The Golden Ticket
Written By:
- Date published:
7:00 am, September 24th, 2021 - 110 comments
Categories: australian politics, covid-19, health, jacinda ardern -
Tags:
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern claimed yesterday that a very high vaccination rate in New Zealand would represent a “golden ticket” and make level 4 lockdowns redundant. What could that mean that’s positive for New Zealand?
So if we peek over the horizon to January 2022, what might a very high rate of vaccination mean?
Getting to 85% vaccinated would be possible if the 5-12 year olds can get it. That puts it in the well-oiled public health machinery of primary and intermediate schools.
It is a range that puts us in the rarefied company of such countries as Portugal, Singapore, Iceland, Denmark, and Qatar.
It is yet another competitive differentiator away from Australia.
Australia is in the category of “needs to take action”, as distinct from New Zealand’s “Countries Beating Covid-19”.
By February 2021 Australia’s ABC News could see the differentiators.
For Vietnam it was a low-tech hard and fast response.
For Taiwan, extensive public health infrastructure and experience with SARS.
For Thailand, an army of volunteers.
For Cyprus, border controls and lockdowns.
For Rwanda, public trust in the public health system.
For Iceland, sophisticated and widespread testing.
As a distant and small country with few natural resources and a tiny population, we need as many advantages as fate throws our way.
Denmark and Singapore are small successful states that we often use as policy comparators.
Singapore’s Teo Yik Kang the Dean of the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health at the National University of Singapore, said in August 17th this year that “If countries start to move towards an endemic COVID-19 strategy, the expectation is that there will be more related death, although it is still unclear how many of these will be excess mortality and how many could have occurred regardless of COVID-19.” That requires citizens giving the government and the public health system the social license to treat a level of death and morbidity as a public health background noise similar to road deaths and annual colds.
Is New Zealand really ready for the kind of case number surges that have occurred in Singapore as a result of this public policy?
Denmark has vaccinated 84.5% with a double dose of Pfizer. They are a small country with a sophisticated agricultural base, a social democrat framework and very high trust in government.
More than 353,000 Danes have got infected so far and 2,614 have died of it.
To deal with Denmark’s consequences of re-opening up society and the relative huge surge in cases, Denmark has had to more than double New Zealand’s current intensive care per capita.
Our health system doesn’t have that capacity and would take far too long to get there.
The Danish approach probably wouldn’t work entirely.
Our severity of regulatory response is what we do instead of a first rate health system that could deal with it. We have the social cohesion and trust in government to do that, thankfully.
Neither Singapore nor Denmark have Maori and Pasifika populations that are hard to get to and low on vaccinations on average. New Zealand has that combination to itself.
Freedom of movement is the right we don’t want to lose again.
International travel tracing is well developed. It does appear that the digital passport for proof of disease-free status is on its way as it has been in Denmark.
Lots of countries are considering it for international travel, particularly using the International Air Transport Association (IATA) technology.
Cross-regional and cross-city tracing has a lot of potential if our transport operators can be forced to cooperate with the public health system. We need to move, but we also need to be safe.
Optimism that either Auckland Transport or NZTA will be able to integrate QR codes into regional or national ticketing systems is not high, given that NZTA have been working on that for well over a decade.
But as we found under Levels 3 and 4, because inter-regional travel is as problematic for COVID spread as international travel, personal tracing through mandatory identification as they already do for tolled roads or HOP CRD, Snapper Card, and SuperGold, is inevitable. It’s the new price of movement.
The Golden Ticket Ifs
If we can get to 90% vaccinated including those 5-12 years, and
if we can get an upgraded ICU health system to cope as Denmark and Singapore are having to, and if we can in fairly quick order unify our health system away from false regional boundaries, and if we can re-tool a health system in time to support Maori and Pasifika vaccination rates as they have over the last 6 months, and if we can get transport systems to identify personal movement or otherwise keep us safe, and if we can keep our social cohesion and live with a higher background rate of death and morbidity, then we can get freedom of movement back, and then we can live with COVID.
That’s a lot of probabilistic if’s with just three months before we put our “Golden Ticket” in the hands of 2022. And it is probably our only good path.
110 comments on “The Golden Ticket ”
- Comments are now closed
- Comments are now closed
CommentsOpinions
Recent Comments
FeedsPartyGovtMedia
- Weekly Roundup 22-November-2024
It’s another Friday and we’re inching closer to the end of the year. Here’s some of the stories that have caught our attention this week. This post, like all our work, is brought to you by a largely volunteer crew and made possible by generous donations from our readers and ...15 minutes ago - Beyond Question?
Record Numbers: The Hīkoi mō te Tiriti, which began at the tip of the North, and the tail of the South, on 11 November, culminated outside Parliament on Tuesday, 19 November 2024, in one of the largest demonstrations in New Zealand’s political history.ACCORDING TO TE ARA, the Ministry of Culture ...50 minutes ago - The Rush To Blame “The Activists”
Activists are such easy scapegoats. The right and center have been conditioned for decades to roll their eyes at all protests. The left are easily aggravated over students leading movements they see as belonging to grownups, who have more important concerns like the economy and whether the trains come on ...58 minutes ago - Cutting Through An Inundation of Dipshit Racists
Hi,Watching New Zealand from afar offers a strange perspective. It can be a good thing — distance from Aotearoa helped keep me sane while I reported on abuse at New Zealand’s biggest megachurch over the course of a year. It helps fuel my silly podcast. But it can also be ...2 hours ago - This is bad news
The speech yesterday by Treasury’s Chief Economic Advisor warning that the books are in worse shape than forecasted looks like it’s part of a softening-up process for either more cuts or a longer wait to get back into surplus. The speech was a highly unusual public preview of Treasury’s Half-Yearly ...3 hours ago - Skeptical Science New Research for Week #47 2024
Open access notables Projected increase in the frequency of extremely active Atlantic hurricane seasons, Lopez et al., Science Advances: Future changes to the year-to-year swings between active and inactive North Atlantic tropical cyclone (TC) seasons have received little attention, yet may have great societal implications in areas prone to hurricane ...12 hours ago - Chicken Kiev
Chatting in the supermarket this morning, I found I needed to lunge for the chicken drumsticks.Coping mechanisms: who hasn’t felt a greater need for them lately?When it all gets too much, I turn to demonstrating handy butchery hacks.It wasn’t that she’d said anything wrong, our friend, not at all. We ...15 hours ago - The year is 2024 and it’s 1984
This is written in response to the highly significant open letter from a group of economists that was today addressed to Christopher Luxon. The year is 2024, and it’s 1984. The country is reeling from a record Olympic medal gold haul, while the globe grapples with the choice of the ...16 hours ago - The IPCA has failed
Back in 2022, RNZ took an in-depth look at the "Independent" Police Conduct Authority and its handling of killings by police. These are the most serious test of oversight, and you would expect the police's use of lethal force to receive the most severe scrutiny. But despite the police regularly ...20 hours ago - Thursday 21 November 2024
The Hīkoi mō Te Tiriti arrived at Parliament on Tuesday – the size is being debated but estimates range from 42,000 to 100,000. The Prime Minister is defending not attending due to some of the organisers being affiliated with Te Pāti Māori. The national gang patch ban came into force ...20 hours ago - ‘These budget cuts are counter-productive and make no sense’
I spoke to former Productivity Chair Nana this morning about the letter he and a group of other economists sent to PM Christopher Luxon to urge the Government to urgently suspend cuts to spending and investment for the sake of the economy, struggling businesses and the wellbeing of vulnerable ...22 hours ago - ACT’s Astroturfing & A Co-ordinated Attack on Te Pati Māori
Unity on the Streets / Unity at the TableAfter the Hīkoi, all three right wing Coalition leaders came together to push the idea that the 42,000 - 50,000 + strong Hikoi was somehow less potent and brave, and more illegitimate than the energy and crowd displayed.Prime Minister Christopher Luxon 20-November: ...23 hours ago - Durability of carbon dioxide removal is critical for stabilizing temperatures
This is a re-post from the Climate Brink The world is emitting over 40 gigatons of CO2 per year, contributing to an accelerating warming of the planet. The world needs to cut emissions rapidly to be remotely on track to meet our Paris Agreement goals of limiting warming to well-below 2C, and we ...23 hours ago
- I Love My Leather Jacket
I wear my leather jacket like a great big hugRadiating charm - a living cloak of luckIt's the only concrete link with an absent friendIt's a symbol I can wear 'till we meet againOr it's a weight around my neck while the owner's freeBoth protector and reminder of mortalityIt's a ...1 day ago - Throwback Thursday: Will “Auckland Transport” Survive?
With Auckland Transport’s future up in the air under Mayor Wayne Brown’s proposed CCO reform, we’ve dug way back into the archives, to unearth this post originally published in March 2010. As you’ll see, many of the debates that were being had when AT was first proposed continue to ...1 day ago
- Economists call on PM to suspend budget cuts for the sake of the economy
Nicola Willis’ budget cuts are under fire from economists for having no clear rationale and worsening the recession. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāKia ora. Long stories short, here’s my top things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Thursday, November 21: The news at ...1 day ago
- The end of policing by consent
National has appointed a new police commissioner. And he explicitly rejects policing by consent: Asked if he subscribed to policing by consent, he said he did not. “I don’t talk about policing by consent. I talk about trust and confidence, and it is fundamentally important that the police have ...2 days ago
- The Treaty Principles Bill: A Who’s Who
David Horatio Waterbed SeymourFringe politician and dweeb transformed successfully by ThinkTank money into a well-oiled soundbite robot.Currently programmed to say: Equal rights for all New Zealanders Equal rights for all New Zealanders Equal rights for all New Zealanders Was previously programmed to say:I am a proud libertarian andI am a ...2 days ago - Kinleith mill closure shows need for industrial strategy
NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi President Richard Wagstaff is calling on the Government to deliver an economic and industrial strategy for regional manufacturing, rather than just expressing sympathy for job losses, following the announced closure of Kinleith mill in Tokoroa. “The closure Kinleith mill in Tokoroa is not just devastating for ...2 days ago
- 27% of kids going hungry, up from 21% in a year
One in four Kiwi children live in households where food runs out often or sometimes. Photo: Getty ImagesKia ora. Long stories short, here’s my top things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Wednesday, November 20: The lead: The official annual Health Survey found sharp ...2 days ago - Transport modelling is an illusion
This guest post by Tim Adriaansen, an advocate for accessibility and sustainable transport, originally published on LinkedIn and cross posted here with permission. People prefer cars, right? Probably not. Here’s why. Granted, most people in English-speaking countries use a car to get around. This simple reality underpins our transport ...2 days ago
- Young Maori take over
Neither Wellington nor Parliament has ever seen anything like it before. The Police said there were more than 40,000 but however many there were, yesterday’s Hikoi to Parliament was a monumental event. It was almost three times the Foreshore and Seabed martch of 2004 and many,many times bigger than ...2 days ago
- Gordon Campbell On The Hikoi Aftermath
The euphoria from yesterday’s hikoi may be transitory, but is no less valuable for that. It is pretty rare for the left to feel itself to be in the overwhelming majority, and speaking as the voice of the people. Lest that momentum be lost, the organisers will no doubt be ...2 days ago - Sabin 33 #3 – Solar panels generate too much waste and will overwhelm landfills
On November 1, 2024 we announced the publication of 33 rebuttals based on the report "Rebutting 33 False Claims About Solar, Wind, and Electric Vehicles" written by Matthew Eisenson, Jacob Elkin, Andy Fitch, Matthew Ard, Kaya Sittinger & Samuel Lavine and published by the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia ...3 days ago
- What’s the time Mr Seymour?
Mr David Seymour crawling up to the ceilingThe sun don't shine the sun don't shine the sun don't shine at allMamma Pappa say you should go to school, I don't know what forNow that I've grown up and seen the world and all its liesSong: Southside of Bombay"Ake, ake, ake" ...3 days ago - Submit to defend te Tiriti!
The Justice Committee has called for submissions on National's racist and constitutionally radical Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill. Submissions can be made at the link above or by post, and are due by Tuesday, 7 January 2025. But I'd get in quick, in case National grows a spine ...3 days ago
- We need to talk about Kevin
All happy families are alike; each unhappy family has a Drunk Uncle Kevin in there somewhere. If your Kevin is anything like the ones I know, he was getting along happily enough without having to think too much about the Treaty Principles Bill apart from bloody good job, onya guys ...3 days ago - The hikoi
Like everyone else (everyone who wasn't there, anyway), I've spent the morning watching the hikoi march on Parliament. The pictures are astounding: parliament grounds and the surrounding streets are full, and there are still people backed up along Lambton Quay. The police are estimating 35,000 people, and that's a floor ...3 days ago
- Why Govt & NZ Inc should boycott & regulate Facebook
3 days ago - How should we talk about change?
A better world isn’t just possible, it’s desirable. And that’s how we should frame a lot of our conversations around making a greater Auckland. As an example take urban climate action. A climate friendly Auckland: Is free from congestion Enables people to travel how they choose Is filled with ...3 days ago
- AMA + Holiday Webworm Merch!
3 days ago - Discount Code for Webworm Merch!
Hi,So there’s a bunch of new stuff on the Webworm store (www.webworm.store) — just in time for the Holidays. Read more ...3 days ago - Trying to defuse the tension
There were urgent moves yesterday at Parliament to try and defuse the tension building up over ACT’s Treaty Principles Bill. The Bill’s author, ACT leader David Seymour, told reporters that he understood the Justice Select Committee met yesterday to discuss how long it should take to consider submissions on the ...3 days ago
- An Irritable NZ Pawn – David Seymour Admits Treaty Principles Bill will clear the way for deve...
3 days ago - Gordon Campbell On The Hikoi Arrival, And Tyler Childers
Politicians like to bang on all about the need to heal society’s racial/economic divisions, but in their actions they’re more keen on stoking those divisions, with the Treaty Principles Bill being the classic example. The Bill seeks to dilute the Crown’s responsibilities to Māori at the same time as it ...3 days ago
- Socially Backwards and Fiscally Forwards: the False Ideological Divide and the “Conservative” Li...
3 days ago - Kaamos: Accepted
I appreciate that A Phuulish Fellow has been fairly quiet recently. That’s a combination of two things – comparatively little in the way of relevant material to discuss (at least until The War of the Rohirrim comes out next month), and my general work on The Secret Non-Fiction Writing Project. ...4 days ago - Here’s how governments could fix their Paris climate commitment failures
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Governments around the world face a conundrum. Virtually none are on track to meet their Paris climate commitments. That includes the United States, which committed to cut its emissions at least 50% below 2005 levels by 2030 but is only on track for 32-43% cuts ...4 days ago
- Unstoppable.
4 days ago
- Katherine Trebeck – An Alternative Economic Narrative
The era of neoliberalism has been destructive on so many levels, with a huge growth in wealth and privilege for the one percent. A hollowing out of the state; fraying of the safety net; inadequate government investment in infrastructure; and continued environmental degradation has resulted in damage on a vast ...4 days ago - In a Manner of Speaking
In a manner of speakingI just want to sayThat I could never forget the wayYou told me everythingBy saying nothingOh, give me the wordsGive me the wordsThat tell me nothingOh, give me the wordsGive me the wordsThat tell me everythingSongwriter: Winston TongNext Tuesday, the subscription price for Nick’s Kōrero will ...4 days ago - Monday 18 November 2024
The NZNO have announced a nationwide strike for December over its pay dispute with Health NZ, who have put a 1 per cent cap on pay rises. The Hīkoi mō Te Tiriti and Treaty Principles Bill remain front and centre in the media, with the impacts of the Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke-led ...4 days ago
- Shipley warns Seymour’s bill is ‘inviting civil war’
The divisive Treaty Principles Bill is not just a risk for the National Party, it’s a risk to civil order and unity, warns a National Party grandee. Photo: Getty ImagesKia ora. Long stories short, here’s my top things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on ...4 days ago - A clearer network for the City Rail Link?
This post was originally published on Linked In by Nicolas Reid. It is republished here with permission. Auckland is now just a year or so away from having the keystone of its urban rail network complete. As I wrote about here, the City Rail Link will be a literal game changer for ...4 days ago
- National’s support base is wobbling
If ACT leader David Seymour intended the Treaty Principles Bill to drive a wedge into National’s support base, he may well already be succeeding. By midnight on Thursday after the Maori Party haka in Parliament, National MPs were being deluged with emails and messages from their members calling them out ...4 days ago
- 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #46
A listing of 33 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, November 10, 2024 thru Sat, November 16, 2024. Story of the week Our Story of the Week is completely "meta" (no, not that Meta). It's about our exploring how ...4 days ago
- Grifter Eftpos Tamaki at it again
..Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.Self-appointed “Bishop” and proto-fascist, Brian Tamaki was at it again on 16 November, blocking Auckland’s southern motorway, SH1.This time, the target of his ire wasn’t the Civil Unions Act; covid lock-downs; mask mandates; or ...5 days ago - Rip up a bill, lead a haka are words to live by
I cannot stop grabbing people by the lapels, or shoulders, or similar, and raving at them about the tiny miracles in my ears.I can hear again! There could not be a more satisfied customer in all the world.In a noisy cafe I am even catching words that Karren cannot, she ...5 days ago - Unintended Consequences
Take the baitYou pay the priceIt's much too lateFor good adviceYou know and I know that our good things' throughBecause there's consequences for what we doConsequences for me and youWriters: Kevin Robert Hayes, David Nagier, Bonnie Adele Hayes.Fallout from the first readingOne News began last night by saying that tens ...6 days ago - Thank you, driver!
Today, Saturday 16th of November, is Auckland Transport’s Bus Driver Appreciation Day! Saturday 16 November marks the third annual Auckland Transport (AT) ‘Bus Driver Appreciation Day’, and this year we are encouraging all of New Zealand to thank their driver or let the bus go first if you are in ...6 days ago
- Totally Normal: Holiday Edition
Hi,If I was to accurately sum up my mental state over the week, I’d just say that I got a huge fright from my own shadow.I’d nipped out for an 11pm neighborhood stroll, just to calm down after a day of stress and screens. The Cure and Fazerdaze’s new record ...6 days ago - We Are Not Listening
The current rise of populism challenges the way we think about people’s relationship to the economy.We seem to be entering an era of populism, in which leadership in a democracy is based on preferences of the population which do not seem entirely rational nor serving their longer interests. ...
7 days ago - More lawlessness from National
On Tuesday, sick of government stonewalling, the Waitangi Tribunal issued a rare court order, ordering the Minister of Health to release unredacted documents within 48 hours showing its reasoning for disestablishing Te Aka Whai Ora, the Māori Health Authority. The government's response to the lawful order of a court? Yeah, ...7 days ago
- National’s tyrannical “foreign interference” law
Yesterday, under cover the the biggest political fight of the year, National quietly - covertly, even - introduced anti-foreign interference legislation. The bill is the product of a years-long work-program aimed at countering shit like this and this, and there's unquestionably a need to do something to counter foreign states' ...7 days ago
- The Haka Represents The Best Of Us
A few months ago, I was in an audience watching a Haka-Kapa and as I watched children dance and sing and sway and shout and beat, I couldn’t help but think “The Haka represents the best of us.”Yes, yes - there will be a thousand voices that rush forth to ...7 days ago
- Adding up the climate cost
St Mary’s Bay housing left hanging: Climate risk is systemically underestimated in the climate scenarios used by central banks, and a new report warns 10,000 houses are set to become uninsurable in Aotearoa. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, here’s the top six news items of note in ...7 days ago
- Auckland chafing at Bishop’s housing intensification orders
One of the major problems the Government has in implementing its ‘going for housing growth’ strategy is that it isn’t giving much funding help to councils. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāKia ora. Long stories short, here’s my top things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and ...7 days ago - Friday 15 November 2024
The Treaty Principles Bill continues to dominate political news, with it passing its first reading in the House. Parliament was briefly suspended and Te Pāti Māori MP Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke suspended for 24 hours after leading a haka that was joined by opposition MPs and the public in the gallery. Willie ...7 days ago
- Weekly Roundup 15-November-2024
Happy Friday, welcome to another round-up of interesting stories about what’s happening in Auckland and other cities. Feel free to add your links in the comments! This post, like all our work, is brought to you by a largely volunteer crew and made possible by generous donations from our readers ...1 week ago
- Are We The Waiting?
And screamingAre we we are, are we we are the waitingAnd screamingAre we we are, are we we are the waitingForget me nots, second thoughts live in isolationHeads or tails and fairy tales in my mindAre we we are, are we we are the waiting unknownThe rage and love, the ...1 week ago - The Hoon around the week to November 15
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts & talking about the week’s news with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on the latest climate news, including from COP29 this week; on the US Presidential elections, Israel vs Gaza/Iran/Lebanon, Ukraine/Nato vs Russia/North ...1 week ago
- First Tea and Toast, now Milo — why do NZ’s best beverages need so much defending?
Only two months ago, Nicola Willis had to step in to stop Health New Zealand cutting tea and toast for post-birth parents, and now Lester Levy is riding to the rescue with a welcome message for all: our health workers can once again drink Milo, and will no longer need ...1 week ago - Gordon Campbell on the folly of making apologies in a social vacuum.
Day One of the Treaty Principles Bill…and everyone got what they wanted, and did what they liked. Heated words were exchanged. Culturally appropriate acts of outrage were performed. David Seymour got to play the victim card. Willie Jackson got kicked out of class. A comically red-faced Mr Speaker bellowed “Order, ...1 week ago
- Skeptical Science New Research for Week #46 2024
Open access notables Microbial solutions must be deployed against climate catastrophe, Peixoto et al., Nature Communications [comment]: The climate crisis is escalating. A multitude of microbe-based solutions have been proposed, and these technologies hold great promise and could be deployed along with other climate mitigation strategies. However, these solutions have ...1 week ago
- The PM gets some extremely valuable legal advice for free
You can pay a great deal of money for the services of a KC. So just what would some peerless legal writing from 40 or so of them be worth, do you reckon?Priceless, that’s what. It’s not even the half of it, but this is my favourite part of the ...1 week ago - D-day for the government
The government's Treaty Principles Bill is up for its first reading today - bought forward in a rush in a desperate effort to avoid the hikoi which is currently marching on Wellington. But the Prime Minister won’t be there for it – he’s literally running away to Peru! But he ...1 week ago
- 97% of submissions did not want no-cause evictions, Trump chooses a Russian spy for US Intelligence ...
Good morning, and I’m sorry I’ve been away for a couple of days.I’ve been focusing on the Hikoi, and also testing out sentiment on the Treaty Principles Bill. It’s complicated, and the Treaty Principles Bill will be debated in the House today. The Government’s own lawyers have told them the ...1 week ago - Government must vote down ACT Members Bill that would undermine workers’ rights
NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi President Richard Wagstaff is calling on the Government to vote down an ACT Party Members Bill that would undermine workers’ rights by making it easier for employers to fire workers. Last week ACT MP Laura Trask’s Employment Relations (Termination of Employment by Agreement) Amendment Bill was ...1 week ago
- Seymour causes thousands of unjustified absences by forcing kids to fight for their rights instead o...
The State would like to remind you that they are in control. They manage your employment prospects, and can destroy the job market you and yours rely on by mass-cancelling construction projects, cutting funding, and firing a good chunk of our public servants. They wield the mechanisms that provide scrutiny ...1 week ago - The Weight of the World
As the weight of the world Hangs on your shoulders The weight of the world Starts to take over again And over again All that you once loved, now you hate So slowly relearn how to meditate To have and to hold And never let go Can you feel it ...1 week ago - Thursday 14 November 2024
The Treaty Principles Bill is set to have its First Reading in the House today, as the Hīkoi mō Te Tiriti continues. More than 40 KCs have written to the Prime Minister and Attorney-General outlining their “grave concerns” about the substance of the Treaty Principles Bill, while an academic and ...1 week ago
- Trump’s return to White House brings the climate’s ‘find out’ phase closer
As we absorb the news of Trump's victory in the US Presidential election, here’s a wrap compiled just before the result of what it might mean for climate action: The UN Secretary General says the prospective departure of the United States would cripple the Paris Agreement, likening it to the ...1 week ago
- Time and Space in the City Centre
Patrick Reynolds is deputy chair of the City Centre Advisory Panel. The header image is from Walthamstow, London The city centre now has a few stretches of street where the space has been repurposed to a people and place focused design from full time traffic use. These are a great ...1 week ago
- An opportunity for a pro-growth tax switch
As the Hikoi against it swells into the tens of thousands, KCs call on National to kill off ACT’s divisive Treaty Principles Bill. Photo: Getty ImagesKia ora. Long stories short, here’s my top things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Thursday, November 14: The ...1 week ago - Dealing to the big Aussie banks
The big question hovering over the Select Committee Inquiry into banking is what the Government will do with its findings. If yesterday’s hearing is anything to go by there is a tidal wave of discontent about the four big Australian Banks crashing through the Committee which may force it to ...1 week ago
- NZ’s global climate rankings plummet as Govt removes agriculture from ETS
The Government has passed legislation to remove agriculture from the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) while Aotearoa’s reputation on climate action plummets. ...14 hours ago - Failed boot camp experiment must end
As legislation to set up boot camps passed its first reading, the Green Party urged the Government to abandon this failed policy experiment for the good of our rangatahi. ...15 hours ago
- Gender-affirming care must centre evidence and health needs, not political posturing
The Ministry of Health has today released an evidence brief regarding the use of puberty blockers in gender-affirming healthcare, amid moves by the government to limit access. ...16 hours ago
- Release: National doesn’t care about manufacturing
The National Government is walking away from our manufacturing sector with constant reports of closures and job losses. ...17 hours ago - Release: David Parker speech – Piketty, Inequality and Climate Change
David Parker's speech from the University of Auckland's forum on Piketty, Inequality and Climate Change in September 2024. ...17 hours ago
- Release: Youth mental wellbeing no longer a priority for Child Poverty Minister
Louise Upston has revealed her diminished vision for vulnerable youth against a backdrop of snubbed advice, scrapped priorities, shifted goal posts and thousands more children projected to fall into poverty. ...19 hours ago
- Release: National’s lack of climate action taking NZ backwards
National Government’s backward-looking climate policy has seen New Zealand fall seven places on the Climate Change Performance Index to 41 out of 63 countries measured. ...19 hours ago
- Release: Simple reason for drop in emergency housing
When the Government says it has reduced the number of people in emergency housing, what it means is it is stopping people from accessing it in the first place. ...22 hours ago
- Govt’s child wellbeing strategy ‘shallow and shameful’
The Government is turning its back on children by not only weakening child poverty reduction targets, but also removing child mental wellbeing as a priority focus in their Child and Youth Wellbeing Strategy. ...22 hours ago
- Release: A historic win for Samoan communities
Labour warmly welcomes the Restoring Samoan Citizenship Bill as it passes its third reading, before becoming law. ...23 hours ago
- Government plan to reinstate live animal exports a “national disgrace”
The Government has taken a giant step backwards by reinstating live animal exports. ...2 days ago
- Pasifika justice as Member’s Bill passes final reading
Teanau Tuiono’s Member’s Bill, the Citizenship (Western Samoa Restoration) Amendment Bill, has passed its third reading and will become law. ...2 days ago
- Release: Minister of Education thinks New Zealand ends at the Bombay Hills
The Minister of Education has shown complete disregard for rural communities and their school bus routes in Question Time today. ...2 days ago
- Economists sound alarm on Government’s slash-and-burn approach
A group of prominent economists has released an open letter to the Government, raising grave concerns about the far-reaching consequences of its fiscal policy. ...2 days ago
- Release: Smoking numbers up under Costello’s watch
National’s repeal of Labour’s smokefree legislation has taken New Zealand further away from achieving a Smokefree 2025 and a smokefree generation. ...2 days ago
- Release: Call for Palestine recognition by NZ, Australian and Canadian MPs
Parliamentarians from Australia, Canada and New Zealand have written an open letter to their respective Prime Ministers calling on them to recognise Palestine. ...2 days ago
- Justice Select Committee opens floor for Treaty Principles submissions
Today, the Justice Select Committee has decided to officially open submissions for the controversial Treaty Principles Bill. ...3 days ago
- Power of the people on full display as hīkoi approaches Parliament
Today, Hīkoi mō te Tiriti arrived in Wellington, with thousands gathering to march in unity against the divisive Treaty Principles Bill. ...3 days ago
- Hypocrisy as Te Whatu Ora contractor bill balloons
Te Whatu Ora’s bill for contracting and consulting staff has ballooned by nearly 20 percent under the National Government, breaking a promise they made during the election campaign to cut contractors. ...4 days ago
- Release: Growing pressure to scrap Section 7AA Repeal Bill
The newly released Section 7AA Repeal Bill's select committee report is further evidence that the Government should scrap it. ...5 days ago
- Government’s move to monetise access to nature a slippery slope
The Green Party is voicing serious concerns over the Government’s proposal to charge for access to public conservation land, released today. ...7 days ago
- Green Party condemns the passage of Treaty Principles Bill
The Green Party condemns the passing of the Treaty Principles Bill at first reading, and is clear that the fight is not over. ...1 week ago
- Stand Up for Te Tiriti
Te Tiriti o Waitangi is our country’s founding document. It forms the basis of the relationship between Māori and the Crown – and the Aotearoa New Zealand we live in today. ...1 week ago
- Release: Over 15,000 sign Labour’s open letter to Luxon
As the hīkoi to Parliament continues, Labour has sent an open letter to Prime Minister Christopher Luxon in a last-ditch attempt to get him to kill the Treaty Principles Bill. ...1 week ago
- Fast Track Bill threatens environment, climate and reputation
The fast-track legislation passing its second reading in Parliament is another step towards environmental ruin. ...1 week ago
- Greens join King’s Counsel in calling for Treaty Principles Bill to be abandoned
The Prime Minister must answer the call from a group of senior lawyers of the King’s Counsel to abandon the divisive Treaty Principles Bill. ...1 week ago
- Chris Hipkins’ apology statement to state and faith-based care survivors
...1 week ago
- Release: Labour formally apologises to state and faith-based care survivors
Labour joins with the Government in unreservedly apologising for the abuse, neglect and trauma including torture in state and faith-based care and for ignoring the voices of survivors for too long. ...1 week ago
- Green Party stands in support of survivors of abuse in care
Today, the Green Party stands alongside the survivors of abuse in state care and faith-based care as the Government issues an historic apology. ...1 week ago
- Green Party calls for conscience vote on Treaty Principles Bill
The Green Party has written to the Speaker of the House requesting he enable a personal vote on the Treaty Principles Bill. ...2 weeks ago
- Govt move to exclude journalist risks chilling effect
The Green Party is alarmed by the Government’s move to exclude a journalist from covering this week’s apology for the survivors of abuse in state and faith-based care. ...2 weeks ago
- Without action, an apology will be empty air
For tomorrow’s apology to survivors of abuse in state and faith-based care to hold any water, the Government must not pursue the same policies that drove the abuse in the first place. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Concerns remain over tobacco interference
Concerns about the tobacco industry’s ability to interfere in government policy making remain, despite the inability of the Office of the Auditor-General to investigate the Government’s decision to halve the excise tax on heated tobacco products. ...2 weeks ago
- Urgent wake-up call on climate
The Climate Change Commission’s latest advice indicates Aotearoa needs to be stepping up on climate action. ...2 weeks ago
- Green MP’s Meme-ber’s Bill set to save the world
Break out the punchlines and dust off your meme folder: Green Party MP Kahurangi Carter’s Copyright (Parody and Satire) Amendment Bill was pulled from the Ballot yesterday. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Poroporoaki: Ta Robert (Bom) Gillies
Kua hinga te manawa kairākau o Te Rua Tekau Ma Waru Tiwhatiwha te po! Kakarauru i te po! Ka rapuhia kei hea koe kua riro! Haere e te Ika a Whiro ki o tini hoa kua ngaro atu ki te Pō ...2 weeks ago
- Labour, Greens and Te Pāti Māori call on the Prime Minister to block the Treaty Principles Bill
The opposition parties stand united for an Aotearoa that honours Te Tiriti, rather than seeking to rewrite it. Labour, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori are working together against the Government’s divisive Treaty Principles Bill. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour, Greens and Te Pāti Māori call on the Prime Minister to block the Treaty Principle...
The opposition parties stand united for an Aotearoa that honours Te Tiriti, rather than seeking to rewrite it. Labour, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori are working together against the Government’s divisive Treaty Principles Bill. ...2 weeks ago
- NZ must pursue independent foreign policy
The Green Party says the need is greater than ever for Aotearoa New Zealand to pursue an independent foreign policy. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Winston Peters must apologise
The Deputy Prime Minister should apologise to the public servant he named and blamed for something they did not do, and for misusing the rules of Parliament. ...2 weeks ago
- Government action provides Southland farmers more time to meet plan requirements
The Government is taking action to ensure Southland farmers and growers are not affected by unreasonable regional farm plan deadlines, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds and Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard say.“Cabinet has agreed to provide more time for farmers and growers to comply with regional rules ...15 hours ago - Bill reaffirms Government’s commitment to crack down on serious youth offending
The Oranga Tamariki (Responding to Serious Youth Offending) Bill had its first reading at Parliament today. The Bill reaffirms the Government’s commitment to crack down on serious youth offending, Minister for Children Karen Chhour says. “In recent years we have seen an unacceptable spike in youth offending. “This Bill makes ...16 hours ago
- Critical milestones for earthquake buildings review
Fairer, more sensible rules about managing earthquake risks are a step closer with the passing of legislation and the appointment of an independent chair to provide expert advice, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The Government is committed to reinvigorating our cities and regions to support economic growth, ...16 hours ago
- State of the art radiology machine for Auckland
People in Northland and Auckland will benefit from a new machine for cancer treatment installed at the Regional Cancer and Blood Service at Auckland City Hospital. The MV5 linear accelerator, or LINAC machine, officially opened today targets cancer tumours with pinpoint accuracy. Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says this new, ...17 hours ago
- Foreign Minister to visit Europe
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Europe for high-level talks with France, Germany and the United Kingdom next week. "Since taking office almost a year ago, the Coalition Government has emphasised the importance we place on New Zealand's traditional and likeminded diplomatic and ...17 hours ago
- First arrests made under gang patch ban
Police have made their first arrests under the new gang patch legislation, with two gang members arrested, says Police Minister Mark Mitchell. “Just before 11 this morning, Police in Wairoa apprehended a gang member for wearing a patch to the supermarket. He has been arrested and will now face enforcement ...18 hours ago
- Better support for victims of sexual violence
The Government is proposing two major changes to name suppression laws that will put the views of victims of sexual violence first, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “We are committed to restoring law and order and these two proposed changes will help ensure the victims of crime are put at ...19 hours ago
- Government moving forward with Regional Deals
Cabinet has agreed to invite all regions to submit proposals for Regional Deals between central and local government that drive economic growth and deliver the infrastructure our country needs, Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop say. Inviting all regions to propose a Regional Deal that boosts ...20 hours ago
- MSA pilot participant update
One of the ten young men selected to participate in the Military-Style Academy Pilot has allegedly reoffended. Children’s Minister Karen Chhour is disappointed but says it would be naïve to think that none of these young men would reoffend. “I’m saddened that this young person has not taken this opportunity ...20 hours ago
- Attendance rates increase, again
Associate Education Minister David Seymour says that school attendance is continuing to rise. In Term 3 of 2024 51.3 per cent of students attended school regularly, an increase of 5.3 percentage points from 46 per cent in Term 3 of 2023. “This Government has prioritised student attendance and it is ...22 hours ago
- Improving the lives of young New Zealanders
Ensuring New Zealand is the best place in the world for children and young people is the vision at the heart of the Government’s new Child and Youth Strategy, Child Poverty Reduction Minister Louise Upston says. “Childhood represents a huge opportunity to set people on a positive path towards living ...1 day ago
- Government continues work to reinstate livestock exports by sea
The Government is reinstating the trade of livestock exports by sea while ensuring the highest standards of animal welfare, says Associate Minister of Agriculture Andrew Hoggard.“The Government will introduce legislation changes to reinstate the trade, enhance oversight, and strengthen requirements for exporters to identify risks and manage the welfare of ...2 days ago
- Speech to the National Quality Forum 2024
Tēnā koutou katoa – it is a pleasure to be here today. I would like to begin by acknowledging the important leadership role you all play in ensuring a quality health system New Zealanders can trust. There is enormous clinical expertise in this room covering a wide range of disciplines. ...2 days ago
- New Zealand’s COP29 National Statement
Tēnā koutou katoa. Mr President, Excellencies, Delegates. New Zealand, and all nations represented here today, are already dealing with the impacts of climate change. Our households, businesses, and economies are bearing the costs of its effects. The choices we make now will shape the severity of these impacts for generations ...2 days ago
- Latest Quarterly Investment Report released
The Government has released its second Quarterly Investment Report (QIR) which shows substantial work still to be done by agencies to improve investment reporting and meet the Government’s expectations, Infrastructure and Acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “New Zealand has significant infrastructure and investment needs. The Government is determined to get ...2 days ago
- New Zealand supporting loss and damage fund
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced New Zealand will contribute NZ$10 million to the new Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage while at the annual United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan. “New Zealand is joining the global effort to address the significant challenge of responding to ...2 days ago
- Gang crackdown begins at stroke of midnight
The free ride for gangs is over when the clock strikes midnight tonight, with tough new laws officially coming into effect, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith and Police Minister Mark Mitchell say. “Gang patches will no longer be able to be worn in public. To earn the right to wear a ...2 days ago
- LGFA increases borrowing capacity to support high growth councils
The Government is welcoming the decision by the Local Government Funding Agency to increase access to financing tools for fast growing councils to support greater investment in critical infrastructure, Local Government Minister Simeon Brown says.“Communities across the country are facing an infrastructure deficit and significant population growth is projected in ...2 days ago
- Temporary Traffic Management costs revealed
The Government has revealed that over the past three years, the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) has spent an eyewatering $786 million of taxpayers’ money on road cones and temporary traffic management (TTM), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“When I became Minister, I was surprised to learn that that NZTA did ...2 days ago
- Jurisdiction of Disputes Tribunal to double
Legislation that will double the financial jurisdiction of the Disputes Tribunal from $30,000 to $60,000 has passed first reading in Parliament today, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith. “We need to improve court timeliness and access to justice so that Kiwis and get on with their lives. Court delays affect everyone, the ...3 days ago
- Protecting New Zealand from foreign interference
Legislation that will specifically criminalise foreign interference and strengthen espionage offences has passed first reading in Parliament today, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “It is normal and appropriate for states to interact and work to influence one another. This encourages cooperation and can have mutually beneficial outcomes. “However, the reality ...3 days ago
- Significant milestone for Canterbury Road of National Significance
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed news that the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) Board has approved funding towards pre-implementation and early works on the State Highway 1 (SH1) Belfast to Pegasus Motorway and Woodend Bypass Road of National Significance (RoNS). “Reaching this significant milestone is a reflection of our Government’s ...3 days ago
- Health survey results to help drive change
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says findings from the annual Health Survey highlight the need to continue driving better health outcomes for New Zealanders. The New Zealand Health Survey is an annual snapshot of key metrics measured from July 2023 – July 2024. Findings released this morning include: In 2023/24, ...3 days ago
- Final push needed to get to Smokefree 2025
A renewed effort to get people to quit smoking will build on what has worked to date and target the groups who most need support, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello said today. “The latest New Zealand Health Survey results show the daily smoking rate at 6.9 per cent and we ...3 days ago
- New diplomatic appointments
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has announced four new diplomatic appointments. “Our diplomats play an important role in ensuring New Zealand’s interests are maintained and enhanced across the world,” Mr Peters says. “It is a pleasure to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the Ministry of Foreign ...3 days ago
- Next steps for Regulatory Standards Bill
Regulation Minister David Seymour has today announced the next steps in the Government’s plan improve the quality of regulation by opening consultation on a proposed Regulatory Standards Bill. “New Zealand's low wages can be blamed on low productivity, and low productivity can be blamed on poor regulation,” says Mr Seymour. ...3 days ago
- Red Tape Tipline goes live
Minister for Regulation David Seymour has today announced that the Ministry for Regulation’s Red Tape Tipline is now live. “We want to hear about your red tape horror stories. From today, New Zealanders will have a say on how they are regulated through an online portal,” says Mr Seymour. The ...3 days ago
- Youth Parliament 2025 announced
The Minister for Youth Matt Doocey has today announced the eleventh Youth Parliament will be taking place in 2025. “Youth Parliament offers a unique youth development opportunity to young people from across New Zealand to experience the political process and learn about how government works,” says Mr Doocey. “The two-day ...4 days ago
- Police stats show promising change
After nearly a year in Government, Kiwis have seen significant change across law and order with promising early results shown across some Police statistics, says Police Minister Mark Mitchell. “In August 2023, I told New Zealanders that if they had not started to see a change in public safety within ...4 days ago
- Better coordination of anti-scam efforts
With the launch of Fraud Awareness Week, the Government is committing to new coordination efforts across industry and government to combat online scams, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Online financial scams are a growing problem for New Zealand. New data released today shows that Kiwis lost nearly ...4 days ago
- Minister to consider 7AA select committee report
Minister for Children Karen Chhour will consider the recommendations made by the Social Services and Community Committee in its report back to Parliament on the Oranga Tamariki (Repeal of Section 7AA) Amendment Bill. “I want to thank the people who made submissions and those who appeared before the committee in ...4 days ago
- Defence Minister to attend ASEAN meeting
Defence Minister Judith Collins will this week attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus in Vientiane, Laos. “We need to take every opportunity to engage with our international partners, given the increasingly unstable geo-political situation,” Ms Collins says. “New Zealand has a long-standing commitment to this ...4 days ago
- Launching the White Ribbon Ride
The Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence, Karen Chhour, was on hand to wish riders well at the start of the North Island leg of the White Ribbon Ride in Whakatāne this morning. The ride helps mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, ...5 days ago
- Construction to begin on next stage of Papakura to Drury
Construction on the next stage of the SH1 Papakura to Drury project will begin early next month, with the contract for works awarded to Fulton Hogan, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. "SH1 Papakura to Drury is a key project that will drive economic growth and productivity, reduce congestion, and enable people ...6 days ago
- NZ signs trade deal with Costa Rica, Iceland and Switzerland
Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has signed a pioneering trade agreement that prioritises New Zealand’s sustainable exports at a ceremony during APEC in Peru today. “The Agreement on Trade and Sustainability (ACCTS), between Costa Rica, Iceland, and Switzerland was concluded in July of this year and opens up significant ...6 days ago
- Government and iwi work together on aquaculture
Five new Aquaculture Settlement Areas will help ensure Ngāi Tahu shares in the opportunities aquaculture offers for Southland’s economy, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. “The Aquaculture Settlement Areas (ASAs) I’m announcing today set aside space so the Crown and Ngāi Tahu can assess their potential for aquaculture development. ...7 days ago
- Government launches review to ensure electricity market is fit-for-purpose
The terms of reference for a review of the performance of the electricity market have been released. The review, initiated by the Coalition Government during the power crisis in winter will look at whether current regulations and market design support economic growth and access to reliable and affordable electricity, Energy Minister ...7 days ago
- Speech to Social Investment Hui: Jack and his whānau need our help
Kia ora koutou katoa. Nau mai, haere mai, piki mai. Ki te mihi atu ahau, ki te manwhenua nei, Te Atiawa, Ngāti toa rangatira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa. Thank you, Andy, for your introduction. Let me acknowledge you as the new Chief Executive of the Social Investment ...7 days ago
- Minister of State for Trade heads to Brisbane for PACER Plus meeting
Minister of State for Trade Nicola Grigg has travelled to Australia to attend the PACER Plus Ministers Meeting in Brisbane. “Trade plays a critical role in driving employment, economic growth, and improving the standards of living in the Pacific Region. The Government is strongly committed to supporting Pacific Island countries ...7 days ago
- Proposals to modernise conservation released
Toitū te taiao – Our environment endures The Government is consulting on proposals to modernise New Zealand’s conservation management system, aiming to protect relevant natural areas while supporting sustainable growth in tourism and regional economies, Conservation Minister Tama Potaka says. “Today, the Department of Conservation – Te Papa Atawhai is ...1 week ago
- Knowing superstitions aren’t real doesn’t stop us behaving superstitiously – why?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephanie Gomes-Ng, Senior Lecturer of Psychology, Auckland University of Technology Getty Images Former New Zealand prime minister John Key has three white rabbits painted on his helicopter, a nod to his “massively superstitious” habit of repeating “white rabbits” three times at ...2 hours ago - Government slammed for pushing ahead with boot camps while trial still under way
The coalition has "absolutely no intention of listening to the evidence that comes out of their experiment", Labour MP says. ...3 hours ago - Smoke and mirrors in heated tobacco debate
Labour claims Government is ‘cherry-picking’ smoking trends data to hide decade-first increase in daily smokers The post Smoke and mirrors in heated tobacco debate appeared first on Newsroom. ...3 hours ago - Smoke and mirrors in tobacco debate
Labour claims Government is ‘cherry-picking’ smoking trends data to hide decade-first increase in daily smokers The post Smoke and mirrors in tobacco debate appeared first on Newsroom. ...3 hours ago
- Treasury bangs the drum on ‘unsustainable’ superannuation
The Government’s economic adviser is sending a message it doesn’t want to hear – superannuation is increasingly unaffordable The post Treasury bangs the drum on ‘unsustainable’ superannuation appeared first on Newsroom. ...3 hours ago
- Victims of sex offending welcome shift on name suppression laws
A man abused by a former political figure is "immensely relieved" at a government proposal to end secrecy around sex offenders' identities. ...3 hours ago
- This week three parties stood together – can they withstand the storm to come?
There is plenty yet to play out, but the next election is at this rate shaping up as trio versus trio, writes Toby Manhire. A subplot of this week’s historic hīkoi mō te Tiriti has been the sight of the three opposition parties presenting a unified front. Te Pāti Māori ...3 hours ago - All 33 malls in Auckland ranked from worst to best
From the low lows of abandon empires to the high highs of a mall done just right. This is the second in the Malls of New Zealand series, where we rank the malls in major centres. Next week: Wellington. A note from the editor: This is the hardest ranking we’ve ...3 hours ago
- The cost of being: A clothes-mad 20-something who walks everywhere
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a 27-year-old apartment-dwelling marketing exec explains her approach to spending and saving. Want to be part of The Cost of Being? Fill out the questionnaire here. Gender: Female. Age: 27. Ethnicity: Pākehā. Role: Marketing exec at ...3 hours ago
- Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 22 November
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp');Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions.The post Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 22 November appeared first on Newsroom. ...3 hours ago
- Daily crossword, Friday 22 November
The post Daily crossword, Friday 22 November appeared first on Newsroom. ...3 hours ago
- China likely to strengthen regional relationships in response to another Trump term
Opinion: Recent discussions in Shanghai provide some insight into what’s likely to be on the table The post China likely to strengthen regional relationships in response to another Trump term appeared first on Newsroom. ...3 hours ago
- Nuclear winters know no borders
Opinion: The immediate horror of nuclear weapon explosions – the blinding flash, crushing blast wave, and radioactive inferno – is well documented.But what nuclear-armed nations either don’t grasp or won’t admit, is far more chilling: how their weapons could devastate even countries thousands of kilometres from any mushroom clouds.The collapse ...3 hours ago
- This week’s bestselling books – November 22
FICTION1 Kāwai: Tree of Nourishment by Monty Soutar (David Bateman, $39.99)Sample dialogue, all from one chapter:“That can’t be,” replied Taona doubtfully.“You were right. The pā is unnervingly quiet,” Taona murmured.“The Hākuwai,” Motukia breathed. “Our grandfathers told us they rarely saw the Hākuwai in daylight,” Motukia muttered.“Their fight would have been futile ...3 hours ago
- Burma the flying elephant
After about two and a half years of planning and waiting, New Zealand’s last elephant has moved to her new home at Monarto Safari Park in South Australia.Burma and her “human herd”, that is, her keepers, arrived last week, and she’s settling in well, according to Auckland Zoo’s Andrew Coers.“Something ...3 hours ago
- NZ’s membership of Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance in jeopardy
Senior ministers in the coalition suggested NZ’s membership will be re-evaluated if it restarts offshore oil and gas drilling The post NZ’s membership of Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance in jeopardy appeared first on Newsroom. ...3 hours ago
- Raw Politics: Six months in a leaky Bill
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon did not meet the Treaty Principles Bill hikoi crowd, sees “nothing” of merit in the Act-proposed law but the Parliament his Government dominates will spend six months debating a “divisive” measure.That’s because he has accepted there needs to be “aeration” of people’s views on the Treaty, ...3 hours ago
- Taken to the brink, Govt is now close to selling big Whakapapa ski field
Bidder Whakapapa Holdings walked away from the sales process last year, but says it’s now ‘95% there’ on a purchase agreement – so who blinked first? The post Taken to the brink, Govt is now close to selling big Whakapapa ski field appeared first on Newsroom. ...3 hours ago
- Watts nears a landmark deal on global carbon trading
A framework for global carbon trading under the Paris Agreement is finally nearing completion at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan after years of halting talks.Climate Change Minister Simon Watts is one of two ministers tasked by the COP29 hosts with landing a long-sought deal on Article 6 of the climate accord, ...3 hours ago
- Grattan on Friday: Marles plays a defensive bat on nuclear as the government rushes to get though la...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Richard Marles is an ambitious man who hasn’t given up the dream of one day reaching the top job. But, despite being deputy prime minister, his profile is much lower than that of Treasurer Jim ...9 hours ago
- Fears Māori will pay heaviest price if police carry guns
"Overwhelmingly, those people who die will be young Māori men," the spokesperson for People Against Prisons Aotearoa says. ...10 hours ago
- NEW POLL: Kiwis Overwhelmingly Support MPs’ Expenses Transparency Law Change
62% of respondents support the extension of the OIA to cover MPs’ spending, compared to just 13% opposed and 24% were unsure. ...11 hours ago - The House: Meanwhile, a week of passing law
The political week has been packed with worthy distractions, but all week Parliament has focused on passing new laws. Here are the highlights. ...11 hours ago
- The biggest difference between Hīkoi mō te Tiriti and past hīkoi: More support from non-Māori
Analysis - The diversity of voices during the hīkoi was noticeable - from tangata moana to young immigrants to elderly Pākehā from the South Island. ...12 hours ago
- The House: Samoan citizenship restoration – ‘It means we belong to this land’
When the bill to restore NZ citizenship to some Samoans passed this week, Parliament's galleries were full to the brim with members of the community. ...13 hours ago
- More Delays In Action On Use Of Puberty Blockers With Children
Women’s Rights Party Co-leader Jill Ovens says the Ministry has put New Zealand children at risk by continuing to allow “off-label” prescribing of puberty blockers at far higher rates than other similar countries. ...13 hours ago
- Police Minister adamant he wasn’t aware of gang members training at gun clubs
That is despite two papers from police that raised the matter with him. ...14 hours ago
- Shorten declares himself ‘a proud moderate’, saying Australians ‘in the middle’ shouldn’t ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Bill Shorten has declared himself “a proud moderate” in a valedictory speech declaring parliament has the responsibility to ensure the extremes of left and right do not set the terms of political debate. Shorten, ...14 hours ago
- New ‘best practice’ principles for superannuation products are coming. We asked a panel of exper...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matt Garrow, Editorial Web Developer Studio Romantic/Shutterstock We all know how important it is to save enough money for retirement – but what about spending it wisely when we get there? Even for those who have built up a suitable ...14 hours ago
- Government accused of betraying Kiwis’ trust over lack of consultation on live exports
The government has always vowed to reinstate live exports by sea, which was banned by the previous Labour government. ...15 hours ago
- 7 things you can do if you think you sweat too much
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Freeman, Associate Professor of Dermatology, Bond University ERIK Miheyeu/Shutterstock Sweating is our body’s way of cooling down, a bit like an internal air conditioner. When our core temperature rises (because it’s hot outside, or you’re exercising), sweat glands all ...15 hours ago
- Phenergan for under 6s is now banned due to hallucination fears. Here’s what to use instead
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nial Wheate, Professor of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Macquarie University Australia’s drug regulator has issued a safety warning over the medicine Phenergan and related products containing the antihistamine drug promethazine. The Therapeutic Goods Administration said the over-the-counter products should not be given to children ...15 hours ago
- A new stage adaptation of Peter Carey’s Jack Maggs is a delightful homage to theatrical storytelli...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Catherine Campbell, Lecturer, Performing Arts, UniSA Creative, University of South Australia Matt Byrne/STCSA Jack Maggs is a delight and a homage to theatrical storytelling in Australia. Based on Peter Carey’s bestselling novel, Jack Maggs follows the ex-convict as he lands ...15 hours ago
- The government has introduced laws for its social media ban. But key details are still missing
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daniel Angus, Professor of Digital Communication, Director of QUT Digital Media Research Centre, Queensland University of Technology Ron Lach/Pexels The federal government today introduced into parliament legislation for its social media ban for people under 16 years. Communications Minister Michelle ...15 hours ago
- Archives NZ, National Library to cut 27 roles
The Department of Internal Affairs wants to bring the two organisations under the joint leadership of the Chief Archivist and National Librarian. ...15 hours ago
- Gang patch ban: Members warn of potential for violence to ‘erupt’ as new laws enforced
"I can't see this lasting unless they have a budget to lock fullas up in jail which I think is absolutely stupid, really it's ludicrous," Ngavii Pekapo, who set up a Mongrel Mob chapter 54 years ago, says. ...15 hours ago
- ACT leader David Seymour raises doubts about Waikato medical school
Government documents show ACT leader David Seymour told the government he was "dissatisfied" with a cost-benefit analysis. ...16 hours ago
- National’s Erica Stanford allegedly calls Labour’s Jan Tinetti a ‘stupid bitchR...
The Education Minister has apologised in Parliament for her remark. ...16 hours ago
- Labour backs new Police Commissioner – but warns against routine arming
The alternative to policing by consent would be a police state, which New Zealanders don't want, the party says. ...17 hours ago
- Youth on boot camp pilot re-offended five weeks after release
Children's Minister Karen Chhour said while it was disappointing, it would naïve to think none of the participants would lapse. ...18 hours ago
The server will be getting hardware changes this evening starting at 10pm NZDT.
The site will be off line for some hours.
“Our severity of regulatory response is what we do instead of a first rate health system that could deal with it. We have the social cohesion and trust in government to do that, thankfully.”
Just looking at the daily news items, reporting ever more lockdown-breakers – it looks like lockdown fatigue / lockdown stir-craziness is likely to increase with any more Lockdown 4 regimes.
So the more people we can get vaccinated, obviously, the better. Especially as vaxed folk like moi can still get, and shed, Covid-19.
Dunno how I feel about being tracked wherever I go. Doesn’t really appeal. Bad enuf feeling like every device one uses these days Google, fb, various websites etc are tracking you. And forking over your data to others.
Do you have a mobile phone?
I can understand why people might be anxious about having their internet browsing behaviour tracked, but assume it already is, and why they might be concerned that their spending history could be followed, which I also assume is readily visible to anyone determined to know what you've spent and where you spent it, but why the anxiety about knowing which locations you visit throughout the day? Perhaps someone might set me straight?
Just look up any address and it tracks it from where you are, wherever you are.
Given how bloody clever cyber crims are these days, I’m always concerned about my smartphone getting hacked. Especially after a friend of mine up North dropped out of contact for a while. Then she sent me a text saying “Sorry not been in touch. My phone got hacked!”
Use a smartphone security , I use eset for up to 5 devices, both android and microsoft.
Where possible dont use your smartphone for some things like email or banking. Email is a common way for hackers to get in.
I turn off the GPS function on smartphone, and disable the options in apps that want to use it. I turn off camera and microphone options for apps that want that, other than camera and calling of course. Most apps can have their options restricted like this.
The other method is to use airplane mode more often, effectively removes you from network…try it while you travel and only turn back on at home etc.
Looks like some excellent tips & advice there, Ghosty
Ta very much. Gonna copy that to iPad Notes.
Re your: “Where possible dont use your smartphone for some things like email or banking. Email is a common way for hackers to get in.”
Yep I already figured that, & I never use email or do online banking on my smartphone. I also don’t keep any personal identifying data in my Galaxy’s Notes or other apps. I’ve kept my apps almost entirely to the defaults it came with.
And I don’t sync my smartphone to other devices.
@ Ad
Yep, got a smartphone. Put off getting one for S long as I could tho. I just carried on for as long as I could using a flip top 3G mobile, which I preferred because of its compactness. And it was a prepay. I’d just top it up as needed. They had no personal data in their records like Google does with my Galaxy smartphone.
I only went to a smartphone when the 3G-mobile’s battery was at the end of its life & I couldn’t get replacement.
On my smartphone I tried to switch off location for any app that didn’t require it to run. Had to enable location for the camera tho.
Location trackers are just part of life.
There's no right to spatial anonymity.
“There’s no right to spatial anonymity.”
…………………………..
There isn’t now. There used to be. Or at least, only your Visa & Eftpos cards tracked your financial location when you spent $.
The price of easy access to internet has been having to surrender personal data to companies who reserve the right to exploit tracking you.
Businesses are not even required to take cash.
We must simply accept perpetual surveillance as the price of free movement.
Probably Jacinda wouldn't quite put it as baldly as that.
"Businesses are not even required to take cash".
I think it is a little more complicated than that. If you want to buy something and tender cash for the item that is merely an offer. The second part of creating a contract is that the vendor can accept or refuse the offer. If they don't want cash, or more generally legal tender, they don't have to do so as they don't have to accept your offer.
If, on the other hand, you have reached the stage where you have incurred a debt to the vendor you can offer legal tender to settle the debt. That would be the case where you have taken possession of the goods. Settling your debt is a unilateral action.
There are various rules about whether cash, and in particular coins, are legal tender. If you want to pay a large debt with small denomination coins you can't insist on it as the amount may exceed the limit for it being legal tender.
ps. Those certainly were the rules in New Zealand. I don't bother to keep up the niceties of the matter anymore so I may be out of date.
The Assistant Governor of the NZ Reserve Bank stated back in in 2019 that there was no obligation for businesses to accept cash.
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/do-you-want-right-pay-in-cash#:~:text=%22At%20the%20moment%20there%20is,dollars%2C%22%20Mr%20Hawkesby%20said.
If you really want to go into the legalities of what is considered "legal tender", have a go at this extensive legal opinion from the RBNZ:
https://www.rbnz.govt.nz/-/media/reservebank/files/publications/bulletins/2007/2007sep70-3mcbride.pdf
Yes. It was the second link that I was trying to paraphrase. That is about the difference between the offer of cash for goods, which does not have to be accepted, and the settlement of a debt, which in practice did as if you refused it you had no means of enforcing the payment of the debt. I think RNZ went a bit far in interpreting what the RBNZ Deputy Governor actually said. He was talking about the "offer" of legal tender in the making of a contract..
For a contract to exist requires, "offer", ,"acceptance" and "consideration," (Down payment) which can be anything the contracting parties accept as having value. Cash or electronic exchange of bits is valid though it could be something else of value to the parties. Verbal contracts are equally valid. Of course a written contract, and exchange of money (legal tender) is easier, when you require proof of a contract in court.
I expect by December Christmas this year most retailers will not only NOT take cash, they will ONLY take contactless card transactions ie no more standard EFTPOS cards.
1 contact, 1 germ, 1 outbreak that kills their business.
The day NZ businesses refuse to accept cash NZD for payment is the day that the loss of sovereign issuance begins to occur…..Zimbabwe know what that is like.
That day happened at least sometime last year. All card on campus now – coffee, printing, everything.
Whether this is business led or consumer led is hard to tell. In our business we've seen a gradual move away from cash over the last 20 years, or you could say a gradual move toward card payment over the last 20 years. We still accept cash, but now take so little, like none, we don't keep a float in the till any more.
The biggest change in the move from cash has been at the bank, they don't need tellers to process the deposits so most branches now only have one teller when the same branch would have had 4 or 5 20 years ago. In our case we used to bank every other day with cheques and NZ and overseas cash, now we can go 3 or 4 months without making a branch or atm deposit. It all goes through the eftpos machine.
I last took out cash from my bank account was, as I have just checked, on the 1st of June. I took out $100 and I still have $90 in my wallet. I probably had $10 in cash when I withdrew the money
I have therefore used only $20 cash in almost 3 months.
begin
/bɪˈɡɪn/
verb
3rd person present: begins
perform or undergo the first part of (an action or activity).
@Graeme
Whether it is consumer driven (which as you describe it is driven by economics for the banking system) is largely irrelevant….if the system develops to the point whereby the issued currency becomes of little or no use then the ability of the state to determine the volume and velocity of that currency diminishes….it has the potential to advance the uptake of the likes of CDCs, something all currency issuers fear and for good reason.What control governments then?
Or the issuance of Central Bank DCs with the complete control of all aspects of everyones lives.
Neither are desirable outcomes.
Not for the history of cellphone networks. they all track ywhich towers you are pinging and signal strength as part of network maintenance. But many a crim got nabbed by the location of their cellphone when the crime happened.
Exactly. So even if you just rely on an old 3g mobile your travels can still be traced by your telecom provider. That is unless you switch it off.
In the past my nephew has given expert witness statements for the prosecution on the whereabouts of a defendant.
Actually there is.
The Signal Code
So is that a right to spatial anonymity?
When you sign up to your provider, you are agreeing to share where you are, so you have given up any reasonable expectation of privacy.
– You've already made a public disclosure of facts
– You've already disclosed facts of a previously private nature
– None of the location details are in and of themselves offensive
– And there's plenty of argument to be made about a legitimate public concern to have one's location details available to the public.
Nothing to be afraid of, and no right to defend in the first place.
I don't have a phone. If ever I get lost, I'm going to have to rely on my embedded tracker 🙂
… that and the fact that Riverton only has a total of seven actual streets.
Are you quite sure about that? It could be that you are just a person with an average memory and 7 is apparently the average number of things that people can remember in short term memory. Maybe there are a few more but 7 is your limit.
https://thebrain.mcgill.ca/flash/capsules/experience_jaune03.html
I thought it was really only four. I remember hearing an interview with the chap who had first developed the use of PIN codes. He said that the number of digits being limited to 4 was because that was the biggest number that his wife would be able to remember. If I had tried some wise crack like that I wouldn't have dared to go home, or at least I wouldn't have dared to turn my back on my wife when she was near anything she could hit me with.
OMG Alwyn. There are more than 7 streets in Riverton.
More than 7! Really? Last time I went through I blinked and missed it. To be fair that was a long long time ago.
On the other hand, looking at Google Maps I see that it is an enormous place. And there was me thinking it was about the size of Ongaonga in Hawkes Bay. It has about 4 streets.
Maybe you just oughta
linger longer
in Ongaonga
Home phone only. People enjoy showing me (at a distance) what you can do with smart phones, which is a win-win; they think they're helping me, and I think I'm helping them – everyone likes to feel useful.
My biro and notebook are a bit burdensome, but I've gotten used to the extra weight and haven't forgotten them in ages – good for all sorts of things.
Once upon a time, in the long long ago, many people kept a daily record of their comings and goings – diaries I think they were called. Amazing!
How would you feel about being tracked whenever you go?
The pan-opticon
Already "make level 4 restrictions redundant" is being interpreted as no lock downs at all; "90%" is being interpreted as 90% with one jab . . . – and 'freedom" is being interpreted as no border controls and freedom to return from other countries without isolation if you have a certificate . . .
I've been reading through the recent Hendy and colleagues modelling paper. In Table 1 they assume that vaccination reduces the probability of transmission in an infected individual by about 50%. My understanding was that Oxford University had shown that viral loads were about the same in infected people regardless of vaccination status. These two things don't seem to square up, am I missing something here?
If the viral load is the same, but the transmission rate is halved, then it must be the mechanics of transmission: coughing etc that make the difference, imo.
I’d got the impression that vaxed folk who get Covid shed the virus at the same rate as unvaxed people. It’s just that you don’t suffer the severe symptoms?
Thats not correct it varies greatly from person to person just as some vaxxed people still end up extremely ill and others are completely asymptomatic…
Vaccinated people who get infected usually don't show severe symptoms because the virus establishs in upper respiratory tract only, and fails to move into the lungs. In unvaccinated it moves readily into the lungs (and everywhere else) which is when it gets dangerous.
Apparently the current crop of vaccines don't illicit a strong immune response on the surfaces of the upper respiratory tract but produce a stronger immune response inside the lungs and interior tissues (which is still a fantastic thing to have!). There is work being done on developing vaccines that also boost surfaces of upper respiratory tract.
👍🏼 Thanks.
Vaccinated people infected with Delta Covid reach the same peak viral load in the upper respiratory tract, but this viral load lasts for a shorter period than in the unvaccinated. Hence lower transmission.
See here:
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.07.28.21261295v1.full.pdf+html
Other studies that compare viral load vs vaccination have either found same load, or lower load in vaccinated. This can probably be understood by looking at the timing of sampling – if early in disease, get same load. If later, lower load.
Thank-you for that reference.
I have one more question to ask if I may?
We are told that children only get mild cases of covid, is it known whether this means that for them the virus is largely confined to the upper respiratory tract and generally does not get down to the lungs? In other words, is whatever is protecting children acting in a similar way to the vaccines?
From a couple of weeks ago when this question was asked (h/t Treetop for originally linking the article):
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/unraveling-the-mystery-of-why-children-are-better-protected-from-covid-than-adults/
tl;dr Kids' perma-snotty noses actually contain a first response system to viruses that are new to them, that adults never used to need so it doesn't get maintained. Because it comes at a fairly high metabolic cost.
Which is all very well. But the situation we're facing is that kids are very likely to be facing a new virus that frequently breaks through this defence and wreaks havoc. So while most children are have better defences against the virus than adults, it still causes long term disability and even deaths in enough children that we'd be going pretty hard to protect them, even if it rarely affected adults. Think meningococcal disease a few years back.
Mechanistically, no. The ‘snot barrier’ is and acts very differently and is part of the so-called the innate immune system while vaccines work through the adaptive immune system.
Hendy's model is being criticised quite heavily, and doesn't stack up against other countries with similar vaccination rates that have opened up. e.g:
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300414401/covid19-nz-rodney-jones-says-shaun-hendys-7000death-vaccine-model-doesnt-pass-plausibility-test
The cynic in me would suggest that the government has set out an implausible doomsday scenario so that when it doesn't eventuate they can be credited with saving us all.
Cynicism can be a good attribute unless it clouds your thinking too much.
Nicholas Steyn1,3, Michael Plank2,3, and Shaun Hendy1,3
The same guy predicted up to 80000 Covid deaths last year.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/120604818/new-model-shows-coronavirus-could-kill-80000-kiwis-without-lockdown
Obvious scare-mongering then as even India with a virtually non-existent health system in some areas and a population of 1.4 billion has only recorded 446 thousand deaths from Covid.
https://www.google.com/search?q=covid+deaths+india&rlz=1C1GCEA_enNZ855NZ855&oq=covid+deaths+india&aqs=chrome.0.0i131i433i512j0i512l9.3203j0j15&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
So, I think I will keep to my cynicism so far as Hendy is concerned.
I think you should rather place your cynicism to the recorded figures of deaths in India. Those figures are for the deaths in hospitals, completely overlooking the deaths in the streets and villages.
Some estimates of the actual deaths from covid in India from the Centre for Global Development put the figure up to 10 times that of the recorded figure.
The street dwellers India have virtually no representation in government considerations.
I understand that. But even allowing for 10x the death rate in India with all its problems, then that would only equate to 16000 on a population basis if applied in NZ. Still a long way short of 80000.
Do the conditions in India match the criteria for that 80k maximum?
Because Hendy's prediction for the conditions we actually implemented were bang on.
The other thing is that the situation in India was far worse than here at the height of the pandemic. I recall seeing on the news remote villages where medical centres had been abandoned leaving the residents to fend for themselves. And there was huge shortages of oxygen etc to keep people alive.
So, whatever the actual deathrate, it is probably far worse than it would be in NZ in the same circumstances.
The worst cynics are the ignorant ones and the worst ignorami are the ones who are not sufficiently self-aware of their ignorance.
Hendy’s models have actually been ‘road-tested’ and found to be quite accurate, retrospectively. The real power of simulation models is that that they can guide you when you don’t have all the data in hand yet and need to act decisively and pro-actively, e.g., with government policies and strategies.
PS India =//= NZ, but that’s just another false equivalence that you don’t seem to get.
There was the either a lock down, or there would be a lot of deaths – that's reality not scaremongering.
4 million extra deaths by June 2021 in India.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-57888460
TBH it's pretty clear this Labour government has saved us already.
Kin oath bro. Look across the ditch at the Omni shambles scumo and gladyator have gifted oz.
Whether Hendy is right or wrong, I am not sure what the point of marching him out on stage was.
Anti vaxxers are not going to be frightened into getting the jab.
Of course not. But what about a vaccine passport to reward those who jab up?
The number of deaths per week is currently 994 in the United Kingdom.
https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/details/deaths
Why, that would merely be a hundred a week in NZ! Perfectly acceptable toll to exchange for a jaunt to Melbourne over the weekend /sarc
It's a scaremongering model aimed at getting people vaxed and under control. I've got no problem getting people vaxed, but you don't need to do it like this.
There's no way this model stacks up, just like his previous one where 70-80k were going to die. It got laughed at then, and now.
Jesus christ you guys need to get some new lies.
Hendy's model at the start of the pandemic was spectacularly accurate on for the measures we actually imposed: 20-odd deaths projected vs the 27 we are at 18 months later.
Your argument that the upper-level projection for if no measures were imposed and people in no way changed their behaviour even by personal choice (pubs as usual, nobody masking, nobody staying in more often) is pretty bold in the face of that track record.
At some point it might look like you pricks are deliberately trying to undermine the covid19 response for some perverted reason of your own.
I think I should start moderating ignorant fools who make assertions about stuff they clearly don’t understand and know nothing about. Would you like to be first because you’ve had form in the past as a troll?
Always suspected that infused had the wrong prefix.
I follow, to rebut, a couple of MB with anti vaxxers of the worst (ie pull out dubious links to all kinds of things being attributed to the vaccine), and in some cases sad, kind. Just this morning we have had a spate of this 'under control' saying. Perhaps this is the new 'orders' or perhaps they are still taking seriously that the vaccinated have had trackers or magnets inserted.
They are pests what ever the reason this 'under control' saying has surfaced.
Each to our own and I accept that there will be vaccine hesitant (don't leave it too long!) and the immuno compromised.
Statistics, like models, are only as good as their bikinis: what they show is revealing, but what they hide is essential.
At this time Denmark is getting about 300 cases per day and 2 deaths per day (last weekly average) 2 per day = 730 deaths per year – probably near to the realms of acceptability. The case load of 300 per day is much more than our health system can handle but overall it's getting a lot closer. I fear New Zealand's problem will be the anti-vaccine crowd. Strategy on getting the highest possible % vaccinated will be crucial.
Direct payment ? – To be attractive though this would be very expensive probably better would be……
Those vaccinated go into a daily draw live on tv (very heavily advertised) say five 1 million dollar prizes for two or three months (pretty cheap IMO …given the other costs we have had to wear)
I can’t open the reply on Open Mike but in reply to Bearded Git et al if you check out Rodney Jones on Jack Tame last Sunday he is very much of the leftist persuasion saying that neo liberalism has let down the bottom of the socio demographic and was opposed to Auckland shift to L3 while there were still cases in the community. Not quite the rabid righty economist. His opposition to the 7000 deaths was that it was a bit of scare mongering and thought it may be counter-productive.
We have plenty of ICU beds in normal circumstances and it is misleading to compare countries because we have strong palliative care systems but the USA for one intubates and ventilates at a far lower threat level than we do, probably because of threat of legal action and also greed, milking the insurance companies, who often have ownership of hospitals, sounds counterintuitive but with premiums being a percentage of cost, the more cost the higher the premiums.
A good comparison between countries would be total death rates per annum, at the moment we may well be a few thousand in credit, the reason being that Covid may only be a co- morbidity factor even in younger deaths.
Plenty of ICU beds, really?
We lack ICU nurses, and treatment to save life is not the same as palliative care – is it really common for other nations to use ICU bed nurses to manage palliative care in hospital?
We usually have 500 flu deaths a year and a bit of pressure on the health system late winter from this.
The combination of coronavirus and flu spread is something our health system will struggle to cope with next year (the novavax booster may come with an incorpoirated flu vaccine …).
International travel is dead regardless. Even if you open the borders most people don't wanna travel so airlines won't be breaking even.
New strains will mean we'll probably need to get a vax every other year.
Lockdowns and restrictions may just be something we have to get used to for the foreseeable future.
Yes. Regarding international travel, Im sure travel insurance for covid is still not covered. We can get care in Australia and UK under our reciprocal and similar systems.
Not sure how places like France work for that.
But as usual the clueless will get caught out with out any insurance at all, because they are young and bulletproof..cue Givealittle for a $75,000 bill
I think it will boom again as soon as we are out of this for about a year, then settle back down in part because business travel expenses are going to get harder to justify the business insurance risks. Is this business trip really really necessary? The scrutiny Minister Shaw got was remarkably small, but it's going to get louder as infection criticism intensifies.
Once we are stable as a society again, we need to generate some posts on the decreasing necessity of travel full stop. That includes commuting to work, inter-city travel, Australasian travel. and the general substitution of analogue for ditigal exchange of people and ideas as a result of COVID, business risk calculation, and climate budgeting together.,
We have a few months to wait and see what happens to the countries which opened up, while we get our vacines rate up.
This should prove useful when making a policy decision.
But while we are waiting can we at least open up more MIQ rooms?. This is very poor govt management.
They're playing it safe because of need to isolate locals if the community spread continues. The issue to come, is if (and when) we allow those vaccinated to come into home isolation.
Every expansion in MIQ facilities and returnees increases risk. Apart from the limited number of suitable facilities and staff.
Perhaps there has been modeling of the level of risk vs number of returnees and the present levels of entrants is being deliberately kept below that level as acceptable risk?
I think the limiting factor is capacity, i.e., the ability to manage the numbers without burning out (thousands of) staff and managing risk at the same time.
Extra rooms are being opened in Christchurch.
I agree their handling of this part is a mess – if you are trying to get in.
Those trying to enter are suffering for the good of the 5 million. I appreciate them.
I have this nagging feeling that Jacinda going in to bat for Hendy's theory may backfire.
People don't respond well to the use of fear tactics
Cr, Re- listen to Jacinda's comments. "This is one point of view and we have a team of modellers and we consider all their advice. Advice is not set in stone… it changes according to variables."
As a small-c conservative her instincts have guided her well through nearly two terms now. She doesn't take un-calculated gambles.
Nor do I see Jacinda as coldly calculating to use a fear tactic. Maybe I am dumb, but I see this fear-tactic meme as a right-wing construction, aimed at destroying the empathy many NZers feel with Jacinda's personal characteristics.
John Key's popularity used to annoy us lefties, and mocking Righties accused us of having 'Key Derangement Syndrome' (KDS).
Could some of the decriers of ruthless fear tactics actually be developing a new phenomenon? Jacinda Ardern Kindness Aversion Syndrome Subversion?
Ardern's resolute adherence to science-based policy advice makes her emotional feel increasingly like Helen Clark in tone. The Ardern Prime Ministership doesn't look like a whole bunch of fun.
.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/kahu/covid-19-coronavirus-maori-and-pasifika-should-have-been-prioritised-for-vaccines-experts/LQJ5PBVJNIOIGY5PNY5DAC7FEU/
“Māori health experts say the age-based approach baked inequities into the Covid-19 vaccine rollout and giving Māori and Pasifika vaccination priority could have dampened the Delta outbreak. A Rotorua district health board member and Whānau Ora representative says the rollout typified a “back of the queue, back of the bus” approach to Māori.
The Ministry of Health says the vaccine sequencing was established to vaccinate those most at risk first and it is working to boost Māori and Pasifika rates.
Massey University Te Pūmanawa Hauora Māori Health and Development Research centre director Professor Chris Cunningham said more than half of the Māori population was under 30, a statistic linked to a lower life expectancy than the general population. When the vaccine plan prioritised over-30s above younger people, it effectively excluded more than half the Māori population, Cunningham said.
The median age for Māori is about 26 years.
The age distribution in NZ is a result of inequity, then when they use age as the entrance criteria it replicates the inequity … it’s crazy.”
Cunningham said if Māori and Pasifika had been prioritised in Group 1 of the vaccine rollout “we would have made better progress”. “You shouldn’t use age as a criterion uncritically.”…He said prioritising Māori and Pasifika could have helped prevent the spread of Delta.”
………………………………
If the Māori/Pasifika vax rate in Wellington CCDHB is low, I’m rather bewildered by this. When I went to my local Medical Centre to get my free annual flu shot (these work: It’s been well over a decade since I last had flu) I asked the Practice Nurse how long should I wait before getting my Covid jabs?
By then, according to media reports, the vaccine rollout had reached my age bracket (65+) & we should around then be getting contacted to book our jabs.
The nurse said: “Two weeks. But it will be some off yet before you get contacted for you Covid jabs. Wellington DHB is giving priority to Māori & Pasifika people first.”
Capital & Coast DHB was dragging its feet, we thought. Perhaps not enuf supply? Other DHBs were reportedly well on their thru the 65+ cases. It was actually the evening of the very day Ardern stated at her midday press conference that all people 65 and over had now been contacted that I got 2 texts inviting me to book my jabs. (1 from the DHB & 1 from my local Medical Centre.)
I guess all DHBs were doing their own thing. Certainly seems like Wellington’s was prioritising Māori & Pasifika folk. It wasn’t clear though whether they were doing it across the board or in age brackets?
In public policy terms I don't think I've ever seen a faster and clearer advantage of helping Maori and Pasifika because they were the ones that it was in all our interests to help.
It would not be unreasonable for Prime Minister Ardern to make that point/Along with every Maori and Pasifika health NGO.
Sometimes white privilege is a pain in the ass.
“The Ministry of Health is rethinking its approach to saliva testing, after key medical and lab testing bodies make major changes to their position, with one citing a study showing New Zealanders are reluctant to take Covid-19 nasal swab tests.
The New Zealand Microbiology Network has reversed its own call from less than six months ago, and now believes saliva testing is accurate enough to be used as a substitute for nasal swabs. However, its preferred method is still the nasal swab…
International Accreditation New Zealand (Ianz) has also changed the certification attached to some saliva testing labs, opening the door for saliva tests to be used as a substitute for nasal swabs at medical clinics, if labs can present enough evidence their test has been properly validated.
…NZ First leader Winston Peters has slammed the ministry for not getting saliva testing in place more widely, and faster, despite the Simpson Roche report recommending it last year.
“By March 2021 we should have been totally been on top of it … these sorts of things, costs and delays, and lack of validation as to what they’re using as a system, is just unconscionable at this point in time,” Peters says. “I’m not trying to be obstructive, I’m trying to find out why on Earth would you have taken that course of action.”
A saliva testing contract for border workers has been mired in behind the scenes controversy.
A spokeswoman for the Ministry of Health says it is reviewing its position on saliva testing on the back of the Microbiology Network’s changed position. The ministry’s position has changed in recent months from scepticism to now being “confident” saliva testing could identify Covid-19 cases early.
The Microbiology Network also admits there is a real possibility people have not been getting tested for Covid-19 because saliva testing has not been available.
Groundbreaking Kiwi scientist Dr Anne Wyllie helped develop the SalivaDirect test at the Yale University’s School of Public Health.
[Her colleague] Steph Tan has provided the Government with research indicating saliva testing could be as accurate as nasal swabs, and better at early detection, along with cost comparisons showing that, while nasal swab testing might cost up to $200 per test, saliva testing with the SalivaDirect method costs less than $7 per test. Figures provided under the Official Information Act indicate each nasal swab test costs the taxpayer $138.
Wyllie says the true proof is that their protocol has been validated overseas, and has been used to control outbreaks.”
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/126419825/covid19-uturn-on-saliva-testing-as-fears-grow-around-nasal-swab-hesitancy
Be good if we can move to a lot more use of saliva testing. I haven’t needed to get a nasal swab, thank goodness. Those getting them shown on TV sure look like they’re enjoying the procedure.
And I’d hate to have to visit a mass testing centre. Hope if I ever need one I can get it done at my GP’s Medical Centre.
+100 much faster and less invasive
“Those getting them shown on TV sure DON’T look like they’re enjoying the procedure.” is what I meant to say. 🙄
Ye, Ad, & I’d hope the kits could be handed over at GP Centres as well as Pop-up Testing Centres.
I know this might be slightly off-topic, but I would be interested to hear people's thoughts on this:
"Antihistamines and azithromycin as a treatment for COVID-19 on primary health care – A retrospective observational study in elderly patients"
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7833340/#!po=34.9057
Does this sound like a promising treatment?
Ask your GP instead of Google.
Sir John Key:
"The aim should no longer be to exist in a smug hermit kingdom, but to get back to a life where New Zealanders can travel overseas – for any reason – knowing they can return home when they want to, and where we again welcome visitors to this country.
These are not radical aims, yet there has been no coherent plan shared with the public for when or how these might be achieved. The only urgency we've seen for months is an enthusiasm to lock down our country.
…Will you wish that in 2021 the Government had acted with the urgency and creativity that Nasa showed when suddenly having to rethink its approach to the Apollo 13 mission? Nasa succeeded. It proved that to get a different outcome, you need a different strategy."
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/covid-19-delta-outbreak-sir-john-key-5-ideas-to-transform-our-approach/PJH3TEOR6WEVADOOHWLKFBVK74/
Sometimes I miss John Key. At least he writes well:
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/covid-19-delta-outbreak-sir-john-key-5-ideas-to-transform-our-approach/PJH3TEOR6WEVADOOHWLKFBVK74/
Snap! See above.
I'm confident the government is actually considering all those factors Key mentions, and is making plans.
But while the situation is still as fluid as it is right now, talking in detail about things that are still months away simply hands out ammo for petty gotcha politics when the situation inevitably changes and the response needs to change.
I do agree that I would prefer the government to be louder and firmer about our future with vaccine passports, supporting "no jab, no job" policies, vaccination requirements for schools etc. So that dreamers about the "North Korea option" can get a head start on disabusing themselves of that notion.
It's quite impressive how the government is quietly stating it's direction and thinking about how we are going to handle the controlled infection of our population by covid, and the opposition groups are then coming along and calling for those exact steps to be taken. All of a sudden someone does a poll and the Government has 80%+ approval ratings.
The no jab, no entry thing to licensed premises could be interesting, the one next door to us wouldn't have any staff if their staff's compliance of masking is any indication, masks were around the chin after a day, around the neck the next and gone completely the next. No worries about the 50 / 100 punter limit though, lucky to have 20.
Yeah, the government is slipping talk about vaccine passports etc into the talk in a low-key way, and good for them for doing it. To my taste, I'd rather they were louder and firmer about it. But hey, they're the political experts, and I'm not.
I'm gobsmacked at just how incoherent and disorganised "the opposition" really is. Which doesn't actually serve us as a nation. There really are reasonable and nuanced criticisms of our response that could be made, and reasonable alternatives proposed. But that's not happening, all we're getting is knee-jerk thoughtless swipes that are so obviously clueless spur-of-the-moment brainfarts that it's just background noise that most people just tune out.
Dunno what to make of the masking thing. Masking around my area and where I work is pretty good, even though both those areas are well away from where the ongoing infections are happening. But if it were Queenstown that was locked down in level 3 and no infections anywhere else, I'd imagine masking around here would be quite minimal. All to do with the immediacy of the perceived risk.
You also have to ignore the deafening voices of tens of thousands of New Zealanders who are having their citizenship compromised by being stranded overseas. A very few of them manage to get back when public servants in Wellington decide whose plight is desperate enough to be rewarded with a golden ticket to MIQ.
Yup that's us. We're not making a noise about it – but the hard truth is that my elderly father has been isolated and stranded in a rest home for going on 2 yrs now. It's been very hard on him, and rough on my conscience – and while we could technically make it back to NZ – there is zero chance we could return to our lives and incomes in Australia.
Also interestingly if these restrictions continue to impact travel there arises a problem with the restrictions on voting eligibility for New Zealand permanent residents and citizens who have to have 'visited' New Zealand with the past 12 months or 3 years respectively. This was always an irksome niggle because it effectively required us to spend money on an airfare and travel costs in order to vote.
As Key calls it the 'hermit kingdom' COVID approach will have the effect of even further disenfranchising even more New Zealanders living overseas than before if it entails a minimum of two weeks in MIQ simply to exercise a fundamental democratic right.
My sympathies for your father's situation.
Before ma passed away in a Rest Home & Hospital in Tawa last April 2020 during L4 lockdown I was only able to talk to her on the phone until she lost the ability & strength to handle phone calls.
Ma was 94 when she died. She refused to let me teach her the internet. She'd got by all those years without ever needing computer & was a very strong-minded woman all her life. It meant we couldn't video call.
Are you at least able to video call your dad?
I have a Dunedin mother-in-law who never learned to use a cellphone, let alone the internet. She's shifted into geriatric hospital care just after Auckland went into lockdown, and we've not been able to see her since lockdown. Hopefully soon ……
I had a weeny win with ma on that score; talked her into getting a mobile & dhe never regretted it.
I had to put all of her contacts in for her, but she knew how to dial mobile & landline numbers from it if she needed to.
It was an early Samsung clamshell type model. I gave up expecting her to text from it. She couldn't get the hang of the options (like "add number" to select the recipient. "But they're already in there?" And she wouldn't practice by sending texts to her own number, like I did. "I'm too busy" 😀
She used it as a mobile telephone onl, but made plenty of use of it when out & about.
How old's your mum-in-law, Ad?
Sounded OK on the telephone last night which the Dunedin Hospital staff get to her, thanks. Not sure where to next for her yet.
If it's anything like the situation in Welly, you'll likely need to yourself find a Rest Home & Hospital for her. We had to check out all those in Welly who offered Hospital-level care, not just Rest Home-level.
Then up to us to check them out on the net, and visit those who had places available, before signing up to one.
Yes the staff organise a call every few weeks. He can't see much anymore and his hearing isn't the best – and pretty much all we can do is to try and reassure him we haven't forgotten and we do care.
Sometimes he rambles on for two hours or more and it leaves us feeling drained and saddened at our inability to be there for him.
And we're the lucky ones – one of my colleagues came over from India early 2019 and has not been able to see his young wife and children for two years now. Like us he's being forced to choose between income and family. Around the world COVID has forced millions into this unpalatable choice.
And this inability to say goodbye is probably the most quietly corrosive element to this entire pandemic.
Thanks for the support. None of us are on our own in this it seems.
That would make you one of our more committed voters.
Looks like his investments in Air New Zealand and Auckland Airport are hurting a tad.
And where does he get the thing about "we are no longer making our way in the world"? I thought our net export receipts and balance of trade were holding up very well.