RNZ had one of the blowhards Siouxsie Wiles describes in the above piece, on Morning Report today–their mantra, repeated ad naseum, is “lockdowns don’t work, elimination is impossible”.
Yet, the numbers in NZ so far still do not support that “case”.
Zero tolerance is meaningless. Presumably the Government has zero tolerance for suicides, but there were 654 suicide deaths in the year to June 2020. There were 685 deaths the previous year. Sadly, many who commit suicide are aged under 25.
If the Government can accept suicide deaths despite zero tolerance, there is no logical reason why it cannot accept deaths from other causes, including Covid-19.
We could stop all suicides by monitoring every single person 24/7 and intervening. Of course it's not a viable strategy. It seems to me stopping all infections of Covid is simply not practically possible unless we become a fortress.
"Yeah, it sounds like a journey with small children …"
I would like to know more than when we are going to arrive. I would like to know what the destination looks like, whether the driver actually is following a map, and how many stops we're going to have to endure along the way.
In times of uncertainty it's natural to crave certainty, and so our leaders seek to soothe and comfort with certain promises, e.g.Freedom Day.
I'd be skeptical of those claiming "to know what the destination looks like" "and how many stops we're going to have to endure along the way."
I'll settle for honesty and evidence-based planning to help as many Kiwis through this pandemic as possible – and sooner rather than later, of course, but it is what it is.
Certainty? Of course not. But a general overview of the destination, surely? Put another way, the government is following a clear strategy (they call elimination) which currently involves hard and fast lockdown as soon as Covid appears in the community. All good. But what is the long game? Clearly Covid is mutating, so high vaccination rates are helpful, but not a definitive response. So what is the long term plan?
Clearly Covid is mutating, so high vaccination rates are helpful, but not a definitive response. So what is the long term plan?
Well, obviously global eradication is off because other governments insist on their populations acting as petrie dishes for new cultivating variants.
So we'll probably find a sweet spot of vaccine efficacy and decreasing virulence, at which point business leaders lobbying to exchange an unkown number of dead NZers for the hope of more revenue for their businesses (or using immigrants for lower wage costs) will finally get their way.
If you want a calendar, you're shit out of luck. The govt is pretty clearly avoiding further stress to the health system from community outbreaks.
Unless that changes, the "long game" is pretty obvious. There are only a few variables: vaccine efficacy, virulence, infectiousness, ICU beds and mortality.
All good points. I would just like to see more from government outlining how they see the factors you outline in your final paragraph playing out, and potentially how we need to adapt. After all, we haven't eliminated either measles or influenza, so having to live with covid in one form or another is the most likely scenario.
We have an elimination strategy for measles, not for influenza.
Being eliminated does not mean there won’t be new cases sprouting up ever again; it is the default state of zero infections that is the goal and [the process of] elimination is the sum-total of all the measures and interventions required to achieve that goal.
I feel your frustration and disappointment at the lack of a certain long-term plan. Try relaxation techniques and patience – works for me.
POST-CABINET PRESS CONFERENCE: FRIDAY, 27 AUGUST 2021 [PDF link] PM: No. We haven’t received any advice, so we’ve given no advice. And as you can imagine right now, that is just not where our thinking is at. I mean, we’re obviously trying to ensure that we’re looking after all New Zealanders, getting us back to the best position possible. It’s very clear that a bubble right now is just not a goer, but, of course, we’ll stick to the time lines we had. At the end of September, we were going to look at those settings and just give just a bit of a long-term view as to what is going to happen, because I know a lot of people are hanging on those decisions for their long-term plans. Media: At the end of September or at the start of September when— PM: Ah! Forgive me. I believe it was the end of September, from memory. Media: OK. Can I ask as well, is there an ambition—because there were five Australian states or territories that recorded zero cases today—to reopen— PM: And let’s be clear, those states would not open to us right now. Media: Indeed—yes, but you are trying to— PM: Yep, because despite what’s said, they are running pretty much an elimination strategy. Media: My question casts into the future, because of course you’re trying to eliminate the virus and are likely to, touching wood. Is there an ambition to reopen before Christmas? PM: That wasn’t wood, but I appreciate the sentiment. Look, too soon for us to say. And I would say, it’s not just up to us; those states have, for the most part, an elimination strategy themselves. They’ll want to make sure that they’re open to countries they consider to be safe. So it does all feel a bit premature right now. What we will do at the end of September, though, is just give an indication of where we think things are heading, because people are planning around that, and we need to give them some long-term certainty as much as we can—yep.
Covid-19: High vaccine rates not enough to end lockdowns, expert says
For now, Ardern said an elimination strategy remained the undisputed best option. Going into 2022, she said the government would be working with independent experts to see how Delta and other factors might change New Zealand’s approach.
“We know an elimination strategy has worked for New Zealand before, that’s the way we have managed to have a larger number of days where we have been without restrictions than countries like the UK and the United States, and not had our people gravely ill and hospitalised and unfortunately losing their lives.”
Why poverty in New Zealand is everyone's concern
Liang describes poverty as a "heritable condition" that perpetuates and amplifies through generations: "It is also not hard to see how individual poverty flows into communities and society, with downstream effects on economics, crime and health, as well as many other systems. Loosen one strand and everything else unravels."
A Kete Half Empty Poverty is your problem, it is everyone's problem, not just those who are in poverty. – Rebecca, a child from Te Puru
As a passenger, I don’t pretend to drive or control the car or know better than the driver. I trust the driver has a valid licence and good driving experience. I trust that the car has a WOF and won’t break down. I can check on the gauge if there’s enough fuel. I trust that the GPS will warn of traffic accidents or jams ahead and re-route, if necessary. I trust that we have options between the fastest route, and various other ones, including scenic D-tours, if we choose to. I’ll go along for the ride and try and enjoy it without getting motion sickness. I might listen to music on the radio, have a conversation with others in the car, or just stare out of the windows and take in the scenery.
After what has unfolded in recent weeks, I’m having difficulty trusting the driver.
I give the government and government agencies kudos for the approach last year. And the current lockdown is the right move. But there are a lot of questions over our preparedness for this current outbreak that are making plenty of people question whoever is driving.
Sure, but there’s only one driver. In 2023, we can swap drivers if we wish, and hope that we don’t go off-road. Meanwhile, we all can make sure that the driver stays focussed, sharp, and safe so that we all stay safe.
Remember only one occasion when driver behaviour caused me to change cars, but over the years many many NZers have 'changed cars', for the usual reasons. Our MIQ centres are now chockablock with them.
Our response worked. First time around. Going by the rapid reduction in close contacts with level four and a constant number, rather than exponential increase, in daily cases, our response is also working with Delta.
The 39% is based on a study by the Israel Ministry of Health. The article specifically addresses the rate of severe disease, but the study clearly goes beyond just that single metric.
“According to the report, the vaccines still work very well in preventing severe cases, demonstrating 88% effectiveness against hospitalization and 91% effectiveness against severe illness. But this is still is a steep decline from the earlier estimate of 64% efficacy rate released on July 5, and steeper still from the initial 95% efficacy rate Israel published in May, based on records from Jan. 24 to April 3, 2021.”
Our response (a hard lockdown) will always stop spread, but only of that outbreak. It won't achieve elimination, unless our borders are permanently closed. The Skegg report claimed that based on the then border settings, a breach was inevitable. We have choices to make, and none of them easy.
Can't put that ‘genie’ back in its bottle? Why not give Collins a go?
Maybe she could ‘pray the Covid away’
Collins says people are being ‘malicious and nasty’ to her
It’s not the first time Collins has claimed comments she’s made that could be heard as a threat have been misinterpreted. During the election campaign last year she said “disgraceful” investigative journalist Nicky Hager “still needs to meet his maker“.
She later clarified what she meant was the “Christian” belief that “we’re all going to die one day and we’re going to have to justify our actions“.
No argument form me. Before that time we have to have a much higher vaccination rate, and have developed strategies to deal with the possibility of periodic outbreaks that move beyond hard lock downs.
Not with other countries being run by sociopaths or morons, no.
But periodic elimination is, and then when we are fully vaccinated and the virus itself has self-selected to become less virulent (less severe symptoms because the surviving viruses don't kill their host as quickly), we should be able to open the borders again without parking tents and freezer trucks outside our hospitals.
After having a good think about whether we really want to go back to the old days of mass tourism.
But that doesn't mean we'll all need to go into level 4 every time there's a community covid case. That depends on our vaccine coverage (and boosters if needed) and how virulent it is, how likely it is to swamp hospitals and kill people.
Personally, I'd like to see a 3-day MIQ for all arrivals as a long term policy, but good luck getting that past the $$-at-all-costs brigade (despite how many less harmful but still damaging outbreaks of colds and flu it might catch).
"As of 24 February 2020, there had been 2,194 cases of measles reported throughout New Zealand since 1 January 2019."
If our strategy is to eliminate measles, it isn't working. But I imagine that successive governments have decided we can live with measles.
As for polio, there are still cases in some countries.
The pandemic is part of the problem. In March, WHO ordered a pause to all polio eradication campaigns to make sure vaccinators going door to door weren't unwittingly contributing to the spread of COVID-19. That order was lifted over the summer, but "as a result, 30 to 40 countries have not conducted mass immunization campaigns," Zaffran says. "During that period, up to 80 million children have been left unprotected against polio."
I also left several other instructive comments here under this post for others to inform themselves.
And yet, here we are again. Your refusal to inform yourself and take heed of warnings was your undoing last time, although you tried hard and many times to bypass your well-deserved and justified ban. NB you have been given back your commenting privileges only 11 days ago!
If you don’t improve your comments, you know how this will end. And please don’t argue with Moderators about Moderation, as is clearly explained in this site’s Policy – Incognito]
NZ does not have a Covid-19 eradication strategy, it has an elimination strategy.
NZ has an elimination strategy for measles, mainly through vaccination, as you know, and it is also a notifiable infectious disease, just as Covid-19 is. NB influenza is not a notifiable infectious disease in NZ, but non-seasonal influenza is.
"NZ does not have a Covid-19 eradication strategy, it has an elimination strategy."
Fair comment. I'm wrongly using the terms interchangeably – my bad.
To be clear, I don't believe we can eliminate Covid for anything other than short bursts, unless we completely isolate ourselves from the rest of the world.
The difference between measles and covid is that the measles virus doesn't mutate "in a comparable way".
In this mornings Herald, Professor Graham Mellsop wrote this:
"Our team of 5 million needs to be told both to committ to the preservation of good community vaccination levels and that our future includes Covid infections with brief illnesses, some hospitalisations and relatively uncommon deaths".
Few Kiwis would support continuing strict border controls, with level 4 lockdowns in response to delta (or worse) outbreaks, for years, but I do wonder about the motivation(s) of those who are agitating for a ‘sooner rather than later’ relaxation of these prudent protective measures on day 11 of our current level 4 lockdown.
There will absolutely be a time and place to let our Covid guard down. With ~23% of NZers fully vaccinated against Covid-19, and the global number of active cases set to exceed the previous January 2021 peak (18.6 million), now is not the time, imho.
‘Covid thrill-seekers‘ have the rest of the world to choose from – please leave us sleepy hobbits be a little while longer.
Yeah, it sounds like a journey with small children in the back of the car asking 5 min into the trip and then at regular and increasingly shorter intervals “are we there yet?”
Elimination is not eradication. Yes elimination is possible in a particular area, but difficult to maintain. Israel did not attempt to eliminate the virus – they wrongly relied on ""herd immunity"" – and then a variant of the virus appeared which was more infectious and they learned that the vaccine did not give personal immunity. Presumptions by politicians do not always predict science or future reality.
Ya reckon?? I reckon nz proved that if humans were as intelligent as we think, we could have wiped covid from the plant in 6 weeks , but oh no we had right from the get go fucktsrds clutching there Pearl's and screaming my economy, and then there a the countries so poverty stricken and usually run by true scum that the daily grind means that they have to go out daily to survive
Vaccine-derived polio is a strain of the virus that originated as part the oral polio vaccine but has managed to circulate, reproduce and regain strength in places with poor sanitation. Vaccine-derived polio is caused by remnants of earlier versions of the live virus used in the oral polio vaccine.
Elimination is possible depending on government action and public will.
Best results achieved with contained small outbreaks, it could even still be done in the u.s, the UK and other overrun nations, but highly unlikely after numerous previous failures to contain and eliminate.
Unless you are suggesting that no one ever enters and leaves NZ, elimination is unfortunately not possible. Getting people vaccinated is a prerequisite to open the borders not just in NZ but countries from where people travel from.
Admittingly, the government has made a big tactical error by not getting in to high gear a year ago of procuring the vaccine and getting it distributed whilst we were still on level 1 without the travel bubble, which incidentally was the biggest mistake in my book. Far too early, no one vaccinated, flying on a hope and prayer. Everybody I talked to about travel was saying that it is just a matter of time until we see level 4 again. And here we are.
Elimination, especially with a relatively small outbreak is entirely possible, as proved by the first and second times we had community spread in NZ and got rid of it, giving many months of normality.
Now what happens between outbreaks is the debate you might want to have, but that won't change any of the above being true with regards to containment and elimination.
You don’t seem to know what “elimination” is/means.
It might surprise you that NZ has successfully followed and is still following an elimination strategy.
This has been recommended by experts, e.g., Prof. Skegg, and it is still the recommendation. Indeed, Skegg has said that this outbreak was and should have been expected although not the exact size and date, of course.
This lockdown may fail to contain the Delta outbreak, but definitely worth a try imho.
What's disappointing is the certainty of 'fail blowhards' – takes all kinds I guess.
Collins says the government needs to give people more certainty.
"People aren't stupid, they understand this is a highly transmissible variant. So people do need certainty, they need certainty about their lives, their work, their businesses."
Why is Collins bleating about "more certainty"? Her future is certain enough.
And here I was thinking business was 'agile' and 'innovative', that it could move 'at pace' and 'make decisions' and 'bring clarity' in 'fast-paced environments' that are 'challenging' and require 'insight', judgment and 'flawless execution'. Surely not much certainty is needed when you have this array of talents? Or have I been looking at too many Seek job ads?
And I had thought that requiring an impossible certainty was an endearing but thankfully temporary trait that we observe in our children – or, less endearingly, in some behavioural disorders. Just shows how wrong I was.
don’t quite understand what you are saying Ross. NZ managed to eliminate the virus in previous lockdowns. To stay at a 0% case level we would have had to completely shut our boarders, which the govt chose not to do.
perhaps it is a case of what strategies work best. I believe that the science based strategies the govt are following have worked the best. These are the strategies our top experts have recommended.
of course there is a future burden for young people out of this pandemic, but that would be true for all countries.
one of the many benefits of following an elimination strategy is it preserves our very precious health workforce. The Uk for example have lost many Drs and nurses to covid
Yes. Ross was reporting a bit of humour at Auckland's expense.
It looks like Auckland is in for 2 more weeks of L4 at the least. We know its the right thing to do but it is hard going. We Jafas have had more than our fair share of these debilitating lockdowns.
NZ managed to eliminate the virus in previous lockdowns.
We have had cases for as long as I can remember. Indeed, I recall a gentleman from Australia allegedly bringing Covid to Wellington in June. Before that I recall a woman in the Coromandel testing positive after visiting numerous places. There are and have been any number of cases in MIQ. The idea the virus has been eliminated is wrong.
Some people might have thought that vaccination would prevent lockdowns but that doesn't seem to be the case. We will continue to have lockdowns. That will only change with the political will to do so.
Anker, 3
As history tells us, science is one thing, human behavior quite something else. So perhaps this should be approached with science and common sense. Opening a travel bubble without having the population in NZ vaccinated and allowing people from known delta virus countries to enter the country with test results that no one can verify….come on, human behavior + a bit of stupidity = super spread. I mean this is not so difficult to figure out. Unless political correctness has no dampened our survival instinct.
North Cornwall town reeling and people urged not to visit as thousands of cases linked to festival
I understand that not all the 5,000 COVID cases in Cornwall are necessarily directly linked to the festival. There are probably cases outside of Cornwall linked to the festival. Anyway, lets assume this festival caused 5,000 COVID cases, which means with current UK numbers:
~ 1,000 people in hospital
~ 20 people dead
I would like to see the world-wide news headlines, the public outrage, if you would have those numbers linked to a terrorist attack at a music festival!
To announce "Freedom Day" and "Let COVID rip" through the country without sufficient protection should be called "mass-murder".
But of your comparators, only one is an infectious disease (AIDS) and in comparison to COVID-19, AIDS is really not very infectious at all. The other examples are a bit silly: one traffic accident does not cause another three accidents. It is the exponential growth in a completely immune-naive population that makes COVID so different and completely justifies the response to date. At the right time and once we have good information, we will move cautiously to a different approach.
All are systemic risks we have learnt to live with.
What do you mean?
Millions if not billions of dollars are spent each year to keep death tolls due to those causes under control and even to bring them down further. Once you open flood gates mitigation is pretty much all you can do within (economic) reason. The big difference with Covid-19 is that so far we have managed to control it and keep a lid on it (only 26 deaths so far). Once we remove the elimination measures, we will be likely having to accept the consequences in terms of severe illness and death, despite vaccination, and live with it; in all likelihood, it will be worse and more severe than influenza.
Sounds like you’re saying that it is “when” not “if” and if that’s the case, you fundamentally change the debate to “when” and “how”. Unfortunately, some pundits only focus on the “when” and think the “how” is somebody else’s problem, usually the Government’s.
BTW, polio and measles have been eliminated and can possibly be eradicated.
Fortunately for Kiwis, our government and health experts (epidemiologists, virologists, vaccinologists) have been singing from the same songbook, and so we still have good choices after 10 days of lockdown and 70 new cases.
Kiwis might yet rush in and snatch defeat from the jaws of this victory, so winning the 'sympathy' of powerful 'allies', but we don't have to – we really don’t.
Given our essential workers are at highest risk, why aren't we insisting their employers provide them with N95 masks which actually provide best protection?
I wondered where our resident hand wringer David was getting his talking points from. Doesn’t surprise me it’s from Matt King. Cindy's not the Messiah, she's just a naughty girl. A la Monty Python
Have a read of the Bishop interview in the Listener and Bishop freely admits that he has no self-awareness and little in the way of a moral compass when he details the many, many times that he has allegedly supported National Party positions on issues he reckons he does not agree with on the grounds he has to show “ unity “, or as the rest of the world would call it, hypocrisy.
Yes Northland lumped in with Auckland is quite disappointing when you realise that Warkworth is part of the Auckland area not Northland. There are no cases in Northland and the sensible place to hold a border would be Te Hana – with just a short strip to police to stop Aucklanders getting to Mangawhai through the back roads.
If you want people to comply – and they have already loosened up around me here near Whangarei- then realistic borders need to be considered or there will be no respect which means poor compliance.
They did say that Northland won’t always be lumped with Auckland necessarily, only this time.
If people want some of their relative freedoms back, they could start with simple things such as scanning. That will give the officials and authorities the confidence that they can relax the rules.
This is a two-way thing, for our own benefit. Why do people find this so hard to get their heads around?
So a clear why would help to make it understandable… Is the Aucklanders that they say ran to their baches, is it to stop drug running , is it not enough scanning in, is it not enough police to control a north border as well as a south border. What is it ?
The PM said in the 3pm-er that it was because of the case in Warkworth and the concern that people traveling through there could have taken it further north. It is only a few more days to be sure it no make it to paradise.
If we have limited vaccine supply and Auckland has to shoulder this, the nationwide vaccine rollout should be halted forthwith and all vaccines diverted to Auckland for the foreseeable future. 😉
As of 24th August NZ rate of vaccination for covid placed us 74th. The US was 35th. Countries with small populations in the 10's of thousands can achieve a very high vaccination rate in a very short time because obviously there are fewer people to organise to be vaccinated.
I admire your self-awareness. Has the lockdown given you time for introspection and reflection and helped you to internalise a really complicated situation in your head? It is starting to show and pay off.
Have to confess a slight irritation myself – Owen would "love to hear from you", several times an hour apparently. Maybe all those sound-bite public opinions are newsworthy. Who isn't a sucker for instant polls these days – one born every minute?
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On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
What is it with the mining industry? Its not enough for them to pillage the earth - they apparently can't even be bothered getting resource consent to do so: The proponent behind a major mine near the Clutha River had already been undertaking activity in the area without a ...
Photo # 1 I am a huge fan of Singapore’s approach to housing, as described here two years ago by copying and pasting from The ConversationWhat Singapore has that Australia does not is a public housing developer, the Housing Development Board, which puts new dwellings on public and reclaimed land, ...
Buzz from the Beehive Reactions to news of the government’s readiness to make urgent changes to “the resource management system” through a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) suggest a balanced approach is being taken. The Taxpayers’ Union says the proposed changes don’t go far enough. Greenpeace says ...
I’m starting to wonder if Anna Burns-Francis might be the best political interviewer we’ve got. That might sound unlikely to you, it came as a bit of a surprise to me.Jack Tame can be excellent, but has some pretty average days. I like Rebecca Wright on Newshub, she asks good ...
Chris Trotter writes – Willie Jackson is said to be planning a “media summit” to discuss “the state of the media and how to protect Fourth Estate Journalism”. Not only does the Editor of The Daily Blog, Martyn Bradbury, think this is a good idea, but he has also ...
Graeme Edgeler writes – This morning [April 21], the Wellington High Court is hearing a judicial review brought by Hon. Karen Chhour, the Minister for Children, against a decision of the Waitangi Tribunal. This is unusual, judicial reviews are much more likely to brought against ministers, rather than ...
Both of Parliament’s watchdogs have now ripped into the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s political economy and beyond on the morning of Tuesday, April 23 are:The Lead: The Auditor General,John Ryan, has joined the ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah SpengemanPeople wait to board an electric bus in Pune, India. (Image credit: courtesy of ITDP) Public transportation riders in Pune, India, love the city’s new electric buses so much they will actually skip an older diesel bus that ...
The infrastructure industry yesterday issued a “hurry up” message to the Government, telling it to get cracking on developing a pipeline of infrastructure projects.The hiatus around the change of Government has seen some major projects cancelled and others delayed, and there is uncertainty about what will happen with the new ...
Hi,Over the weekend I revisited a podcast I really adore, Dead Eyes. It’s about a guy who got fired from Band of Brothers over two decades ago because Tom Hanks said he had “dead eyes”.If you don’t recall — 2001’s Band of Brothers was part of the emerging trend of ...
Buzz from the Beehive The 180 or so recipients of letters from the Government telling them how to submit infrastructure projects for “fast track” consideration includes some whose project applications previously have been rejected by the courts. News media were quick to feature these in their reports after RMA Reform Minister Chris ...
It would not be a desirable way to start your holiday by breaking your back, your head, or your wrist, but on our first hour in Singapore I gave it a try.We were chatting, last week, before we started a meeting of Hazel’s Enviro Trust, about the things that can ...
Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure that the new Fast-Track Approvals Bill – currently being pushed through by the ...
Feel worried. Shane Jones and a couple of his Cabinet colleagues are about to be granted the power to override any and all objections to projects like dams, mines, roads etc even if: said projects will harm biodiversity, increase global warming and cause other environmental harms, and even if ...
Bryce Edwards writes- The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. ...
Michael Bassett writes – If you think there is a move afoot by the radical Maori fringe of New Zealand society to create a parallel system of government to the one that we elect at our triennial elections, you aren’t wrong. Over the last few days we have ...
Without a corresponding drop in interest rates, it’s doubtful any changes to the CCCFA will unleash a massive rush of home buyers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Monday, April 22 included:The Government making a ...
Sunday was a lazy day. I started watching Jack Tame on Q&A, the interviews are usually good for something to write about. Saying the things that the politicians won’t, but are quite possibly thinking. Things that are true and need to be extracted from between the lines.As you might know ...
In our Weekly Roundup last week we covered news from Auckland Transport that the WX1 Western Express is going to get an upgrade next year with double decker electric buses. As part of the announcement, AT also said “Since we introduced the WX1 Western Express last November we have seen ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 29 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Stats NZ releases its statutory report on Census 2023 tomorrow.Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers a pre-Budget speech at ...
A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 14, 2024 thru Sat, April 20, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week hinges on these words from the abstract of a fresh academic ...
The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
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. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,” says Mr Seymour. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Ngaio Marsh House is one of Christchurch’s best kept secrets – and contains more than a few mysteries of its own.Trust Ngaio Marsh to leave more than a few mysteries scattered through her house long after her departure. For a start, there’s the curious concrete portal in the garden, ...
Appointment viewing has been lost to the mists of time, but memories of Montana Sunday Theatre can still be conjured by hitting play on a particular piece of classical music. “You’re not going to be able to sell it.” Over 30 years on, Karen Bieleski still recalls how the task ...
Performance Review King Luxon sat behind His massive polished oak desk. It is Performance Review time. There is a knock on the door. “Enter!” says the King. In steps Minister of Disabilities and Carer Pedicures, Penny Simmonds. “I can explain everything …” she begins. “Fine,” says King Luxon, pressing the ...
The pair opened their first fully collaborative exhibition, Nina for Flowers, last Saturday. Gabi Lardies visited their studio to find out who Nina is and what working together was like.‘It didn’t start out like, ‘This is a show about Nina,’” says Josephine Jelicich, gripping a thermos of peppermint tea. ...
Thank you, Dr Maximilian Oskar Bircher-Benner, for your brilliant invention. I’m another mid-20s Kiwi who had an OE last year. I hopped on my bicycle where France meets the Atlantic and cycled east. I pedalled through the Loire Valley, down rivers lined with willows and ancient wisteria-draped chateaus. I relished ...
Asia Pacific Report From France to Australia, university pro-Palestine protests in the United States have now spread to several countries with students pitching on-campus camps. And students at Columbia and other US universities remain defiant as campuses have witnessed the biggest protests since the anti-Vietnam war and anti-apartheid eras in ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards, Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)New Zealand Government’s Fast Track legislation. Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government ...
Tara Ward talks to presenter Naomi Toilalo about the new TV show that turns food waste into a three course feast. Naomi Toilalo is standing in the warehouse at Good Neighbour Tauranga, helping unpack the two-and-a-half tonnes of rejected food that will arrive at the community support hub that day. ...
Scout is our latest Dog of the Month. This feature was offered as a reward during our What’s Eating Aotearoa PledgeMe campaign. Thank you to Scout’s human, Avril, for her support. Dog name: Scout (named after the little girl in To Kill a Mockingbird – she inherited the independent spirit ...
Megan Alatini takes us through her life in TV, including ‘terrible’ daytime TV, the class of Carol Hirschfeld and her most embarrassing TrueBliss moment. When she responded to a vague newspaper ad asking “do you have what it takes to be a popstar?” 25 years ago, Megan Alatini never guessed ...
A new exhibition in Wellington showcases the faces behind your local goods and services. Back in 1977, when I was a fine arts student at the University of Canterbury, I took a series of photographs of Christchurch shopkeepers. The photos were for a calendar – a project for my end ...
Toomaj and his resistance to tyranny through his songs have become an icon for the youth of Iran, so his sentence has hit the nation hard. Toomaj Salehi is not the first artist to pay the price for standing with the people. ...
My cousin Dylan and I spotted these big eels under the bridge that summer. We watched them lounging under the dark weed, facing into the flow of water, their mouths frozen open. Dylan and I couldn’t stop thinking about those eels. The night we went down to the creek, we ...
Newsroom, home of satire. My long-running weekly satirical series The Secret Diary has moved to Newsroom and will appear every Saturday, with Victor Billot’s wildly popular satirical Odes continuing to appear every Sunday. Diaries, Odes – while serious political columnists toil at meaningful opinions and stroke their chins to an ...
Tara Ward unravels the many nuanced layers of a cartoon about talking dogs.This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. It’s not often an episode of a children’s cartoon has adults sobbing into their sleeves, but that’s exactly what happened this week when ...
Working as a doctor in developing countries to help communities achieve better health outcomes is nothing short of a life goal for Jessica Tater. The University of Otago medical student has her sights firmly set on joining the international humanitarian organisation Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) when she qualifies ...
There’s an island in the far reaches of Auckland’s territory, sitting off the tip of the Coromandel Peninsula, 30 minutes by air from the city or four hours on the slow boat. Aotea Great Barrier is off-grid, it has a population of fewer than a thousand people … and most ...
Asia Pacific Report An Australian author and advocate, Jim Aubrey, today led a national symbolic one minute’s silence to mark the “blood debt” owed to Papuan allies during the Second World War indigenous resistance against the invading Japanese forces. “A promise to most people is a promise,” Aubrey said in ...
Asia Pacific Report The Freedom Flotilla is ready to sail to Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. All the required paperwork has been submitted to the port authority, and the cargo has been loaded and prepared for the humanitarian trip to the besieged enclave. However, organisers received word of an “administrative ...
Pacific Media Watch Palestine solidarity protesters today demonstrated at the Auckland headquarters of Television New Zealand, accusing the country’s major TV network of broadcasting “propaganda” backing Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. About 50 protesters targeted the main entrance to the TVNZ building near Sky Tower and also picketed a side ...
Opinion by Lynley Hood. Forty years on from my 1985 Fulbright Grant, my disquiet over the war in Gaza evoked some troubling questions. The answer to my first question – What is the primary purpose of the Fulbright Programme? – was on the Fulbright NZ website. It says: US Senator, ...
The ministers responsible for green-lighting major projects need to be open about potential conflicts of interest, says Transparency International. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Powell, Professor, Family and Sexual Violence, RMIT University It has been a particularly distressing start to the year. There is little that can ease the current grief of individuals, families and communities who have needlessly lost a loved one to men’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Lichen, the first described example of symbiosis.AdeJ Artventure/Shutterstock Once known only to those studying biology, the word symbiosis is now widely used. Symbiosis is the intimate ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kim Hemsley, Head, Childhood Dementia Research Group, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University Olena Ivanova/Shutterstock “Childhood” and “dementia” are two words we wish we didn’t have to use together. But sadly, around 1,400 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Whiteford, Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University The government’s Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee has just published its second report. It was set up by Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth in 2022 to provide: ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne The Queensland state election will be held in October. A YouGov poll for The Courier Mail, conducted April 9–17 from a sample ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Naeni, PhD candidate at Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University There’s been much talk in recent months about what a possible second Donald Trump presidency in the United States could mean for Europe, Russia’s war in Ukraine, the ...
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https://thespinoff.co.nz/science/27-08-2021/siouxsie-wiles-ignore-the-uninformed-windbags-lockdowns-really-do-work/
RNZ had one of the blowhards Siouxsie Wiles describes in the above piece, on Morning Report today–their mantra, repeated ad naseum, is “lockdowns don’t work, elimination is impossible”.
Yet, the numbers in NZ so far still do not support that “case”.
Elimination is impossible. Heavily vaccinated countries such as Iceland and Israel have learnt that. We are slow learners.
Lockdowns are expensive, not just financially. Future generations are in for a tough time.
Indeed. And 'elimination' is actually not 'elimination'.
"Elimination does not necessarily mean zero COVID. It means zero-tolerance for cases of COVID. We will stamp it out and continue to try to stamp it out," Prof Skegg told the committee.
And 'elimination' is actually not 'elimination'.
Zero tolerance is meaningless. Presumably the Government has zero tolerance for suicides, but there were 654 suicide deaths in the year to June 2020. There were 685 deaths the previous year. Sadly, many who commit suicide are aged under 25.
If the Government can accept suicide deaths despite zero tolerance, there is no logical reason why it cannot accept deaths from other causes, including Covid-19.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/122519593/suicide-rate-shows-slight-drop-after-recordhigh-year
The govt doesn't accept suicide deaths. It just doesn't know how to prevent every single suicide.
But the answer to stopping people from dying from infectious diseases is to stop the infections. This is possible with covid.
We could stop all suicides by monitoring every single person 24/7 and intervening. Of course it's not a viable strategy. It seems to me stopping all infections of Covid is simply not practically possible unless we become a fortress.
Nope. 24/7 monitoring doesn't stop suicides. Had a mate die in psych services while he was on suicide watch.
We don't need to be a "fortress". Cruise ships don't mount beach assaults.
But the answer to stopping people from dying from infectious diseases is to stop the infections
Yes, that works very well with the flu. Despite the existence of a flu vaccine, we see 500-600 flu deaths each year.
Does the NZ Government or any government in the world have an elimination strategy for influenza?
You really don’t get this thread, do you?
Well, not every year. Last year, for some reason, we had a 99.8% drop in flu cases (and a corresponding drop in deaths).
Some times resistance isn't futile.
Let me help you with your ignorance.
For your edification: https://gh.bmj.com/content/6/8/e006810
"Yeah, it sounds like a journey with small children …"
I would like to know more than when we are going to arrive. I would like to know what the destination looks like, whether the driver actually is following a map, and how many stops we're going to have to endure along the way.
In times of uncertainty it's natural to crave certainty, and so our leaders seek to soothe and comfort with certain promises, e.g. Freedom Day.
I'd be skeptical of those claiming "to know what the destination looks like" "and how many stops we're going to have to endure along the way."
I'll settle for honesty and evidence-based planning to help as many Kiwis through this pandemic as possible – and sooner rather than later, of course, but it is what it is.
Certainty? Of course not. But a general overview of the destination, surely? Put another way, the government is following a clear strategy (they call elimination) which currently involves hard and fast lockdown as soon as Covid appears in the community. All good. But what is the long game? Clearly Covid is mutating, so high vaccination rates are helpful, but not a definitive response. So what is the long term plan?
Well, obviously global eradication is off because other governments insist on their populations acting as petrie dishes for new cultivating variants.
So we'll probably find a sweet spot of vaccine efficacy and decreasing virulence, at which point business leaders lobbying to exchange an unkown number of dead NZers for the hope of more revenue for their businesses (or using immigrants for lower wage costs) will finally get their way.
If you want a calendar, you're shit out of luck. The govt is pretty clearly avoiding further stress to the health system from community outbreaks.
Unless that changes, the "long game" is pretty obvious. There are only a few variables: vaccine efficacy, virulence, infectiousness, ICU beds and mortality.
All good points. I would just like to see more from government outlining how they see the factors you outline in your final paragraph playing out, and potentially how we need to adapt. After all, we haven't eliminated either measles or influenza, so having to live with covid in one form or another is the most likely scenario.
sigh
We have an elimination strategy for measles, not for influenza.
Being eliminated does not mean there won’t be new cases sprouting up ever again; it is the default state of zero infections that is the goal and [the process of] elimination is the sum-total of all the measures and interventions required to achieve that goal.
I have explained this so many times now!!
I feel your frustration and disappointment at the lack of a certain long-term plan. Try relaxation techniques and patience – works for me.
I'll take your advice and do some deep breathing. Meanwhile the national debt my children will be required to support gets bigger every day.
Some kids are (and will be) alright, and that's great.
https://www.webmd.com/balance/stress-management/stress-relief-breathing-techniques
Unite against COVID-19
https://covid19.govt.nz/
As a passenger, I don’t pretend to drive or control the car or know better than the driver. I trust the driver has a valid licence and good driving experience. I trust that the car has a WOF and won’t break down. I can check on the gauge if there’s enough fuel. I trust that the GPS will warn of traffic accidents or jams ahead and re-route, if necessary. I trust that we have options between the fastest route, and various other ones, including scenic D-tours, if we choose to. I’ll go along for the ride and try and enjoy it without getting motion sickness. I might listen to music on the radio, have a conversation with others in the car, or just stare out of the windows and take in the scenery.
After what has unfolded in recent weeks, I’m having difficulty trusting the driver.
I give the government and government agencies kudos for the approach last year. And the current lockdown is the right move. But there are a lot of questions over our preparedness for this current outbreak that are making plenty of people question whoever is driving.
Sure, but there’s only one driver. In 2023, we can swap drivers if we wish, and hope that we don’t go off-road. Meanwhile, we all can make sure that the driver stays focussed, sharp, and safe so that we all stay safe.
Remember only one occasion when driver behaviour caused me to change cars, but over the years many many NZers have 'changed cars', for the usual reasons. Our MIQ centres are now chockablock with them.
Countries that thought 60% vaccination is enough and "opened up" do not "prove" anything of the sort.
Delta is the game changer.
A July report from the Israel Ministry of Health found that Pfizer/BioNTech’s Covid-19 vaccine is just 39% effective in Israel, where the Delta variant is the dominant strain but still provides strong protection against severe illness and hospitalization.
We've got a long way to go before we understand the best response to this.
If you analyse Israels numbers. From someone who does know what they are talking about. The percentage in your link is misleading.
https://thespinoff.co.nz/science/26-08-2021/siouxsie-wiles-what-we-know-about-covid-vaccines-effectiveness-and-boosters/
“If we convert those raw numbers to per 100,000 then we get a rate of 16.4 cases per 100,000 unvaccinated people versus 5.3 cases per 100,000 vaccinated people. In other words, the rate of severe disease is three times higher in unvaccinated than vaccinated people.”
Hardly only 39% effective.
Our response worked. First time around. Going by the rapid reduction in close contacts with level four and a constant number, rather than exponential increase, in daily cases, our response is also working with Delta.
The 39% is based on a study by the Israel Ministry of Health. The article specifically addresses the rate of severe disease, but the study clearly goes beyond just that single metric.
“According to the report, the vaccines still work very well in preventing severe cases, demonstrating 88% effectiveness against hospitalization and 91% effectiveness against severe illness. But this is still is a steep decline from the earlier estimate of 64% efficacy rate released on July 5, and steeper still from the initial 95% efficacy rate Israel published in May, based on records from Jan. 24 to April 3, 2021.”
Our response (a hard lockdown) will always stop spread, but only of that outbreak. It won't achieve elimination, unless our borders are permanently closed. The Skegg report claimed that based on the then border settings, a breach was inevitable. We have choices to make, and none of them easy.
+100
Permanent elimination, I think you mean.
My view is permanent elimination (as in no covid ever) is not practical.
Can't put that ‘genie’ back in its bottle? Why not give Collins a go?
Maybe she could ‘pray the Covid away’
No thanks.
"now is not the time, imho."
No argument form me. Before that time we have to have a much higher vaccination rate, and have developed strategies to deal with the possibility of periodic outbreaks that move beyond hard lock downs.
Not with other countries being run by sociopaths or morons, no.
But periodic elimination is, and then when we are fully vaccinated and the virus itself has self-selected to become less virulent (less severe symptoms because the surviving viruses don't kill their host as quickly), we should be able to open the borders again without parking tents and freezer trucks outside our hospitals.
After having a good think about whether we really want to go back to the old days of mass tourism.
I'm not I see 'Periodic elimination' in the same light as elimination. But I hear what you're saying.
There will always be some disease that someone can bring in. We can eliminate them from NZ, like polio, but even during L4 we have people coming into the country.
But that doesn't mean we'll all need to go into level 4 every time there's a community covid case. That depends on our vaccine coverage (and boosters if needed) and how virulent it is, how likely it is to swamp hospitals and kill people.
Personally, I'd like to see a 3-day MIQ for all arrivals as a long term policy, but good luck getting that past the $$-at-all-costs brigade (despite how many less harmful but still damaging outbreaks of colds and flu it might catch).
Polio, measles?
Polio, measles?
"As of 24 February 2020, there had been 2,194 cases of measles reported throughout New Zealand since 1 January 2019."
If our strategy is to eliminate measles, it isn't working. But I imagine that successive governments have decided we can live with measles.
As for polio, there are still cases in some countries.
The pandemic is part of the problem. In March, WHO ordered a pause to all polio eradication campaigns to make sure vaccinators going door to door weren't unwittingly contributing to the spread of COVID-19. That order was lifted over the summer, but "as a result, 30 to 40 countries have not conducted mass immunization campaigns," Zaffran says. "During that period, up to 80 million children have been left unprotected against polio."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019%E2%80%932020_New_Zealand_measles_outbreak
https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2020/10/30/929080692/the-campaign-to-wipe-out-polio-was-going-really-well-until-it-wasnt
[Stop showing off your ignorance and educate yourself before you comment here.
Last night, I replied to your comment here with a useful link: https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-27-08-2021/#comment-1811896.
I also warned you to back-up your claims of fact or face Moderation again: https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-27-08-2021/#comment-1811895. Consider this now a Moderation request.
I also left several other instructive comments here under this post for others to inform themselves.
And yet, here we are again. Your refusal to inform yourself and take heed of warnings was your undoing last time, although you tried hard and many times to bypass your well-deserved and justified ban. NB you have been given back your commenting privileges only 11 days ago!
If you don’t improve your comments, you know how this will end. And please don’t argue with Moderators about Moderation, as is clearly explained in this site’s Policy – Incognito]
See my Moderation note @ 8:21 am.
Good point about Polio, however even though we don't have Polio in NZ, surprisingly it still not been eradicated globally. However the only two countries where polio remains endemic are Pakistan and Afghanistan, and our tourism and migration with those countries would be minimal? However, this is worth noting: Until poliovirus transmission is interrupted in these countries, all countries remain at risk of importation of polio, especially vulnerable countries with weak public health and immunization services and travel or trade links to endemic countries.
Unless Covid was eradicated from all countries we have travel links with, it is near impossible to eradicate it from NZ.
I'm not sure what you mean by measles? We still have measles in NZ, despite a vaccination program.
NZ does not have a Covid-19 eradication strategy, it has an elimination strategy.
NZ has an elimination strategy for measles, mainly through vaccination, as you know, and it is also a notifiable infectious disease, just as Covid-19 is. NB influenza is not a notifiable infectious disease in NZ, but non-seasonal influenza is.
"NZ does not have a Covid-19 eradication strategy, it has an elimination strategy."
Fair comment. I'm wrongly using the terms interchangeably – my bad.
To be clear, I don't believe we can eliminate Covid for anything other than short bursts, unless we completely isolate ourselves from the rest of the world.
The difference between measles and covid is that the measles virus doesn't mutate "in a comparable way".
The authors conclude that there is a near-zero probability for the natural emergence of a new measles virus capable of evading vaccine-induced immunity.
In this mornings Herald, Professor Graham Mellsop wrote this:
"Our team of 5 million needs to be told both to committ to the preservation of good community vaccination levels and that our future includes Covid infections with brief illnesses, some hospitalisations and relatively uncommon deaths".
I tend to think he's right.
Nope, an elimination strategy relies on measures to keep it at zero and stomp it out ASAP when there are flare-ups. It requires constant vigilance.
It is a strategy, a process, with a specific goal.
NZ successfully eliminated Covid-19 before, notwithstanding the ones that came in at the border and caught in MIQ, and can do it again.
It is explained in that link I’ve shared a few times now.
Few Kiwis would support continuing strict border controls, with level 4 lockdowns in response to delta (or worse) outbreaks, for years, but I do wonder about the motivation(s) of those who are agitating for a ‘sooner rather than later’ relaxation of these prudent protective measures on day 11 of our current level 4 lockdown.
There will absolutely be a time and place to let our Covid guard down. With ~23% of NZers fully vaccinated against Covid-19, and the global number of active cases set to exceed the previous January 2021 peak (18.6 million), now is not the time, imho.
‘Covid thrill-seekers‘ have the rest of the world to choose from – please leave us sleepy hobbits be a little while longer.
Yeah, it sounds like a journey with small children in the back of the car asking 5 min into the trip and then at regular and increasingly shorter intervals “are we there yet?”
Elimination is not eradication. Yes elimination is possible in a particular area, but difficult to maintain. Israel did not attempt to eliminate the virus – they wrongly relied on ""herd immunity"" – and then a variant of the virus appeared which was more infectious and they learned that the vaccine did not give personal immunity. Presumptions by politicians do not always predict science or future reality.
Ya reckon?? I reckon nz proved that if humans were as intelligent as we think, we could have wiped covid from the plant in 6 weeks , but oh no we had right from the get go fucktsrds clutching there Pearl's and screaming my economy, and then there a the countries so poverty stricken and usually run by true scum that the daily grind means that they have to go out daily to survive
And yet we eradicated polio and smallpox, and almost got rid of measles until the anti vaxx movement came along
roblogic,
With effective vaccinations you can hold these diseases at bay and it may look like eradication but it is not. Polio is on the up.
Smallbox on the other hand would almost qualify except for some labs still hold the virus.
https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2020/10/30/929080692/the-campaign-to-wipe-out-polio-was-going-really-well-until-it-wasnt
Vaccine-derived polio is a strain of the virus that originated as part the oral polio vaccine but has managed to circulate, reproduce and regain strength in places with poor sanitation. Vaccine-derived polio is caused by remnants of earlier versions of the live virus used in the oral polio vaccine.
Incorrect!
Smallpox has been successfully eradicated.
You’re conflating eradication and extinction.
Is that a fact or your opinion?
Either way, you may want to back that up before I start moderating you, yet again.
Interesting interview….https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2018809952/covid-19-uk-based-critic-on-new-zealand-s-exit-strategy
…is this the one you're referring to?
Yes Rosemary, that's the interview I heard this morning.
Elimination is possible depending on government action and public will.
Best results achieved with contained small outbreaks, it could even still be done in the u.s, the UK and other overrun nations, but highly unlikely after numerous previous failures to contain and eliminate.
Unless you are suggesting that no one ever enters and leaves NZ, elimination is unfortunately not possible. Getting people vaccinated is a prerequisite to open the borders not just in NZ but countries from where people travel from.
Admittingly, the government has made a big tactical error by not getting in to high gear a year ago of procuring the vaccine and getting it distributed whilst we were still on level 1 without the travel bubble, which incidentally was the biggest mistake in my book. Far too early, no one vaccinated, flying on a hope and prayer. Everybody I talked to about travel was saying that it is just a matter of time until we see level 4 again. And here we are.
Elimination, especially with a relatively small outbreak is entirely possible, as proved by the first and second times we had community spread in NZ and got rid of it, giving many months of normality.
Now what happens between outbreaks is the debate you might want to have, but that won't change any of the above being true with regards to containment and elimination.
You don’t seem to know what “elimination” is/means.
It might surprise you that NZ has successfully followed and is still following an elimination strategy.
This has been recommended by experts, e.g., Prof. Skegg, and it is still the recommendation. Indeed, Skegg has said that this outbreak was and should have been expected although not the exact size and date, of course.
This lockdown may fail to contain the Delta outbreak, but definitely worth a try imho.
What's disappointing is the certainty of 'fail blowhards' – takes all kinds I guess.
Why is Collins bleating about "more certainty"? Her future is certain enough.
Surely Codger knows that certainty is inimical to capitalism.
“People do need certainty”
And here I was thinking business was 'agile' and 'innovative', that it could move 'at pace' and 'make decisions' and 'bring clarity' in 'fast-paced environments' that are 'challenging' and require 'insight', judgment and 'flawless execution'. Surely not much certainty is needed when you have this array of talents? Or have I been looking at too many Seek job ads?
And I had thought that requiring an impossible certainty was an endearing but thankfully temporary trait that we observe in our children – or, less endearingly, in some behavioural disorders. Just shows how wrong I was.
I'm certain that you are not wrong AB
A little gallows humour on ‘First Up,’ RNZ this morning:
“This covid thing is a scam – anyone who’s been to Auckland knows it hasn’t got 400 places of interest!”
Good line for a T-Shirt.
of course there is a future burden for young people out of this pandemic, but that would be true for all countries.
one of the many benefits of following an elimination strategy is it preserves our very precious health workforce. The Uk for example have lost many Drs and nurses to covid
Good points, but Hipkins has rightly identified Delta as a potential game changer.
The Uk for example have lost many Drs and nurses to covid…
The BMJ has a memorial.
Also the Nursing Times
thanks for posting Rosemary. Very, very sad.
Satire Anker. Somebody down country is introducing a bit of humour by having a dig at Auckland. Nothing to do with Covid and strategies.
Did I not read something properly? I was responding to Ross.
I hope you are going ok Anne as you wait for your surgery.
Hi Anker
Yes. Ross was reporting a bit of humour at Auckland's expense.
It looks like Auckland is in for 2 more weeks of L4 at the least. We know its the right thing to do but it is hard going. We Jafas have had more than our fair share of these debilitating lockdowns.
NZ managed to eliminate the virus in previous lockdowns.
We have had cases for as long as I can remember. Indeed, I recall a gentleman from Australia allegedly bringing Covid to Wellington in June. Before that I recall a woman in the Coromandel testing positive after visiting numerous places. There are and have been any number of cases in MIQ. The idea the virus has been eliminated is wrong.
Some people might have thought that vaccination would prevent lockdowns but that doesn't seem to be the case. We will continue to have lockdowns. That will only change with the political will to do so.
Anker, 3
As history tells us, science is one thing, human behavior quite something else. So perhaps this should be approached with science and common sense. Opening a travel bubble without having the population in NZ vaccinated and allowing people from known delta virus countries to enter the country with test results that no one can verify….come on, human behavior + a bit of stupidity = super spread. I mean this is not so difficult to figure out. Unless political correctness has no dampened our survival instinct.
After reading following Guardian Article this morning:
‘It’s really hit us now’: Newquay becomes England’s Covid capital
I understand that not all the 5,000 COVID cases in Cornwall are necessarily directly linked to the festival. There are probably cases outside of Cornwall linked to the festival. Anyway, lets assume this festival caused 5,000 COVID cases, which means with current UK numbers:
I would like to see the world-wide news headlines, the public outrage, if you would have those numbers linked to a terrorist attack at a music festival!
To announce "Freedom Day" and "Let COVID rip" through the country without sufficient protection should be called "mass-murder".
If even '5 dead' pans out then it should make one think about the ‘price’ of Freedums.
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/uk/
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/aug/26/attempt-to-force-release-of-johnsons-messages-on-covid-in-care-homes-fails
New Zealand is running over 300 dead and over 4,000 injured a year just for operating a road network.
We do campaigns to mitigate.
New Zealand is running 2,200 lung cancer registrations and about 1,800 lung cancer deaths per year.
We do campaigns to mitigate.
Back in 2016 we had AIDS outbreaks, all sorts of fear and loathing broke out.
We do campaigns to mitigate.
A bunch of lunatics flew planes into key buildings on the US East Coast.
Globally we generated travel protocols to mitigate, and still fly just fine.
COVID will end up being the same:
Just another set of protocols, another set of new medical interventions, another social marketing campaign.
Yep, "COVID will end up being the same", but we're not there yet, imho. There's a time and a place for everything, 'Covid freedums' included.
https://inews.co.uk/opinion/covid-freedom-uk-after-lockdown-rules-ignore-protocols-1162538
This is true of course – in a general sense.
But of your comparators, only one is an infectious disease (AIDS) and in comparison to COVID-19, AIDS is really not very infectious at all. The other examples are a bit silly: one traffic accident does not cause another three accidents. It is the exponential growth in a completely immune-naive population that makes COVID so different and completely justifies the response to date. At the right time and once we have good information, we will move cautiously to a different approach.
All are systemic risks we have learnt to live with.
Polio outbreak was another. As was measles. All previously deadly.
What do you mean?
Millions if not billions of dollars are spent each year to keep death tolls due to those causes under control and even to bring them down further. Once you open flood gates mitigation is pretty much all you can do within (economic) reason. The big difference with Covid-19 is that so far we have managed to control it and keep a lid on it (only 26 deaths so far). Once we remove the elimination measures, we will be likely having to accept the consequences in terms of severe illness and death, despite vaccination, and live with it; in all likelihood, it will be worse and more severe than influenza.
Sounds like you’re saying that it is “when” not “if” and if that’s the case, you fundamentally change the debate to “when” and “how”. Unfortunately, some pundits only focus on the “when” and think the “how” is somebody else’s problem, usually the Government’s.
BTW, polio and measles have been eliminated and can possibly be eradicated.
As I said above just 2 points above, we generate mitigation plans and live with it.
Polio was controlled in NZ with armed guards at each city border. It took many years to control. A few around still remember it.
We've struggled to 'control' TB in Possums getting into our dairy herds – for five decades.
We can't even eliminate Mycoplasma Bovis in cows despite rigorous herd testing and DNA tracing – and spending $800 million.
Soon as we can get to every 5-year-old getting a double shot before they first start school, the better.
Cell and gene therapy will be our next medical capacity nightmare.
Good governments are already communicating how to live with it.
Some 'good' governments have no good choices left. From a health PoV, Freedum Day was both a classic blunder and a miscommunication.
So, on the 40th day of Freedum: 38,281 new cases and 140 new deaths
Meanwhile, in the US of A: 169,953 new cases and 1,215 new deaths
And, in Aussie (getting on top of it?): 954 new cases and 2 new deaths
[Worldometer links current on 27 August 2021]
Fortunately for Kiwis, our government and health experts (epidemiologists, virologists, vaccinologists) have been singing from the same songbook, and so we still have good choices after 10 days of lockdown and 70 new cases.
Kiwis might yet rush in and snatch defeat from the jaws of this victory, so winning the 'sympathy' of powerful 'allies', but we don't have to – we really don’t.
Given our essential workers are at highest risk, why aren't we insisting their employers provide them with N95 masks which actually provide best protection?
Bishflap gets his Gingrich on.
https://twitter.com/rugbyintel/status/1430370295785811968
#NationalNotFitToGovern
barking
https://twitter.com/nealejones/status/1431094146995875845
#NationalNotFitToGovern
I wondered where our resident hand wringer David was getting his talking points from. Doesn’t surprise me it’s from Matt King. Cindy's not the Messiah, she's just a naughty girl. A la Monty Python
I hope someone's checking in on Mattking from time to time, just to see if he's all right.
Have a read of the Bishop interview in the Listener and Bishop freely admits that he has no self-awareness and little in the way of a moral compass when he details the many, many times that he has allegedly supported National Party positions on issues he reckons he does not agree with on the grounds he has to show “ unity “, or as the rest of the world would call it, hypocrisy.
Tragicomedy – do you think he learnt it from his dear old dad?
Do we know what time the announcement is today?
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/450177/covid-19-update-70-new-community-cases-as-lockdown-decision-looms
Cheers arkie
I’ve found these well-being Twitter threads helpful. This one is about managing lockdown stress including frustration over lockdown not lifting.
https://twitter.com/sarb/status/1431001808848101376?s=21
He’s been writing good pieces for quite some time.
Auckland & Northland still in L4 🙁
I'd settle for a mochachino and a cheese scone right now.
Yes Northland lumped in with Auckland is quite disappointing when you realise that Warkworth is part of the Auckland area not Northland. There are no cases in Northland and the sensible place to hold a border would be Te Hana – with just a short strip to police to stop Aucklanders getting to Mangawhai through the back roads.
If you want people to comply – and they have already loosened up around me here near Whangarei- then realistic borders need to be considered or there will be no respect which means poor compliance.
It may be intended to protect police from the thundering herds of utes n boats heading upnorth.
One is left wondering if there is an undisclosed reason for this …. maybe drug runners and the self excluded Aucklanders.
They did say that Northland won’t always be lumped with Auckland necessarily, only this time.
If people want some of their relative freedoms back, they could start with simple things such as scanning. That will give the officials and authorities the confidence that they can relax the rules.
This is a two-way thing, for our own benefit. Why do people find this so hard to get their heads around?
So a clear why would help to make it understandable… Is the Aucklanders that they say ran to their baches, is it to stop drug running , is it not enough scanning in, is it not enough police to control a north border as well as a south border. What is it ?
The PM said in the 3pm-er that it was because of the case in Warkworth and the concern that people traveling through there could have taken it further north. It is only a few more days to be sure it no make it to paradise.
You can watch it here and inform yourself.
PM explains why Northland joining Auckland at Alert Level 4
https://play.stuff.co.nz/details/_6269727712001 [1 minute and 18 seconds of your time]
The settings for Northland will be reviewed on Monday, as the PM said in the same Press Stand-up.
If we have limited vaccine supply and Auckland has to shoulder this, the nationwide vaccine rollout should be halted forthwith and all vaccines diverted to Auckland for the foreseeable future. 😉
"Auckland has to shoulder this"
No, the whole country is affected. The other MIQ's don't have the issues that Auck. keep having, why?
"limited vaccine supply"
No, the program is romping along, and I'm looking forward to getting my first shot Sept. 10
Sure, we’ve got a world class vaccine rollout …
We sure have, aren't we fortunate we've been served so well.
Nact would have us suffering like the UK at the very least, "free" to kill and maim .
Aren't we 120th in the OECD?
Sure looks good from where I'm sitting, certainly can't see any great advantage gained by the other 119.
If you plant a row of seedlings, no use just looking at one to see how they're all growing.
As of 24th August NZ rate of vaccination for covid placed us 74th. The US was 35th. Countries with small populations in the 10's of thousands can achieve a very high vaccination rate in a very short time because obviously there are fewer people to organise to be vaccinated.
Vaccine supply is not the limiting factor, or at least not the only one.
Lisa Owen can't understand why we can't do everything at once as a madder of extreme urgency.
Lisa Hosking is it? She makes me nauseous, I don't listen to Shitpoint any more.
Lisa Owen's bumptious and sarcastic style has irritated me and many others for several years…
https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-25-05-2019/#comment-1620604
Anyone can tell the age of a person by looking at their bonsai, surely..
[link deleted; next time, use an emoji 😀 ]
Well, that comes as a surprise: media personality irritates Morrissey because of her style. Tell us something new, next time.
She's gedding more irridading by the minute Incognido.
I admire your self-awareness. Has the lockdown given you time for introspection and reflection and helped you to internalise a really complicated situation in your head? It is starting to show and pay off.
Have to confess a slight irritation myself – Owen would "love to hear from you", several times an hour apparently. Maybe all those sound-bite public opinions are newsworthy. Who isn't a sucker for instant polls these days – one born every minute?
Fair comment, and thanks.
I think many of us are perhaps a little more irritable than usual.
I can see it in my responses to some comments that really grate me more than usual.
If I were a better person, I’d rise above it …
Cheers. Too late for me, but you're not sunk yet!
Treading water though …
btw, it’s ok to be grumpy😀
Thanks, and it is, but slightly different standards are to be upheld by Authors and Moderators on this site, IMHO.