The Mandate To Say Goodbye

Written By: - Date published: 8:38 am, November 17th, 2021 - 210 comments
Categories: covid-19, education, health, human rights, religion, uncategorized - Tags:

Amana Christian School Principal Roslyn King, unvaccinated, as of yesterday cannot enter the grounds of her school.

The school has lost two of their four staff and the Principal claims it is one of the darkest days in New Zealand education.

There are many such stories rippling through the media at the moment.

The latest 1 News Colmar Brunton Poll showed 74% of those polled supported mandates now in place for teachers, healthcare workers and port, border and prison workers.

Twenty percent were opposed and 6% did not know.

In the next two weeks we will find out how many teachers in New Zealand are immune to facts, were happy to enforce vaccinations upon their children for multiple diseases over multiple decades but not themselves, and after decades enforcing state rules in daily attendance and behaviours of young people at school could not themselves be subject to that same force of state.

Will there be any disproportionality of those walking away from teaching due to the vaccine mandate who are evangelical Christians or any other Integrated School minority? They’re due for a scorch if there is.

Young people need teachers who apply facts, who instil the necessity of scientific method, and who lead by example from their own lives. The mandate may in time do for teaching quality what a hundred ERO reports could never do.

For those who practise ignorance and pedagogical corruption, it is indeed one of their darkest days. They will join the ranks of those finding something else to do.

Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.

For teachers and school management who stay and are vaccinated, they are more than ever illuminated as more than teachers: they are rebuilding this damaged society.

Our entire education system from daycare to doctorate has been upended by COVID and ours has been responding well, though the disruption remains bewildering.

For those school students being taught, and for the school system itself, teachers walking out due to the vaccine mandate will become one of New Zealand educations’ quickest renewal programmes yet seen.

Goodbye Roslyn.

210 comments on “The Mandate To Say Goodbye ”

  1. Visubversa 1

    Teachers who think "Jesus is my vaccine" should not be within a bull's roar of a classroom.

    • weka 1.1

      People who think vaccine is my Jesus are in for a sharp wake up in the coming years as the realities of the limits of vaccination become apparent. Yes, yes, it's the best tool we have, but it's not the only one, and too many people are putting all our eggs on one basket.

      Best we tread a middle path, the argument is over where that lies.

      • Phil 1.1.1

        People who think vaccine is my Jesus

        Nobody thinks that.

        • weka 1.1.1.1

          yes they do. There are people who very strongly believe in vaccines and science in a similar way that other people believe in god. One true way. And I've had the arguments here on TS with people who insist that the vaccine is safe and does no harm. That's not science, it's fundamentalism. Nothing wrong with it, per se just be honest, and then let's have the conversation about the limits of that view.

          How many people in NZ are preaching this atm? Not many.

          https://twitter.com/wekatweets/status/1460689834939322369

          • weka 1.1.1.1.1

            to keep this on topic with the post, we should be talking a lot, right now, about additional ways to limit spread in schools.

            we also should be talking about what the people without income are going to end up doing to pay rent and eat. Ad can write them off as immune to facts, but the post itself is kind of evangelical (that's not a slur btw). Teachers as the new illuminated ones because we've cast the sinners out.

          • Sanctuary 1.1.1.1.2

            What is your view on vaccine mandates and your vaccine status Weka? Because this statement –

            "…people who insist that the vaccine is safe and does no harm. That's not science, it's fundamentalism…"

            is complete pile of steaming horseshit. Science is a method of inquiry, not a point of view – the very opposite of fundamentalism. So let's do some science. According to Our World in Data 7.54 BILLION doses of the vaccine have been administered worldwide.

            https://ourworldindata.org/covid-vaccinations?country=OWID_WRL

            The number of people worldwide who have harmed by the vaccine is so small anti-vaxxers are having trouble finding any. To me, the statement that vaccines are safe and do no harm is obvious from the real world numbers.

            I don't give a brass razoo for your opinion, but facts matter.

            And for the record, I am fully vaccinated and will soon get my six month booster, and I would support an Austrian style lockdown of the unvaxxed if I had my way.

            • weka 1.1.1.1.2.1

              I support the vaccine programme, I think it's going to give NZ the best chance of not becoming a shit show like the UK, we are very lucky in our timing. I've got mixed feelings about the mandates. I think they're necessary, but I also think we could be using more tools that would ease the impact of that. As I've stated elsewhere in this thread, I'm concerned that we are digging in deep divisions, these will be long term and cause other problems.

              To me, the statement that vaccines are safe and do no harm is obvious from the real world numbers.

              Sure, you choose to frame it like this but it's not actually true to say they do no harm. Some people are harmed. Why not be honest about it.

              As for the real world numbers, please show me the research on post-vaccine flare and relapse rates for the many auto immune and other chronic illness conditions where people's real world lives are being impacted. Afaik people with AI conditions were largely excluded from the vaccine trials, so there is not a lot of data on that, and while there is increasing attention being given to the impact on them, it's still not the kind of real world numbers that you are putting your faith in.

              And that right there is the nub of it. You've used google for confirmation bias. I've spent the past 6 months listening to people, various disease associations, and doctors who treat those people. We know there are issues, but the faith in vaccine people are in denial and run lines of safe/no harm and engage in the kind of debate that suppresses discussion.

              Nothing I have said here is anti-vax, but as soon as I start talking about this, it's like all people can do is say 'but the vaccine is safer!!!'. Well duh, of course it is, but safer =/= safe/no harm. People with disabilities need really good science to help them cope with the impacts (and yes, in some cases, avoid the impacts) and this blind faith in the vaccine as Good and True actually harms us. In the real world.

              • weka

                and please spare me the binary response. I'm sitting outside the vax is god/anti-vax polarity. That you took my previous comment to be an anti-vax position is all about your thinking, not mine.

                • Sanctuary

                  Things are pretty damn binary all right. Death is a pretty binary state with life. There is no "…sitting outside the vax is god/anti-vax polarity." That statement is arrant nonsense. There is get vaxxed and don't be a useless mantlepiece ornament but instead pull your weight in a national crisis.

                  • Gypsy

                    People die of all sorts of things, and we don't promote the level of hysteria we do around Covid. I'm pro vaxx and double vaxxed, but if you think going all chicken little is actually productive, you're contributing more heat than light.

                    • KJT

                      "I'm pro vacc and double vacced".

                      So. "I'm all right and fuck the kid down the road with asthma who ends up in ED every time they have a cold". Interfering with my "freedom". "Lets not go all chicken little".

                      That atitude fucks me off as much as the lying from anti-vaccers.

                  • weka

                    Things are pretty damn binary all right. Death is a pretty binary state with life. There is no "…sitting outside the vax is god/anti-vax polarity." That statement is arrant nonsense. There is get vaxxed and don't be a useless mantlepiece ornament but instead pull your weight in a national crisis.

                    And that is your philosophical belief. You see things in black and white, and there's no room for the greyzone of disabled people's needs. They can safely be ignored, right?

                • weka

                  meanwhile, actual clinicians are reporting flares.

                  https://ard.bmj.com/content/80/10/1352

                  I suggest you click through on your link and look at the research.

                  Do you know what this is saying? https://ard.bmj.com/content/80/Suppl_1/200

                  The second research in your link says,

                  Disease flares were reported by 5% (73/1375) of patients with inflammatory RMDs, with 1.2% (17/1375) classified as severe flares.

                  https://ard.bmj.com/content/80/Suppl_1/199.abstract

                  Shall we just pretend they don't exist?

                  • roblogic

                    Remember to include "what if I catch Covid" in your risk assessment.

                    • weka

                      of course, but as you can tell I'm getting sick of the binary thinkers going 'oh but you will get covid if you don't vax, so never mind the relapse'. So please stop saying that stuff to me.

                  • KJT

                    "Conclusion: The safety profiles for COVID-19 vaccines in RMD patients was reassuring. Most adverse events were the same as in the general population, they were non-serious and involved short term local and systemic symptoms. The overwhelming majority of patients tolerated their vaccination well with rare reports of inflammatory RMD flare (5%; 1.2% severe) and very rare reports of severe adverse events (0.1%). These initial findings should provide reassurance to rheumatologists and vaccine recipients, and promote confidence in COVID-19 vaccine safety in RMD patients, namely those with inflammatory RMDs and/or taking treatments that influence their immune system".

                    • Gypsy

                      "So. "I'm all right and fuck the kid down the road with asthma who ends up in ED every time they have a cold"."

                      The kid down the road with asthma is extremely unlikely to catch Covid from me. He's also unable to get vaccinated yet, so you're really not making any sense.

                    • weka

                      yes. 5% and1.2%. Fuck them, who cares anyway.

                    • KJT

                      5% and 1.5%. so about the same amount of flare ups in the unvaccinated group with the same underlying condition.

                      Which is why they reach the conclusion in the study that they did.

                      .

                  • roblogic

                    Sounds like you have valid reasons for concern. Unfortunately most of the antivax stuff is off the wall nuts. Like "Covid isn't real", "There are massive coverups of vaccine deaths", "Labour is bringing in a communist revolution" (I wish!), or the theologically dubious "Jesus died so that we could have freedom and human rights"

            • Ross 1.1.1.1.2.2

              Science is a method of inquiry, not a point of view

              Which can be corrupted by money. You appear to know little about Pandemrix, which is a shame because it illustrates the problems when the pursuit of profits trumps doing the right thing.

            • Julian Richards 1.1.1.1.2.3

              "Oh won't somebody think of the children"… Lock down the unvaccinated you say?

              Maybe that's not acceptable in definition, as children, as shown by science are at best of extremely minimal risk of covid19 effects(excluding immune system annomoles/co-morbitities)… How old is a child by definition? The science also clearly shows the risks associated with covid19 are predominantly a moving chronological scale with age (again excluding co-morbitities etc)… The devil is in the details of all this politicised life science/economics. Will the children be the next group blamed for transmission in communities? Well seek someone to blame… As the social-science has shown.

              It's okay that we're not immortal creatures yet (aside maybe from the dull social media versions of ourselves).

              Even this rhetoric of screaming inside the ego "anti-vaxers", my 'god' this 'label' is being thrown at many who are NOT antivaccination, as we've all (90something% or more) had vaccines of the former only accepted vaccine technologies. And yes, those who choose to think differently from the herd are rightly concerned and should be given a choice if they're faced with expulsion from a society. What the hell is wrong with us? This fear of everything at present is so unwarranted, and can simply be avoided with listening not disregarding and expelling an individual or group of ethnicity etc… Why the hell are we not mature enough to give communication, forgiveness, understanding, acceptance… You know, love! We really need to reasses the principles and practices (ethics) of social consciousness we're about to implement here, where they're coming from right now, and into our future (children… "oh the children".. )… Have to move out of this place of fear and hate, as this seems to be where much of these measures are coming from. It feels we're doing a huge detriment to future civilization because of our time line/age/fear..

              P.S. The article above sounds very much like an 'emotional sermon' itself. Just saying.

              • theotherpat

                well said but these days its all about "me"…tolerance and forgiveness have no dollar value

            • Rosemary McDonald 1.1.1.1.2.4

              The number of people worldwide who have harmed by the vaccine is so small anti-vaxxers are having trouble finding any.

              I'd link to a site that conveys the abject despair of thousands who rushed to the mRNA injections with open arms only to be felled with serious and seemingly permanent adverse effects. But I won't because some fucker from google or the like will shut it down and then these folk will have nowhere to go.

              Interestingly, others have told them that some sets of symptoms are almost text book 'Long Covid'…strange because most of the jabinjured have not had (or were of the many who did not know they had) Covid. Interestingly I, and some others I know up here have also had some of these 'Long Covid' symptoms. All a bit weird.

              One thing that's emerging from the vast number of accounts is that those who have had Covid and them get vjabbed seem more prone to getting the nasty side effects.

              But of course we're not allowed to talk about the side effects, are we? What's a few, over 200, youngsters with heart damage between the team of 5 million? Youngsters who could have had had a dose of Covid and most likely shrugged it off. Too fucking late now for them.

              When did Stuffed or the Herald or the spew that is television last do an in depth piece on those who have been injured by the Pfizer product?

              Vicious vaccine mandates have failed to get all over the line in other countries…countries where the bodies have been piling up in the streets…why do you think that is?

              • solkta

                Not another "i would provide a link but it's bollocks".

                • Rosemary McDonald

                  Tell you what….google 'chest pain, irregular heartbeat, shortness of breath, pain and/or numbness in left arm for weeks, extreme dizziness, nausea, after Covid vaccine'. You could , toss in 'feeling like head is going to explode or wearing too tight a hat'. Or 'tinnitus'. Or 'severe menstrual bleeding 10 years after menopause'.

                  • Tricledrown

                    Rosemary Google up Irelands daily Covid infection rate 4,200 a day or death rate maybe you would prefer we had 10 times that without vaccination with 1/3 suffering some sort of long covid.

                    • weka

                      Please don't do that. If you believe that Rosemary wants people to die or get long covid, you will have to link to where she says that.

                      Her pointing to side effects doesn't equate to wanting people to die. Why are you even saying that?

              • Tricledrown

                200 youngsters where did you get that figure the only figure I saw in your link was 216 for all ages .

                So I think you are scaremongering.

                No where did I see your claim.

                Of course their will be some side effects many with underlying health conditions. My Son inlaw had a serious anaphalactic episode but it was dealt with quickly and he recovered quickly he has underlying health conditions and was expecting something to go wrong. On his second dose he took the medication provided and no side effects this time.

                My grand so who was under 12 but the Dr in France said because he was big as an adult would be OK he suffered serious side effects but came right with medical aid immediately but had an rash skin falling off his nose a Giant pimple under his chin that lasted 4 days He was fine otherwise.Then he was over 12 on his second dose no side effects.

                That didn't put any of us off as my family lived through the worst of the outbreak in France .while in lockdown the only sound they heard was a constant siren sound of ambulances coming and going.

                And the horrific death toll.

                While no vaccine is perfect it's better than the alternative.

              • Sacha

                thousands who rushed to the mRNA injections with open arms only to be felled with serious and seemingly permanent adverse effects

                If that's say 5,000 then you're looking at 0.0007% of the 7,540,000,000 total doses administered from Sanc's source above.

                Even at 50,000 it's 0.007%.

                500,000 is 0.07%.

                Most medical treatments would love to have that harm rate. All clinical practices and substances cause a degree of harm. That's weighed up against the benefits and the risk of non-treatment. With a lethal pandemic, it's not a hard decision.

          • Frank Macskasy 1.1.1.1.3

            "…people who insist that the vaccine is safe and does no harm. That's not science, it's fundamentalism"

            But if you produce no evidence to back up that strange statement, then how else should we look at your assertion?

            Especially when the facts don't back you up.

            Considering we've had over 7 million vax doses given out, and only one confirmed fatality (a women in her 90s), then yes, its science.

            Ref: https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/covid-19-data-and-statistics/covid-19-vaccine-data#daily

            Ref: https://www.medsafe.govt.nz/COVID-19/safety-report-35.asp#death

            The top 10 reported adverse events were:

            • Dizziness: 10,616 reports
            • Headache: 10,128 reports
            • Lethargy: 8,134 reports
            • Pain at the injection site: 8,121 reports
            • Nausea: 7,244 reports
            • Chest discomfort: 4,981 reports
            • Influenza-like illness: 4,486 reports
            • Fever: 4,445 reports
            • Fainting: 3,071 reports
            • Numbness: 3,040 reports

            Ref: https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/covid-19-vaccines/covid-19-vaccine-side-effects-and-reactions#reported

            • Rosemary McDonald 1.1.1.1.3.1

              Some of these people probably wish they were dead…dismiss them…

              Guillain-Barré Syndrome14

              Thrombocytopenia23

              Thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS)0

              Anaphylaxisb82

              Myocardial infarction (heart attack)38

              Myocarditis/pericarditis216

              Thrombosis39

              Embolism77

              Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)72

              Vasculitis55

              Haemorrhage94

              Acute kidney injury13

              Acute liver injury<6

              Pancreatitis<6

              Aseptic meningitis<6

              Encephalitis<6

              stroke72

              Bell's Palsy/facial paralysis117

              Myelitis/myelitis transverse<6

              Erythema multiforme9

              Arthritis39

              Herpes zoster201

              Abortion (spontaneous abortion /miscarriage)19

              https://www.medsafe.govt.nz/COVID-19/safety-report-35.asp

              • Tricledrown

                So what the toll of not getting vaccinated would be at least a thousand times worse with up 30% plus suffering long covid.

                1 death 500 odd with adverse reactions most of those not suffering longterm .

                The toll with no vaccinations 10's of thousands many highly trained doctors and nurses dying or contracting covid because of being burnt out in an already overstretched health system.

                Our generations from WW2 to now haven't faced any major war or disease we have been the lucky generations.

                Soon as we have had the biggest health catastrophe since the Spanish flu 1918_21 a hundred years ago . We have the anti vax brigade the Lord haw haws the Tokyo roses of doom come out and spread misinformation to undermine what NZ has achieved because 1 in 10,000 has had a reaction some serious some not so.

                Rosemary Mcdonald it's OK to speak out but in context.

                Where are the 200 youngsters you claim have had heart damage.

              • Sacha

                Where is the 'severe menstrual bleeding after menopause' in the list? That sounds full-on. Or is it from an equivalent list overseas?

              • KJT

                You appear to be unaware, or ignoring, how adverse effect reporting systems work. They record events which happen after vaccination, not necessarily caused by vaccination. Most aren't caused by vaccination, as your link states. .

                To claim otherwise, is showing either lack of comprehension, or deliberately muddying the waters to try and convince others that an anti vacc stance is valid. If there were a significant number of "vaccine injuries" don't you think that after more than five million vaccinations, they would be showing up in our already overloaded hospitals?

                Or do you think we have some secret hospital on the desert road full of "vaccine injuries"?

                From your own link. "To date, the observed number of deaths reported after vaccination is actually less than the expected number of natural deaths".

                • Rosemary McDonald

                  Most aren't caused by vaccination, as your link states. .

                  Thy do indeed largely dismiss all adverse events as being mere coincidence.

                  Same as it ever was.

                  • KJT

                    Oh. FFS.

                    If there was an increase in adverse events caused by vaccination. There would be an overall increase in adverse events, with over five million vaccinations. Which would be immediately apparent in our already overloaded hospitals.

                    Obviously there isn't, unless we are hiding them in secret hospitals.

                    By the way as you seem to like "anecdotal evidence". The only two people I've ever met with Guillaum-Barre syndrome, are life long anti-vaccers. Does that prove being unvaccinated causes Guillaume-Barr syndrome?

              • Matiri

                Guillain-Barré Syndrome affects 40-80 New Zealanders each year.

                Also increased rates of GB and other neurological complications have been reported after Covid infections. Vaccination significantly that risk.

            • weka 1.1.1.1.3.2

              oh ffs Frank. You just said my objection to 'there is no harm' wasn't founded in science and then you quoted the science showing the harm.

              Like I said, fundamentalism.

              • KJT

                So few side effects in over 7 million doses, is about as close to harmless as anything gets.

                And that is science. Not “fundamentalism”.

                Rosemary already provided the links.

                https://www.medsafe.govt.nz/COVID-19/safety-report-35.asp

                “t is also important to keep in mind that a report can be submitted for any cause and is not necessarily associated with the vaccine”.

                • weka

                  fuck off. I've given a clear explanation of what I'm talking about in this thread, and I'm done with people who refuse to understand what I am talking about and then misrepresent my views.

                  All medicines have side effects. When the binary thinkers say 'no harm' they actively suppress the discussion of things that affect disabled people. When I start naming the issues for disabled people, people like you dismiss and deny the discussion.

                  Stop throwing disabled people under the bus.

                    • weka

                      go read what I've said in my comments under this post about disability.

                    • weka

                      wtf what? You think the vaccine is harmless, people who are having flares and relapses are ignored, ignoring them or actively suppressing debate about this is ableist. It's not new, it's just new having it quite so prominent among left wing people who are otherwise considerate.

                    • weka

                      I mean, I expect it from Sanctuary, but not from you and some others.

                    • weka

                      and because I'm sick of the talking points style debate on this, let me spell out what I think is happening.

                      People who have high faith in vaccines and medical science generally, and who see it as the one true way or at least the one best way, are struggling with the nuances around the vaccine. Some of that is ideological/philosophical (which is fine except where people can't be honest about that), and some is probably born from fear that if we are honest it might lower the vax rate instead of trusting people that if we are honest with them, they will do the right thing.

                      It's made worse of course by the fact that we are really shit at allowing disabled people to participate fully in society. So while I'm ok with the fact that the vaccine will harm some people and believe it is still one of our best tools regardless, I also know that I'd be less grumpy about it all if I saw lefties going, oh of course, people who get harmed should be fully supported by the state and not have to deal with all that WINZ/ACC bollocks. They've pulled their weight after all.

                      But no, let's deny there is even a problem, and let's not make the connections between neoliberalism and ableism and poverty, because covid stands alone as the most important thing.

                    • KJT

                      I don't "think the vaccine is harmless".

                      The evidence shows it is as "harmless" as anything gets. Which doesn't mean the same as absolutely "zero harm".

                      (Vaccine side effects can be claimed for under ACC, BTW). And we have already agreed the current ACC, and sickness, disabled welfare system needs a huge shakeup.

                      Not my "opinion". Evidence!

                      Even Rosemary couldn't come up with evidence of more than a few hundred, "reported adverse effects" where she failed to mention that most would have occurred without vaccination, as well as being orders of magnitude less than covid "side effects" on the unvaccinated, after millions of doses

                      Abled people getting vaccinated is one of the best things we can do for those living with disabilities at the moment, as they tend to be the ones most affected by covid.

                      People showing things such as reported incidents after vaccination, such as CARM or other adverse effects reporting systems, without context, dog whistling that they are "all due to the vaccination" is actually dishonest, if intentional?

                      When they breathlessly claim that there are "lots of vaccine injuries" being ignored, and other claims such as "it is not a vaccine".
                      How do they explain the lack of "vaccine injuries" apparent in our overloaded hospitals if it was true?

                      The equivalent of shouting "fire" in a crowded room.

                      So. WTF.

                      P.S. I’ve been advocating for better treatment of disabled, the unemployed and under paid for most of my life. We have worked together on both, here!
                      FFS.
                      . Hardly someone who has ignored them.
                      Teachers, Doctors, caregivers and others in their life giving the disabled covid, because they refuse to be vaccinated or take other precautions, is hardly, looking after the disabled.

          • barry 1.1.1.1.4

            Yes, it would be nice to see such clear simple messaging here.

            If everyone were vaccinated the virus would disappear.

            With 90% vaccinated previous versions of covid would disappear, but delta is too infectious, and the vaccine is slightly less effective.

            With 90% vaccinated and everyone wearing masks in indoor public settings maybe the virus would disappear. So the vaccine is not enough. That is why the traffic light system is necessary

            The traffic light system is unnecessarily complicated.

            • Sacha 1.1.1.1.4.1

              The traffic light system is unnecessarily complicated.

              Your suggestion for an alternative with less than three categories is.. ?

            • KJT 1.1.1.1.4.2

              Something that can be explained on one A4 page, is "unnecessarily complicated"?

              No wonder why the press briefings had to be like "talking to five year olds".

              As my year ten students, in the past, would have had no problem with it.

              • weka

                Calling the NZ public who don't understand stupid, that will really work.

                • KJT

                  This is "wilful stupidity" from people who don't want to understand it.

                  Like we have seen so often from the press gallery.

                  • weka

                    I'm not stupid and I'm not willfully stupid and I don't understand it.

                    I tried reading this earlier, what a mess.

                    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/covid-19-delta-outbreak-the-traffic-light-system-explained/5237ICI2JEI5EAYQUAZUZZTDGI/

                    • KJT

                      I wouldn't bother trying to get any sense out of the Herald.

                      Who are amoung those who are more interested in bagging the Government than giving clarity.

                    • Craig Hall

                      Most people will be vaccinated or exempt (by age), so for them, everything will be (more or less) normal at Green and Orange (very few differences between the two), with some restrictions at Red, and however confusing the whole system looks on paper, daily life will generally not have those confusions. For various sectors, they will have to learn the differences for each level, but only for their particular sector, not the whole thing. I am involved in weddings and funerals from time to time, and that's complicated currently – the traffic light system doesn't look like it will be more complicated although the industries are still waiting for the legislation/orders (or whatever legal framework is used) to work out the specifics.

                    • weka

                      what about travel between regions? Periodic local lockdowns?

                      There's a tendency to treat vaxxed and unvaxxed people as two separate populations, but there will be families with both, so it's not quite that straight forward.

      • francesca 1.1.2

        Totally agree.

        • Shanreagh 1.1.2.1

          This is a confronting site but in the US, where much of the ant covid arguments have a religious basis this is indeed the case.

          https://www.sorryantivaxxer.com/

          and this

          https://www.reddit.com/r/HermanCainAward/

          There are religious memes that have influenced people not to have the vaccines aplenty.

          While in NZ we have fewer of these evangelical movements, as we politely call them, the rise of Brian Tamaki and his Destiny church in the anti vaccine movement would seem to be following a similar track. After seeing the devastation wreaked on their church by Covid the Samoan AOG churches are now in support of vaccines and also the teachers at Gloriavale seem to have been given the OK to be vaccinated.

          • weka 1.1.2.1.1

            The death rate of unvaccinated people is the biggest motivator that I can see for hesitant people. I'm less convinced it will work with anti-vaxxers, they won't read that site and they don't trust MSM reporting. This is a problem far beyond covid, and we should be paying attention, learning what is going on.

            None of my non-vax friends are Christians. I think Tamaki etc are a big problem, but that was true before the pandemic. There’s a big culture of already anti-vax people sit outside that and have their own beliefs.

            • Gypsy 1.1.2.1.1.1

              "None of my non-vax friends are Christians."

              I have a few that are, but that's because I am a Christian and mix in those circles. But far more of my anti-vaxx connections are left leaning.

              And thank you for being a voice of reason in this entire wilderness of critical thinking.

            • Shanreagh 1.1.2.1.1.2

              This sounds harsh and it is……the vaccine hesitant are the ones we should be concentrating on as they have shown they still have an open mind. The out & out anti vaxxers ie those from the David Farrier's Loopy article not so much.

              https://www.webworm.co/p/loopy

              There is a difference between the two groups and they deserve different messages or, no messages in case of the hardliners.

              An older mother I was talking to today said that the fact that the ferries and airlines require vaccinations or testings has meant that they have put off for now the conversation they were having with a SI based son.& daughter in law. A family consensus was that unvaccinated family members should not come to the two week extended Christmas and New Year family celebrations.

              Difficult times.

              • weka

                doesn't sound harsh. We totally should be focusing on hesitant people and helping them. The whole ostracisation and ridicule thing is hugely counter productive.

            • theotherpat 1.1.2.1.1.3

              it is unfortunate….you are not spouting the proscribed line or data…as you know there is only duty and vaccination ….you will likely be shot at dawn….if anyone is outside the " mainstream" medical "facts" then they are hunted down as a heretic……

    • Shanreagh 1.2

      As has been quoted several times on here from Jeff Tiedrich

      'holy XXXX shit, vaccine mandates are causing teachers who don't believe in science to quit, nurses who don't believe in medicine to quit, and cops who don't believe in public safety to quit. I'm failing to see the downside to this.'

      While we are rebuilding can we teach children about

      ethics

      rights – yours & mine & society's

      how govts work

      statistics

      There are many other beliefs, other than 'Jesus is my vaccine' that have caught teachers and others in their grip. Some believe in the existence of evil players such as Gates, things being inserted in them eg magnet, trackers, some are concerned about the fetal cell (HEK 293 argument etc etc.

      On this last issue the argument is specific seemingly to the anti Covid vaccine as many medicines in daily use have used these cells. It is ironic as 'the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines produced by Pfizer and Moderna do not require the use of any fetal cell cultures in order to manufacture (produce) the vaccine.'

      Common over the counter drugs tested on HEK-293 cells or derivative cell lines.

      1. Tylenol / Acetaminophen

      2. Advil / Motrin / Ibuprofen

      3. Aspirin / Acetylsalicylic Acid (ASA)

      4. Aleve / Naproxen

      5. Pseudoephedrine / Sudafed / / SudoGest, Suphedrine

      6. Diphenhydramine / Benadryl

      7. Loratadine / Claritin

      8. Dextromethorphan / Delsym / Robafen Cough / Robitussin

      9. Guaifenesin / Mucinex

      10. Tums / Calcium Carbonate

      11. Maalox / Aluminum Hydroxide and Magnesium Hydroxide

      12. Docusate / Colace / Ex-Lax Stool Softener

      13. Senna Glycoside / Sennoside / Senna / Ex-Lax / Senokot

      14. Pepto-Bismol / Bismuth Subsalicylate

      15. Phenylephrine / Preparation H / Vazculep / Suphedrine PE

      16. Mepyramine / Pyrilamine

      17. Lidocaine / Lidoderm / Recticare

      Common prescription drugs tested on HEK-293 cells or derivative cell lines.

      1. Levothyroxine / Synthroid / Tirosint / Levoxyl

      2. Atorvastatin / Lipitor

      3. Amlodipine / Norvasc

      4. Metoprolol / Toprol XL / Lopressor

      5. Omeprazole / Prilosec OTC / Zegerid OTC / OmePPi

      6. Losartan / Cozaar

      7. Albuterol / Salbutamol / ProAir / Ventolin

      8. Enbrel / Etanercept

      9. Azithromycin / Zithromax

      10. Hydroxychloroquine / Plaquenil

      11. Remdesivir / Veklury

      12. Dapagliflozin / Farxiga / Ipragliflozin / Suglat / Enavogliflozin / Jardiance

      13. Ivermectin / Stromectol

      14. Metformin / Glucophage / Riomet / Glumetza

      As well Regneron used in treating Covid infections was tested using aborted fetal tissue.

      https://www.cbsnews.com/news/regeneron-trump-covid-aborted-fetal-tissue/

      • Tricledrown 1.2.1

        Don't forget Bleach and praying

      • My latest blogpost on "alternative treatments" is apropos: [Deleted]

        Note the funny end bit. Thank the gods for unintentional humour…

        [RL: Take the link-whoring elsewhere.]

        • mpledger 1.2.2.1

          C'mon that's way over the top and offensive. People paste relavent links here all the time, to factual stuff and other poeple's blog posts e.g. Chris Trotter, Daily Blog, DPF, Whaleoil. Just because the pointer is to something self-written doesn't mean it's any less relevant. In some sense it's better to provide a link to a long post then write an encyclopedia in a comment thread.

    • georgecom 1.3

      those who think God will protect them will be in for a surprise. it's not biblical, old testament maybe, new testament is not the age of sign and wonders, of miracles, it's the age of grace. god has already provided protection for people, it's called vaccines

    • Not only that, but they are testing God which any good Christian should know that you are not allowed to do

  2. Castro 2

    You should become a teacher and spew your sanctimony then.

    [lprent: If you want to comment then say something related to the post or another comment in reply. Rather than what appears to be venting your frustration at an inability to successfully masturbate like every other 14 year old.

    Which seems as relevant to your comment as your comment did to the post.

    You are now warned. Read the policy on attacking authors rather than dealing with what they write. ]

  3. Tricledrown 3

    I want unvaccinated children who can't be immunised protected ,if teachers don't want to be vaccinated fine but don't put defenceless children at risk and visa versa children passing it back to unvaccinated teachers who have a much higher chance of transmitting.

    • Ad 3.1

      I can imagine a massive increase in distance learning out of this. That's certainly been the case in tertiary education.

  4. Pete 4

    Scores of Yr7 kids lined up to get MMR vaccinations at intermediate school. Parents done all the paperwork, permissions, beforehand (along with information and invitation from the health people to talk about it.)

    I guess that scene will be changed forever. "But I don't know what is in the vaccine …"

    "What about the kids?" is the expressed concern about teachers leaving. What about the kids all right. In some places they are learning from the models around them that you do not trust or believe those who are in positions of authority, those who are in leadership roles, those with expertise.

    Do not take anything at face value. You don't know what's in the vaccine? You don't know what's behind the face of anyone or anything. Don't trust anyone but yourself. Until you find someone who believes vaccines will magnetise you of course.

  5. weka 5

    20% against the mandates is high. Given the hard core anti-vax rate in NZ is probably more like 5 or 8%.

    • Robert Guyton 5.1

      Mandating is not-unexpectedly creating angst – it's a very challenging issue and one that takes courage to initiate. The Government has taken the bull by the horns and chosen to mandate. No one expects that decision to be universally popular, especially in a society that prides itself on being independent-thinking, having a "number-8 wire" approach to life, and a "she'll be right" attitude.

      Sometimes though, you have to back a big decision for the greater good, despite your personal reservations.

      • weka 5.1.1

        I'd have less of a problem if I saw the people losing their jobs being looked after financially. I mean, we have a Labour government. Instead, in the public it's ridicule, ostracisation, and the government have no plan from what I can tell. Ardern has made it clear she supports the two New Zealands position.

        The 'fuck 'em' bridgade don't seem to have thought through what's going to happen in the high no vax places as the under the table work increases. Think hair dressers in people's homes.

        I'm philosophical about my non-vax friends. They're making their choices, and they will live, die or be disabled by them. But I am concerned about the social divisions being dug here much deeper than is necessary imo.

        • RedLogix 5.1.1.1

          I'm philosophical about my non-vax friends. They're making their choices, and they will live, die or be disabled by them.

          And that's not counting all those who did get vaccinated but were compelled to do so. If any of this goes wrong …

          • weka 5.1.1.1.1

            My personal view on my choice to vaccinate is that it's a risk but less of a risk than getting covid. I also assume that at the population level, people will be harmed, and again, this is less harm than if we didn't have high vax rates.

            Same with the mandates. If it's about harm reduction, then it's a useful public good action. If it's about punishing people, this will come back to bite us, maybe hard.

            Mostly I think we are kind of blind, but doing the best we can. Lots of uncertainty.

            • Robert Guyton 5.1.1.1.1.1

              "Same with the mandates. If it's about harm reduction, then it's a useful public good action. If it's about punishing people, this will come back to bite us, maybe hard."

              Weka. What would lead you to thinking punishing people is the motivation for Jacinda's Government to employ mandating???

              Genuinely Puzzled of Riverton

              • Rosemary McDonald

                Weka. What would lead you to thinking punishing people is the motivation for Jacinda's Government to employ mandating???

                Genuinely Puzzled of Riverton…

                The eyes, Robert, look at the eyes.

                https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdMSRolWCyQ&t=52s

                • Robert Guyton

                  Can't take my eyes of…the hands….

                  • Anne

                    I'm surprised she hasn't been told to keep her hands to herself. 😉 They are all over the place when she's doing the stand up Covid routine. Its a distraction to what she is saying.

                    As for the eyes R McD. You're seeing things that are not there and have never been there!

                • left for dead

                  You have offered this video for the third or fourth time,try another line,or at lest get your crayon out and do a witches hat and maybe a moustache as a non binary,to be fair.

                  • Rosemary McDonald

                    But it says so much! It is a classic and will haunt the PM for the rest of her political career.

                    I do hope she truly understands that this, and a couple of other recent performances of hers, have done more to cement anti-vaxx and anti government feeling than anything stumbled across in the so-called rabbit holes.

                    Big fail.

                    • left for dead

                      I think the "Big fail"Is a number here have very little insight for the work that goes on under the water "ducks feet in all,I'm not that enameled by Ardern but the likes of yourself and Weka are banging to many pots at the moment,we have a bit of a clique here,who are burrowing more holes,and it seems just for a moan,so boot me off here again,it might be the saving of me and Ill go off and try an not make people sick.That's not a dig at you Rosemary,I no you have been caring for a loved one for years,good luck with that.

                      Oh just too finish off,I always like your Minister of misery slag off.

                    • Shanreagh

                      Haunting…….I doubt it.

                      Many who watch it don't in fact get the same message you are getting Rosemary.

                      Many who watch it would agree that expressive arms and hands are not what is usual in NZ so we may look askance at them.

                      Other places in the world not so much, thankfully.

                      I was in Italy on a day bus trip from Milan to one of the Swiss lakes. Guide proposed taking us back a different way home to Milan and spoke to the non English speaking driver…….I was sitting at the front and after much gesticulating and expressive arms and hands the conversation between them finished. I asked the guide 'does X (bus driver) not think we can go back the different way?' 'Oh yes that is all ok he was just saying he was a bit worried about the air in one of the inside set of tyres and wanted to make sure we got back on a motorway at some stage before Milan and he could check them at one of the 'aree di servizio/autogrills'. wink

                    • Tricledrown

                      Big fail yeah right you will never please all of the people all of the time.

                      Anti vaxxers make up how much of the population less than 5%.

                      74% of the population support mandates.

                      Some body has to be in charge particularly in these tough times. Looking at Judith Collins tonight saying the govt is all over the place. Collins looked very disheveled and all over the place probably up all night checking her numbers

        • Sanctuary 5.1.1.2

          The problem is many on the hippy left, in the liberal middle class and amongst boomers are united by a strain of anti-authoritarianism informed by 40+ years of incessantly repeated neoliberal propaganda that state is somehow your enemy, an ideological position summed up by Ronald Reagan in 1981 – "Government is not the solution to our problem, government is the problem."

          Yet as neoliberalism decline it seems it successor is going to be its erstwhile victim, the state. In short, the big state is back, and you had better get used to it. Climate change, pandemics, economic crisis, looming wars etc are going to see much greater intervention by the state in our lives and much greater demands on citizens to conform to imposed rules.

          The political right is way ahead of the left on this – the liberal middle class is increasingly left defending an untenable status quo and its main political vehicles in Europe and the US are in a crisis as they lose huge chunks of voters to authoritarian parties whose platform at least acknowledge the crisis.

          We need to wake up and stop treating the last forty years of individualised narcissism as a hypernormalised reality we can't escape.

          • RedLogix 5.1.1.2.1

            Oddly enough though the other day you seem to care quite a lot about your individual 'right' to comment here.

          • Robert Guyton 5.1.1.2.2

            I'm with Sanctuary!

            🙂

          • Rosemary McDonald 5.1.1.2.3

            We need to wake up and stop treating the last forty years of individualised narcissism as a hypernormalised reality we can't escape.

            Some need to wake up and start realising that nigh on forty years of neo- liberal every- man- for- himself -and- kick -them- when- they're -down policy that Jacinda's mob has actually made worse over the course of their occupation of the Government benches has normalised margin living for so many.

            You need to get out more and speak with the common folk. You clearly have no idea of the depths of mistrust in Government that exists out here.

            And no. It is foolishness to assume this is a left/right binary.

            • theotherpat 5.1.1.2.3.1

              +100……that last quote was a dead give away…..must be all the boomers fault.

            • North 5.1.1.2.3.2

              I accept that I need to get out more and talk seriously with the 74 % or whatever the large percentage it is whom aren't particularly focused on Jacinda's hands; whom don't understand that the pandemic is actually optional.

              I too am with Sanctuary. Could add this group – plain cussed contrarians for whom “Neh !” is the principal principle.

        • Shanreagh 5.1.1.3

          I'd have less of a problem if I saw the people losing their jobs being looked after financially.

          I cannot locate it, running out of time as going but there is an article stating that benefits would be paid, that some cases would not require a stand down period. There are still the weekly limits on income coming into the home. (Diff argument here still worthy of looking at)

          Can someone locate it please……todays Newshub or Stuff.

          I feel that the anti vaxxers affected by the mandate are entitled to the same approach as others who may have involuntarily lost their jobs. Their claim to any sort of enhanced benefit is weak. Are they different to those leaving employment through restructuring or redundancy?

          The large scale restructurings/redundancies of the 1980s/90s /2000s did not create two groups of citizens though many would have found their access to the leisure time activities that they could do when fully employed were curtailed when managing their income after losing a job. Examples would have been going to shows, concerts, dining out, sports games etc etc. Supermarket shopping saw fewer treats etc.

          • Anne 5.1.1.3.1

            The large scale restructurings/redundancies of the 1980s/90s /2000s did not create two groups of citizens though many would have found their access to the leisure time activities that they could do when fully employed were curtailed….

            My bold.

            Indeed they were. I was made redundant in the 1990s – at a time when the neoliberal inspired meme of the day was: anyone over the age of 45 was over the hill and unemployable. It lasted a long time and many competent and experienced people in the Public Service anyway, were lost forever. Some of us were reduced to scraping by on a benefit which had been almost halved by Ruth Richardson earlier that decade. It was a truly horrible time for many Nzers.

          • weka 5.1.1.3.2

            thanks, that's the first reference I've seen to whether WINZ are using stand downs or not.

            That we treat people leaving jobs differently, and sometimes really shittily, isn't a reason to continue doing that. Government restructures leading to people leaving the jobs is similar and we know that NZ has an appalling history on this. I don't believe it's left wing position to argue that people shouldn't be looked after when they lose their job. But in this instance, there are people who believe that the people losing work over the mandate have themselves to blame. It's straight out of the RW hand book and it's terrible that we are so willing to throw aside princples.

            • Craig Hall 5.1.1.3.2.1

              Based on the current wording in the Social Security Act, I don't think MSD could refuse a benefit to someone who was dismissed for not being vaccinated as it is not misconduct (essentially a person is incompatible with the job), so it makes sense to hold the same position for someone resigning although that's more open to interpretation in the Act.

          • weka 5.1.1.3.3

            The large scale restructurings/redundancies of the 1980s/90s /2000s did not create two groups of citizens though many would have found their access to the leisure time activities that they could do when fully employed were curtailed when managing their income after losing a job. Examples would have been going to shows, concerts, dining out, sports games etc etc. Supermarket shopping saw fewer treats etc.

            Actually it did. The 80s was when the 'bludger' meme was elevated to national status. Much of that was intentional and readily accepted by the Protestant work ethic people who are judgemental and believe on bootstraps.

            Not too dissimilar. Compassion was fine until people got scared. But the great teachings on compassion don't dole it out like that. Compassion exists even for the people we judge most harshly. We base society on this, which is why prisoners have rights for instance. The philosophical shifts happening now are a concern that people are barely even registering, but this is the authoritarian left on display. Can't be bothered with carrots, let's bring in the sticks.

            • Shanreagh 5.1.1.3.3.1

              I disagree with the bludger connotation in relation to the ones who were laid off during the neo lib era. Many of us were laid off and could not access any form of benefit as we

              had savings

              were single

              etc etc

              We were 'welcome to check the jobs board'.

              So we saw colleagues able to carry on their lives while many of us lived a restricted life until we could get another job. The 'bludger' idiom was not thrown at all of those who had to access benefits but the ones, even then, who were making it more of a lifestyle choice to be on a benefit.

              • weka

                when a government runs an economy with a permanent unemployment rate, there is in fact nothing wrong with people living on a benefit as a lifestyle choice.

                Not sure why you are choosing to reinforce bludger memes.

                • Shanreagh

                  Just being factual with my experience. I don't ever use the word bludger, never have and never will.

                  Work fulfills so many more social/societal functions than just the wage. I think that not working when one could sets a bad example for children etc – sets up expectations and entitlements. Society misses out on the brain power of a variety of people.

                  • weka

                    Bludger became a pejorative aimed at people who were on the dole. I'm glad for you that you didn't get that, but many people did, even those who had no choice in being unemployed. It was a massive cultural shift, and much of that was intentional.

                    I think Ardern is bordering on doing the same over vaccination, and imo that shift is unnecessary, cruel, and bad for the country. I hope I am wrong that this is what is happening, but I think it's going to get worse.

        • Cricklewood 5.1.1.4

          Whats worse for me is that mandates are very clearly going to impact children especially in the 12-15 age group. Their educational and social opportunities will be much diminished and they are not going to vaccinate against a parent or guardians wishes.

          There have been lots of places announce 12 and over must be double vaxxed include Sports, The Arts (dance, theater) Museums, Clubs and others. I think thats a mistake, if we have to pick an age it should be 18.

  6. Robert Guyton 6

    Darkest day in NZ education?

    Have we forgotten Merv Wellington?

  7. Kiwicatlover 7

    As I posted previously, recent UK random sampling had 1.2% unvaccinated and 0.4% vaccinated test positive. If you discount the vaccinated rate by 3 to represent the reduced transmissibility, you get 1.2% vs 0.14% equivalent risk. Not a trivial difference, but I’m not convinced that is where the line should be drawn between business as usual and ending someone’s career.

    • Ad 7.1

      How is a UK random sampling relevant to New Zealand conditions for vaccination mandates?

      Also if you are going to throw a random statistic about, show your source link so that it can be examined.

        • Kiwicatlover 7.1.1.1

          That's the one. I was pressed for time and haven't mastered the linking format quite yet. As to the relevance, Covid prevalence in the midst of an outbreak in the UK, with similar figures in Aus, seem a useful proxy for planning in NZ, as we don't yet have good figures for an outbreak. If anything they should be a conservative worst case if our vaccination rate pulls ahead.

          So the question is, at what risk of exposure to infected people is it appropriate to impose severe impositions on civil rights. Vaccination status is an easy distinction, but does the evidence justify it being the dividing line? That is in question given that the vaccinated can still catch and spread, albeit at lower rates. I've yet to see a compelling evidence based argument.

    • weka 7.2

      there's an onus on commenters to link when making claims, even if you've already posted it (in this case it was last month and no-one will remember that).

  8. Anne 8

    In the next two weeks we will find out how many teachers in New Zealand are immune to facts, were happy to enforce vaccinations upon their children for multiple diseases over multiple decades but not themselves, and after decades enforcing state rules in daily attendance and behaviours of young people at school could not themselves be subject to that same force of state.

    Aided and abetted by false prophets out of America.

    Young people need teachers who apply facts, who instil the necessity of scientific method, and who lead by example from their own lives. The mandate may in time do for teaching quality what a hundred ERO reports could never do.

    And that's the crux of the argument.

    Both quotes worthy of repeating because they are so critical to the story.

    Congrats on your post Ad.

  9. Maurice 9

    The Death of Expertise springs to mind

    Who can we trust when we are told that we shall not even trust ourselves?

    https://www.amazon.com/Death-Expertise-Campaign-Established-Knowledge/dp/0190469412

    "Technology and increasing levels of education have exposed people to more information than ever before. These societal gains, however, have also helped fuel a surge in narcissistic and misguided intellectual egalitarianism that has crippled informed debates on any number of issues."

    "Tom Nichols' The Death of Expertise shows how this rejection of experts has occurred: the openness of the internet, the emergence of a customer satisfaction model in higher education, and the transformation of the news industry into a 24-hour entertainment machine, among other reasons."

  10. Ross 10

    were happy to enforce vaccinations upon their children for multiple diseases over multiple decades but not themselves,

    I’m not sure that teachers would be demanding what has to be put into kids’ bodies. That would be unethical.

    As for vaccine mandates, I suspect they will do for the Government what the Boston Strangler did for door to door salesmen.

    • observer 10.1

      Support for mandates is consistent, across all measures, at 3 out of 4. Not only the poll cited in the OP, but previous surveys (e.g. Talbot Mills in the NZ Herald).

      If vaccine mandates were the only issue for the Government they would be at record highs. Other issues can sap their support, but not this one.

  11. Ad 11

    Imagine a 2022 history class in which this COVID pandemic is taught. It will need to acknowledge what we all now owe to the researching pharmaceutical industry.

    People forget that when the mRNA vaccines were first discussed, Dr. Anthony Fauci hoped that at best they would be 60% effective. In reality, these vaccines have proven to be 95% effective.

    Pfizer's vaccine didn't have public funding put into it. Moderna did through the US-Federal programme "Operation Warp Speed". AstraZenica's one was 97% taxpayer funded. As a country with negligible R&D other than into milk products, we relied on globalisation working for us.

    The pharmaceutical industry was better placed to respond to the speed of the need than the public sector, and the mix of public and private funding wasn't particularly material.

    Dozens of biopharmaceutical companies immediately refocused R&D efforts to finding vaccines and therapeutics that could be used to fight the virus. A lot of these efforts have failed – which it is properly the risk of private enterprise to do. It's far too big a risk for the state to take on with taxpayer funds here.

    Fortunately for us and tens of millions who remain alive today, enough have succeeded to prevent hospitalisations and deaths.

    We all should be thankful for this. And indeed for the industry who rolled it out worldwide.

    Quite a classroom lesson on the relationship of big corporates to the state within crisis.

    • Gypsy 11.1

      Well said. It's interesting that the Astra-Zeneca vaccine (which is not a mRNA vaccine) has an efficacy of 63%, substantially below the Pfizer result.

    • Patricia Bremner 11.2

      Ad, agreed Big Pharma has done well with this, but there is mistrust because of the pricing of medicines and treatments. We still have large populations with few vaccines. This may come back to bite us with a new resistant variant.

      • Ad 11.2.1

        Agree, and to anticipate the next point: vaccines must not be the only focus if we are to continue slowing COVID's progress and accelerating our national capacity to recover from it both in therapeutic and in hospital care.

  12. Gypsy 12

    "Young people need teachers who apply facts, who instil the necessity of scientific method, and who lead by example from their own lives. The mandate may in time do for teaching quality what a hundred ERO reports could never do."

    The arrogance of that comment is astonishing. The scientific method is not some infallible process. Indeed "…science is built on a mountain of mistakes, many made by the greatest minds." I know teachers who are refusing to be vaccinated. I disagree with them on this one issue, but they are to a person high quality teachers who the profession will sorely miss.

    • Ad 12.1

      Experiments with double-blind proof are precisely how all modern science is conducted.

      That science has at times merged with political leadership to highly destructive effect is well acknowledged throughout the 20th century. But that necessity of teaching scientific method in schools is and must remain the primary source of confidence on knowledge.

      • weka 12.1.1

        double blind RCTs are one tool that science uses, and it doesn't stand alone separate from the other tools, human bias, or the influences of commerce, politics and social pressures.

      • Gypsy 12.1.2

        Confidence in the process, and in knowledge obtained, yes I agree. But mistakes are still made. There is not one single reason why people are anti-vaxx. Assuming teachers who are anti-vaxx are somehow of lower intellect or lesser quality is profound arrogance IMHO.

        • Ad 12.1.2.1

          I am confident that a teacher who acts against all the evidence of vaccinations' safety, cannot properly evaluate between fact and rumour, is unable to act against all the risks to society and to oneself posed by their choice, is acting against the interests of their students so deeply that they are deeply deficient in their thinking and do not deserve to teach in front of a classroom.

          Those who stay within the system and teach are clearly better thinkers.

          Clearly the state has been content to make that judgement as well.

          • Gypsy 12.1.2.1.1

            "Those who stay within the system and teach are clearly better thinkers. "
            You're making that assessment on a single criteria, being one you have personally selected. That's your prerogative, but it isn't necessarily reaosnable public policy.

            " is acting against the interests of their students so deeply "
            No, they are not. They know they will lose their jobs. They are prepared to accept those consequences.

            • Ad 12.1.2.1.1.1

              My judgement will be about the same as any future employer they apply for, unless they are stacking shelves, picking apples or mowing lawns for cashies.

              willingly consigning yourself to an underclass is one small step above selling yourself into slavery. Even JS Mill saw that as radically unfreeze.

              • Gypsy

                It is government decisions that are consigning people to an underclass. It is a deliberate decision to create two classes of people, and it is a disgusting over reach of power that will hurt this country short and long term. 1300 DHB staff stood down this morning. I really hope no-one you care about needs their care.

              • theotherpat

                they are not willing…with the courage of their convictions they are given no choice and yes i know you will say YES THEY HAVE…..its a hobsons choice…a you will do this or life is going to be suck for you….NOT something to be gleeful about

      • RedLogix 12.1.3

        Experiments with double-blind proof are precisely how all modern science is conducted.

        No. They are only part of the picture. And not even the most important part.

        The study designs can be thought of as a pyramid. Case control studies are the first articles published on new topics so they make up the base of the pyramid. As we progress up the pyramid, the studies become more evidence-based and less numerous. Meta-Analyses are at the top of the pyramid because they can only be written after much other research has been done on a topic. There are many fewer of them but they offer very strong evidence.

        This idea that RCT's are the only basis on which medical science can proceed is a mis-direction probably promoted by big pharma and govts who are the only entities who can afford to conduct them.

        • Ad 12.1.3.1

          OK not all.

          • RedLogix 12.1.3.1.1

            There are more than a few medical people deeply unhappy at how the system has moved to stripping away the value and importance of the individual clinician's observation and experience.

            It's the face to face clinical experience with real patients and all the human variation they present, together with decades informed intuition and reported as Case Studies that forms the bedrock of the pyramid.

      • mpledger 12.1.4

        Double blind RCTs are the gold standard for drug trials but many, many health studies are not blinded, nor can they be. In NZ, I would doubt whether 5% of health studies are double blinded.

    • weka 12.2

      yeah, it's not accurate to say that non-vaxxed people are inherently anti-science. We're talking about interpretation of science. Medical ethics is a thing, and we're not very good at it in this debate.

      • Ad 12.2.1

        I'm claiming that anti-vaccination teachers who choose not to be vaccinated do not deserve to teach in front of a classroom.

        Their consequent ethical choices have consequences that they understand.

        • Sanctuary 12.2.1.1

          I guess at the end of the day all this huffing and puffing from the anti-vax/vax hesitant brigade is going to count for nothing more than hot air, because you are going to get vaxxed or disappear from mainstream society.

          Like I said previously, these are government mandates not seen in seventy years and come as a huge shock after two generations of narcissistic individualism and indulgent anti-authoritarianism but that doesn't mean the state doesn't have the powers required, or that the state has the right to require compliance with public health directions.

          So I guess my only advice to the unvaccinated is nip down to Briscoes now (while they will still let you through the door) and pick up a nice coffee machine and panini maker, because you won't be able to enter a cafe and buy either item very soon.

          • Ad 12.2.1.1.1

            We shall know them by their mullets.

            They will be henceforth The Mullets.

          • Robert Guyton 12.2.1.1.2

            You've got it!

          • Gypsy 12.2.1.1.3

            " these are government mandates not seen in seventy years and come as a huge shock after two generations of narcissistic individualism and indulgent anti-authoritarianism but that doesn't mean the state doesn't have the powers required, or that the state has the right to require compliance with public health directions."
            Of course the state has the 'power'. The question is whether they should exercise it. Not all objection to state mandate is narcissistic individualism. Ever heard of conchies?

            • Shanreagh 12.2.1.1.3.1

              Yes about conscientious objectors… I think you may be drawing a long bow to put anti vaxx people in the same class as conscientious objectors.

              Those who fought and those who were objectors were mainly cut from the same homogenous cloth. Those who fought and their families could see that the objections were within their ken or frameworks even if they personally did not have the same strong beliefs.

              Some of the reasons for not having the vaccination are borne out of misinformation and disinformation. Allergies can be understood and accounted for even though it was reported that medical people thought that on a population basis, around 100 people would be allergic to any of the ingredients in the vaccine.

              The use of aborted fetal tissue in the vaccines has been discounted. While it may have been used in some testing it does not form part of the vaccine itself.

              That leaves the disinformation etc aspects, the anti science aspects eg magnets, tracking device, parts of a big worldwide plot, scares about RNA/DNA etc etc. It would be very difficult to run a persuasive 'conscientious objector' argument based on these conspiracy theories.

              I received this report from Horizon research today about vaccine uptake

              https://www.horizonpoll.co.nz/page/627/information?gtid=61868BB0-F738-4FB5-953B-52D8516AA628

              From the summary:

              • Those who say they definitely won’t get vaccinated are eight times more likely than the general population to believe that the vaccine can affect your reproductive organs, affect your DNA or RNA, and that it has religious or spiritual implications.

              To me, apart from Maori vaccinations, we are getting those who will never be vaccinated.

              Moving on to the traffic light frameworks, an emphasis on the vaccine passports, work on MIQ, mopping up those who are yet to have their second vaccination are future focussing efforts. And an all out effort to up the rate of vaccinations in Maori.

              • Gypsy

                " I think you may be drawing a long bow to put anti vaxx people in the same class as conscientious objectors. "
                The bow I was drawing was with reference to Sanctuary's comment about state powers. What the state CAN do is not always what the state SHOULD do. My personal view is the gleeful way in which the government is treating the unvaxxed is going to hurt our country badly.

                • Shanreagh

                  I am still puzzled as to your reference to conscientious objectors in this context. Are we now trying to make a link between acts of the state while on a wartime footing, and the choices that people have on whether or not to be vaccinated?

                  I have not noticed any 'gleefulness' on the part of Govt……all I have noticed is all parts of govt trying their hardest to point out the vax message, the possible consequences of not being vaccinated to health while endeavouring to open up as safely as we can.

                  I find it intriguing, and this is not the first time I have noticed it, where personal malice is assigned to an action of government and this is of course nonsense. A Govt, not being a person, is not able to have the thoughts and feelings of a person.

                  What is the purpose of doing this instead of focussing on what the act/rule. regulation will mean to individuals? This is the more usual way of looking at it as correctly places the reaction to something with those reacting.

                  So why are you thinking this rather than saying it is the reaction of the people affected?

                  • Gypsy

                    "I am still puzzled as to your reference to conscientious objectors in this context. Are we now trying to make a link between acts of the state while on a wartime footing, and the choices that people have on whether or not to be vaccinated?"

                    Again i refer back to Sanctuary's comment. In particular "or that the state has the right to require compliance with public health directions." Now the state had the 'right' to compel people to conscript. I may even argue that was desirable in the context of fighting a common enemy. However the way conchies were treated by society was disgraceful, and yes our government is deliberately creating a second class of citizens, sans certain rights some seem gleeful to take away.

                    "I have not noticed any 'gleefulness' on the part of Govt…"

                    Oh yes. It's palbable. And it's even sicker given the government on more than one occasion promised there would be no penalty for refusing to be vaccinated, and given they are doing this to cover up their own failures.

          • Ross 12.2.1.1.4

            pick up a nice coffee machine and panini maker, because you won't be able to enter a cafe and buy either item very soon.

            I didn’t realise that the meaning of life is found in a panini and coffee LOL

        • Shanreagh 12.2.1.2

          Harsh but true and that is why I like the quote from Jeff Tiedrich about there not being a downside to the loss of teachers, nurses and Police (in the US not here yet) given that science, medicine and public safety are fundamental to their jobs.

          I also believe that the mandate will in fact end up with fewer people leaving their work places than current shock, horror would have us believe. I would think also that the impact on society, on the state sector, other employees etc will be less than the impact on society from the neo lib reforms and restructurings in the late 1980s/1990s etc. Not minimising here.

          Two anecdotal stories from Wellington. A primary school BoT member advised following a meeting today that they had to stand down 2 employees/contractors, an on-call plumber and a teacher's aide. No nurses in the group that my flatmate works/associates with have missed getting their vaccinations.

          Did I read or hear also that some workplaces are allowing employees LWOP or half time leave if they want to wait for the Novavax vaccine to go through Medsafe etc but only for those who are vaccine hesitant because of the mRNA vaccines.

    • Robert Guyton 12.3

      Teachers aren't (in the main) scientists, nor are they trained researchers. Give them/us a break 🙂

      • Shanreagh 12.3.1

        No they are not scientists but we do not expect them to be influenced by unscientific research and disinformation such as above – evil players, magnets, trackers, etc etc. We expect them to have the education and nous to be able to move beyond the memes etc on social media.

        • Pete 12.3.1.1

          It is important that teachers are representative of the community. They should just be 'normal' people, like everyone else. In the community there are people who have weird views about all sorts of things, including science and vaccinations. Shouldn't we expect from teachers then the foibles of 'ordinary' people?

          Well, no. I would have thought it was important for teachers to not be dumb, for them to be rational and sensible and open minded.

          Parents have expectations that teachers have the brain to know how to spell, or to check words and be aware of things around that. They expect teachers to be able to count and be able do basic maths. And of course to be literate.

          Parents have a right to expect standards around things like those. Should they get upset if their child's teacher is delusional and idiotically believes some of the nonsense around covid and the attendant issues? Aren't teachers allowed to be delusional and idiotic as long as they keep it boxed up during school hours?

          One account I read was of a teacher at one of the protests who knew all the stuff about the importance of vaccinations but is against compulsion. The kids in her class must have it sweet.

          • Shanreagh 12.3.1.1.1

            I think some people have a flexible meaning to the word 'compulsion', and of course they would as it suits their purpose. For me, any request where an act is optional is not compulsion. It matters not if the other option is not one that suits you particularly, being asked and refusing is not compulsion.

            I am not sure that it even fits the definition of 'Hobsons choice', particularly with the non mRNA vaccines coming out.

      • KJT 12.3.2

        Learning how to assess, interpreted and communicate science, was a big part of my teacher training.
        Which is pretty standard in NZ.

  13. aj 13

    There must be a number of 'anti-vaxxers' who are stuck in that position through pride and a reluctance to 'back down'

    Having dug themselves a big hole through their early bold, loud and strong statements to friends, colleagues, etc., that they were unsure about vaccination. Once they declared they would refuse to get the vaccine if it was mandated, this becomes a real block to relenting from that position.

    The psychology behind taking a position then trying to back away from it interesting, and difficult for many people to do. It becomes hard to admit taking a wrong choice for fear of being seen as weak and unprincipled, and harder the longer they do it.

    The old saying – 'cut off your nose to spite your face' – an expression to describe a needlessly self-destructive over-reaction to a problem – springs to mind.

  14. georgecom 14

    slight change of subject – more than 20 minutes through the press conference announcing shift to covid traffic light system, 3 questions from Barry Soper and none of them about people using toilets under the traffic lights. saints be praised. no inane questions about how the PM 'feels about such and such either.

    • Ad 14.1

      RED LIGHT:

      Working from home encouraged. Hospo, retail, gatherings allowed for vaccinated – with limits.

      Venues not using vaccine certificates it's contactless pickup only. Limits of 10 people, no bars or gyms or hairdressers.

      ORANGE LIGHT:

      Vaccinated have near normal life, with masks and some capacity limits.

      Venues not using vaccination certificates it's contactless pickup only.

      GREEN LIGHT:

      Vaccinated near-normal life, everything's open.

      Unvaccinated venues still have some gathering limits like Level 2.

    • Anne 14.2

      I think he may have received a bit of a dressing down after his big fail – was it yesterday or the day before?

  15. Those people complaining about their loss of rights always do it with the narrow focus on their own personal wellbeing, ignoring the people around them who may be immunocompromised, ignoring the importance of herd immunity to prevent wildfire outbreaks, ignoring the increased chance of death or permanent injury from catching Covid.

    It's your basic selfishness along with lack of rationality and spending too much time on stupid social media sites spreading hate and fear, bolstered by confirmation bias and the feeling they get from reading about evil conspiracies. My friend said she "saw the truth about what was going on" when she read this crap on social media "it was like my eyes were opened" because it confirmed her internal paranoid feelings about the world. IMO it was transference of psychological trauma onto current events. It's a shame that otherwise good people are susceptible to such lies.

    Saw this amazing thread about how people fall into the Q-Anon anti-vax rabbit hole (explains John Ansell's brain worms quite well too):

    https://twitter.com/AnneleiseHall/status/1460104921726869505?s=20

    • RedLogix 15.1

      Yeah there are no conspiracies and everyone in authority is both all-knowing, wise and a saint. /sarc

      Conspiracy theories arise when people realise or suspect they’re being lied to. Into the vacuum rushes speculation. Most of the time this speculation is bunk – sometimes it’s not.

      • roblogic 15.1.1

        Oh of course, especially in the USA the establishment is involved in a ton of murky shit. The evangelical churches and Fox news have corralled the outrage quite effectively by resorting to nationalistic idiocy. But that doesn't translate well to Aotearoa IMO

        • RedLogix 15.1.1.1

          Given that most of the NZ govt's advice is closely aligned with US policy and thinking – the translation may not be as loose as you think.

        • Tricledrown 15.1.1.2

          Mainly Christian fundies and gang members Brian Tamaki has a foot in both camps.

  16. I have a close relative who has been in the teaching profession for over 50 years, still involved in governance and best practices, who agrees with the sentiment that anti vaxxers are bad teachers, and students are better off without them. Because it's about the students right!?! Not a teacher's career prospects.

    They made a choice, they face a consequence. Basic life lesson.

    • RedLogix 16.1

      Whoa … individual consequences for 'bad choices'. Now where did I hear that before?

      • weka 16.1.1

        lol.

        Mind blowing how blind some of the left is to this messaging, and that we can still take care of the collective without being dicks about it.

        • Ad 16.1.1.1

          If I get half a chance I will write something on the rise of the authoritarian left across the executive and across policy rollout and across supporters. Ardern may well be on the slippery slope from Mother Theresa to Ghandi, but her oft-quoted line from last term still holds;

          "I refuse to believe that you cannot be both compassionate and strong."

          Currently showing accelerated evolution into the stronger being-dicks-about-it form.

      • Stuart Munro 16.1.2

        Probably here.

  17. Robert Guyton 17

    Ghandi's on the Dark Side?

    I'm puzzled. He loved looms.

  18. James 2 18

    Who here thinks 30 minutes exercise a day and not smoking is good for individual and public health?

    Who here thinks no social media after 9 pm is good for mental health?

    -100% of hands go up-

    Who here thinks smokers should lose their job, freedom, ability to go to restaurants, etc?

    Who here thinks the police should enforce 30 minutes of exercise per day?

    -less than 100% of hands go up-

    OK, so something simply being good, of a varying degree, doesn't justify state coercion and extreme legal and social exclusion?

    Of course it doesn't. We don't live in a dictatorship, even a benevolent one.

    Instead of solid arguments to justify literally the most exteme limited on human rights in the last 100 years via mandates and passports, it's supporters argue a different claim – vaccines are generally good and anti-vax are dumb.

    Why? Because that's easier and feeds a self-righteous moralism. But it's terrible reasoning, and wrong.

    The protection from mRNA vaccines falls rapidly, within several months. It has limited and falling protection against infection. 90% vaxxed Ireland has increased cases. Europe-wide, this is happening in highly vaxxed countries.

    Im double vaxxed but I aren't interested in forever signing over my body for 6 monthly rolling Soviet passports, particularly where we are already highly vaxxed and 90% is an extreme figure plucked from ego to be "world leading".

    Instead, mandate vax for ICU doctors/nurses and those working in Old folks home. The rest is illogic, extereme over-reach, fear, and unthinking. Its not science or rationality, its emotional moralism, fear, and submission.

    That's why the Court of Appeals in US has suspended vaccine mandate in the US. Not because vax is so bad, its just limited and mandates are huge baseball bat to crack a peanut and ultimately come at a ridiculous cost.

    • Stuart Munro 18.1

      and 90% is an extreme figure plucked from ego to be "world leading"

      Nope, it's an approximation that is predicted to reduce transmission to manageable levels. The actual number for that is likely to be between 90 and 100% – polio vax hit 93% before the US epidemic was halted, and polio vax gave robust immunity.

    • Sacha 18.2

      but I aren't interested in forever signing over my body for 6 monthly rolling Soviet passports

      Fine if you were the only one affected by a decision not to stay vaxxed. Society has a life-and-death interest in your status.

  19. Jacqui McLaren 19

    Teachers should apply facts and instil necessity of scientific method according to the writer. Who says the teachers who do not elect to be vaccinated are not working on facts, and that scientific method is ignored?

    Vaccines are given to at risk groups. That is how it has always been. That is how it was until 2020. One of the most obvious examples is the flu vax (flu kills aboout 500 Kiwis every year according to Otago Uni). That jab has never been made mandatory for not at risk groups and is free for a defined group of at risk people and certain workers. Those deaths are 'acceptable' and do not call for mass campaigns, vax centers, drive throughs and mandates

    The covid vax is approved for emergency use because the accepted research standards for medication have not been fully met. MoH website clearly states this. This means the vax is still experimental. All those who have been vaxxed must know this and are fine with it, as getting vaxxed (or taking any medication) means you have given your informed consent. It is also acceptable to decline medication if the full information is not available or questions cannot be answered.

    Science is also showing that for those who had the vax 6 – 8 months ago their vax protection declines or is no more effective. Facts and science would demand that all teachers vaxxed more than 6 months ago should be on leave imnediately until they get a booster. Haven't heard that is happening.

    • Sacha 19.1

      Wow, you really have been doing your own research.

    • weka 19.2

      Science is also showing that for those who had the vax 6 – 8 months ago their vax protection declines or is no more effective.

      Don't think so. Declines but doesn't become not effective at all.

      The effectiveness of the Pfizer Inc (PFE.N)/BioNTech SE vaccine in preventing infection by the coronavirus dropped to 47% from 88% six months after the second dose, according to data published on Monday that U.S. health agencies considered when deciding on the need for booster shots.

      The analysis showed that the vaccine's effectiveness in preventing hospitalization and death remained high at 90% for at least six months, even against the highly contagious Delta variant of the coronavirus.

      https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/pfizerbiontech-covid-19-vaccine-effectiveness-drops-after-6-months-study-2021-10-04/

      Pretty sure the government announced third dose the other day for selected groups.

    • NiandraGem 19.3

      Your fake ponderous, academic tone, and references to the scientific method, don’t change the fact that you are deliberately spreading antivax misinformation during a global pandemic that has killed millions of people.

  20. Maurice 20

    The largest identifiable group unvaxxed are children under 12 and the spread is being foisted upon us before they have time to be vaccinated.

    Min Of H Case demographics record in Cases by Age Group that the 0 to 9 age group (as at 9.00am on 17 Nov) 1068 cases (17% of cases) with 20 hospitalised (6% of all cases)

    The number is larger with the 9 to 12 age group (not reported)

    Consequently they are the group very much at risk of transmission and spreading the disease.

    https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/covid-19-data-and-statistics/covid-19-case-demographics

    Much more interesting data at the link.

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

  • At a glance – Does CO2 always correlate with temperature?
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    5 hours ago
  • Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6.06 pm on Tuesday, March 19
    TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Tuesday, March 19:Kāinga Ora’s dry rot The Spinoff DailyBill McKibben on ‘Climate Superfunds’ making Big Oil pay for climate damage The Crucial YearsPreston Mui on returning to 1980s-style productivity growth NoahpinionAndy Boenau on NIMBYs needing unusual bedfellows Urbanism SpeakeasyNed Resnikoff's case ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    7 hours ago
  • Relentlessly negative
    Negative yesterday, negative today. Negative all year, according to one departing reader telling me I’ve grown strident and predictable. Fair enough. If it’s any help, every time I go to write about a certain topic that begins with C and ends with arrrrs, I do brace myself and ask: Again? Are ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    8 hours ago
  • Scoring 4.6 out of 10, the new Government is struggling in the polls
    Bryce Edwards writes –  It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    8 hours ago
  • Promiscuous Empathy: Chris Trotter Replies To His Critics.
    Inspirational: The Family of Man is a glorious hymn to human equality, but, more than that, it is a clarion call to human freedom. Because equality, unleavened by liberty, is a broken piano, an unstrung harp; upon which the songs of fraternity will never be played. “Somebody must have been telling lies about ...
    9 hours ago
  • Don’t run your business like a criminal enterprise
    The Detail this morning highlights the police's asset forfeiture case against convicted business criminal Ron Salter, who stands to have his business confiscated for systemic violations of health and safety law. Business are crying foul - but not for the reason you'd think. Instead of opposing the post-conviction punishment and ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    9 hours ago
  • Misremembering Justinian’s Taxes.
    Tax Lawyer Barbara Edmonds vs Emperor Justinian I - Nolo Contendere: False historical explanations of pivotal events are very far from being inconsequential.WHEN BARBARA EDMONDS made reference to the Roman Empire, my ears pricked up. It is, lamentably, very rare to hear a politician admit to any kind of familiarity ...
    9 hours ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Scoring 4.6 out of 10, the new Government is struggling in the polls
    It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support for the various parties in ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    10 hours ago
  • Bishop scores headlines with crackdown on unwelcome tenants – but Peters scores, too, as tub-thump...
    Buzz from the Beehive Housing Minister Chris Bishop delivered news – packed with the ingredients to enflame political passions – worthy of supplanting Winston Peters in headline writers’ priorities. He popped up at the post-Cabinet press conference to promise a crackdown on unruly and antisocial state housing tenants. His ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    11 hours ago
  • Will it make the boat go faster?
    Ele Ludemann writes – The Reserve Bank is advertising for a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion advisor. The Bank has one mandate – to keep inflation between one and three percent. It has failed in that and is only slowly getting inflation back down to the upper limit. Will it ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    14 hours ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Is Simon Bridges’ NZTA appointment a conflict of interest?
    Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi The fact that a ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    14 hours ago
  • Is Simon Bridges’ NZTA appointment a conflict of interest?
    Bryce Edwards writes – Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    14 hours ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' at 10:10am on Tuesday, March 19
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Gavin Jacobson talks to Thomas Piketty 10 years on from Capital in the 21st Century The SalvoLocal scoop: Green MP’s business being investigated over migrant exploitation claims Stuff Steve KilgallonLocal deep-dive: The commercial contractors making money from School ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    15 hours ago
  • Bernard's six newsy things on Tuesday, March 19
    It’s a home - but Kāinga Ora tenants accused of “abusing the privilege” may lose it. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Government announced a crackdown on Kāinga Ora tenants who were unruly and/or behind on their rent, with Housing Minister Chris Bishop saying a place in a state ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    16 hours ago
  • New Life for Light Rail
    This is a guest post by Connor Sharp of Surface Light Rail  Light rail in Auckland: A way forward sooner than you think With the coup de grâce of Auckland Light Rail (ALR) earlier this year, and the shift of the government’s priorities to roads, roads, and more roads, it ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    17 hours ago
  • Why Are Bosses Nearly All Buffoons?
    Note: As a paid-up Webworm member, I’ve recorded this Webworm as a mini-podcast for you as well. Some of you said you liked this option - so I aim to provide it when I get a chance to record! Read more ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    19 hours ago
  • Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6.06 pm on March 18
    TL;DR: In my ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Monday, March 18:IKEA is accused of planting big forests in New Zealand to green-wash; REDD-MonitorA City for People takes a well-deserved victory lap over Wellington’s pro-YIMBY District Plan votes; A City for PeopleSteven Anastasiou takes a close look at the sticky ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Peters holds his ground on co-governance, but Willis wriggles on those tax cuts and SNA suspension l...
    Buzz from the Beehive Here’s hoping for a lively post-cabinet press conference when the PM and – perhaps – some of his ministers tell us what was discussed at their meeting today. Until then, Point of Order has precious little Beehive news to report after its latest monitoring of the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 day ago
  • Labour’s final report card
    David Farrar writes –  We now have almost all 2023 data in, which has allowed me to update my annual table of how  went against its promises. This is basically their final report card. The promise The result Build 100,000 affordable homes over 10 ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • “Drunk Uncle at a Wedding”
    I’m a bit worried that I’ve started a previous newsletter with the words “just when you think they couldn’t get any worse…” Seems lately that I could begin pretty much every issue with that opening. Such is the nature of our coalition government that they seem to be outdoing each ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Wang Yi’s perfectly-timed, Aukus-themed visit to New Zealand
    Geoffrey Miller writes – Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on Dune 2, and images of Islam
    Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture ...
    2 days ago
  • New Rail Operations Centre Promises Better Train Services
    Last week Transport Minster Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre. The new train control centre will see teams from KiwiRail, Auckland Transport and Auckland One Rail working more closely together to improve train services across the city. The Auckland Rail Operations Centre in ...
    2 days ago
  • Bernard's six newsy things at 6.36am on Monday, March 18
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson said in an exit interview with Q+A yesterday the Government can and should sustain more debt to invest in infrastructure for future generations. Elsewhere in the news in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 6:36am: Read more ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: Wang Yi’s perfectly-timed, Aukus-themed visit to New Zealand
    Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. It is more than just a happy ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    2 days ago
  • The Kaka’s diary for the week to March 25 and beyond
    TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to March 18 include:China’s Foreign Minister visiting Wellington today;A post-cabinet news conference this afternoon; the resumption of Parliament on Tuesday for two weeks before Easter;retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson gives his valedictory speech in Parliament; ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Bitter and angry; Winston First
    New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters’s state-of-the-nation speech on Sunday was really a state-of-Winston-First speech. He barely mentioned any of the Government’s key policies and could not even wholly endorse its signature income tax cuts. Instead, he rehearsed all of his complaints about the Ardern Government, including an extraordinary claim ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
    2 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #11
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
    2 days ago
  • Out of Touch.
    “I’ve been internalising a really complicated situation in my head.”When they kept telling us we should wait until we get to know him, were they taking the piss? Was it a case of, if you think this is bad, wait till you get to know the real Christopher, after the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • Bring out your Dad
    Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • The bewildering world of Chris Luxon – Guns for all, not no lunch for kids
    .“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
    Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
    3 days ago
  • Expert Opinion: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
    3 days ago
  • Manufacturing The Truth.
    Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet –  is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
    3 days ago
  • A Powerful Sensation of Déjà Vu.
    Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
    3 days ago
  • Can you guess where world attention is focussed (according to Greenpeace)? It’s focussed on an EPA...
    Bob Edlin writes –  And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Further integrity problems for the Greens in suspending MP Darleen Tana
    Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Jacqui Van Der Kaay: Greens’ transparency missing in action
    For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    4 days ago
  • Bernard’s Dawn Chorus with six newsey things at 6:46am for Saturday, March 16
    TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ Herald Thomas Coughlan Simeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • How Did FTX Crash?
    What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    4 days ago
  • Elections in Russia and Ukraine
    Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
    4 days ago
  • Bernard’s six stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15
    TL;DR: Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it:  We want our country to be a ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • National’s clean car tax advances
    The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Government funding bailouts
    Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Two offenders, different treatments.
    See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    4 days ago
  • Treaty references omitted
    Ele Ludemann writes  – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • The Ghahraman Conflict
    What was that judge thinking? Peter Williams writes –  That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 15
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop: Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • The day Wellington up-zoned its future
    Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 15-March-2024
    It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    5 days ago
  • That Word.
    Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • The Hoon around the week to March 15
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Labour’s policy gap
    It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #11 2024
    Open access notables A Glimpse into the Future: The 2023 Ocean Temperature and Sea Ice Extremes in the Context of Longer-Term Climate Change, Kuhlbrodt et al., Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society: In the year 2023, we have seen extraordinary extrema in high sea surface temperature (SST) in the North Atlantic and in ...
    5 days ago
  • Melissa remains mute on media matters but has something to say (at a sporting event) about economic ...
     Buzz from the Beehive   The text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary.  It can be quickly analysed ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • The return of Muldoon
    For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Will the rental tax cut improve life for renters or landlords?
    Bryce Edwards writes –  Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: What Saudi Arabia’s rapid changes mean for New Zealand
    Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    5 days ago
  • Racism’s double standards
    Questions need to be asked on both sides of the world Peter Williams writes –   The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • It’s not a tax break
    Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • The Plastic Pig Collective and Chris' Imaginary Friends.
    I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago
  • Who is responsible for young offenders?
    Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on National’s fantasy trip to La La Landlord Land
    How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
    6 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 14
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop: The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • No, Prime Minister, rents don’t rise or fall with landlords’ costs
    TL;DR: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • Cartoons: ‘At least I didn’t make things awkward’
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
    6 days ago
  • Solving traffic congestion with Richard Prebble
    The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    6 days ago
  • I Think I'm Done Flying Boeing
    Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • Invoking Aristotle: Of Rings of Power, Stones, and Ships
    The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
    6 days ago
  • Van Velden brings free-market approach to changing labour laws – but her colleagues stick to distr...
    Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • Why Newshub failed
    Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Māori Party on the warpath against landlords and seabed miners – let’s see if mystical creature...
    Bob Edlin writes  –  The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they  follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • Government moves to quickly ratify the NZ-EU FTA
    "The Government is moving quickly to realise an additional $46 million in tariff savings in the EU market this season for Kiwi exporters,” Minister for Trade and Agriculture, Todd McClay says. Parliament is set, this week, to complete the final legislative processes required to bring the New Zealand – European ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    8 hours ago
  • Positive progress for social worker workforce
    New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    12 hours ago
  • Minister confirms reduced RUC rate for PHEVs
    Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    14 hours ago
  • Trade access to overseas markets creates jobs
    Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand.  Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    15 hours ago
  • NZ and Chinese Foreign Ministers hold official talks
    Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Kāinga Ora instructed to end Sustaining Tenancies
    Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber: Growth is the answer
    Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Singapore rounds out regional trip
    Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships.      “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Minister van Velden represents New Zealand at International Democracy Summit
    Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Insurance Council of NZ Speech, 7 March 2024, Auckland
    ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland  Acknowledgements and opening  Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho.  Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau  My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Five-year anniversary of Christchurch terror attacks
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says.  “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024
    Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024  Acknowledgements and opening  Morena, Nga Mihi Nui.  Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau  Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Early visit to Indonesia strengthens ties
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country.   “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • China Foreign Minister to visit
    Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week.  “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Minister opens new Auckland Rail Operations Centre
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Celebrating 10 years of Crankworx Rotorua
    The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee.  “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government delivering on tax commitments
    Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today.  “The Amendment Paper represents ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Significant Natural Areas requirement to be suspended
    Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Government classifies drought conditions in Top of the South as medium-scale adverse event
    Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Government partnership to tackle $332m facial eczema problem
    The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced.  “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • NZ, India chart path to enhanced relationship
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level.   “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Ruapehu Alpine Lifts bailout the last, say Ministers
    Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Govt takes action to drive better cancer services
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Govt takes action to drive better cancer services
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Work begins on SH29 upgrades near Tauriko
    Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Work begins on SH29 upgrades near Tauriko
    Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Fresh produce price drop welcome
    Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024.  “Lower fruit and vege ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Statement to the 68th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women
    Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all.  Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Speech to the 68th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68)
    Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all.  Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Government backs rural led catchment projects
    The coalition Government is supporting farmers to enhance land management practices by investing $3.3 million in locally led catchment groups, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “Farmers and growers deliver significant prosperity for New Zealand and it’s vital their ongoing efforts to improve land management practices and water quality are supported,” ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber
    Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction.   Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Commission’s advice on ETS settings tabled
    Recommendations from the Climate Change Commission for New Zealand on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction and unit limit settings for the next five years have been tabled in Parliament, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “The Commission provides advice on the ETS annually. This is the third time the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Government lowering building costs
    The coalition Government is beginning its fight to lower building costs and reduce red tape by exempting minor building work from paying the building levy, says Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk. “Currently, any building project worth $20,444 including GST or more is subject to the building levy which is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Trustee tax change welcomed
    Proposed changes to tax legislation to prevent the over-taxation of low-earning trusts are welcome, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The changes have been recommended by Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee following consideration of submissions on the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill. “One of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Minister’s Ramadan message
    Assalaamu alaikum. السَّلَام عليكم In light of the holy month of Ramadan, I want to extend my warmest wishes to our Muslim community in New Zealand. Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, renewed devotion, perseverance, generosity, and forgiveness.  It’s a time to strengthen our bonds and appreciate the diversity ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Minister appoints new NZTA Chair
    Former Transport Minister and CEO of the Auckland Business Chamber Hon Simon Bridges has been appointed as the new Board Chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) for a three-year term, Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced today. “Simon brings extensive experience and knowledge in transport policy and governance to the role. He will ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Speech to Life Sciences Summit
    Good morning all, it is a pleasure to be here as Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology.  It is fantastic to see how connected and collaborative the life science and biotechnology industry is here in New Zealand. I would like to thank BioTechNZ and NZTech for the invitation to address ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Progress continues apace on water storage
    Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says he is looking forward to the day when three key water projects in Northland are up and running, unlocking the full potential of land in the region. Mr Jones attended a community event at the site of the Otawere reservoir near Kerikeri on Friday. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Government agrees to restore interest deductions
    Associate Finance Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government has agreed to restore deductibility for mortgage interest on residential investment properties. “Help is on the way for landlords and renters alike. The Government’s restoration of interest deductibility will ease pressure on rents and simplify the tax code,” says ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Minister to attend World Anti-Doping Agency Symposium
    Sport and Recreation Minister Chris Bishop will travel to Switzerland today to attend an Executive Committee meeting and Symposium of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Mr Bishop will then travel on to London where he will attend a series of meetings in his capacity as Infrastructure Minister. “New Zealanders believe ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2024-03-19T11:43:37+00:00