of the adage "if the only punishment is a fine, then it's legal for rich people".
Nothing could be further from the truth – it was investors that screwed it up, and continue to do so. Let investors find or create productive avenues for obtaining ongoing income – instead of parasiting off peoples' need for housing.
John Banks has reportedly been removed from his radio show after a “blatantly racist” incident yesterday where a caller said Māori were “genetically predisposed to crime, alcohol and underperformance educationally”.
It seems the loss of advertising is behind Bank's removal, rather than any moral integrity from Cursed Talk. The duplicity in his statements would be astounding from anyone else, they're not really unexpected from him:
"I didn't pick it up at the time, here when you're broadcasting, you're talking to producers, you're talking to bosses," Banks said.
"I spoke to people later in the show who disagreed with the man and I picked it up then, however this wasn't enough to demonstrate that his comments were wrong and racist."…
Banks interrupted the caller, saying “just a minute, your children need to get used to their stone-age culture because if their stone-age culture doesn’t change, these people will come through your bathroom window”.
Govt is saying the two people have been in isolation since Sunday and are being retested. Results and a press conference tonight. Two other people with positive tests turned out to be an historic case (no longer infectious) and a false positive.
the pair completed their managed isolation in the same facility and at the same time as the Northland community case and are now under investigation.
"The two former returnees both returned a positive test for Covid-19, however it is yet to be confirmed if they are recent or historic infections. Further urgent testing is being carried out this evening," the ministry said in a statement.
"The two people are asymptomatic and have already completed their managed isolation and previously returned two negative tests.
"Both individuals are currently self-isolating at home.
If they completed their Pullman stay at the same time as the initial case, that means they have been in the community since the 15th. I sure hope that were as thorough as she was about tracking their movements. Also, likely to have been in Auckland rather than Northland, though that is unconfirmed speculation on my part.
It didn't say what tests they were using. The PCR involves scouring the sample for virus fragments then duplicating the genetic material until it becomes detectable. It sounds weird, but the science is solid. Though it does also copy inert viral remnants as well as active infection.
The testing laboratories do 45 "cycles" of PCR on a Covid-19 test sample, which takes a little over half an hour. After this time, a single SARS-CoV-2 RNA molecule will have become 17 million million identical DNA molecules. These are so small that you STILL can't see them with your eyes.
To see how much DNA there is, and to find out if the test is positive, the PCR reaction mix includes a special tag that glows when it is cut up.
But if the virus cell envelope has ruptured (ie virus is dead, inasmuch as it was ever alive in the first place – say; inactive) and there are fragments left over in the swab sample, then these viral remnants may be replicated by the envelop protein primer template. Despite their being no active SARS-CoV-2 virus infection in the subject.
Hope that makes more sense, Incog. Don't know if I'd started drinking when I typed the above description, but certainly have been now. I'm probably missing something important out, but that's basically it.
Think of making a clay mold from a sculture (analogizing the DNA template for the RNA viral envelope protein), then making a bunch of wax casts with that mold, then stacking them up in a gigantic mountain of candles so that they can be seen burning from another mountain top many kilometers away. This is getting a bit farfetched of a methaphor really…
Anyway, I was mainly here to read, not write, and now I just want to go watch more old music on Youtube. Enjoy your night, morning now!
The two positive cases completed quarantine on the 15 January and had been residing in North Auckland since. Urgent re-testing this evening confirmed the pair's Covid status.
Best to know now I guess. I'd like to be smug and say I called it for them residing in Auckland since the 15th (upthread somewhere), but over the entire country that's a one in three chance they'd live in the City, and Christchurch has an international airport (still open?); so unlikely to be the South Island. Certainly feel more sober now after that news Jester.
Their contact list is a lot patchier than the Northland case; maybe just going from EFTPOS records and receipts? They are referred to as a pair, so hopefully they live together in North Auckland – Albany, Orewa, and Silverdale are fairly close.
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A homicide in Ponsonby, a manhunt with a killer on the run. The nation’s leader stands before a press conference reassuring a frightened nation that he’ll sort it out, he’ll keep them safe, he’ll build some new prison spaces.Sorry what? There’s a scary dude on the run with a gun ...
Hi,I know it’s been awhile since there’s been any Webworm merch — and today that all changes!Over the last four months, I’ve been working with New Zealand artist Jess Johnson to create a series of t-shirts, caps and stickers that are infused with Webworm DNA — and as of right ...
The OECD’s chief economist yesterday laid it on the line for the new Government: bring the deficit under control or face higher Reserve Bank interest rates for longer. And to bring the deficit under control, she meant not borrowing for tax cuts. But there was more. Without policy changes—introducing a ...
After a hiatus of over four months Selwyn Manning and I finally got it together to re-start the “A View from Afar” podcast series. We shall see how we go but aim to do 2 episodes per month if possible. … Continue reading → ...
In 2008, the UK Parliament passed the Climate Change Act 2008. The law established a system of targets, budgets, and plans, with inbuilt accountability mechanisms; the aim was to break the cycle of empty promises and replace it with actual progress towards emissions reduction. The law was passed with near-universal ...
Buzz from the Beehive Local Water Done Well – let’s be blunt – is a silly name, but the first big initiative to put it into practice has gone done well. This success is reflected in the headline on an RNZ report:District mayors welcome Auckland’s new water deal with ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate ConnectionsA farmworker cleans the solar panels of a solar water pump in the village of Jagadhri, Haryana Country, India. (Photo credit: Prashanth Vishwanathan/ IWMI) Decisions made in India over the next few years will play a key role in global ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – The Children’s Minister, Karen Chhour, intends to repeal Section 7AA from the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989 because it creates conflict between claimed Crown Treaty obligations and the child’s best interests. In her words, “Oranga Tamariki’s governing principles and its act should be colour ...
Geoffrey Miller writes – The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. ...
Brian Easton writes – This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be (I will report on them ...
TL;DR:Winston Peters is reported to have won a budget increase for MFAT. David Seymour wanted his Ministry of Regulation to be three times bigger than the Productivity Commission. Simeon Brown is appointing a Crown Monitor to Watercare to protect the Claytons Crown Guarantee he had to give ratings agencies ...
The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. Carr had made highly ...
I could be a florist'Round the corner from Rye LaneI'll be giving daisies to craziesBut, baby, I'll wrap you up real safe Oh, I can give you flowers At the end of every dayFor the center of your table, a rainbowIn case you have people 'round to stay Depending on ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to May 12 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Finance Minister Nicola Willis will give a pre-budget speech on Thursday.Parliament sits from Question Time at 2pm on ...
The price of the foreign affairs “reset” is now becoming apparent, with Defence set to get a funding boost in the Budget. Finance Minister Nicola Willis has confirmed that it will be one of the few votes, apart from Health and Education and possibly Police, which will get an increase ...
A listing of 26 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 28, 2024 thru Sat, May 4, 2024. Story of the week "It’s straight out of Big Tobacco’s playbook. In fact, research by John Cook and his colleagues ...
Yesterday I received come lovely feedback following my Star Wars themed newsletter. A few people mentioned they’d enjoyed reading the personal part at the beginning.I often begin newsletters with some memories, or general thoughts, before commencing the main topic. This hopefully sets the mood and provides some context in which ...
April 30 was going to be the day we’d be calling Mum from London to wish her a happy birthday. Then it became the day we would be going to St. Paul's at Evensong to remember her. The aim of the cathedral builders was to find a way to make their ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Can’t remember the last book by a Kiwi author you read? Think the NZ government should spend less on the arts in favor of helping the homeless? If so, as far as Newsroom is concerned, you probably deserve to be called a cultural ignoramus ...
Eric Crampton writes – Grudges are bad. Better to move on. But it can be fun to keep a couple of really trivial ones, so you’re not tempted to have other ones. For example, because of the rootkit fiasco of 2005, no Sony products in our household. ...
A new report warns an estimated third of the adult population have unmet need for health care.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāHere’s the six key things I learned about Aotaroa’s political economy this week around housing, climate and poverty:Politics - Three opinion polls confirmed support for PM Christopher Luxon ...
Today is May the fourth. Which was just a regular day when my mother took me to see the newly released Star Wars at the Odeon in Rotorua. The queue was right around the corner. Some years later this day became known as Star Wars Day, the date being a ...
Buzz from the Beehive Much more media attention is being paid to something Winston Peters said about former Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr than to a speech he delivered to the New Zealand China Council. One word is missing from the speech: AUKUS. But AUKUS loomed large in his considerations ...
Is the economy in another long stagnation? If so, why?This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be ...
The annual list of who's been bribing our politicians is out, and journalists will no doubt be poring over it to find the juiciest and dirtiest bribes. The government's fast-track invite list is likely to be a particular focus, and we already know of one company on the list which ...
In the weeks after the October 7 Hamas attacks on Southern Israel I wrote about the possible 2nd, 3rd and even 4th order effects of the conflict. These included new fronts being opened in the West Bank (with Hamas), Golan … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – It is one of the oldest truisms that there is never a good time for MPs to get a pay rise. This week’s announcement of pay raises of around 2.8% backdated to last October could hardly have come at a worse time, with the ...
David Farrar writes – Newshub reports: Newshub can reveal a fresh allegation of intimidation against Green MP Julie-Anne Genter. Genter is subject to a disciplinary process for aggressively waving a book in the face of National Minister Matt Doocey in the House – but it’s not the first time ...
The Treasury has published a paper today on the global productivity slowdown and how it is playing out in New Zealand: The productivity slowdown: implications for the Treasury’s forecasts and projections. The Treasury Paper examines recent trends in productivity and the potential drivers of the slowdown. Productivity for the whole economy ...
Winston Peters’ comments about former Australian foreign minister look set to be an ongoing headache for both him and Luxon. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for subscribers features co-hosts and , along with regular guests on Gaza and ...
These puppet strings don't pull themselvesYou're thinking thoughts from someone elseHow much time do you think you have?Are you prepared for what comes next?The debating chamber can be a trying place for an opposition MP. What with the person in charge, the speaker, typically being an MP from the governing ...
The land around Lyme Regis, where Meryl Streep once stood, in a hood, on the Cobb, is falling into the sea.MerylThe land around Lyme Regis, around the Cobb that made it rich, has always been falling slowly but surely into the sea. Read more ...
Photo by Jari Hytönen on UnsplashIt’s that new day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when and I co-host our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm. Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news ...
Buzz from the Beehive Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters was bound to win headlines when he set out his thinking about AUKUS in his speech to the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. The headlines became bigger when – during an interview on RNZ’s Morning Report today – he criticised ...
The Post reports on how the government is refusing to release its advice on its corrupt Muldoonist fast-track law, instead using the "soon to be publicly available" refusal ground to hide it until after select committee submissions on the bill have closed. Fast-track Minister Chris Bishop's excuse? “It's not ...
As pressure on it grows, the livestock industry’s approach to the transition to Net Zero is increasingly being compared to that of fossil fuel interests. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / Getty ImagesTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above ...
The Green Party is welcoming the announcement by the Minister Responsible for RMA Reform Chris Bishop to approve most of the Wellington City Council’s District Plan recommendations. ...
David Seymour has failed to get the sweeping cuts he wanted to the free and healthy school lunch programme, Labour education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
Hon Willie Jackson has been invited by the Oxford Union to debate the motion “This House Believes British Museums are not Very British’ on May 23rd. ...
Green Party MP Hūhana Lyndon says her Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill is an opportunity to right some past wrongs around the alienation of Māori land. ...
A senior, highly respected King’s Counsel with decades of experience in our law courts, Gary Judd KC, has filed a complaint about compulsory tikanga Māori studies for law students - highlighting the utter depths of absurdity this woke cultural madness has taken our society. The tikanga regulations will compel law ...
The Government needs to be clear with the people of the Nelson Marlborough region about the changes it is considering for the Nelson Hospital rebuild, Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...
Ministers must front up about which projects it will push through under its Fast Track Approvals legislation, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
Jobseeker beneficiaries who have work obligations must now meet with MSD within two weeks of their benefit starting to determine their next step towards finding a job, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “A key part of the coalition Government’s plan to have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker ...
A new standalone Social Investment Agency will power-up the social investment approach, driving positive change for our most vulnerable New Zealanders, Social Investment Minister Nicola Willis says. “Despite the Government currently investing more than $70 billion every year into social services, we are not seeing the outcomes we want for ...
Check against delivery Good morning. It is a pleasure to be with you to outline the Coalition Government’s approach to our first Budget. Thank you Mark Skelly, President of the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce, together with your Board and team, for hosting me. I’d like to acknowledge His Worship ...
Your Excellency Ambassador Meredith, Members of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassadors from European Union Member States, Ministerial colleagues, Members of Parliament, and other distinguished guests, Thank you everyone for joining us. Ladies and gentlemen - In diplomacy, we often speak of ‘close’ and ‘long-standing’ relations. ...
The Therapeutic Products Act (TPA) will be repealed this year so that a better regime can be put in place to provide New Zealanders safe and timely access to medicines, medical devices and health products, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The medicines and products we are talking about ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop, today released his decision on twenty recommendations referred to him by the Wellington City Council relating to its Intensification Planning Instrument, after the Council rejected those recommendations of the Independent Hearings Panel and made alternative recommendations. “Wellington notified its District Plan on ...
Rape Awareness Week (6-10 May) is an important opportunity to acknowledge the continued effort required by government and communities to ensure that all New Zealanders can live free from violence, say Ministers Karen Chhour and Louise Upston. “With 1 in 3 women and 1 in 8 men experiencing sexual violence ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government will be delivering a more efficient Healthy School Lunches Programme, saving taxpayers approximately $107 million a year compared to how Labour funded it, by embracing innovation and commercial expertise. “We are delivering on our commitment to treat taxpayers’ money ...
New research on the impacts of extreme weather on coastal marine habitats in Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay will help fishery managers plan for and respond to any future events, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. A report released today on research by Niwa on behalf of Fisheries New Zealand ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will lead a broad political delegation on a five-stop Pacific tour next week to strengthen New Zealand’s engagement with the region. The delegation will visit Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and Tuvalu. “New Zealand has deep and ...
There has been a material decline in gas production according to figures released today by the Gas Industry Co. Figures released by the Gas Industry Company show that there was a 12.5 per cent reduction in gas production during 2023, and a 27.8 per cent reduction in gas production in the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins tonight announced the recipients of the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry, saying they all contribute to New Zealanders’ security and wellbeing. “Congratulations to this year’s recipients, whose innovative products and services play a critical role in the delivery of New Zealand’s defence capabilities, ...
Welcome to you all - it is a pleasure to be here this evening.I would like to start by thanking Greg Lowe, Chair of the New Zealand Defence Industry Advisory Council, for co-hosting this reception with me. This evening is about recognising businesses from across New Zealand and overseas who in ...
It is a pleasure to be speaking to you as the Minister for Digitising Government. I would like to thank Akolade for the invitation to address this Summit, and to acknowledge the great effort you are making to grow New Zealand’s digital future. Today, we stand at the cusp of ...
New Zealand is urging both Israel and Hamas to agree to an immediate ceasefire to avoid the further humanitarian catastrophe that military action in Rafah would unleash, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The immense suffering in Gaza cannot be allowed to worsen further. Both sides have a responsibility to ...
A new online data dashboard released today as part of the Government’s school attendance action plan makes more timely daily attendance data available to the public and parents, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. The interactive dashboard will be updated once a week to show a national average of how ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced Rosemary Banks will be New Zealand’s next Ambassador to the United States of America. “Our relationship with the United States is crucial for New Zealand in strategic, security and economic terms,” Mr Peters says. “New Zealand and the United States have a ...
The Government is considering creating a new tier of minerals permitting that will make it easier for hobby miners to prospect for gold. “New Zealand was built on gold, it’s in our DNA. Our gold deposits, particularly in regions such as Otago and the West Coast have always attracted fortune-hunters. ...
Minister for Trade Todd McClay today announced that New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will commence negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA). Minister McClay met with his counterpart UAE Trade Minister Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi in Dubai, where they announced the launch of negotiations on a ...
New Zealand Sign Language Week is an excellent opportunity for all Kiwis to give the language a go, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. This week (May 6 to 12) is New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week. The theme is “an Aotearoa where anyone can sign anywhere” and aims to ...
Six tertiary students have been selected to work on NASA projects in the US through a New Zealand Space Scholarship, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today. “This is a fantastic opportunity for these talented students. They will undertake internships at NASA’s Ames Research Center or its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where ...
New Zealanders will be safer because of a $1.9 billion investment in more frontline Corrections officers, more support for offenders to turn away from crime, and more prison capacity, Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell says. “Our Government said we would crack down on crime. We promised to restore law and order, ...
The OECD’s latest report on New Zealand reinforces the importance of bringing Government spending under control, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The OECD conducts country surveys every two years to review its members’ economic policies. The 2024 New Zealand survey was presented in Wellington today by OECD Chief Economist Clare Lombardelli. ...
The Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Council’s Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Leah Williams Veazey, ARC DECRA Research Fellow, University of Sydney DavideAngelini/Shutterstock In the 2007 film The Bucket List Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman play two main characters who respond to their terminal cancer diagnoses by rejecting experimental treatment. Instead, they go ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mohan Singh, Professor of Agri-Food Biotechnology, School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences at the University of Melbourne., The University of Melbourne Tanja Esser/Shutterstock Australia’s vital agriculture sector will be hit hard by steadily rising global temperatures. Our climate is already ...
The Acumen Edelman Trust barometer reported that New Zealand’s political trust score now sits below the global average, a topic explored in a recent discussion paper by Maxim Institute. ...
Greenpeace Aotearoa executive director Russel Norman says, "The Fast-Track Bill is the most damaging piece of environmental legislation any Government has introduced in living memory. People are angry, and it’s time to march." ...
The school lunches programme has been retained – and will be extended to some preschoolers. So how is it going to cost $107 million less? To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. The minister with many hats David Seymour wears a number of hats, but this week ...
“Show us the bird,” I found myself muttering at times while reading Hard by the Cloud House by Peter Walker, a deeply thoughtful, often hilarious, at times rambling – but somehow delightfully so – search for the story of a big bird. But not just any bird: the bird. This ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jack Marley, Environment + Energy Editor, UK edition DPVUE .images/Shutterstock Your home was probably designed for a climate that no longer exists. As long as humanity continues to burn fossil fuel, padding the heat-trapping blanket of gases in Earth’s atmosphere, the ...
A senior lawyer has filed a complaint about tikanga becoming a required law school module. Law lecturer Carwyn Jones explains what he’s getting wrong. “…the first law of Aotearoa, a law that served the needs of tangata whenua for a thousand years before the arrival of tauiwi.”– Ani Mikaere ...
In 2019, an Auckland woman woke up from surgery to find that she had undergone a treatment she didn’t consent to. She tells Alex Casey about her experience. From her very first period at the age of 14, Laura experienced “debilitating” levels of pain that forced her to withdraw from ...
Opinion: What if we got rid of our existing drug laws and replaced them with a new law that legalised and carefully regulated all psychoactive substances, from cannabis to MDMA, methamphetamine and LSD to magic mushrooms? And which also included legal drugs such as alcohol and nicotine. “Wow,” you might ...
In the gloom following director-general Al Morrison’s job cuts in 2013, the Department of Conservation restructured its operations arm. Eleven conservancy districts were whittled into six new “conservation delivery” regions, under which the Rēkohu/Wharekauri/Chatham Islands area, comprising 40 scattered islands more than 800km east of Christchurch, was tethered to the ...
One of th e country’s top litigation lawyers says New Zealand is seeing a lift in court action between companies. Chapman Tripp partner Justin Graham, who oversees a team of around 80 litigation specialists, says the courts are now so log-jammed that it’s taking over two years to get cases ...
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Comment: Concerns about the state of the economy are creeping up to the top of firms’ list of challenges. That’s evident in both surveys and the tone of our recent client discussions. Skimming the past few weeks of eco-news, it’s not hard to see why. – Retail card spending fell ...
Opinion: Could former co-leader James Shaw still make a difference to working with National? The post How the Greens could be contenders appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Albanese government is talking up the crucial role of gas as a transition fuel “through to 2050 and beyond”. In a gas strategy to be released on Thursday, the government envisages the fuel’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Next week the government will again next try to get its legislation through to deal with non-citizens who won’t cooperate with efforts to deport them. The bill, which the opposition and crossbench refused to rush ...
A long-term project that will set out an alternative vision for Aotearoa that looks beyond the narrow confines of the policy straight jacket adopted by successive governments. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bree Hurst, Associate Professor, Faculty of Business and Law, QUT, Queensland University of Technology TK Kurikawa/Shutterstock A much-awaited report into Coles and Woolworths has found what many customers have long believed – Australia’s big supermarkets engage in price gouging. What started ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daniel Ghezelbash, Associate Professor and Deputy Director, Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law, UNSW Law & Justice, UNSW Sydney The Albanese government wanted to avoid an inquiry into its migration amendment bill. The report, handed down yesterday by a senate committee that ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joo-Cheong Tham, Professor, Melbourne Law School, The University of Melbourne Lobbying is at the heart of government. Who has access to and influence over key government officials shapes the decisions governments make – and how they make them. The ability to influence ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Myfany Turpin, Associate Professor, Ethnomusicology, Linguistics and Ethnobiology, University of Sydney The act representing Australia at this year’s Eurovision contest has sadly not qualified for the grand final. Yet for Zaachariaha Fielding and Michael Ross, the duo that makes up Electric Fields, ...
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I think this government is certainly dragging its feet on all aspects of housing, but it's a bit rich for Collins and the Nats to be lecturing and grandstanding.
The government needed to have put in place a measure for rent not going up more than 10% in a year. Once the Covid rent freeze was lifted rent has become unmanageable for those already struggling. An interim payment needs to be introduced until there is the right balance in home ownership and private rental.
The government cannot build subsidised housing quick enough. Some people have high health needs and they already have enough daily stress caused by their health. Terminal conditions, bleeding conditions requiring a blood transfusion, mobility conditions….
I don't think it makes any difference whether Labour or National are in regarding the increasing house prices. Even back in Helen Clark's days, house prices were rising sharply. NZ and Auckland in particular are a very desirable place to live.
How many State Houses did National add in those 9 years in Government?
No where near enough. But over the last few years the wait list has virtually quadrupled.
I would like to know if there is a change in criteria for a state house under National and under Labour?
I wonder why that might be the case.
The criteria under National to get a state home was dreadful, even with several health conditions. In 2016 I got put on the B list low down when I had 3 weeks to find a place as the landlord sold. The A list was numbered with 20 places.
The rental market is so much worse now. I find it stupid that Work and Income ask if you are looking for other accommodation. As if people can afford private rental.
Thanks.
this is a fun read.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/prime-minister-jacinda-ardern-promised-to-fix-the-housing-crisis-and-our-readers-had-a-lot-to-say-about-it/GKMYH2Z2OLONQZ5VTHMKJNW5V4/
and that is what opposition parties do, they grand stand, and considering that Labour. is in their second term ……….well maybe its time for hte opposition to put fire under the bums of those that want to drag their feet because they ran out of ideas on how to fix it.
So who should lecture ? No party in parliament, as even the greens have had to swallow dead rats so their moral credibility could be questioned by some. This sounds to be as a deflection to anyone asking why has nothing tangible been done, and we have had 20% increase in the property values in some markets over the last year🤬
listen to the phrasing of the government there are no actions or plans , we have to wait for a treasury report to come out. FFS. Where is the Winteck development that was 2 years ago 10 years to complete . There is no action on the site.
Facts can be so inconvenient depending on one’s narrative.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/new-zealands-public-housing-crisis-waiting-list-grows-nearly-1000-in-two-months/UFYUW4QAUXIYZARA2ASC2L56VY/
Conflict of interests?
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/agency-ambitions-spark-tourism-turf-war
"Tourism has been of huge importance to the country, pre-Covid, as our biggest export earner and the direct employer of 225,000 people. Before the pandemic took hold, total spend by tourists had reached $42 billion a year, 58 percent of which was from domestic tourism. About $1.8 billion of GST was paid annually by international visitors."
Motorcycle couriers driving on the footpath in full ear-covering helmets really irritate me. Especially in suburban streets during the school holidays! I didn't mind the old Posties on bikes, and helmets you could hear through (even the new electric mobility vehicles – though I imagine that I might have a different view if I was still pushing prams, or in a wheelchair), because they retained situational awareness. I have tried ringing the courier company, and the police – but it's just not stopping.
So today I am going to go through all the fun of heading into the middle of town to make a formal written complaint at the police station today, having noted the license number this morning. Does that seem an over-reaction? And is this an issue in places other than Dunedin?
Save yourself the journey – It's probably legal.
First hit on google for motorbikes on path nz.
You must ride on the road – you can't ride on the footpath or a cycle path unless you have permission from the road controlling authority to ride on the footpath to deliver mail, newspapers or other printed matter to letterboxes.
You're welcome.
Ta for the link TA, I will have a look at it before I head in. But this motorcycle courier was driving on the footpath past driveway entrances in front of houses that they were not stopping at. If they were just looping in and out from the road, that'd be slightly different (though with the reduced hearing, still dodgy)
When I have rung the police in the past, they have seemed not entirely dismissive, but unwilling to take it any further if I didn't come in to make a written complaint. The courier company made soothing noises, but seemed unlikely do anything. After all they are the ones who set unreasonable workloads for their employees/ contractors in the first place.
It's one thing making sure my kids know to stay away from the roads because of traffic being dangerous. Having to keep them fenced up off the footpath is another, especially since the older one is starting to get tall enough to open the gate.
Edit: had a look at your link now, that quote is from a section clearly headed: Information for moped riders. So that’s irrelevant to this instance. Somewhat confusingly,on a different page it says bluntly:
You cannot ride motorcycles or mopeds on the footpath.
https://www.nzta.govt.nz/vehicles/vehicle-types/motorcycles-and-mopeds/#motorcycles
I guess if they have the permission to ride on the pavement, they can ride on the pavement, no matter how annoying. If they don't, they're illegal, so dob them in.
Let us know the response.
Basically desk staff said they'd get back to me. I was typing a longer response but that vanished somehow with clumsy fingers. Which is irritating!
She did briefly seem quite interested, when I told her the area of town; probably assuming gang members. But even they are not that socially irresponsible! So I guess if you want to be a renegade biker, the best patch to keep you safe from the cops is; a company logo.
I have had tremendous faith in the govts response to date, but I feel pretty uneasy about this. People I know in the cafe one hour after the woman have tested negative, and now have been told they are free to get on with life…..
btw sick of people moaning about long queues to be tested……it seems people expect ease and comfort, not remembering that we are in a pandemic and they need to suck it up and do the right thing. I am not saying health board shouldn’t try and improve things.
same with people flying to Oz whose flights were canceled. People need to realise we are not living in pre-covid days…..
How many close contacts, including her husband, have been tested and were negative, 15, wasn’t it? But let’s lockdown Northland now and close all borders for a few weeks till the dust settles. And start vaccinating everybody tomorrow. It’s not good enough, as Judith says and David wants to wear his white T-shirt without a face mask.
The woman with the original infection didn't have respiratory symptoms. I'm guessing that is a big part of why there's been no community transmission.
Pretty sure that the govt would have acted quickly if there was community transmission (and will when there is). All the contact tracing will be happening. The system works, and even where it fails at the first barrier, or the second, we still have other actions for elimination.
I am more puzzled by it. I did raise that the woman could have had a false positive test or contamination in the lab. I would retest her to be sure on this.
I am concerned about the flaws in MIQ. Nurses not wearing visors when testing. People handling luggage not wearing PPE or gloves. Bus drivers transporting MIQ guests not wearing a mask. Guests mingling in exercise and smoking areas.
We do seem to be extremely lucky that all her close contacts have now tested negative, even her husband. As this South African strain is supposed to be far easier to spread around.
Tested negative so far, Jimmy. More than a week yet before they have their second test even if they remain asympyomatic, and I wouldn't bet on the husband, at least; staying that way. Plus there are the two new Pullman probables.
Queensland did a sharpe 3 day lockdown when SA variant in the cmty. And boarder worker only had it for a few days.
I don’t think we should shut our boarders, but as I posted recently tighten the criteria for people coming in. People need a very compelling reason to be travelling during a pandemic, imho.
I don’t have a huge amount of faith in the vaccine really, not that I am an anti Vaxer and I will definitely have my jab. It’s just that there is no evidence that it will stop transmission or will be effective against the mutating strains. All this “we should have the vaccine sooner” is just politicking.
my reading is that there are a lot of people feeling anxious, in part from last year, and who want some simple solutions to alleviate their anxiety and stress. The vaccine is an easy one to latch on to. Like you, I don't believe the vaccines are going to offer any quick fixes, and I think apart from the front line workers (who deserve protection) we should be letting countries with community transmission have first dibs.
One of the things for NZ about 2021 is to upskill people in how to manage chronic stress. This isn't going to go away any time soon, and I suspect many people still think it will. Was pleased to see Ardern yesterday making it clear that it's not.
Our upskilling to treat chronic anxiety is called anti depressant and anti anxiety meds. And we stay away from the news and the speeches of highly paid suits that really still try to sell us that going back to 'normal' will be a thing.
Those of us that are trying to keep our business afloat we are pretty much all on it. (these are the people that have businesses with whom i speak, most of them women – who pretty much so far have born the brunt of the pandemic – be it working from home/homeschooling etc during lock downs, having anxiety ridden kids, losing their jobs, losing their businesses, and not being paid any benefits because the partner still makes a coin).
The vaccine is what is needed to be done, and now we have world wide large scale testing that will tell us if it will work. So seriously we should not be rushing into it.
But anyone at this stage pretending that this is not an issue and will be over by christmas, gone just like this, like a miracle etc……..is just fooling him/herself.
And even then, so its over now, the pandemic is gone, half of the world has not properly worked in a long time and is broke as, a lot of people are dead, etc, do we really think we can just go back to March 1 2020 and pretend it did not happen?
another 12 months is a long time. Meds are ambulances at the bottom of the cliff. Useful, but we can put some fences at the top too. Long term stress, esp in a situation like this that has so many unknowns, is a big burden. Best we pay attention to how we adapt sooner rather than later. Chch should have taught us some things about this (but so much we didn't learn there).
Adapting is the best way forward. Pulling the plug on a business is sometimes necessary. It is the unknown which causes the most fear. All one can do is go a day at a time.
Still a fair amount of denial about our situation methinks. Which is interesting for those of us involved in climate action. This one is more in our faces, but still taking some time for people to get to grips with the long nature of teh crisis.
Meds is pretty much the only thing available to most of us, so meds it is. People like me, and those that i know, we don't have the luxury to dream about stuff that ain't never gonna happen and good mental care is one of these 'nice things to have' that we should have, but all we get is meds.
We adapt, we work through our grief, and we understood that this Covid thing is going to be a marathon not a sprint. So the best that one can do is go day by day, one step at a time and hopefully stay afloat and make it through the other side, mentally and emotionally not too damaged.
Chances are this is going to take the better part of another 2 – 3 years until it has run its course – either by humans becoming more adapt at the virus, or the virus running out of bodies thanks to vaccines or a combination of both.
The best mental health advise that i can give at this current time, is don't expect these things to happen fast, do expect lockdowns in the future – hopefully only short and isolated ones, and a bit more hardship just generally. So no need to rush anything, expectations or wishes, and just go slowly. And if it gets to much, Meds.
Yes, this is why I am suggesting that NZ doesn't leave the stress to our usual poor attention to mental health. We've got some breathing space that many others in the world don't have, we could actually attend to this now.
I agree about expectations.
The government could do so much, not only for the reasons mentioned by you, but also by the fact that they were elected in majority and could right now simply govern, boldly and with the future in mind.
I don't see it happening, i don't hear it happening and i have confined the ideas that government (well a Labour led government) could and will do something to the dust bin of history.
Running on not bettering the life of our most vulnerable has ruled sensible things such as better mental healthcare out full stop. Why you may say? Because our most vulnerable have lived in uncertainty – financially, physically for the longest time and they would know something about depression and anxiety, and they only have meds if they are lucky to have a doctor to go too.
Right now would be a good time to do many things.
yep. The kind of chronic stress I am talking about isn't new to me and many of my peers.
What's different this time is the middle and political classes are experiencing it too and it might sharpen their minds 😈 We will see.
Hi Sabine, you are right about day by day, one step at a time.
May I be so bold as to suggest the importance of now. Anxiety is a product of the past or future.
Meditation, yoga, breathing exercises, time in nature all aid in access to 'nowness'.
Sometimes anxiety is an appropriate reaction to a very stressful event, like potential exposure to covid or anxiety about ones business failing due to covid. If you are wired to experience anxiety more intensely then meds are a good idea, unless is it a temporary stressor such as waiting for a covid test to return.
Just for the record, I didn't say I was anxious, just very concerned about the situation in Northland. Registering concern or even anxiety can be a very helpful thing as it can lead to behaviours like scanning, social distancing or even getting tested if it is warranted. The people I worry about are the over confident people who think we are still living pre covid and that we have can still have that life (and that they expect and feel entitled to that life). These are the people who will let the side down because they will not take the pandemic seriously and realize they have a crucial role in stopping the spread of the virus. We all do. They are the people who are still partying as the Titanic sinks. Unfortunately there are a few of these in my life and they cause some frustration and concern. This is not a time to be wildly optimistic.
It is not for me to say how anyone should feel. When stress goes up it needs to come down. People need access to services when required. I am not immune to stress.
Being over confident about Covid can be the cause of a person being infected or worse.
I think I got the reply wrong. You raise some good points.
All in all, NZ is in a pretty good place at the moment: good border controls, and testing capacity for when those controls leak. So I don't think a widespread outbreak from this case is likely to have been missed.
We still need to scan/log contacts better, and there will be a review on how the person was released from isolation with the virus (just as a matter of business as usual). Maybe there are things that need addressing there.
If community cases are detected, then the next step is a regional lockdown like Auckland had.
But while it's possible, this particular Sword of Damocles is the new normal. Maybe a vaccine will stop transmission, maybe not.
Personally, I stopped closely following the covid news sometime in lockdown. Not to "bury my head in the sand", but I realised that 90% of the news regarding it won't actually affect my behaviour, so why reinforce the stress?
Either I get to go to work and potter around stores and cafes, or I'm back in some level of lockdown. I can deal with either. I'll miss hugs, though.
same re following the news closely. Can't remember the last time I listened to a live press conference on covid. I figure I'll hear what I need hear on TS or twitter or look it up on RNZ. I do like talking through the issues though, which I'm not sure is that great stress wise.
Anker, my comment about stress was in response to "All this “we should have the vaccine sooner” is just politicking." I was pointing to the possibility that people's politics are in part being driven by the chronic stress and anxiety.
Completely agree that anxiety is a reasonable response to the situation we are in. Chronic stress wears away at people, lowers immunity, affects cognition, makes it harder to handle painful emotions and experiences. I really think we should be looking at this, mostly because I think this is how it is going to be from now on. People used to living under chronic stress understand this, and there are a lot of people for whom this is a new thing.
The problem has been growing and is another one that won’t be easily or quickly fixed.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/122695066/new-zealands-psychological-crisis-putting-lives-at-risk
However, experts do offer some good and useful advice that everybody can adopt.
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/keeping-calm-in-a-world-gone-viral [by Dr Sarb Johal]
Yes, I know, but others did and I was just expressing my sarcasm about that but I forgot to include the \sarc tag; it is important to keep a sense of perspective. My apologies for the confusion.
It appears that current vaccines are effective against current strains although a booster shot might be desired/required, which is quite similar to flu vaccinations.
You’re correct that, as far as I know, it is not yet known if current vaccines will stop transmission. My guess is they won’t.
The Europeans are going to stiff us all over vaccine deliveries, you just know it. Our only role is to go up there and save them from fascism, then they can get back to shitting on everyone else.
It was predictable that there would be disparity in vaccine roll outs due to the demand and the shortage.
It seems to me to be doing quite well, as far as global rollouts of in-demand products go.
If it were a cellphone, we'd have loads of reports of breaking screens or exploding batteries by now, as well as the shortages…
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/covid-19-coronavirus-if-border-rules-tighten-what-rights-do-returning-new-zealanders-have/3FFAVDEJNDDXMC3DDY5
Found this interesting.
That link didn't work for me.
Is this it?
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/covid-19-coronavirus-if-border-rules-tighten-what-rights-do-returning-new-zealanders-have/3FFAVDEJNDDXMC3DDY5NUPD444/
The ethics of a pandemic.
Yeah that's the link.
a request of people who visit this site and I hope it is o.k. to make this request. A small survey.
If you were invited to a rather large indoor party with someone who left MIQ a week before would you attend the party? Very interested to hear peoples view including any qualifiers.
Unlikely- probably not.
Well, before Christmas I picked up my brother and sister-in-law from their two weeks in managed isolation and drove them for an hour to their place. Then spent the rest of the afternoon with them. So I'm not that bothered about spending time with people straight out of MI.
On the other hand, she had covid way back in March last year, along with their son, and he was in the house the whole time while they were ill, so there's a pretty good chance they currently have immunity.
yeah, probably. Depends on the party lol
Yes of course. Despite the failures at the border, these are the exceptions, not the rule. And let's face it, the MOH and other government agencies have knowledge and expertise now that dwarfs what they had 10 months ago, and will competently deal with any rare breaches 8n a fast and effective way.
And ffs, life goes on. Let's get real here. We are a lucky country and should embrace our good fortune rather than become hostage to fear.
No.
But then I probably wouldn't go to a; rather large indoor party, anyway; even if it wasn't with someone who left MIQ a week before. Not so keen on subjecting myself to compromise music, and drunken blather; aside from the infection risk. I might do a smaller more focused event (say; a 6 person meal, or board-game) if they were definitely asymptomatic when I arrived though.
nope.
Breaking news two likely new cases in the community from the Pullman.
Wondering if people want to repeat my survey. Would you go to a largish indoor party with someone who had left MIQ in the last week?
nope.
Anyone else starting to wonder if the test being used at the Pullman was ineffective with the South African variant? Maybe improperly stored or transported, because the later tests were successful in detecting it.
As for the survey; still a provisional yes for a smaller (brie) gathering, rather than a shindig (or hootenany).
Maybe a longer incubation period for a new strain or a connection with the positive case at MIQ, the Northland case and now the 2 think from Orewa.
A no for me attending a gathering as to great a risk. I will not even travel on Intercity. I still leave the house most days.
If it helps, I am in a camper and headed north.
Currently @ the Raglan campground and headed to Matauri Bay, via Whangarei/Ngunguru.
We are signing in everywhere.
I could be swayed with a camper trip to Matauri Bay.
If you can be @ Raglan motor camp before 10 am Friday, yr welcome to join us.
[Removed spurious word from user name]
still a yeah, probably.
If they're emphasising pushing numbers through community screening and previous MIQ residents, they might have shifted to a more rapid, more sensitive, but less specific test. So more false positives and detection of historic cases.
There's a fair chance at this stage that the shepherd equivalent is to be looking for a lost sheep and finding a couple of others that died ages ago. Maybe the live sheep is still out there, maybe not.
No, after two weeks maybe.
I just cannot believe the sense of entitlement of some of these people. How about showing some gratitude that we, the 5m, are even allowing you back into NZ and the risk we, the 5m, are taking as a result.
Well before the 2020 border closures, both our Prime Minister and her Deputy repeatedly warned come home now, or maybe it will not be possible.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/covid-19-coronavirus-managed-isolation-guest-complains-about-breakfast-would-you-complain/L2ZZECBGK4NXIIVQUGME4TVGPM/
… aren't croutons supposed to be hard, or am I just a savage?
that photo of the caesar salad made me hungry.
I don't even know what a crouton is. Maybe I am just ignorant! Actually, maybe not 'maybe'.
they're little bits of stale toast for soup and caesar salad. Good use for old bread.
My dad's special recipe: get an old baguette and put it out in the sun for a day or two to harden up. Use a table saw or bandsaw to cut it up into cubes. Fry the cubes up in butter and seasonings or garlic to make sure any residual soft bits go jawbreaker hard.
My god, how could anyone eat such slop?!
Well, it seemed pretty good after getting home from school. Walking for miles barefoot in the snow, uphill and with a headwind both there and back.
You lived on top of a hill?
Privileged…
Anyone who lives in Riverton is privileged.
Anyone who comments here is privileged.
And was your home in a paper bag like mine? In middle of road?
Sounds like an angle-grinder might be useful here too…I like croutons.
No – that's for breadcrumbing the rat cutlets. You have to use the right implement for the right dish BG!
Of course, the trick is getting those rodents to run fast enough on the treadmill to turn the grinder wheel. No solar panels back in them old days. Not being the one on the hubcap frypan is wonderful incentive there.
I'm remembering what those Dunedin hospital meals looks liked in the media a few years back. That MIQ menu looks positively gourmet.
god yes
and it's a whole lot better than what many families get right now – and they are getting these meals three times a day. Wanker.
You cannot please everyone! Over the last six or seven years or so, I have never had a bad Air NZ meal………haven't had one for over a year mind you, but people always complained about airline food. I always thought Air NZ food was pretty good.
Oh dear! What a shame! Never mind………
WTF! If he doesn't like it get on the next plane from where he's come from. I know I shouldn't say things like that, but FFS
Returning to NZ is a bit like the hospital waiting list for surgery. You need to wait, the surgery can be postponed, rescheduled and then postponed again. Once you have your procedure you usually feel better. You can pick up an infection while in hospital and need to remain longer.
I nearly forgot, some people complain about the hospital food.
Clickbait
lol travelling to a first nations region in a private jet and claiming to be motel workers to scam yourself ahead of the vaccine queue is a ruse so low that it even gets you kicked from a casino company.
But this scam reminds me of the adage "if the only punishment is a fine, then it's legal for rich people".
Agree McFlock, fines are never 'justice', as they treat all as equal, when plainy we are not.
I always have believed community service for anyone who appears in court is a far superior penalty than a meaningless (for some) financial penalty.
And as someone who has had both, the CS taught me a lesson (reinforced for many weeks) and yet fines just bred hardship and resentment.
Sam Sykes, a kiwisaver fund manager, reckons the cure to the housing crisis is more investors.
Nothing could be further from the truth – it was investors that screwed it up, and continue to do so. Let investors find or create productive avenues for obtaining ongoing income – instead of parasiting off peoples' need for housing.
Shot. Chaser.
https://twitter.com/Te_Taipo/status/1354197599138373633
John Banks has reportedly been removed from his radio show after a “blatantly racist” incident yesterday where a caller said Māori were “genetically predisposed to crime, alcohol and underperformance educationally”.
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/john-banks-removed-his-radio-show-after-blatantly-racist-caller-said-m-ori-were-stone-age-people-reports
It seems the loss of advertising is behind Bank's removal, rather than any moral integrity from Cursed Talk. The duplicity in his statements would be astounding from anyone else, they're not really unexpected from him:
'Hone' Carsehole at it again?
Hone Hawera reckons there are two new cases we are not being told about on ZB!
Govt is saying the two people have been in isolation since Sunday and are being retested. Results and a press conference tonight. Two other people with positive tests turned out to be an historic case (no longer infectious) and a false positive.
So other Pullman hotel cases. Now 2 more people released with negative tests and potential to be community cases.
This has to be sorted out fast what the cause/s are.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/435296/two-more-possible-cases-of-covid-19-linked-to-pullman-hotel-being-investigated
If they completed their Pullman stay at the same time as the initial case, that means they have been in the community since the 15th. I sure hope that were as thorough as she was about tracking their movements. Also, likely to have been in Auckland rather than Northland, though that is unconfirmed speculation on my part.
When it comes to recent or historical infections and the 2 negative tests.
Were a case historical would it test negative?
But they have both tested positive.
There could be a community case out there not linked to the Pullman Hotel.
Genome sequencing will tell me more. Pullman Hotel senario seems the most likely.
It didn't say what tests they were using. The PCR involves scouring the sample for virus fragments then duplicating the genetic material until it becomes detectable. It sounds weird, but the science is solid. Though it does also copy inert viral remnants as well as active infection.
I see the PCR test is the test which matters and the genome sequencing.
Huh??
https://www.otago.ac.nz/biochemistry/research/otago736925.html
But if the virus cell envelope has ruptured (ie virus is dead, inasmuch as it was ever alive in the first place – say; inactive) and there are fragments left over in the swab sample, then these viral remnants may be replicated by the envelop protein primer template. Despite their being no active SARS-CoV-2 virus infection in the subject.
Hope that makes more sense, Incog. Don't know if I'd started drinking when I typed the above description, but certainly have been now. I'm probably missing something important out, but that's basically it.
Think of making a clay mold from a sculture (analogizing the DNA template for the RNA viral envelope protein), then making a bunch of wax casts with that mold, then stacking them up in a gigantic mountain of candles so that they can be seen burning from another mountain top many kilometers away. This is getting a bit farfetched of a methaphor really…
Anyway, I was mainly here to read, not write, and now I just want to go watch more old music on Youtube. Enjoy your night, morning now!
According to the 10:35pm "breaking" news, they are positive unfortunately, and now being taken into MIQ.
The thing I don't like is that I first heard about them via Hone Harawera on One ZB, and not from the ministry via Ashley or Hipkins.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/435296/two-more-people-linked-with-pullman-hotel-treated-as-confirmed-covid-cases
Best to know now I guess. I'd like to be smug and say I called it for them residing in Auckland since the 15th (upthread somewhere), but over the entire country that's a one in three chance they'd live in the City, and Christchurch has an international airport (still open?); so unlikely to be the South Island. Certainly feel more sober now after that news Jester.
Their contact list is a lot patchier than the Northland case; maybe just going from EFTPOS records and receipts? They are referred to as a pair, so hopefully they live together in North Auckland – Albany, Orewa, and Silverdale are fairly close.
https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/covid-19-health-advice-public/contact-tracing-covid-19/covid-19-contact-tracing-locations-interest
Back to the doomscrolling…
Edit: O Fuck! those two 5-9pm (plus two shorter) slots at BBQ King. They weren’t working in a food shop were they?
Restaurant is another word for "food shop". May not be as sober as I thought:
https://www.thebbqking-online.co.nz/
Good to see Biden signing orders requiring that Federal private prisons be stopped.
I know its a fraction of the total, but its a good move.
How many do we have here?
Serco have a contract to run the Auckland South Correction Facility until 2040.