Open mike 30/03/2020

Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, March 30th, 2020 - 129 comments
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129 comments on “Open mike 30/03/2020 ”

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  1. Blazer 1
    29 March 2020 at 1:12 pm

    lighten up Rosemary..

    https://youtu.be/bVtOYRID0nQ

    [lprent: If you don’t want to write an explanation why you’re putting video links and its relevance to a post or whoever you’re replying to, then put it in OpenMike. Otherwise I regard it as a simpleton astroturfing and will act appropriately – in a DARK fashion. ]

    [TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]

  2. joe90 2
    30 March 2020 at 7:43 am

    Where there's one lie….

    An immunity expert has expressed strong concerns at claims made by a Queenstown company seeking to import thousands of coronavirus rapid testing kits.

    […]

    "We are doing this because we want to keep our communities safe," Regen general manager Emma Hart said.

    […]

    Hart said the test the company was importing was FDA approved, and it was not trying to undermine existing testing. While the antibody test showed whether people had been exposed to the virus, Hart said they could still have it and the only way to validate this was with the test currently in use in New Zealand.

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/120652381/coronavirus-queenstown-company-claims-it-can-access-thousands-of-rapid-testing-kits

    It’s important to note that these tests have not been reviewed or validated by the FDA, unlike those molecular tests that are included in the organization’s emergency use category. Instead, the FDA “does not intend to object to the development and distribution by commercial manufacturers” of these tests, provided they meet a number of criteria, including qualifying the results of their reported test results with the following information:

    • This test has not been reviewed by the FDA.
    • Negative results do not rule out SARS-CoV-2 infection, particularly in those who have been in contact with the virus. Follow-up testing with a molecular diagnostic should be considered to rule out infection in these individuals.
    • Results from antibody testing should not be used as the sole basis to diagnose or exclude SARS-CoV-2 infection or to inform infection status.
    • Positive results may be due to past or present infection with non-SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus strains, such as coronavirus HKU1, NL63, OC43, or 229E.

    https://techcrunch.com/2020/03/27/the-fda-just-okayed-multiple-15-minute-blood-tests-to-screen-for-coronavirus-but-there-are-caveats/

  3. aj 3
    30 March 2020 at 9:16 am

    The 1919 Influenza Blues · Essie Jenkins

    It was nineteen hundred and nineteen Men and women were dying With the stuff that the doctor called the flu People were dying everywhere Death was creepin' all through the air And the groans of the rich sure was sad…..



  4. observer 4
    30 March 2020 at 9:21 am

    Well done to the City Mission and other services who have been working so hard to help the homeless and marginalised.

    I live in central Auckland and on Lockdown Day 1 there were many people on the streets with nowhere to self-isolate. Everyone with a home was in it, so the gatherings of the homeless were even more visible than usual. They had no "bubble" or distancing.

    By Lockdown Day 4 the numbers had been radically reduced. It's very noticeable.

    In an emergency, beds (not homes) can be found. Now we just need to treat homelessness as a continuing emergency, after the lockdown.

    • Treetop 4.1
      30 March 2020 at 12:43 pm

      Lack of tourists has certainly freed up space in motels to house the homeless. Motels are not ideal long term to house the homeless.

      City Mission are doing a fantastic job with providing food assistance packs.

      On my street there are 3 motels and one motel houses a lot of homeless.

  5. Blazer 5
    30 March 2020 at 9:32 am

    the new age communist…

    https://youtu.be/jPCNc90i3JA

  6. A 6
    30 March 2020 at 9:55 am

    Out on my sanity walk this morning. Watched a courier hobbling around this morning with a bad knee. So many people doing good work to keep everything up and running.

    This is what he is risking…a disturbing account from a healthy young man https://twitter.com/ShirazMaher/status/1243554346396246018

  7. ScottGN 7
    30 March 2020 at 9:59 am

    John Hopkins tracker is closing in on three-quarters of a million reported cases fast now. Likely a million by Thursday.

  8. Treetop 8
    30 March 2020 at 10:10 am

    I felt uneasy when I saw footage of the wet markets in Thailand on Sunday last night. A ticking time bomb for another virus to enter the population.

    Every wet market anywhere needs to be eliminated straight away. The people who supply the wet market need to seriously consider the harm they are doing to the human race.

    • Carolyn_Nth 8.1
      30 March 2020 at 10:19 am

      I read somewhere a few weeks back that the Chinese government had outlawed wet markets after SARS. However, they were unable to stop them operating illegally, because the poorest people in China cannot afford supermarkets.

      Now, of course, the answer to that is to end poverty & decrease income/wealth inequalities.

      • Treetop 8.1.1
        30 March 2020 at 10:27 am

        I did consider the people who cannot afford to shop at a supermarket. There needs to be a regulated way in which wet market vendors can operate. What really struck me when watching the footage was how many different animals there were in a confined space eating and defecating.

        Separating animal species is where I would start and limit it to only sustainable animals. Hygiene practice is also important.

      • Peter 8.1.2
        30 March 2020 at 12:34 pm

        End poverty & decrease income/wealth inequalities? I see there are only about 500 billionaires in China.

    • francesca 8.2
      30 March 2020 at 10:23 am

      Agreed and thank god China and Vietnam have led the way by banning them

      But we need to examine all of our food production practices, factory farming is barbaric

      I found this to be a thoughtful and considered article

      https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/28/is-factory-farming-to-blame-for-coronavirus

      • Treetop 8.2.1
        30 March 2020 at 10:53 am

        The food chain in factory farming cannot be ignored.

        Some scientists have been warning governments to be prepared for a pandemic and could have been listened to more carefully.

        Animal welfare groups have also been warning governments about factory farming and this can no longer be ignored.

        Put both on the reset list.

    • Bruce 8.3
      30 March 2020 at 10:28 am

      That looked quite sanitary, its more of a pet store operation. Its the real ones with dead snakes hanging to cut bits off , bbqed rats bats and toads and every type off creature dressed up for home consumption. Best to just stick to the crickets and bamboo worms.

      • Treetop 8.3.1
        30 March 2020 at 10:58 am

        I worked in a petshop when at college during the weekend. What I saw on Sunday was no petshop operation. It was the exploitation of animals in cruel conditions.

        • Bruce 8.3.1.1
          30 March 2020 at 11:43 am

          I agree but there's a few billion that wouldn't, Have you ever been to an elephant camp or live snake show.

          • Treetop 8.3.1.1.1
            30 March 2020 at 12:54 pm

            No. I did have a ride on an elephant about 40 years ago at Wellington Zoo. I worked in a petshop 45 years ago.

            I am pleased that somethings are now considered to not be acceptable. Change has been too slow.

    • sumsuch 8.4
      30 March 2020 at 10:04 pm

      The heat is going on Chinese's love of pangolins. Their wildlife markets are coming under the microscope. Most certain thing in the world is the CCP can take care of that.

  9. RedBaronCV 9
    30 March 2020 at 10:23 am

    Daylight saving – ends 5th april would extending it maybe until the end of the lockdown help or hinder – I always miss it when the evening closes in abruptly

    • JanM 9.1
      30 March 2020 at 10:45 am

      I especially hated it when I was working. Going out into my garden and pulling up some weeds was a very good way of relieving my frustration after a day of being unable to tell a selected few what I thought of them and their antics. However, in theory, once you are retired ( as I now am) or in lockdown ( as most of us are now) it should'nt make any difference as you can adjust your life as you please 😊

      • sumsuch 9.1.1
        30 March 2020 at 10:14 pm

        I'm beginning to wonder what day it is, Jan. I remember a favourite customer who had a downer on her nextdoor neighbour son-in-law because he didn't come out after dinner, and after a full day's work, in the summer and weed his garden.

    • bwaghorn 9.2
      30 March 2020 at 11:38 am

      Or try getting out of bed earlier old mate .

      • RedBaronCV 9.2.1
        30 March 2020 at 11:45 am

        I was actually thinking abut the work from home crowd who stick pretty much to normal hours

        • bwaghorn 9.2.1.1
          30 March 2020 at 11:50 am

          It's making hard to get out of bed to be at work by 730 when its pitch black at 6 .

          I know I know moaning bloody farmers 😉

    • Gabby 9.3
      30 March 2020 at 1:03 pm

      It's overstayed its welcome by about a month. Far too bloody cold in the mornings.

  10. ScottGN 10
    30 March 2020 at 10:31 am

    Australia is moving to protect its collapsing businesses from predatory foreign takeovers. All foreign investment now requires approval to assess if it’s in the national interest.

    • RedBaronCV 10.1
      30 March 2020 at 11:46 am

      We should be doing the same here. I've seen a couple of substantial shareholder increase notices.

  11. Blazer 11
    30 March 2020 at 10:50 am

    as for tourism…

    https://youtu.be/1vKrL_YVqSg

    [lprent: I fail to see the relevance to the post and I’m not going to run a video to find out. ]

    [TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]

  12. Cinny 12
    30 March 2020 at 11:04 am

    Watching trumps presser right now. Holy cow, he said people in NY are very happy, wtf?

    For the first time there is social distancing going on in the presser.

    He's so proud they are getting 1 million masks offshore to help with their PPE, in a country of over 300 million that's bugger all masks.

    I'm just gobsmacked with how this has all gone down in the USA.

    • RedBaronCV 12.1
      30 March 2020 at 11:20 am

      Sounds weird – I understood we had a place in Auckland that makes this sort of stuff at the rate of about 60000 a day or a week ??? One mill is nothing

    • Anne 12.2
      30 March 2020 at 11:24 am

      I saw the the bit where he criticizes Dr. Fauci for requesting 300.000 masks. He reckoned they only needed 10,000 and inferred the good doctor and his team are hoarding them.

      What an ignorant piece of shit. Someone please……….

      • Anne 12.2.1
        30 March 2020 at 11:37 am

        Oops… not the good doctor but the New York medical team. Sorry, that's what happens when you drop into the middle of a discussion.

    • joe90 12.3
      30 March 2020 at 11:34 am

      I'm just gobsmacked with how this has all gone down in the USA

      It was always going to happen.

      Azar had asked OMB that morning for $2 billion to buy respirator masks and other supplies for a depleted federal stockpile of emergency medical equipment, according to individuals familiar with the request, who spoke on the condition of anonymity about internal discussions.

      The previously unreported argument turned on the request and on the budget official’s accusation that Azar had improperly lobbied Capitol Hill for money for the repository, which Azar denied, the individuals said.

      The $2 billion request from HHS was cut to $500 million when the White House eventually sent Congress a supplemental budget request weeks later. White House budget officials now say the relief package enacted Friday secured $16 billion for the Strategic National Stockpile, more money than HHS had asked for.

      http://archive.li/6dAY2 (wapo)

      • AB 12.3.1
        30 March 2020 at 12:19 pm

        Significant pressure in the US to 'get back to work' because the 'çure is worse than the disease' and 'the economy' has to be saved. The lads on TMBS dissect the latest outpouring along these lines from certified jackass Thomas Friedman – Thomas Friedman Wants You To Go Back To Work, So He Can Make More Money?

        We haven't seen this stuff explicitly in NZ yet – but it's likely to come in some sotto voce form as we near the end of the 4-week shutdown. Probably from someone like Mike Hosking and his variants in the commentariat.

        Broader question is that if 'the economy' is unable to reward people for doing the thing (stay home) that is most essential for the well-being of society at the moment – does that mean that ' the economy' is not actually intended to meet collective human needs?

      • Cinny 12.3.2
        30 March 2020 at 1:13 pm

        Wow. There appears to have been a number of incidents now where he is prioritizing assistance depending on political leanings or how appreciative people are, it's insane.

    • McFlock 12.4
      30 March 2020 at 11:42 am

      It's funny – this is both exactly what I was afraid of in 2016, but in a completel;y unexpected way. The jerk's incompetence killing thousands if not more. I mean, there's still time for him to nuke someone, but who knows how badly the yanks will be hit by covid now.

      We're lucky to have competent leadership – I'm not going to go overboard atm, but the comparison between US/UK/NZ is stark.

      • Anne 12.4.1
        30 March 2020 at 11:49 am

        Good grief, the jerk in his current presser is claiming… the reason why America has more cases than any other country is because they are doing more testing than any other country.

        What is the matter with their media representatives at these pressers? They sit there and let him get away with the biggest, baldest lies without comment.

        • Macro 12.4.1.1
          30 March 2020 at 12:09 pm

          The problem for MSM is that every "Briefing" is just a word salad gish gallop of half truths and falsehoods, interspersed with some dubious announcements that usually need redefining by WH staffers afterwards. He is just using this as a publicly funded platform for electioneering.

          Some responsible news media are now refusing to attend, or to publish his briefings, and will just alert the announcements after clarification.

          Faux news, of course, continue to worship him, and unfortunately as their audience is around 60% of the public, and by and large an older demographic, the outcome will not be good.

          • Andre 12.4.1.1.1
            30 March 2020 at 12:16 pm

            Not publishing anything from his briefings might not be the best approach. It might be better to publish a verbatim transcript, with a note at the end: "If you can decipher any coherent meaning from his words please let us know".

            It does the public a real disservice when the media tries to distill actual coherent ideas from his babble. It hides the true state of utterly incompetent chaos in the White House.

            • ianmac 12.4.1.1.1.1
              30 March 2020 at 3:11 pm

              I remember reading transcripts of some of Key's charming interviews and being totally flummoxed as to what parts were credible and what parts contradicted what he had just said. Often meaningless.

        • Peter 12.4.1.2
          30 March 2020 at 12:37 pm

          The media is waiting for his next outburst when he rants about 'fake news' and the 'fake news media.' It should be funny really.

          As a parody a la The Office it would have been a hit.

        • Cinny 12.4.1.3
          30 March 2020 at 1:18 pm

          Re the media in his pressers….. if they ask confronting questions, no more pressers for them. That's how he gets away with it.

          Also have heard the major networks neglect to broadcast hardly any international news, unless it puts the USA in a good light.

          • Anne 12.4.1.3.1
            30 March 2020 at 1:30 pm

            That is disgraceful. It means the major media networks are complicit in the distribution of the lies, deceit and ultimately the total destruction of the country. I presume it does not include CNN since the fascist bastard hates them so much.

            Can't speak for anyone else but my sympathy for the American people and their media outlets is rapidly waning. I'm now of the observation that it will serve them right… they had it coming to them. Just like the Germans did in the 1930s.

            • Cinny 12.4.1.3.1.1
              30 March 2020 at 1:40 pm

              It's heartbreaking. USA is a strange place, my neighbours daughter was a history teacher there, the neighbour was shocked to learn the only history that was taught is white leaning american history.

              Re kicking journalists out…..

              19 March 2020
              That was very clear at Thursday’s daily coronavirus press briefing, as Trump went on long, boastful rants, talked about unrelated topics, and joked about kicking journalists out of daily press briefings.

              • OnceWasTim …
                30 March 2020 at 3:08 pm

                It's heartbreaking alright, but if the masses are unable to differentiate between bullshit and jellybeans, there are far more useful circumstances in the big Wide Whurl to expend your emotions on.

                You're obviously a CNN watcher. You'll probably therefore have seen the Amanpour programme promotion in which JA says "I do not understand the United States".

                Actually she understands the USA only too well, just as she probably does Brazil, India and elsewhere – at least their 'leadership'. And especially with places that elections are generally accepted as being fair.

                You can probably draw a few common denominators as well (such as narcissistic sociopath blokes). For one or two there's probably a simple solution (I mean if someone chopped Modi's index finger off, he'd probably find it hard to come across as the exceptional sage, feigning concern for his flock).

                If you can rely on the polls, Trump's popularity is tickety boo ('apparently'). To my mind, if that's the case and after all that's happened (in a so-called democracy) – they get what they have asked for.

                So maybe it's going to take a few JA's (from the rest of the big Wide Whurl) to start saying what they really think. We should probably start with Stray ya.

                Cheer up though – it's all starting to happen, but if there's no hopey hopey change after all the stuff and things that are going down now – it's probably better to invest that heartbreaking emotion on places that'd be more appreciative of it. I can think of a few

                • OnceWasTim …
                  30 March 2020 at 3:27 pm



                  Hopefully ‘Elt’s’ as embarrassed as I am having to watch it

                  • Cinny …
                    30 March 2020 at 8:29 pm

                    Lmao 🙂 Awesomesauce !

                    Al Jazeera is my go to network, don't think I've watched CNN unless it was a live stream of a debate or a presser etc 🙂

                    They did a fantastic round up of trump and Covid on The Listening Post in the weekend. Mediaite made an excellent clip, which they also included in this weeks episode. That story is 11.11 into the link.

      • Macro 12.4.2
        30 March 2020 at 11:50 am

        My thoughts entirely, as well. My on-line friends in the US are very anxious for their safety right now.

      • Sabine 12.4.4
        30 March 2020 at 12:21 pm

        not only the jerks malevolence but also the support he gets from the republicans.

        this is not incompetence, this is malevolence.

        and his hostage taking his black mailing is why he was impeached……'do us a favor, will ya?" and the republicans bailed him out.

        It is fair now to consider the US a failed state, a banana republic, and the people be damned.

        In saying that, people voted for radical change, and i guess this is what radical change looks like. Sometimes we don't know how good we have it until its all gone.

    • Treetop 12.5
      30 March 2020 at 1:04 pm

      People in New York will be very happy when Trump leaves the Whitehouse.

      It is not good in New York and some sensible decisions need to be made quickly.

  13. joe90 13
    30 March 2020 at 11:14 am

    PDF's morons are losing their minds. All is well.

    • Muttonbird 13.1
      30 March 2020 at 11:28 am

      What about? The local butcher not being open, or Jacinda's facial expressions?

      Edit: I typed the above without looking and then found this…

      Are they seriously going to let halal butchers open, but not regular butchers? Unbelievable.

      She has no ability to take us along with her, she just instructs and implores with her funny faces.

      Two for two, lol.

  14. A 14
    30 March 2020 at 11:16 am

    Today's Peak Prosperity virus update. It's still live atm

    Be sure to watch the bit where the droplets between 2 people talking are showen. Message = we all need some kind of mask, especially if there are no symptoms because people with no symptoms are responsible for most of the infections.

  15. LILMAN 15
    30 March 2020 at 11:21 am

    Ok lets believe China,they have told us the truth since day one ,right?

    Really why would anyone take any notice of anything China say as the have lied and ducked fro cover since day one.

    Will our PM ask their Ambassador to come in and reply to hard questions and set financial penalties?

    Crickets.

  17. pat 17
    30 March 2020 at 12:10 pm

    "Well, now we know, don’t we, what they’re truly worth. Now we know that when the chips are down there are no shit jobs – only shit wages."

    https://www.interest.co.nz/opinion/104305/prompted-don-brash-chris-trotter-mulls-question-when-government%E2%80%99s-meritorious-quest

    the tail end of a commentators musings…the rest may not be quite so palatable

    • ianmac 17.1
      30 March 2020 at 3:29 pm

      Actually an interesting column on a difficult topic. Thanks Pat.

      A "who to save by getting a place in the lifeboat" scenario.

      And yes ultimately low wages for very important work like supermarket folk or nurses, or rubbish collectors.

  18. greywarshark 18
    30 March 2020 at 12:41 pm

    Don't forget the….bees. Thank God they keep on doing their innocent planet-friendly thing. May the information about how to nurture them spread like a virus! (Just to keep this in the now.)

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/saturday/audio/2018740565/steve-wratten-plants-to-please-bees

    Steve Wratten is Professor of Ecology with the Bio-Protection Research Centre based at Lincoln University. He is the world leader in biological control of pests and is currently working on using ecological techniques to reduce the decline in populations of pollinators such as bees.

    This includes looking at which plants provide the best food for them and why they prefer to drink dirty water.

    He also wrote a gardening column for Stuff for many years.

    • adam 18.1
      30 March 2020 at 2:26 pm

      Thanks for link, been planting bee balm for years. Going to add a few more different plants this year.

      • ianmac 18.1.1
        30 March 2020 at 3:31 pm

        What was the supermarket seed/plant he said to attract bees? A weed I think.

        • Pingao 18.1.1.1
          30 March 2020 at 5:15 pm

          They go crazy for borage!

          Also red flowered pineapple sage which is flowering now : )

          • Grafton Gully 18.1.1.1.1
            30 March 2020 at 8:00 pm

            And perennial rocket, in flower for weeks now – bees galore.

          • ianmac 18.1.1.1.2
            30 March 2020 at 10:45 pm

            Thanks Pingao. I already have some red flowered plants we called pineapple sage but don't think that it is right name. Easy to grow from cuttings and smells almost minty. Maybe I have been planting it! Hey! looked it up and now I think it is what I have been planting by accident.

            Borage online looks good and I will find it indue course.
            And perennial rocket looks good too Grafton Gully!

            • adam 18.1.1.1.2.1
              31 March 2020 at 2:34 am

              I'll respond here. He was talking about creating plant diversity for Bees being a good way to go.

              As for seeds from supermarket – a wild flower mix would be really good.

              My Cosmos are flowering now after the hard dry summer, and the bees are all over them. He didn't recommend but I've found Nasturtiums and Californian Poppies help get the bee count up in my garden as well.

              Also letting some weeds grow as they flower quickly

  19. gsays 19
    30 March 2020 at 1:14 pm

    Something I would like to see implemented is an addition to the Food Control Plan, where food producers demonstrate their Pandemic Preparedness.

    If a primary producer can demonstrate safe practice then they can sell to the public when this sort of event occurs again.

    I feel there are more benefits to having locally sourced, seasonal, fresh food direct from the growers, rather than us buying from the centralised duopoly.

    Significantly shorter, stronger supply chain.

    Moneys spent stay local.

    The produce is 'handled' far less often.

    Builds resilience in the smaller communities.

    Has a lot of benefits that are in sync when considering climate change.

  20. Whispering Kate 20
    30 March 2020 at 2:29 pm

    Have just this morning face timed with family in Maryland. Thank the lord they have a Governor (although a moderate Republican) who is really getting on with protecting his State. The streets are mostly deserted. Basketball hoops have been removed and tennis courts are shut down in the parks and restaurants are closed. Some do takeaways. Sixty plus are given priority in the supermarkets and pubs are closed. Working from home is norm and my loved one has a work station in the spare bedroom.

    My family have a 3 month weekly order of a type of "Meals in a bag" – raw ingredients and a recipe attached for a week's meals delivered to the stoop. Wine order is all sorted and delivered. Folk who work in Washington DC still commute home but the trains are not as busy so many are working from home from there as well. It was a sigh of relief as the situation is very dire over there. My family are not that optimistic things will improve but they are hanging in there and praying things will improve over time.

    Their POTUS is alarming to say the least. Delusional would be a more apt description of the state of his mind. The US is fast becoming a failed state but to be honest its not surprising. I pray for all their citizens to be saved from his actions.

  21. A 21
    30 March 2020 at 3:35 pm

    WHO (WORLD Health Organisation) – in a wtf series of moments they refuse to answer or even acknowledge a question about Taiwan, while ensuring China was portrayed in a good light.

    Canadian physician Dr Bruce Aylward, an aide to WHO director-general Dr Tedros Adhanom, sat down for a video interview with RTHK about the coronavirus outbreak where he was asked whether the organisation would "consider Taiwan's membership."

    For several seconds, Dr Aylward sat in silence.

    "Hello?" the reporter asked.

    "I'm sorry, I couldn't hear your question, Yvonne," Dr Aylward responded.

    "Okay, let me repeat the question," she said.

    "No, that's okay. Let's move to another one then," the WHO official told her.

    The reporter doubled down, saying she was "curious" to talk about Taiwan as well as the ongoing pandemic, but Dr Aylward quickly hangs up.

    After calling him again, the reporter asked about what his thoughts were to Taiwan's response to the outbreak.

    "Well, we've already talked about China," Dr Aylward answered. "And you know, when you look across all the different areas of China, they've actually all done quite a good job."

    Let's review so far….WHO prioritized the world economy (not their job or area) over human life back in January when evidence existed this would become a pandemic if borders to China were not immediately closed. After it became a pandemic they refused to name it as such even when their own criteria had been met for weeks. THEN they had the audacity to ask for donations…apparently that wasn't met with $$$, possibly because it was already apparent they had become a mouthpiece for China.

  22. joe90 22
    30 March 2020 at 4:25 pm

    Wuhan authorities delayed informing Beijing that the outbreak was out of their control.

    The alarm system was ready. Scarred by the SARS epidemic that erupted in 2002, China had created an infectious disease reporting system that officials said was world-class: fast, thorough and, just as important, immune from meddling.

    Hospitals could input patients’ details into a computer and instantly notify government health authorities in Beijing, where officers are trained to spot and smother contagious outbreaks before they spread.

    It didn’t work.

    After doctors in Wuhan began treating clusters of patients stricken with a mysterious pneumonia in December, the reporting was supposed to have been automatic. Instead, hospitals deferred to local health officials who, over a political aversion to sharing bad news, withheld information about cases from the national reporting system — keeping Beijing in the dark and delaying the response.

    The central health authorities first learned about the outbreak not from the reporting system but after unknown whistle-blowers leaked two internal documents online.

    Even after Beijing got involved, local officials set narrow criteria for confirming cases, leaving out information that could have provided clues that the virus was spreading among humans.

    Hospitals were ordered to count only patients with a known connection to the source of the outbreak, the seafood market. Doctors also had to have their cases confirmed by bureaucrats before they were reported to higher-ups.

    http://archive.li/q8Qn4 (nyt)

  23. Fireblade 23
    30 March 2020 at 4:32 pm

    NZ has withdrawn its forces from Iraq.

    From Newshub:
    All 45 New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) personnel are either on their way back to New Zealand, or already in the country, said Defence Minister Ron Mark on Monday.

    https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2020/03/new-zealand-withdraws-all-military-personnel-from-camp-taji-in-iraq.html

    • Muttonbird 24.1
      30 March 2020 at 5:13 pm

      It's pretty twisted you'd use this as an opportunity to attack Sanders.

      Have a fucking look at yourself.

      • joe90 24.1.1
        30 March 2020 at 5:18 pm

        Parsing what folk actually write does seem to be beyond you.

        • Muttonbird 24.1.1.1
          30 March 2020 at 5:48 pm

          Apologies for swearing but really, seeking out obscure poll results in order to attack the left doesn't seem to be the appropriate response in these difficult times.

    • Andre 24.2
      30 March 2020 at 6:14 pm

      It's probably fairer to call that 15% the cultists.

      The remaining 85% that will go on to swallow their disappointment that their first choice didn't win and vote for the eventual nominee aren't cultists, They just have different views and priorities to the majority, but in the end are rational and pragmatic enough to go with the next best option to further their interests. They’re probably not part of the group inventing fantasies about rigging vote counts and spouting about the Dems pushing hoaxes and are more interested in attacking the media and whining about Dems than getting rid of Tyrannosaurus Arse.

  25. A 25
    30 March 2020 at 6:27 pm

    Ungrateful c****. In this story it’s Property Brokers.
    Summary – why give tenants a break when we have welfare?

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/checkpoint/audio/2018740796/propery-managers-tell-landlords-not-to-give-rent-holidays

  26. The Al1en 26
    30 March 2020 at 6:34 pm

    Good to see John Oliver is still on air. Latest episode now available from your favourite streaming site.

  27. A 27
    30 March 2020 at 6:38 pm

    The New New Zealand goes viral as a growing body of Australians demand to be under JA's leadership.

    Australians dissatisfied with the leadership of Prime Minister Scott Morrison are banding together to call for New Zealand to annex Australia so the country can be under Jacinda Ardern's leadership.

    A map dubbing Australia "New New Zealand" has gone viral on social media, alongside a call for Australia to "surrender to New Zealand immediately".

    "Due to appalling lack of leadership here, and superb leadership over there, let's surrender Australia to New Zealand immediately," Scott Battersby, from Australia, posted on Facebook.

    "Have them annex us and take control of our government. North Island, South Island, Big Island #newnewzealand Share away everyone … let's get this done."

  28. alwyn 28
    30 March 2020 at 6:57 pm

    Please tell me this is a joke. Is this how our Government spends its time?

    What on earth required this order, and don't they have more useful things to do?

    "The agreed quantity for spirits purchased must be no more than the customs/duty-free allowance which is 3 bottles (or other containers) of spirits or liqueur (each bottle or container can hold a maximum of 1.125 litres) per order."

    https://covid19.govt.nz/government-actions/covid-19-alert-level/essential-businesses/

    • pat 28.1
      30 March 2020 at 7:00 pm

      may well have been a request from police and/or NGOs dealing with family violence…..but then I suspect seeking an answer is not your purpose, eh?

      • Muttonbird 28.1.1
        30 March 2020 at 7:02 pm

        Indeed. He types before he thinks.

        That’s ok, though. We will do the thinking for him.

    • Muttonbird 28.2
      30 March 2020 at 7:01 pm

      Probably responding to reports of big purchases by some unscrupulous people hoping to profit through resales on the black market.

      • alwyn 28.2.1
        30 March 2020 at 7:28 pm

        Have there been such reports? Where did they happen? I was aware of such things when they proposed to ban the sale of spirits entirely but I would have thought that had stopped. How are our PM and deputy PM going to get on? They both had a well publicised taste for Whiskey didn't they.

        Bringing back the days of the sly-groggers from when we had 6 o'clock closing I suppose.

    • The Al1en 28.3
      30 March 2020 at 7:02 pm

      I'm sure, if you really need more than 3+ litres of spirits to drown your sorrows at the way the government is handling the crisis with near universal support, you can order another delivery for tomorrow to see you through.

    • Andre 28.4
      30 March 2020 at 7:04 pm

      Yeah, that's a joke alright. Those quantities are pitifully insufficient to make the 300 G&Ts a day I need to get an effective dose of chloroquine analog.

    • Craig H 28.5
      30 March 2020 at 7:37 pm

      Some policy expert, and probably not – this seems pretty useful, to be honest.

    • Incognito 28.6
      30 March 2020 at 7:47 pm

      You don't concern yourself with such trivial things. C'est la vie.

      https://thestandard.org.nz/how-this-may-play-out/#comment-1696391

  29. Stunned Mullet 29
    30 March 2020 at 7:33 pm

    Fascinating

    Covid-19 could have spread among humans for years or even decades before now, a team of scientists has discovered

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=12320841

    https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-020-0820-9

    • In Vino 29.1
      30 March 2020 at 10:32 pm

      So?? We await further scientific study, that is all.

      Stunned Mullett – you are aware of what 'could have' implies, are you? Same as 'might have' – old imperfect subjunctive now used as conditional tense, implying greater improbability. ie – 'It could have, but probably didn't.'

      If more likely but uncertain, we say, 'It may have,' implying that it quite possibly did.

      Not a big story until they find enough evidence to make it convincing. Mindless sensational fluff at this stage.

  30. observer 30
    30 March 2020 at 7:55 pm

    Today Jacinda Ardern got a better deal for Kiwis in Australia.

    John Key never managed that. But he and Turnbull looked nice in their kayaks.

    So who really did the photo-ops, and who actually gets results?

    • indiana 30.1
      30 March 2020 at 9:00 pm

      …so if there was no Covid-19, then she would have got this deal too?

      • observer 30.1.1
        30 March 2020 at 9:11 pm

        Who knows? Counter-factuals do whatever you want them to do.

        But she's all hugs and no substance. Apparently.

        (at least Bridges has stopped saying "part-time PM", his attack line from last year. Even he's worked out how silly that is).

    • RedBaronCV 30.2
      30 March 2020 at 9:44 pm

      Good result – even if scomo just wanted to be next to Jacinda in the papers to shore up his credibility or was worried about rocks being thrown in the street.

  31. joe90 31
    30 March 2020 at 8:16 pm

    My mate is in an essential primary industry worker. He works for Talleys.

    Last week Talleys agreed to enforce social distancing by slowing the chain, spacing out workers and reducing the kill number. Today, the kill number has gone up and management has thumbed it's nose at policing of social distancing on the chain. But what's really upsetting him is the lack of any effort by his employer to ensure the distancing of employees in their changing, ablution, and dining areas.

    He's absolutely filthy. Any suggestions?

    btw, he's pissing and moaning about younger workmates openly thumbing their noses at the notion of distancing, and said they're boasting about being all over the town after dark and using supermarkets as their go-to place to meet up.

    • Cinny 31.1
      30 March 2020 at 8:36 pm

      That blows.

      Wonder if the younger workmates need reminding that the 20-29 age group are the most infected in NZ.

      Wonder if there is a notice board in the smoko room that needs some printed material on it. Nah scrap that, there will be camera's there and management will give him shite for doing that.

      Does he belong to a union that he could turn to?

      Or… maybe he could contact MPI directly, here's their details…

      Hope that helps a lil bit, please let us know how he gets on.

    • RedBaronCV 31.2
      30 March 2020 at 9:54 pm

      Talleys – nobody could be surprised by that.

      Call the relevant departments – Talleys should get one chance to fix it- they get surprise visits or a camera feed is put in and the first "fail" the company goes under a form of statutory management, all the assets including owners trusts and personal assets are frozen & potentially forfeit, boot out the top management and make it unlikely that they will ever get anything back.

      As to the workers – again the relevant channels but maybe also ask these young guys about which of their parents, grandparents older relatives have been important to them. Then point out that they are lining up to make them very sick..

    • KJT 31.3
      30 March 2020 at 10:31 pm

      He has a right to refuse to work until safety issues are addressed.

      Don't know how that will go with Talleys, though.

      Darien Fenton is a good person to contact.

  33. Muttonbird 33
    30 March 2020 at 8:50 pm

    This story highlights the wild west shambles that is the reality of tenancy legislation in this country. Literally no-one knows what is and isn't allowed or even who is in charge. It’s all left to ordinary tenants to fight (while currently with no income).

    This is the result of decades of weak tenancy law in New Zealand and the worshipping of landlords, agents, and private property investors.

    What we are left with is some of the most poorly maintained residential housing stock in the western world, and low income tenant at the mercy of landlords and their agents. All this with absolutely no direction from government.

    Shame on us.

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/412965/property-brokers-tell-landlords-not-to-offer-rent-holidays

  34. Muttonbird 34
    30 March 2020 at 9:04 pm

    Reports are that Kiwis in Australia are getting AUD750/week for six months. That's nearly AUD20K.

    Why then have we actual Kiwis been offered just NZD7K over three months?

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=12321030

    • Adam Ash 34.1
      31 March 2020 at 1:21 am

      …at the rate they are going across the ditch, there may not be any Kiwis or Australians left alive in Australia in six months! Just sayin'!

    • Muttonbird 34.2
      31 March 2020 at 5:31 am

      Our Covid-19 wage-subsidy and benefit package now looking positively miserly when compared to Australia's:

      The Australian Government last week doubled the JobSeeker payment, previously called Newstart, to $1100 a fortnight.

      Businesses will receive a fortnightly wage subsidy up to $1500 per employee as part of a Federal Government bid to prevent millions of people from losing their jobs to the coronavirus pandemic.

      "This $1500 payment is a flat payment and is the equivalent of around 70 per cent of the median wage and represents about 100 per cent of of the median wage in those sectors most heavily impacted by the coronavirus like retail, like hospitality and tourism," he said.

      "It's more generous than [the] New Zealand scheme, it is broader than the United Kingdom scheme, as it applies to all employees not just those that have been stood down."

      https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/412983/covid-19-jacinda-ardern-praises-australia-s-wage-subsidy-scheme-for-including-kiwis

  35. Eco Maori 35
    31 March 2020 at 6:29 pm

    Kia Ora Newshub.

    That's good the virus testings are going to cover a wider % of people.

    Times are changing.

    Ka kite Ano

  36. Eco Maori 36
    31 March 2020 at 6:53 pm

    Kia Ora Te Ao Maori News.

    Its good to see someone helping Te Kaumatua to get there medication.

    Kiwi fruit has great vitamins.

    Ka kite Ano

  37. Eco Maori 37
    1 April 2020 at 8:45 am

    Kia Ora Newshub.

    Investing in the renewable energy sector would be a great move.

    The minimum wage goes up to $18.90 A hour Awsome.

    In times like this you can only hope.

    Mangaere budgeting services does great mahi.

    Ka kite Ano

  38. Eco Maori 38
    1 April 2020 at 6:28 pm

    Kia Ora Newshub.

    That's is cool some business people getting health and safety gear imported into Aotearoa.

    5 billion in government backed loans to businesses is great.

    Everyone needs to stay isolated in their roopu and whare.

    Ka kite Ano.

  39. Eco Maori 39
    1 April 2020 at 6:53 pm

    Kia Ora Te Ao Maori News.

    That's is good 100.00 health packages being delivered around Aotearoa.

    Having broadband during this virus lock down will help their education and keep them occupied during this virus lock down.

    Ka kite Ano

  40. Eco Maori 40
    2 April 2020 at 8:47 am

    Kia Ora The Am Show.

    Investing in renewable energy with that energy manufacturing closed loop products with our renewable natural resources.

    I'll raise a glass of water to how this situation has been managed in Aotearoa.

    Ka kite Ano

  41. Eco Maori 41
    2 April 2020 at 6:28 pm

    Kia Ora Newshub.

    That would be good to trace the people's phones who are coming to Aotearoa from overseas.??????.

    Sweden only time will tell.

    Ka kite Ano

  42. Eco Maori 42
    2 April 2020 at 6:52 pm

    Kia Ora Te Ao Maori News.

    Its good that Maori are going to get tested in Taramaki Makaru.

    Ka kite Ano

  43. Eco Maori 43
    3 April 2020 at 8:40 am

    Kia Ora The Am Show.

    There you go isolation early saves a lot of hardship later on.

    That's tipical the lock everyone up attitude from national in reality this situation is being handled better than most other countries Te tangata Te tangata.

    At the start you 2 were just brushing this situation off next minute.

    Ka kite Ano

  44. Eco Maori 44
    3 April 2020 at 6:27 pm

    Kia Ora Newshub.

    Its good to our government giving our sports team with a bailout.

    Ka kite Ano.

    • Eco Maori 44.1
      3 April 2020 at 6:51 pm

      Kia Ora Te Ao Maori News.

      The Rangatahi need to heed the isolation to protect our Kaumatua.

      Cool that Te Tairawhiti has a Rahui on Kai Moana during isolation.

      Ka kite Ano

  45. Eco Maori 45
    4 April 2020 at 6:27 pm

    Kia Ora Newshub.

    Waiting in line 2 hours for alcohol stuff that.

    I have stopped drinking coffee and have many positives from that.

    The positive effects on our environment and waterways is great.

    Ka kite Ano

  46. Eco Maori 46
    4 April 2020 at 6:52 pm

    Kia Ora Te Ao Maori News.

    People must learn to respect their Wahine and tamariki during this isolation lock down if we do this correctly we will be better than most others.

    Ka kite Ano