The many and varied takes of Des Gorman on covid
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3:05 pm, July 25th, 2021 - 32 comments
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One of the most consistent critics of the Government’s Covid performance is Des Gorman. He was previously a Professor of Medicine in the faculty of Medical and Health Sciences at Auckland University. His doctorates were awarded for in-vivo brain injury research. During the last National Government he was appointed to the board of ACC, as the Executive Chairman of Health Workforce New Zealand, as a member of the National Health Board and to the Government’s welfare reform group.
I thought I would do a google trawl through media reports on his commentry to get a sense of what he has been saying. I could not think of one time where he had said anything positive. And my analysis confirmed this.
In April 2020 he said that New Zealand was ill-prepared for the Covid-19 pandemic and had been caught with its pants down. He thought that New Zealand should have closed its borders in mid-February, not the end of March but it didn’t do so because it did not have the resources to do so.
To a different news organisation he criticised the Government for going to level three from level four and not going to level 2 and darkly hinted that there was something that the Government was not telling us. Conspiracy nuts I am sure agreed with him. Contradicting what he said previously he claimed that New Zealand moved relatively quickly compared to other Western nations to shut the borders once the virus had arrived. But we should have quarantined returnees and not allowed them to self-isolate.
On May 4, 2020 he said that Covid was not going away and there was no point relying on level 3 lockdowns. Instead we should rely on social distancing, fastidious hygiene and isolating at the first sign of sickness. He also said the country’s economy had taken a massive hit and this has a huge social cost, so if evidence emerges that countries can control the disease with less draconian measures, that should be considered. He claimed darkly that most experts agreed with him but at that time they were “too frightened to speak out for fear of a backlash”.
A few days later he said that if evidence emerges that countries, such as Sweden, can control the disease with less draconian measures, that should be considered. In particular he said:
The living experiment of Sweden is an important one to watch. It’s going to have a high mortality. They are punting on herd immunity. It’s very brave – some people would describe it as reckless.”
Thankfully our government was not so “brave”.
On August 6, 2020 in an editorial to the Internal Medicine Journal he delved into economic commentray and said that the country may well have been better than most at containing this virus but not as good as some other countries.
The complete passage says:
What are the lessons we should take from this experience to reduce our exposure? We may well have been better than most at containing this virus, but that is not the point and invites an unhelpful complacency. Rather than casting ourselves as ‘best in show’, we need relentlessly to search for ways of doing better at protecting both our health and our livelihoods. Indeed, New Zealand had and has much to learn from other countries. Although the local lockdown worked well in suppressing the incidence of COVID-19, Australia was essentially able to match this using a more relaxed, and hence less economically punitive, process because of superior contact tracing. Taiwan has shown better quarantine and isolation measures, and countries such as Germany and Iceland have a much greater insight into COVID-19 prevalence. It is worth noting that, in contrast to New Zealand, all of these country exemplars have been quick adopters of technology.
The other countries mentioned, Australia, Taiwan, Germany and Iceland all have had significant outbreaks since Gorman wrote this. Germany in particular had a surge that has seen over 90,000 deaths occurring.
On August 14, 2020 the country went into level 3 lockdown after a cluster in Auckland appeared, centred around a coolstore in South Auckland and a number of churches that appeared to rely more on the will of God than medical sccience. Gorman ranked the government response at between 2 and 3 out of 10. He also said that it would take the economy 10 years to recover and that the country’s elimination strategy had been undermined by leaks at the boarder. He also advocated for National MPs to be involved in decision making.
He thought that level one would not be reached for between two weeks and seven weeks. He was partially correct here. Most of the country moved back into Level 1 five weeks later. It took Level 2 was reached in 18 days but it took Auckland eight weeks to get back to level one.
On August 21, 2020 Gorman again railed against the use of lockdowns. In an editorial in the New Zealand Medical Journal he said:
New Zealanders are confronted with a new reality: to learn to “live with COVID-19” until such time as we have herd immunity, hopefully by way of a vaccination in the next 18 months or so. This always was the reality, although 100 days with no community transmission tempted us to think it wasn’t true. The real question is “how best do we live with this virus”?
In our view, it makes no sense to continue to automatically resort to extensive social lockdowns because we are not well enough prepared to contain an outbreak without running unacceptable health risks if we don’t. Indeed, this strategy is unlikely to be sustainable, given that each time a lockdown is triggered it further undermines the twin foundations on which this approach rests: cheap public borrowing capacity and voluntary public compliance.
There is a better way: more disciplined border management, earlier detection through more testing along with faster contact tracing and isolation of cases, combined with approaches to social distancing (including masks) that are far more selective than full-scale Level Three or Four lockdowns.
The fact that we are still struggling to get the basic elements of this smarter approach right after so long suggests that we need a new approach. Einstein’s definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.
Recent events in New South Wales and earlier events in Taiwan would suggest this approach is not optimal.
On August 23, 2020 Gorman managed to contradict himself in the same interview, no mean feat. He said that New Zealand had been caught up in a ‘’euphoria’’ of victory over the virus, which then led to complacency. He also said were taking the virus more seriously the second time, as he felt their trust and confidence had been “seriously eroded”. Which emotion, euphoria, or seriously eroded confidence was dominant he has not specified.
On September 2, 2020 Gorman advocated for multiple layers of protection after five people who had tested negative for Covid before travelling from India to New Zealand then tested positive while in isolation facilities. Thankfully there were multiple layers of protection and in this case they worked.
On January 24, 2021 he said:
“There’s just been this reluctance to engage with anybody else with ideas,” says Professor Des Gorman. “What underpins this reticence? Political risk has driven a culture of ‘best in show’, ‘we’re the envy of the world’. It’s a very pervasive culture, and it’s the wrong culture. The culture we should have is: how do we do better tomorrow than we did yesterday?”
Experts such as Michael Baker agreed. But Baker has said positive things about the country’s performance as well as providing constructive criticism.
January 26, 2021 Gorman said that the country was enjoying some dumb good luck. From Radio New Zealand:
It is “dumb good luck” rather than good management that no-one else has so far tested positive for Covid-19 following the latest community case, a health expert says.
Managed isolation system is not working as it should, and New Zealand is extremely vulnerable as it waits in the queue for a vaccine.
New Zealand’s borders should be closed temporarily while things were improved to face the new strains of the virus.
“We’ve got a very leaky border, we’re trying to use hotels as quarantine facilities, we’ve got a community which doesn’t have any immune resistance to this virus. We are peculiarly vulnerable.”
On February 15, 2021 Gorman said that the decision to have detention centres in the middle of Auckland was nuts. From Newstalk ZB:
“Why are we still isolating high-risk returnees in the middle of our largest city? This is simply nuts. We are putting our livelihoods and wellbeings at risk because we are simply not managing the level of risk that we currently have appropriately. We haven’t thought through the risk we are prepared to live with. If level 3 is the right reponse then they shouldn’t have been quarantined in Auckland.”
He thought that the infection could be related to a failure at managed isolation. The most likely explanation that subsequently appeared is that the source case may have contracted the virus through her work at LSG Sky Chefs handling laundry for international airlines.
On February 16, 2021 he appeared on Seven Sharp to talk about what he thought would happen next.
“My best guess, and it is a guess, would be that the Government will try and buy time and they will extend this window of observation out until Friday (the 20th) at least,” he said.
The Government subsequently went back to level 2 with effect from the 18th of February.
On February 18, 2021 Gorman commented that he believed Government responses were being driven by optics, not science.
“Certainly, if you take Sunday, for example, if we need to be in level 3 – and you and I would say that was a reasonable response to the unknown at the time – then how on Earth did they let the Big Gay Out and the America’s Cup go ahead?
“No wonder people are anxious and when you add that political theatre we are seeing in terms of the level announcements. People are becoming quite distressed by all this and part of that is, they simply can’t see any predictability to the response.”
A Government spokesperson disputed Gorman comments and said the response to the Auckland community cases was consistent with the COVID-19 resurgence plan and identical to the approach taken to the Auckland August outbreak.
The announcement was made at 5:30 pm on the Sunday after the event had already happened. There has to be a lead in time so that arrangements could be put in place. And with the benefit of hindsight the outbreak was contained.
On March 3, 2021 Gorman said “[o]ur contact tracing still isn’t good enough and it hasn’t improved since last July,” after a single case where a contact tracer had rang someone 15 times to try and get hold of them.
Scientists should know that it is not advisable to determine the course of a trend from a single example.
He also said that while the vaccine rollout will help, it won’t be a “silver bullet” as variants mean the virus will continue to be a global issue. I am sure we can all agree with that.
On March 17, 2021 Gorman made some comments critical of Plan B. From Stuff:
Auckland University professor Des Gorman said Covid Plan B was legitimising VFF by sharing its content and appearing on its platforms, even if it did not agree with everything the group said.
He was concerned it could lead to vaccine hesitancy.
Gorman, who has criticised the Government’s Covid-19 response, said there was a fine line between promoting academic freedom of expression and promoting falsehoods.
“We should never stifle academic debate, but when [academics] are promoting misinformation that may create public harm, we have to stand up and say ‘sorry you have crossed a line’.”
Again agreed completely.
On April 13, 2021 Gorman had further criticism, also valid, that the mandatory testing system of border workers was not working.
On April 14, 2021 he criticised the vaccine roll out.
Des Gorman has strongly criticized the Government for failing to accelerate the administration of vaccinations, noting at the current rate, it will take roughly five years to inoculate New Zealand’s population against COVID-19.
“To actually vaccinate the country this year, we need to be hitting over 27,000 vaccinations a day… why is there a hold-up?”
The vaccination rate is tracking ahead of what is planned.
And recently the country crushed the 27,000 figure as part of the ramp up.
On May 1, 2021 Gorman said there needed to be checks at every step of the bubble, as the current system was far too reliant on good behaviour and people inherently doing the right thing.
“Our elimination strategy leave us absolutely reliant on two things – a secure border and effective contact tracing and at the moment none of those are up to the level we’d like to have to have any sense of security.”
On June 10, 2021 Gorman said the country could soon run out of vaccine. Dear reader this did not happen.
On June 18, 2021 University of Otago public health professor Nick Wilson said that staggering the rollout by age is a “very good” approach.
“To take that approach of going down the age groups is a very good one – it’s worked very well in the UK. So I think this is looking good for the rest of the vaccine rollout.”
Gorman disagreed.
“Most of the vaccine-hesitant are young and if we say, ‘We don’t need to vaccinate you until the end of the year’, what are we telling them? ‘You’re at such low risk and this is not a big deal for you?’ Now I can’t see that encouraging vaccination, to be honest.”
The rationale, that older people are more vulnerable I would think was pretty evident.
On June 19, 2021 Gorman said that the Government’s vaccination targets were entirely arbitrary, essentially a communications tool that can be used to suggest the government has got Covid under control. 1.5 million completed vaccination shots would suggest otherwise.
On June 24, 2021 Gorman suggested that the response to the latest virus incursion which was discovered on a Tuesday night and released on a Wednesday morning were unacceptable.
It’s not just vaccinations and use of the Tracer app that need to improve before we can safely open the borders, he thinks – the Ministry of Health also needs to up its game. Dr Gorman says it was too slow to notify the public of the potential exposure in Wellington.
Despite knowing about the case on Tuesday night, it didn’t go public until Wednesday morning. By then most Kiwis had already heard about it via Australian media reports.
Clearly sleep, the notification happened late at night, and the need to accurately identify all sites of interest were not relevant considerations.
Then on July 14, 2021 after infected overseas fishermen were quarantined in Wellington he said that the public had been exposed to unnecessary risk. From Radio New Zealand:
University of Auckland’s Des Gorman told Morning Report the Wellington public had been exposed to undue risk because the system designed to keep the virus out the country had not be executed.
Viking Bay fishing vessel crew members were transferred from the ship berthed in Wellington to the Grand Mercure Hotel in the capital yesterday. One of the infected crew was confirmed as having the virulent Delta variant.
The hotel usually keeps one floor with 10 rooms for infected people, but to accommodate the extra demand it has opened up a second level.
Gorman said the hotel hadn’t been designed to stop people breathing in others’ exhaled breath and keep their environments separate and the whole episode posed an unnecessary risk that now needed to be minimised.
“I don’t think the mariners should have been allowed anywhere near New Zealand waters without proper pre-departure testing and appropriate quarantine,” he said
“You just add layer upon layer to risks, because of our basic strategy of keeping this disease out of the country until we’re vaccinated just simply wasn’t executed.”
The fishermen had prior to entry into New Zealand provided clean Covid tests.
Finally on July 24, 2021 he suggested there should be no political decision making in relation to Covid.
A university professor has called on the Government to relinquish control of the COVID-19 response to an expert health group, to lessen the risks political decisions will get in the way of a good health response.
There are now more than 40,000 new cases being reported every day, with that expected to rise now restrictions are gone. Luckily two-thirds of Brits have been vaccinated, reducing the likelihood deaths will rise to the levels seen during the massive wave at the start of the year.
“I think it’s early, I think it’s precipitous, I think it’s probably dangerous,” said Dr Gorman. “But I understand why it became a political necessity.”
“The Government makes it clear to the group what its expectations are, but then gets out of the way of people who are actually experts.”
Given the clear respect for the science that this Government has shown this is an expecially strange proposal. And it makes you wonder about his earlier suggestion that politicians from all sides of the aisle should be making decisions.
He has been consistently negative, and consistently wrong. There have been occasions when he has suggested changes to procedure that the Government were implementing. Apart from that his comments have matched National’s rhetoric. The lock downs are too stringent and are not working, and the border is too loose and is not working.
At different times according to Gorman the Government has been caught with its pants down, had acted too quickly, was hiding things from the population, the economy had taken a massive hit, that most experts were too afraid because of fear of a backlash, that less draconian steps should be taken, that more draconian steps at the border should be taken, that the country may well have been better than most at containing the virus but only deserved a mark of two out of ten, that Kiwis had felt euphoria at the same time that their confidence had been seriously eroded, that there was a reluctance to engage with experts and that our success was down to dumb good luck. He has claimed that the Government response is being driven by optics and not science and that the virus roll out could take up to five years.
The overall impression created by Gorman’s comments is negative. And makes you wonder how it is possible that the country has been able to maintain its current situation and effectively keep Covid out.
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Nice guy, that Peter Williams. Amiable, a calm air of no-nonsense capability, a winning smile. Everything you look for in a TV presenter and newsreader.I used to see him sometimes when I went to TVNZ to be a talking head or a panellist and we would yarn. Nice guy, that ...5 days ago - Fact Brief – Did global warming stop in 1998?Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Did global warming stop in ...5 days ago
- Arguing over a moot point.I have been following recent debates in the corporate and social media about whether it is a good idea for NZ to join what is known as “AUKUS Pillar Two.” AUKUS is the Australian-UK-US nuclear submarine building agreement in which … Continue reading ...5 days ago
- No Longer Trusted: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.5 days ago
- Mortgage rates at 10% anyone?
No – nothing about that in PM Luxon’s nine-point plan to improve the lives of New Zealanders. But beyond our shores Jamie Dimon, the long-serving head of global bank J.P. Morgan Chase, reckons that the chances of a goldilocks soft landing for the economy are “a lot lower” than the ...5 days ago - Sad tales from the leftMichael Bassett writes – Have you noticed the odd way in which the media are handling the government’s crackdown on surplus employees in the Public Service? Very few reporters mention the crazy way in which State Service numbers rocketed ahead by more than 16,000 during Labour’s six years, ...5 days ago
- In Whose Best Interests?On The Spot: The question Q+A host, Jack Tame, put to the Workplace & Safety Minister, Act’s Brooke van Velden, was disarmingly simple: “Are income tax cuts right now in the best interests of lowering inflation?”JACK TAME has tested another MP on his Sunday morning current affairs show, Q+A. Minister for Workplace ...5 days ago
- Don’t Question, Don’t Complain.
It has to start somewhereIt has to start sometimeWhat better place than here?What better time than now?So it turns out that I owe you all an apology.It seems that all of the terrible things this government is doing, impacting the lives of many, aren’t necessarily ‘bad’ per se. Those things ...5 days ago - Auckland faces 25% water inflation shock
Three Waters became a focus of anti-Government protests under Labour, but its dumping by the new Government hasn’t solved councils’ funding problems and will eventually hit the back pockets of everyone. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me at 8:06 am today are:The Government ...5 days ago - Small accomplishments and large ironies
5 days ago - The Song of Saqua: Volume VII
In order to catch up to the actual progress of the D&D campaign, I present you with another couple of sessions. These were actually held back to back, on a Monday and Tuesday evening. Session XV Alas, Goatslayer had another lycanthropic transformation… though this time, he ran off into the ...6 days ago - Accelerating the Growth Rate?
There is a constant theme from the economic commentariat that New Zealand needs to lift its economic growth rate, coupled with policies which they are certain will attain that objective. Their prescriptions are usually characterised by two features. First, they tend to be in their advocate’s self-interest. Second, they are ...6 days ago - The only thing we have to fear is tenants themselves
1. Which of these acronyms describes the experience of travelling on a Cook Strait ferry?a. ROROb. FOMOc. RAROd. FMLAramoana, first boat ever boarded by More Than A Feilding, four weeks after the Wahine disaster2. What is the acronym for the experience of watching the government risking a $200 million break ...6 days ago - Peters talks of NZ “renewing its connections with the world” – but who knew we had been discon...Buzz from the Beehive The thrust of the country’s foreign affairs policy and its relationship with the United States have been addressed in four statements from the Beehive over the past 24 hours. Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters somewhat curiously spoke of New Zealand “renewing its connections with a world ...6 days ago
- Muldoonism, solar farms, and legitimacyNewsHub had an article yesterday about progress on Aotearoa's largest solar farm, at "The Point" in the Mackenzie Country. 420MW, right next to a grid connection and transmission infrastructure, and next to dams - meaning it can work in tandem with them to maximise water storage. Its exactly the sort ...6 days ago
- NZTA does not know how much it spends on conesBarrie Saunders writes – Astonishing as it may seem NZTA does not know either how much it spends on road cones as part of its Temporary Traffic Management system, or even how many companies it uses to supply and manage the cones. See my Official Information Act request ...6 days ago
- If this is Back on Track – let's not.
I used to want to plant bombs at the Last Night of the PromsBut now you'll find me with the baby, in the bathroom,With that big shell, listening for the sound of the sea,The baby and meI stayed in bed, alone, uncertainThen I met you, you drew the curtainThe sun ...6 days ago - Welfare: Just two timid targets from the National governmentLindsay Mitchell writes – The National Government has announced just two targets for the Ministry of Social Development. They are: – to reduce the number of people receiving Jobseeker Support by 50,000 to 140,000 by June 2029, and – (alongside HUD) to reduce the number of households in emergency ...6 days ago
- The Hoon around the week to April 12Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The podcast above features co-hosts Bernard Hickey and Peter Bale, along with regular guests Robert Patman on Gaza and AUKUS II, Merja Myllylahti on AUT’s trust in news report, Awhi’s Holly Bennett on a watered-down voluntary code for lobbyists, plus special guest Patrick Gower ...6 days ago
- A Dead Internet?Hi,Four years ago I wrote about a train engineer who derailed his train near the port in Los Angeles.He was attempting to slam thousands of tonnes of screaming metal into a docked Navy hospital ship, because he thought it was involved in some shady government conspiracy theory. He thought it ...6 days ago
- Weekly Roundup 12-April-2024Welcome back to another Friday. Here’s some articles that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Wednesday Matt looked at the latest with the Airport to Botany project. On Thursday Matt covered the revelation that Auckland Transport have to subsidise towing illegally parked cars. ...6 days ago
- Weekly Roundup 12-April-2024Welcome back to another Friday. Here’s some articles that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Wednesday Matt looked at the latest with the Airport to Botany project. On Thursday Matt covered the revelation that Auckland Transport have to subsidise towing illegally parked cars. ...6 days ago
- Antarctic heat spike shocks climate scientistsA ‘Regime Shift’ could raise sea levels sooner than anticipated. Has a tipping point been triggered in the Antarctic? Photo: Juan Barreto/Getty Images TL;DR: Here’s the top six news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above that was recorded yesterday afternoon between and ...6 days ago
- Skeptical Science New Research for Week #15 2024Open access notables Global carbon emissions in 2023, Liu et al., Nature Reviews Earth & Environment Annual global CO2 emissions dropped markedly in 2020 owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, decreasing by 5.8% relative to 2019 (ref. 1). There were hopes that green economic stimulus packages during the COVD crisis might mark the beginning ...7 days ago
- Release: Dark day for Kiwi kids as a third of Govt cuts affect them
News that 1000 jobs at the Ministry of Education and Oranga Tamariki could go is devastating for future generations of New Zealanders. ...1 day ago - Release: Alarm as Government signals further blow to school lunchesMore essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...1 day ago
- Release: Quick, submit – stop Govt’s dodgy approvals billThe Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...2 days ago
- Government throws coal on the climate crisis fire
The Government’s policy announced today to ease consenting for coal mining will have a lasting impact across generations. ...2 days ago - Release: Public transport costs to double as National looks at unaffordable roading project insteadCancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...3 days ago
- Release: Cost of living in Auckland still not a priorityA laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...3 days ago
- Greens look to fast-track submissions on harmful lawThe Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...6 days ago
- Release: Govt should stop making people’s lives harder and build more homesThe National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...1 week ago
- Release: Melissa Lee missing in action on mediaThe action Melissa Lee promised to protect democracy and the media sector is missing, Media and Communications spokesperson Willie Jackson said. ...1 week ago
- Landlord Government leaves little hope for rentersThe Government’s announcement on tenancy rules prove that it does not care about renters. ...1 week ago
- Opportunity to build a more sustainable economyGreen Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...1 week ago
- Significant step forward in fixing cruel and unjust pastA significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...1 week ago
- Missed opportunity but NZ will surely one day recognise the right to a sustainable environmentNew Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...1 week ago
- Release: Don’t cut our lunches – clear message sent to GovernmentTens of thousands of people are demanding the Government commits to fully funding free and healthy school lunches. ...1 week ago
- Release: Govt makes U-turn on Suicide Prevention OfficeLabour welcomes the Government’s U-turn on the closure of the Suicide Prevention Office, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...1 week ago
- CCC issues warning over further climate delayToday’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...1 week ago
- Luxon targets lame and lousy example of leadershipIf talk is cheap, Chris Luxon’s “targets” are bankrupt. ...1 week ago
- Luxon targets are lousy example of leadershipIf talk is cheap, Chris Luxon’s “targets” are bankrupt. ...1 week ago
- Release: Commitment to disability communities missing from Govt prioritiesMinister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...1 week ago
- Methane target review is dangerous duplicationThe Government’s newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealand’s urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Government must commit to school building project for disabled studentsThe Government must commit to the Maitai School building project for students with high and complex needs, to ensure disabled students from the top of the South Island have somewhere to learn. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: National must take mental health seriouslyMental Health Minister Matt Doocey and his Government colleagues have made a meal of their mental health commitments, showing how flimsy their efforts to champion the issue truly are, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...2 weeks ago
- Referendums for Māori wards a racist step backwardsThe Government's imposed referendum on Māori wards is a racist step backwards for Māori representation, and disregards Te Tiriti o Waitangi. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Job losses at Health not worth it for tax cutsNew Zealand will feel the harm of the National Government’s reckless cuts to jobs at the health ministry for generations, says Ayesha Verrall. ...2 weeks ago
- Press release: No Māori initiatives in Government’s nothing planMāori are yet to see anything from this Government except cuts, reversals and taking our people backwards, Māori Development spokesperson Willie Jackson said. ...2 weeks ago
- Thirty six point PR spinThe Government’s ‘36 point’ plan for the next three months is as pointless as it is hollow. ...2 weeks ago
- Thirty six point PR spinThe Government’s ‘36 point’ plan for the next three months is as pointless as it is hollow. ...2 weeks ago
- Thirty six point PR spinThe Government’s ‘36 point’ plan for the next three months is as pointless as it is hollow. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Social housing off Government’s to-do listThe Coalition Government’s refusal to commit to ongoing funding for social housing is seeing the sector pull back on developments and families watch their dreams of securing a home fade away, says Labour Housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Less money in most people’s pockets this AprilChanges to minimum wage and benefit indexation means many New Zealanders will get less this year, as the Government gives a big tax break to landlords instead. ...3 weeks ago
- Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...2 hours ago - Taupō takes pole positionThe Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...3 hours ago
- Cost of living support for low-income homeownersLocal Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...5 hours ago
- Government backing mussel spat projectThe Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...5 hours ago
- Government focused on getting people into workBenefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...8 hours ago
- Clean energy key driver to reducing emissionsThe Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...9 hours ago
- Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forwardThe Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...13 hours ago
- Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic PartnershipPrime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...1 day ago
- Government consults on extending coastal permits for portsRMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...1 day ago
- Inflation coming down, but more work to doToday’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...1 day ago
- School attendance restored as a priority in health adviceRefreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...1 day ago
- Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sectorOceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...1 day ago
- Patterson promoting NZ’s wool sector at International CongressAssociate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...2 days ago
- Removing red tape to help early learners thriveThe Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...2 days ago
- RMA changes to cut coal mining consent red tapeChanges to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...2 days ago
- McClay reaffirms strong NZ-China trade relationshipTrade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...3 days ago
- Prime Minister Luxon acknowledges legacy of Singapore Prime Minister LeePrime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...3 days ago
- PMs Luxon and Lee deepen Singapore-NZ tiesPrime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...3 days ago
- Antarctica New Zealand Board appointmentsForeign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner. The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...3 days ago
- Finance Minister travels to Washington DCFinance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. “I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...3 days ago
- Pet bonds a win/win for renters and landlordsThe coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...3 days ago
- Long Tunnel for SH1 Wellington being consideredState Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...3 days ago
- New Zealand condemns Iranian strikesPrime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iran’s shocking and illegal strikes against Israel. “These attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says. "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...4 days ago
- Huge interest in Government’s infrastructure plansHundreds of people in little over a week have turned out in Northland to hear Regional Development Minister Shane Jones speak about plans for boosting the regional economy through infrastructure. About 200 people from the infrastructure and associated sectors attended an event headlined by Mr Jones in Whangarei today. Last ...6 days ago
- Health Minister thanks outgoing Health New Zealand ChairHealth Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board. “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti. “I have asked her to ...6 days ago
- Roads of National Significance planning underwayThe NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has signalled their proposed delivery approach for the Government’s 15 Roads of National Significance (RoNS), with the release of the State Highway Investment Proposal (SHIP) today, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to ...6 days ago
- Navigating an unstable global environmentNew Zealand is renewing its connections with a world facing urgent challenges by pursuing an active, energetic foreign policy, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “Our country faces the most unstable global environment in decades,” Mr Peters says at the conclusion of two weeks of engagements in Egypt, Europe and the United States. “We cannot afford to sit back in splendid ...6 days ago
- NZ welcomes Australian Governor-GeneralPrime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced the Australian Governor-General, His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley and his wife Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley, will make a State visit to New Zealand from Tuesday 16 April to Thursday 18 April. The visit reciprocates the State visit of former Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy ...6 days ago
- Pseudoephedrine back on shelves for WinterAssociate Health Minister David Seymour has announced that Medsafe has approved 11 cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine. Pharmaceutical suppliers have indicated they may be able to supply the first products in June. “This is much earlier than the original expectation of medicines being available by 2025. The Government recognised ...6 days ago
- NZ and the US: an ever closer partnershipNew Zealand and the United States have recommitted to their strategic partnership in Washington DC today, pledging to work ever more closely together in support of shared values and interests, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The strategic environment that New Zealand and the United States face is considerably more ...7 days ago
- Joint US and NZ declarationApril 11, 2024 Joint Declaration by United States Secretary of State the Honorable Antony J. Blinken and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs the Right Honourable Winston Peters We met today in Washington, D.C. to recommit to the historic partnership between our two countries and the principles that underpin it—rule ...7 days ago
- NZ and US to undertake further practical Pacific cooperationForeign Minister Winston Peters has announced further New Zealand cooperation with the United States in the Pacific Islands region through $16.4 million in funding for initiatives in digital connectivity and oceans and fisheries research. “New Zealand can achieve more in the Pacific if we work together more urgently and ...7 days ago
- Government redress for Te Korowai o WainuiāruaThe Government is continuing the bipartisan effort to restore its relationship with iwi as the Te Korowai o Wainuiārua Claims Settlement Bill passed its first reading in Parliament today, says Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith. “Historical grievances of Te Korowai o Wainuiārua relate to 19th century warfare, land purchased or taken ...1 week ago
- Focus on outstanding minerals permit applicationsNew Zealand Petroleum and Minerals is working to resolve almost 150 outstanding minerals permit applications by the end of the financial year, enabling valuable mining activity and signalling to the sector that New Zealand is open for business, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “While there are no set timeframes for ...1 week ago
- Applications open for NZ-Ireland Research CallThe New Zealand and Irish governments have today announced that applications for the 2024 New Zealand-Ireland Joint Research Call on Agriculture and Climate Change are now open. This is the third research call in the three-year Joint Research Initiative pilot launched in 2022 by the Ministry for Primary Industries and Ireland’s ...1 week ago
- Tenancy rules changes to improve rental marketThe coalition Government has today announced changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to encourage landlords back to the rental property market, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “The previous Government waged a war on landlords. Many landlords told us this caused them to exit the rental market altogether. It caused worse ...1 week ago
- Boosting NZ’s trade and agricultural relationship with ChinaTrade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay will visit China next week, to strengthen relationships, support Kiwi exporters and promote New Zealand businesses on the world stage. “China is one of New Zealand’s most significant trade and economic relationships and remains an important destination for New Zealand’s products, accounting for nearly 22 per cent of our good and ...1 week ago
- Freshwater farm plan systems to be improvedThe coalition Government intends to improve freshwater farm plans so that they are more cost-effective and practical for farmers, Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay have announced. “A fit-for-purpose freshwater farm plan system will enable farmers and growers to find the right solutions for their farm ...1 week ago
- New Fast Track Projects advisory group namedThe coalition Government has today announced the expert advisory group who will provide independent recommendations to Ministers on projects to be included in the Fast Track Approvals Bill, say RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Regional Development Minister Shane Jones. “Our Fast Track Approval process will make it easier and ...1 week ago
- Pacific and Gaza focus of UN talksForeign Minister Winston Peters says his official talks with the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in New York today focused on a shared commitment to partnering with the Pacific Islands region and a common concern about the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. “Small states in the Pacific rely on collective ...1 week ago
- Visualising the 1800s or designing wedding invitations: 6 ways you can use AI beyond generating text
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By T.J. Thomson, Senior Lecturer in Visual Communication & Digital Media, RMIT University Midjourney image by T.J. Thomson As more than half of Australian office workers report using generative artificial intelligence (AI) for work, we’re starting to see this technology affect every ...1 hour ago - Falls, fractures and self-harm: 4 charts on how kids’ injury risk changes over time and differs fo...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lisa Nicole Sharwood, Injury epidemiologist | Expert Witness, UNSW Sydney Sergey Novikov/Shutterstock Injuries are the leading cause of disability and death among Australian children and adolescents. At least a quarter of all emergency department presentations during childhood are injury-related. Injuries can ...1 hour ago
- Choice and control: will NDIS reforms mean people with disability don’t get to decide who they liv...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Di Winkler, Adjunct Associate Professor, Living with Disability Research Centre, La Trobe University Shutterstock/Ground Picture Many Australians with disability feel on the edge of a precipice right now. Recommendations from the disability royal commission and the NDIS review were released late ...2 hours ago
- Asbestos in playground mulch: how to avoid a repeat of this circular economy scandalSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Salman Shooshtarian, Senior Lecturer, School of Property, Construction and Project Management, RMIT University Salman Shooshtarian Asbestos has been found in mulch used for playgrounds, schools, parks and gardens across Sydney and Melbourne. Local communities naturally fear for the health of their ...2 hours ago
- Could Albanese’s bet on homegrown green industries be the boost our regions deserve?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Madeline Taylor, Senior Lecturer, Macquarie University Cloudy Designs/Shutterstock Right now, there’s a global race underway. The goal: bring back manufacturing and energy jobs as the energy transition speeds up. In 2022, America launched its mammoth Inflation Reduction Act and the ...2 hours ago
- Watch: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon won't say if government will consult public on joining ...
Asked multiple times if the public will be consulted on joining the defence pact, Luxon repeatedly said that was yet to be worked through. ...2 hours ago - Watch live: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon speaks in PhilippinesPrime Minister Christopher Luxon is speaking to reporters on the third leg of his Southeast Asia trip, from Manila in the Philippines. ...2 hours ago
- Māori lawyers call Shane Jones' Waitangi Tribunal comments 'inappropriate'The Māori Law Society says his comments breach the principle of the separation of powers and the Cabinet Manual. ...3 hours ago
- Abortions Increase 25% Since Law Change
Family First says that the latest abortion statistics make grim and upsetting reading, with a 25% increase in abortions since the decriminalisation of abortion in March 2020. According to an Official Information Act request received by Right to Life ...4 hours ago - Over Half Of New Zealanders Feel That The Country Is In Decline And That Our Society Is BrokenIpsos New Zealand's inaugural participation in a global study on populism reveals a pervasive sense of societal and economic decline among New Zealanders. MORE DETAILS AND FULL REPORT HERE Ipsos New Zealand's inaugural participation in a global study ...4 hours ago
- Australia’s new defence strategy is big on ideas, but lacks one key ingredient: well-trained soldi...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Layton, Visiting Fellow, Strategic Studies, Griffith University There have been a lot of defence announcements recently about buying new equipment, building up Australia’s manufacturing capabilities, creating local jobs, new legislation to support AUKUS and even a new defence chief. In ...4 hours ago
- What does Steve Smith’s Stateside signing mean for cricket in the US – and Australia?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Harcourt, Industry Professor and Chief Economist, University of Technology Sydney Steve Smith, one of this generation’s finest batters, has conquered much of the cricketing world during his career, and he now has set his sights on a new frontier: the United ...4 hours ago
- A love letter to Wellington: when i open the shop by romesh dissanayake, reviewed
Madeleine Ballard reviews the debut novel from romesh dissanayake. when I open the shop, the debut novel by Naarm-based Aotearoa writer romesh dissanayake (Sri Lankan, Koryo Saram), is a narrative of grief. Devendra loses his mother, opens a noodle shop on The Terrace, grieves, and emerges changed. But just as ...4 hours ago - Minister Concedes Contractors Will Be Hired To Do Work Of Axed Ministry Of Education StaffThe PSA can’t believe that the Minister of Education is happy for her ministry to hire contractors at the same time it is dismissing 565 workers. ...4 hours ago
- Attempt to bar diplomat from Myanmar military junta failsMyanmar community members applied to the courts to bar the diplomat from attending the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. ...5 hours ago
- LGNZ Welcomes Govt Earthquake-prone Buildings DecisionLGNZ has advocated for this decision as part of a remit led by Manawatū District Council. ...5 hours ago
- AUKUS Pillar 2 a 'fragrant, methane-wrapped bull***' – Bob CarrThe former Australian Foreign Minister has continued to warn New Zealand against joining the defence pact. ...5 hours ago
- Enforceable undertaking issued to abc accounting services limited after continued non-compliance.The Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) has accepted an enforceable undertaking agreement from ABC Accounting Services Limited (ABC) under section 81 of the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act 2009 (AML/CFT Act). ...6 hours ago
- REVEALED: RNZ’s Hypocrisy Over Fair Digital News Bargaining BillThe Taxpayers’ Union can reveal that Radio New Zealand (RNZ) spent $71,842.53 on Facebook advertising over the past 12 months, despite earlier this year coming out in support of the Fair Digital News Bargaining Bill , which would force the likes ...6 hours ago
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When Gorman comes on the TV or radio, I mute the machine!
I've let RNZ have my opinion, gratis, of their use of this consistently negative commentator!
Wow, Des Gorman's criticisms and contradictions are dizzyingly confusing. He is seemingly speaking with and on behalf of National. Some of his ideas are risky, as in putting quarantine returnees out of Auckland but without saying where they should all go. Where elsewhere are big enough facilities, staff, healthcare workers, transport, chefs, admin staff?
Likewise those who say NZ should build specific quarantine facilities. Given that would take two years or more for land to be located and bought, designs drawn up, consents granted from a council, a tender put out for building the facility, staff to be hired, materials purchased.
Somehow Des Gorman comes over as someone who rather likes the sound of his own voice.
Australia operates exactly such a facility at Howard Springs in NT south of Darwin. It's been very popular and 100% successful so far.
If we really wanted to something similar could be built in NZ in about a month.
Howard Springs already existed – an ex workers camp for an offshore LNG mega project
https://aecom.com/nz/projects/manigurr-ma-village/
Its laughable to suggest could be 'built in a month'..even Australia has thought of it and given a pass
As I said – "If we really wanted to". Clearly the will is lacking. And my real point is that exactly such a quarantine facility does exist, and it's operated with excellent success, described as a 'gold standard' facility.
That other people lack the imagination or will to get something similar done elsewhere is beside the point.
You cant get a garden shed built in a month currently in NZ.
Thanks MS for approaching such dirty work in such a lawerly way. I have made one or two amateurish comments on here about Gorman's performance – so it's a relief to see it set out like this.
In an alternate world where National won in 2017 you know this clown would have been put in charge of our covid response.
I guess he has two advantages for the media. He answers his phone and is reliably contrarian.
"Academic gets around to supporting government on RNZ the next day" doesn't have the same appeal to a shrieking Lisa Owen.
He’s also a male silverback without any shades of pink with medical and science degrees. A pin-up poster boy for those who lack charisma and intellectual firepower themselves. We need contrarians more than we need conspiracy theorists. However, the line between these two can be blurry.
And no more medical knowledge of epidemiology/virus than an an normal GP, given his medical speciality is brain injuries.
Not even a smattering of previous interest in standard public health areas. And yet hes all over the media on Covid ??
"Professor Gorman’s non-clinical interests include health system design and funding, and health workforce planning and development."
Side-kick of Murray Horn on the National Health Board (he wrote a book to sort of boast that neo-liberals took over the direction of government in a way that that no future elected government could change it) – the sort of people who had HB's having to make a return on capital invested in new buildings (so they could not afford to fully staff wards within it).
Indeed, he might be straying out of his comfort zone but he seems pretty comfortable with that or compensates it with plenty of confidence.
RedLogix, perhaps you could elaborate with more details on how a quarantine facility could be built in a month. Is land readily available (no not Waiouru), and all the other planning and construction requirements.
hes probably thinking Ihumatao….. near the airport, $200 mill when you have builders galore available
It's simple. Import 1000 Inuit workers and house them in an offshore igloo. They will row to shore each day in the hollowed out carcass of baby Toa to work on the quarantine centre using traditional whalebone tools and hydrogen powered nail guns.
I've been saying this for a year.
Pass the necessary legislation and budget under urgency and appropriate the necessary land, materials and people. If necessary import a competent project manager if there are none left in NZ anymore. I can recommend a name or two.
One of the National parties, managerial "useful idiots" they packed state services with.
Compliant commentators who have read the government narrative and don’t ask questions and just sing the praises of how wonderful we were are preferable.
Is that a euphemism for or another piss-take on occasionally harsh but constructive criticism of Government decisions and handling of the pandemic? If so, I can think of a few experts that fit that description very well and nicely.
Yep, you got my number Incognito.
Just feel we can all fall too easily into the trap of praising everyone who supports our party colours and criticising those that don’t.
But admire the way you take a more circumspect approach overall.
[I’m letting this one through so that I can remind you that you still have to provide a satisfactory response to your moderation. If/when you take too long I’ll move you to Black list until further notice and until you respond – Incognito]
See my Moderation note @ 8:06 pm.
We had good luck all right. The good luck that Gorman was not in charge.
Or National. While it is probably unfair to look at a opposition political parties 'policies' when they are in such a chaotic state as National is at present (or as outright nut jobs as Act MP caucus or Mike Hosking are), but they haven't been as rational as Des Gorman.
Of course they have exhibited similar behaviours that are, in my opinion, just as incoherent, unprofessional, and regularly trying to cast the cloak of 'victim' over themselves.
Frankly I prefer Plan B as opposition to the governments plans – they have been much more interesting even when I regularly disagree with them.
Is Professor Gorman a member of the National Party?
Thank goodness we have apolitical (as they should be) experts guiding the current government and not some gormless agenda-driven advisors.
To think where we might have been in this pandemic under National is a very scary thought indeed.
Gorman is just another confused National Party tool.As a member of the Nat's Welfare Reform Group he systematically & deliberately made the lives of beneficiaries (except for NZ Superannuiatants) as wretched & as miserable as possible. What happened to his hypocratic oath, 'First, do no harm.'?
I've known Gorman for nearly 40 years. Successive governments fed his egomania and profited from it too, not least in the medicolegal assessment regime he established for ACC and is waiting in the wings (and on the statute books) for social welfare beneficiaries. Civil Aviation, too, benefited from the Gorman touch, as did big meat processing companies. Gorman also had a hand in the state of our current emdical workforce, acting as a gatekeeper there.
Just a thank you for a comprehensive exposure of his twist and turns on the Covid response, that I have noted as well. Obviously he has been used by National and their media supporters to get alternative Medical Expert View. He historically comes from a a submariner medical and occupational medicine teaching role interestingly , no epidemiologist , unlike Profs Jackson , Skeggs etc
NBJ
des gorman is either an educated fool or a fully paid up shill for the nationals party. probably both!