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[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.]
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.
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.
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…..
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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 😊
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.
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.
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
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……….
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.)
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.
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!
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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."
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."
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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…
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..
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.
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."
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.
Buzz from the Beehive Housing Minister Chris Bishop delivered news – packed with the ingredients to enflame political passions – worthy of supplanting Winston Peters in headline writers’ priorities. He popped up at the post-Cabinet press conference to promise a crackdown on unruly and antisocial state housing tenants. His ...
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Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
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Bob Edlin writes – And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ HeraldThomas CoughlanSimeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
TL;DR:Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it: We want our country to be a ...
The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading → ...
Ele Ludemann writes – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
What was that judge thinking?Peter Williams writes – That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop:Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
Buzz from the BeehiveThe text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary. It can be quickly analysed ...
For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
Questions need to be asked on both sides of the worldPeter Williams writes – The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop:The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
TL;DR:Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
Bob Edlin writes – The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
Every year, in the Budget, Parliament forks out money to government agencies to do certain things. And every year, as part of the annual review cycle, those agencies are meant to report on whether they have done the things Parliament gave them that money for. Agencies which consistently fail to ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – Recent events in American universities point to an underlying crisis of coherent thinking, an issue that increasingly affects the progressive left across the Western world. This of course is nothing new as anyone who can either remember or has read of the late ...
The thing about life’s little victories is that they can be followed by a defeat.Reader Darryl told me on Monday night:Test again Dave. My “head cold” last week became COVID within 24 hours, and is still with me. I hear the new variants take a bit longer to show up ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Angus Deaton on rethinking his economics IMFLocal scoop: The people behind Tamarind, the firm that left a $500m cleanup bill for taxpayers at Taranaki’s Tui oil well, are back operating in Taranaki under a different company name. Jonathan ...
Normally when we talk about accessing public transport it’s about improving how easy it is to get to, such as how easy is it to cross roads in a station/stop’s walking catchment, is it possible to cycle to safely, do bus connections work, or even if are there new routes/connections ...
Politicians are not renowned for telling the truth. Some tell us things that are verifiably not true. They offer statements that omit critical pieces of information. Gloss over risks, preferring to offer the best case scenario.Some not truths are quite small, others amusing in their transparency. There are those repeated ...
The pressure is mounting on the Government as it finalises its Budget Policy Statement, but yet more predicted revenue ‘goes missing’. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Climate Commission has delivered another funding blow to the National-ACT-NZ First coalition Government’s tax-cutting plans, potentially carving $1.4 billion off the ‘climate ...
The Government now faces the prospect of having to watch another tax raise the price of petrol when, only six days ago, it abolished the Auckland Regional Fuel tax. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon argued that the regional fuel tax imposed costs on lower-income people with less fuel-efficient vehicles and that ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
The New Zealand public voted for a change in direction at the 2023 general election and that is exactly what this coalition government has been delivering in its first 100 days. There was an immediate focus on the economy, easing the cost of living, cracking down on law and order ...
The Government has left the health system as an afterthought, announcing half-baked targets at the last minute of their 100-day plan, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
Kiwis are still waiting for their promised cost of living support after 100 days of a National Government that is taking us backwards, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
100 days of National taking NZ backwardsThe National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
The Government must commit to funding free and healthy school lunches, as thousands of people sign the petition to keep them, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti says. ...
If the Government was serious about moving families into public housing, they would build more houses so there is actually somewhere for people to go. ...
The free and healthy school lunches programme feeds our kids, helps them to learn, and saves families money – but it is at risk under this Government, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
The Government’s proposed changes to Firearms Prohibition Orders (FPO) add almost nothing new and are merely an attempt to distract from its plans to loosen gun laws, police spokesperson Ginny Andersen and justice spokesperson Dr Duncan Webb said. ...
The great Victorian era English politician Lord Macauley stood in the British House of Parliament and said, "The gallery in which the reporters sit has become a fourth estate of the realm".He understood and outlined even way back then, the significant role and influence media have in a democracy. ...
The government’s attack on Māori health this week is committing tangata-whenua to a premature death, says Te Pāti Māori. “The government have begun their onslaught on Māori health with the abolishment of the Māori Health Authority and smokefree laws in the same day” said health spokesperson and co-leader, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. ...
Today marks a tragic milestone for New Zealanders as the Coalition Government side with big tobacco to repeal the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products (Smoked Tobacco) Amendment Act 2022, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins and Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...
New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April. ...
Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand. Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships. “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland Acknowledgements and opening Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says. “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024 Acknowledgements and opening Morena, Nga Mihi Nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country. “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week. “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee. “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today. “The Amendment Paper represents ...
Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level. “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024. “Lower fruit and vege ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
The coalition Government is supporting farmers to enhance land management practices by investing $3.3 million in locally led catchment groups, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “Farmers and growers deliver significant prosperity for New Zealand and it’s vital their ongoing efforts to improve land management practices and water quality are supported,” ...
Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction. Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
Recommendations from the Climate Change Commission for New Zealand on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction and unit limit settings for the next five years have been tabled in Parliament, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “The Commission provides advice on the ETS annually. This is the third time the ...
The coalition Government is beginning its fight to lower building costs and reduce red tape by exempting minor building work from paying the building levy, says Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk. “Currently, any building project worth $20,444 including GST or more is subject to the building levy which is ...
Proposed changes to tax legislation to prevent the over-taxation of low-earning trusts are welcome, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The changes have been recommended by Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee following consideration of submissions on the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill. “One of the ...
Assalaamu alaikum. السَّلَام عليكم In light of the holy month of Ramadan, I want to extend my warmest wishes to our Muslim community in New Zealand. Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, renewed devotion, perseverance, generosity, and forgiveness. It’s a time to strengthen our bonds and appreciate the diversity ...
Former Transport Minister and CEO of the Auckland Business Chamber Hon Simon Bridges has been appointed as the new Board Chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) for a three-year term, Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced today. “Simon brings extensive experience and knowledge in transport policy and governance to the role. He will ...
Good morning all, it is a pleasure to be here as Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology. It is fantastic to see how connected and collaborative the life science and biotechnology industry is here in New Zealand. I would like to thank BioTechNZ and NZTech for the invitation to address ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says he is looking forward to the day when three key water projects in Northland are up and running, unlocking the full potential of land in the region. Mr Jones attended a community event at the site of the Otawere reservoir near Kerikeri on Friday. ...
Associate Finance Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government has agreed to restore deductibility for mortgage interest on residential investment properties. “Help is on the way for landlords and renters alike. The Government’s restoration of interest deductibility will ease pressure on rents and simplify the tax code,” says ...
Sport and Recreation Minister Chris Bishop will travel to Switzerland today to attend an Executive Committee meeting and Symposium of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Mr Bishop will then travel on to London where he will attend a series of meetings in his capacity as Infrastructure Minister. “New Zealanders believe ...
This year’s Pacific Language Weeks celebrate regional unity and the contribution of Pacific communities to New Zealand culture, says Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti. Dr Reti announced dates for the 2024 Pacific Language Weeks during a visit to the Pasifika festival in Auckland today and says there’s so ...
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist Food rationing is underway in remote areas in Papua New Guinea’s Highlands following torrential rain and flash flooding. More than 20 people have been reported dead in Chimbu Province. In nearby Enga Province, the centre of last month’s massacre, a 15-year-old boy has been ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Hughes, Lecturer, Research School of Management, Australian National University After months of debate and intrigue, the AFL’s 19th and newest team, the Tasmania Devils, finally launched its jumper, logo and colours in Devonport this week. The Devils will wear green, ...
Brannavan Gnanalingam reviews the debut novel by Saraid de Silva.One of the most baffling things for children who move to a new country is what their parents’ (or grandparents’) lives were like prior to moving – for kids in particular, they’re too busy trying to fit in in their ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Gaunson, Associate Professor in Cinema Studies, RMIT University Narelle Portanier/Binge “If you don’t know who your mob are, you don’t know who you are,” Detective Andrea “Andie” Whitford (played by Leah Purcell) is told early into the new crime ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elise Klein, Associate professor, Australian National University It’s commonly accepted that women do the vast majority of caregiving in Australian society. But less appreciated is that Indigenous women do larger amounts of unpaid care than any other group. Working with the Aboriginal ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne Joe Biden and Donald Trump have both secured their parties’ nominations for the November 5 United States general election by winning a ...
Comment: There has been a striking contrast in trans-Tasman interest about Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi’s visit to New Zealand and Australia. While the Australian press has been full of articles about the visit – including his curious decision to meet with former prime minister and China booster Paul Keating ...
After years of pressuring banks and other institutions to stop investing in fossil fuels, climate campaigners are making some progress. So how does divestment work?For years, climate activists have been pushing banks and other big institutions to divest from fossil fuels. New research from climate advocacy group 350 Aotearoa ...
For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others. The three young Polynesians are part of a K-pop fan community in Tāmaki Makaurau. It’s one of many that have sprung up worldwide as K-pop has gone ...
For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others. This one-off documentary presents three intimate portraits of young Polynesians who are pulled into a Korean cultural phenomenon. K-POLYS is directed by Litia Tuiburelevu, Produced by Hex ...
There’s ample evidence demonstrating free school lunch programmes provide wide benefits across schools, households and communities according to public health researchers. ACT Minister David Seymour wants to reduce the spending on Aotearoa New Zealand’s ...
By Wata Shaw in Suva Fiji is facing an exodus of Fijians as many are leaving for overseas seeking employment and education and others are migrating, says Opposition MP Viliame Naupoto. Speaking in Parliament, he said: “His Excellency’s speech (Ratu Wiliame Katonivere) comes after a little over one year of ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming comments from Christopher Luxon this morning recommitting to ‘no new taxes’ as part of Budget 2024. “Mr Luxon’s refusal at the Post-Cabinet press conference yesterday to repeat the ‘no new taxes’ promise ...
SAFE is urgently calling on the Environment Committee to reject the Government’s Fast-Track Approvals Bill, and is urging New Zealanders to rally behind the call. The proposed Bill, currently under consideration with the Environment select committee, ...
Teammates who spend all their time picking fights with spectators are only helpful for the other team, writes Madeleine Chapman. Anyone who has ever played a team sport competitively, particularly as a child and particularly, for some reason, basketball, will know that there’s a lot of politics involved. While there ...
The long-running Wellington music festival is too focused on the Jim Beam-ness and not enough on the Homegrown-ness.There is something about Homegrown that’s difficult to place. A barely perceptible-ness. Like feeling a ghost is watching you from the corner of the room but when you look, there’s nothing there. ...
The latest Ipsos New Zealand Issues Monitor reveals that fewer New Zealanders believe crime / law and order is one of the top issues facing our country. In 2018, Ipsos New Zealand started tracking the key issues facing New Zealand. In this wave ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Griffiths, Deputy Program Director, Budgets and Government, Grattan Institute Australia’s political donations rules are woefully inadequate, but donations reform is finally on the agenda. The federal government has signalled its interest in reform and will soon begin briefing MPs on its ...
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Why does this myth persist, and what’s the real reason our skin is suffering?It’s one of the biggest international grievances New Zealanders hold, up there with the sinking of the Rainbow Warrior and 1981’s underarm incident. We’re quick to tell international travellers that the world’s pollution led to the ...
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Opinion: In a move that has shocked road safety advocates across the country, the new Minister of Transport, Simeon Brown, is poised to abandon the previous government’s speed limit reduction policy, particularly around schools. Even more alarmingly, he wants school speed limits to be variable rather than full-time, arguing ...
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When the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act was introduced in 2009 it was firmly targeted at gangs and drugs. The legislation means police no longer need a conviction to seize assets that criminals can’t prove were paid for legitimately, as long as their alleged offences are punishable by more than a ...
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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.]
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:
https://techcrunch.com/2020/03/27/the-fda-just-okayed-multiple-15-minute-blood-tests-to-screen-for-coronavirus-but-there-are-caveats/
The 1919 Influenza Blues · Essie Jenkins
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-QzjvjqMNA
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.
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.
the new age communist…
https://youtu.be/jPCNc90i3JA
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
John Hopkins tracker is closing in on three-quarters of a million reported cases fast now. Likely a million by Thursday.
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.
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.
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.
End poverty & decrease income/wealth inequalities? I see there are only about 500 billionaires in China.
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
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.
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.
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.
I agree but there's a few billion that wouldn't, Have you ever been to an elephant camp or live snake show.
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.
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.
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
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 😊
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.
Or try getting out of bed earlier old mate .
I was actually thinking abut the work from home crowd who stick pretty much to normal hours
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 😉
It's overstayed its welcome by about a month. Far too bloody cold in the mornings.
Too bloody dark, too.
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.
We should be doing the same here. I've seen a couple of substantial shareholder increase notices.
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.]
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.
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
Whanganui make 2 grades of masks and are manufacturing 24 hrs a day.
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……….
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.
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)
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?
"does that mean that ' the economy' is not actually intended to meet collective human needs? "
think that may be a rhetorical question
And This:
Ignore the bankers – the Trump economy is not worth more coronavirus deaths
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/mar/29/bankers-trump-economy-coronavirus-deaths
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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…..
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
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0qW9P-uYfM
Hopefully ‘Elt’s’ as embarrassed as I am having to watch it
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.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZ-BhOzGnNQ
My thoughts entirely, as well. My on-line friends in the US are very anxious for their safety right now.
Give him time…
https://twitter.com/LizSly/status/1243671822299795457
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.
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.
PDF's morons are losing their minds. All is well.
What about? The local butcher not being open, or Jacinda's facial expressions?
Edit: I typed the above without looking and then found this…
Two for two, lol.
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.
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.
The yanks are the bigger problem now. What "questions" do you have for China?
I guess the pneumonia cases are spiking..
https://twitter.com/BNODesk/status/1244313529110405120
Ouch – looks at statista on Russia – everything is in Moscow.
https://www.statista.com/statistics/1102935/coronavirus-cases-by-region-in-russia/
"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
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.
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.
Thanks for link, been planting bee balm for years. Going to add a few more different plants this year.
What was the supermarket seed/plant he said to attract bees? A weed I think.
They go crazy for borage!
Also red flowered pineapple sage which is flowering now : )
And perennial rocket, in flower for weeks now – bees galore.
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!
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
A cheering note thanks Adam.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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)
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
And 15% of the cult reckon they'll vote for this POS.
https://twitter.com/joekennedy/status/1244403749151543301
It's pretty twisted you'd use this as an opportunity to attack Sanders.
Have a fucking look at yourself.
Parsing what folk actually write does seem to be beyond you.
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.
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.
Indeed. Apologies to the 85%.
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
Good to see John Oliver is still on air. Latest episode now available from your favourite streaming site.
The New New Zealand goes viral as a growing body of Australians demand to be under JA's leadership.
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/
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?
Indeed. He types before he thinks.
That’s ok, though. We will do the thinking for him.
Have to say I've been impressed with the responses to his comments today.
Probably responding to reports of big purchases by some unscrupulous people hoping to profit through resales on the black market.
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.
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.
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.
I was wondering when you might start giving us some progress reports on that.
🤪 … 🥴 … 🤢 … 🤮 … rinse and repeat
Some policy expert, and probably not – this seems pretty useful, to be honest.
https://thestandard.org.nz/how-this-may-play-out/#comment-1696391
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
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.
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?
…so if there was no Covid-19, then she would have got this deal too?
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).
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.
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.
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.
Done.
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..
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.
Good advice KJT, re Darien.
true
https://twitter.com/OutAndAbouter/status/1244239639596187648
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
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
…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'!
Our Covid-19 wage-subsidy and benefit package now looking positively miserly when compared to Australia's:
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/412983/covid-19-jacinda-ardern-praises-australia-s-wage-subsidy-scheme-for-including-kiwis
Kia Ora Newshub.
That's good the virus testings are going to cover a wider % of people.
Times are changing.
Ka kite Ano
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
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
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.
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
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
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
Kia Ora Te Ao Maori News.
Its good that Maori are going to get tested in Taramaki Makaru.
Ka kite Ano
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
Kia Ora Newshub.
Its good to our government giving our sports team with a bailout.
Ka kite Ano.
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
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
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