UK COVID-19 death toll hits 100,000 and The PM offers an insincere apology.
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6:11 am, January 29th, 2021 - 21 comments
Categories: Austerity, Politics, uk politics -
Tags: Boris Johnson, covid-19, Kier Starmer, nick kelly, pandemic, UK Conservatives, UK election 2019, uk labour
Originally posted on Nick Kelly’s Blog
In late March 2020, the medical director of the NHS Stephen Powis said that keeping the UK COVID-19 death toll to under 20,000 would be a good result. Ten months later, almost to the day, the UK’s official death toll from COVID-19 hit 100,000, a few days after an Oxford University study found that the UK had the worst daily death rate per capita for coronavirus in the world.
On Tuesday Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he was “deeply sorry” for every life that was lost. His apology was quickly followed by this statement:
I think on this day I should just really repeat that I am deeply sorry for every life that has been lost and of course as I was prime minister, I take full responsibility for everything that the government has done. We did everything we could to minimise suffering and minimise the loss of life and will continue to do so.
Boris Johnson addressing the nation Tuesday 26 January 2021
Back in May 2020, I wrote a blog which listed the many failings of the UK Governments handling of the crisis. The Prime Minister and his colleagues ignored scientific advice and allowed the virus to take hold throughout the population in February and March 2020. The Prime Minister, in particular, took pride in the fact that he planned to keep the country open even when most other European nations were going into lockdown. It was only when NHS hospitals were near breaking point that Britain followed other nations and implemented similar restrictions.
Probably the greatest failing by the Conservative Government in the fight against COVID-19 was not its response to the crisis but the decade of underinvestment in the country’s public health system. Sir Michael Marmot from the UK Institute of Health Equity published a damning report in December 2020 which highlighted that during the last decade of Conservative Government:
- people can expect to spend more of their lives in poor health
- improvements to life expectancy have stalled and declined for the poorest 10% of women
- the health gap has grown between wealthy and deprived areas
- place matters – living in a deprived area of the North East is worse for your health than living in a similarly deprived area in London, to the extent that life expectancy is nearly five years less.
The report also made clear that the above trends, in particular the health gap between wealthy and deprived areas, corresponds with data during the COVID-19 pandemic which found those from poorer parts of the UK were hit harder by the virus.
In May 2020 I posted a blog about the state of UK Social Care where for decades successive governments have failed to resolve the funding crisis, or indeed to build proper links between the health and social care systems. In October 2020 Amnesty International published its report As if Expendable which outlined how many older people were kicked out of hospitals and placed back into residential care homes, without first even being tested for COVID-19. This shameful action, along with not supplying social care providers adequate supplies of PEE was responsible for many thousands of deaths. The Amnesty report highlights that the UK Governments treatment of people in the social care system during this time breached both domestic and international law:
The UK is a state party to international and regional human rights treaties which require it to protect and guarantee fundamental human rights relevant to the concerns addressed in this report, including notably, the right to life, the right to highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, the right to non-discrimination – including on the grounds of age, disability or health status – the right not to be subjected to inhuman or degrading treatment.
As if Expendable, Amnesty International report 2020
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has yet to atone for what happened during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the social care sector. Whilst this was not just the fault of his government’s failure, his statement on Tuesday shows he still accepts no-fault and claims they did all they could to ‘minimise suffering’ and ‘loss of life’, a claim the Amnesty International report demonstrates is false.
On the issue of face masks, the UK Government lagged behind most many other nations, initially implying that these were not effective, only later to make them mandatory on public transport. The justification for this U-Turn is that by mid-2020 there was more scientific data, which is fine except many other nations applied this scientific advice much earlier. A Centres for Disease Control and Prevention paper published 2004 found that during the 2003 SARS outbreak that wearing a face mask frequently in public places, frequent hand washing, and disinfecting one’s living quarter were effective public health measures to reduce the risk for transmission. Nationalist Britain knows best self-confidence could well have been a factor in the UK Governments refusal to learn from international experience.
Another example of government arrogance in the UK during this crisis was the development of the track and trace system. Whilst most nations have struggled to develop an effective track and trace application, the UK managed to spend 22 billion pounds of public money on a system that did not work. In June 2020 Boris Johnson claimed in parliament that the UK was developing a “world-beating” contact tracing system. After billions were given to private contractors, many with personal links to members of the government, the system was found to have failed as it relied on excel spreadsheets to record the data and resulted in 15,000 cases not being recorded in September and October 2020.
The failure to develop a functional track and trace system has led to one of the greatest policy failures that have contributed to England being in its third COVID-19 lockdown. Very few people would disagree that having schools closed and students having to learn remotely is negatively impacting on students. And most people can understand how difficult it is for any government to balance public health against long term educational outcomes. But when the Conservative-leaning paper The Telegraph runs the headline The biggest mystery in politics: why is Gavin Williamson still in a job? you know that the Education Secretary has performed poorly. The recent example where after Christmas schools reopened for one day in January before closing again due to high infection rates, despite the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) warning the UK Government on 22 December 2020 that with the new strain of COVID-19 leaving schools open was contributing to the rising infection rate. A poll conducted earlier this month found that 92% of teachers believe Gavin Williamson should resign as Education Secretary, which is hardly given surprising his abysmal performance in recent months.
Yet the blame for schools does not sit fully with the Government. Her Majesty’s loyal opposition can also take much of the blame for this fiasco. In April 2020, at the height of the first wave of coronavirus pandemic in the UK, newly elected Labour Party Opposition Leader Kier Starmer called on the Government to set out plans to end the lockdown. Starmer, former head of the Crown Prosecution Service and a QC would argue that he meant that there should be a plan which included contact tracing, social distancing guidelines and other measures to make it safe to reopen. But the optics of the call was pressuring the UK Government to lift restrictions and specifically calling on them to reopen schools. Unlike in a court of law, in politics, it is about the key message, not the detail buried on page 7 of the affidavit.
The Oppositions position on schools has been nearly as confusing and contradictory as the Governments. The Party, still recovering from its 2019 election loss (which I wrote several blogs about in early 2020), under a new leader was trying to rebrand, reposition and appeal to voters it had lost. This has not been helped by the internal factionalism (which I also blogged about in May 2020) and the party still not being clear where it sits politically and ideologically. In April 2020 shadow Education Secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey’s position was that schools should reopen when safe, a position that was consistent with the education unions. Shortly after this Long-Bailey was replaced as Education Secretary by Kate Green, who has been clear that she wishes to distance Labour from the education unions in an attempt to present the party as more ‘moderate’.
Green and Starmer’s position throughout this has been motivated by a policy of triangulation and policy by focus group whereby they are appealing to middle-class parents who want their kids back at school. Like the Tories, Labour’s position has been motivated by politics, not science. That former Conservative Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt called for schools to close earlier this month before the opposition is telling. Meanwhile, the leader of the opposition was being grilled by media for his confusing position. Many believe that Green was appointed due to her loyalty to Starmer just as Williamson has kept his role due to loyalty to Boris Johnson. One would be more concerned if either appointment were based on ability as this would say a great deal about the capability of the other 648 MPs in the Commons if these two are the best and brightest on offer for education.
The issue of schools reopening is a personal one for me. In my blog earlier this month, I told of how my partner who works as a secondary school teacher in London caught COVID-19 and how we both spend Christmas and New Year recovering from the illness. When Greenwich Council tried to close schools in the borough due to skyrocketing infection rates, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson threatened legal action to keep the schools open. By this time, most schools in the area had a significant percentage of students sick, or in isolation having been in contact with someone infected. In many schools, pupils were sent home due to the number of teachers off sick with COVID-19. To argue that continuing with this situation is any better for secondary school students is nonsense.
Much of the concern over school closures is the impact on students’ grades. When the Government announced GCSE and A-level exams would be cancelled once again in 2021 this added to the anxiety. One of the issues here has been this Government’s shift towards having student grades mostly assessed through examinations. This style of assessment favours certain learners over others, as exams favour those with short term recall skills. Many other countries have moved away from a full examination model of assessment to a mix of exams and course work assignments during the year. But aside from implementing a poor education assessment model for students, the pandemic has highlighted the risk of placing so much emphasis on examinations as, if for whatever reason, these cannot go ahead, it becomes difficult to determine student grades. The UK Government’s position on education and assessment is blinkered and ideological, which has meant it struggled to come up with sensible pragmatic solutions to this problem during the crisis. Worse, the Education Secretary has demonstrated he lacks the intellectual rigour and leadership to address these issues.
A coherent and strong opposition would have easily made political mileage during this time, however to date, the opposition has opted for triangulation and timidity. The opposition MP who has made the clearest and most articulate statements regarding school closures during the pandemic has been Lisa Nandy the Shadow Foreign Secretary, who came a distant third in the 2020 UK Labour leadership contest. What Nandy had to say was hardly earth-shattering, merely that the Government needed to get testing and track and trace working properly before it would be safe to reopen schools. To be fair, Starmer, Green and Long-Bailey probably also thought they were saying the same thing, but what people heard was quite different.
Prime Minister Johnson’s non-apology on Tuesday was an insult to the British public. Yes, this was a difficult crisis and all governments have made some mistakes at this time. But the UK has done particularly badly and the statement on Tuesday shows he has learnt nothing. The Conservatives won the 2019 election with the sizeable majority that they did largely due to Brexit (see my blog post immediately after the 2019 UK election) and divisions within the opposition. Boris Johnson is not a strong leader and in this crisis, he has proved to be woefully inept. It is well known that Johnson likes to compare himself to former Conservative Prime Minister Winston Churchill, in which case the COVID-19 pandemic has been his Gallipoli.
At a time when the country is in its third lockdown, when over 100,000 people have died, when the economy is in recession and the number of jobless is set to rise, few now are looking to the next election which will likely be held in 2024. Yet that still motivates leaders of the UK’s two main political parties. Polling numbers in recent months have been fairly close between Labour and the Conservatives. Where polling has been much more consistent is in Scotland, where the SNP maintain a strong lead heading into the Scottish Parliament’s election on 6 May 2021. Support for Scottish independence also maintains a strong lead and as I predicted in my blog post nearly a year ago this issue continuing to feature prominently on the political agenda, despite fierce opposition from political leaders in London. Without a doubt, independence campaigners in Scotland, as well as Northern Ireland and Wales, continue to win support for their independence calls on the back of the UK Governments inept handling of this crisis.
There is however hope on the horizon. The Governments rollout of the COVID-19 vaccinations will hopefully in time slow the movement of the virus to a point where current restrictions can be lifted. It is a wonder of modern science that within a year of COVID-19 emerging that scientists, including those at Oxford University, have developed a vaccination. Despite concern by some about the speed with which this has been released, the evidence so far is that widespread vaccination will stop the spread and save thousands of lives. Credit where credit is due, the UK Government have been quick off the mark to get this vaccine available to the most vulnerable with the aim of immunising as many people as possible over the next year. And to the oppositions credit, they have supported the Government on the vaccine rollout.
There is still a long way to go until this crisis ends and the Government have a lot to answer for badly mishandling things to date. The Prime Ministers apology on Tuesday did not cut the mustard and was an insult to the families of those who have died. Lessons from the mistakes over the last year need to be learnt and with this, the Prime Minister needs to cut the bombast and bravado and instead learn humility and humbleness. The successful rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine will be essential not only for ending the crisis but also for rebuilding trust in public trust British state after it has managed this pandemic so badly.
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35,000 people march against the Government’s “downgrades” to Dunedin Hospital. NZEI and PPTA are continuing their campaign against charter schools, after the legislation passed its final reading in Parliament last week. Analysis released by the NZCTU shows that Pasifika women were working for free from last Friday, and that it ...7 days ago
- Is this our least worldly Minister of Transport?
Over the weekend, the Minister of Transport Simeon Brown proudly announced his new speed-setting rule, a decision that will undoubtedly lead to greater harm on our roads. It’s a tragically predictable decision by a Minister who seems to be on only nodding acquaintance with both evidence and international norms. Fueled ...7 days ago
- One in four march against Govt in Dunedin
Kia ora. Long stories short, here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Monday, September 30:Over 35,000 people marched in Dunedin on Saturday to protest against the Government’s plans to downgrade the new hospital being built there.In the scoop of the ...7 days ago - 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #39
A listing of 30 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, September 22, 2024 thru Sat, September 28, 2024. Story of the week Given the headlines dominance of hot oceans lofting water into the atmosphere where it then obeys the Clausius-Clapeyron relationship thereby ...1 week ago
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But what a fool believes, he seesNo wise man has the power to reason awayWhat seems to beIs always better than nothingThan nothing at allSongwriters: Kenny Loggins, Michael McDonaldWe begin.“Welcome to Q&A, I’m Jack Tame. Today, for a government that says it’s fixated on waste, what’s the point in a ...1 week ago - Kiwi Power !
35,000 strong march in Dunedin to protest Government hospital cuts - showing us how it’s done. Thank you Dunedin!IN PICTURES Photo Credits : RNZ, ODT, Debunking Conspiracies Aotearoa, BHN, NZH, Stuff Related Reading:Bye Bye Health Verrall to Levy: "Health NZ NDAs are North Korean - Get rid of it."Lester Levy ...1 week ago - Stranded in paradise
Oh, you should have seen Reefton in 1888. It glowed. It was illuminated by the future.In August of that year — and I am confident I have my facts right because I am quoting directly from the town's own website — Reefton became the first place in New Zealand and ...1 week ago - Dunedin Protests Against Hospital Cuts
Dunedin is not a happy city at the moment. We are used to being ignored in the nationwide New Zealand media – wrong end of the country and all – but the Government’s recent announcement on the Dunedin Hospital rebuild has got people motivated. How motivated? Well, I couldn’t make ...1 week ago - The One Who Saw Too Much: accepted
A nice bit of news. I can report that I have had a short story success – my 3,600 word gothic horror piece, The One Who Saw Too Much, has been accepted ... 1 week ago - Broken Stone
And another pitch shattersAnother little bit gets lostTell me what else really mattersOh, such a costLike pebbles on a beachKicked around, displaced by feetOh, like broken stonesThey're all trying to get homeSong by Paul WellerDoes it feel as though your country has been hijacked? That terrible people have taken the ...1 week ago - I’m Glad The Right Wing Coalition Won
Dame Jacinda Adern would not accept “acceptable death rates” during Covid. But in the UK the Tory government said “Let them die”.Additions belowYesterday, when I saw the news that a Timaru factory with hundreds of jobs on the line was going to close, I couldn't help but think:"I'm so glad ...1 week ago - We will never give you up, let you down, or Rickroll you
1. What did the National party promise Dunedin last election?a. We will build the hospital you needb. We will never give you up, let you down, or Rickroll you c. We will bring back John Keyd. Pandas2. What is the National party promising Dunedin now?a. A sawn-off half-pint watery version of ...1 week ago - The 48 Hours Leading Up To An Execution
Note: This is obviously a very heavy topic — it took me three days to manage to write it — so please read with care. In saying that, in amongst the awfulness I think this piece also contains some hope, and plenty of humanity. Thanks to those of you who ...1 week ago - Remembering our friend John Mason
We are extremely sad to say that our esteemed Skeptical Science colleague— and good friend to many of us— John Mason passed away on Friday September 20, 2024. Only last week, we blew a horn of appreciation for John's remarkable gift for telling stories about science. Our expectation was that ...1 week ago
- Release: The question remains… will schools get their classrooms?
Education Minister Erica Stanford still can’t confirm when the Government will deliver the $2 billion worth school upgrades she cut earlier this year. ...2 days ago - Release: Govt failing NZ’s manufacturing sector
Labour acknowledges the hundreds of workers today losing their jobs as the Winstone Pulp mill closes and what it will mean for their families and community. ...3 days ago
- Tell National what their $216m tobacco tax cut could have funded instead
In Budget '24, the National Government put aside $216 million to pay for a tax cut which mainly benefitted one company: global tobacco giant Philip Morris. Instead of giving hundreds of millions to big tobacco, National could have spent the money sensibly, on New Zealand. ...3 days ago
- Release: Govt has made up a cost crisis to justify cuts
Te Whatu Ora’s financials from the last year show the Government has manufactured a financial crisis to justify making cuts that are already affecting patient care. ...4 days ago
- Speech: Why Kiwi businesses are the best in the world
The New Zealand business community is unique. It has always punched well above its weight on the world stage. ...4 days ago
- Te Pāti Māori Statement on Israel & Iran
Over 41,000 Palestinian’s have been murdered by Israel in the last 12 months. At the same time, Israel have launched attacks against at least four other countries in the Middle East including Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and Iran. “You cannot play the aggressor and the victim at the same time,” said ...4 days ago
- Release: Costello makes a fool of the PM
Associate health minister Casey Costello has made a fool of the Prime Minister, because the product she’s been fighting to get a tax cut for and he’s been backing her on is now illegal – and he doesn’t seem to know it. ...5 days ago
- Work to do on climate adaptation
The Finance and Expenditure Committee’s inquiry into climate adaptation is something that must be built on for an enduring framework to manage climate risk. ...6 days ago - End of free RAT tests means more exposure to virus
The end of free Rapid Antigen Tests today is another sign the Government is giving up on the challenge of protecting the community from Covid-19. ...6 days ago
- Release: Government breaks promise on ferry plan
Time has run out for Nicola Willis who has failed to keep her promise to deliver a solution to replace the Interislander ferries by today. ...6 days ago
- Release: Labour supports marches for better health
Labour supports Buller and Dunedin communities who are marching today and calling on the Government to act urgently to fix the health crisis. ...7 days ago
- Raising speed limits will cost our communities
The Government’s move to disregard all evidence and increase speed limits will result in serious harm. ...1 week ago
- Greens stand in solidarity with Buller community
The Green Party stands in solidarity with the Buller community in its silent protest for better healthcare. ...1 week ago
- Release: Proposed job losses devastating for Timaru
News that the Smithfield meatworks could close is devastating for the hundreds of people who work there, Timaru and the wider region. ...1 week ago
- Release: Question mark over financial sustainability of Polytechs
The Government is taking tertiary education down a worrying path with new reporting finding that fourteen of the country’s sixteen polytechnics couldn’t survive on their own,” Labour’s tertiary education spokesperson Dr Deborah Russell says. ...1 week ago
- TPM issues warning to Govt: Back down or prepare for the wrath of the million Māori
Today the government announced a $30m cut to Te Ahu o Te Reo Māori- a programme that develops te reo Māori among our kaiako. “This announcement is just the latest in an onslaught of attacks on te iwi Māori,” said Te Pāti Māori Co-Leader Rawiri Waititi. ...1 week ago
- Govt set to break promise on Dunedin Hospital
The Green Party is calling on the Government to honour its promise to Dunedin and build its new hospital to full capacity. ...1 week ago
- Release: Dunedin Hospital d-listed by Government
The non-announcement in Dunedin today had Ministers leaving broken promises and a likely severely diluted hospital build in their wake. ...1 week ago
- Release: Labour welcomes UAE trade deal
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) signed today with the United Arab Emirates (UAE). ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Hundreds more jobs cuts on housing frontline
The Government has shown its true intentions for the public service and economy – it’s not to get more public servants back to the office, it’s more job losses. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Govt not addressing health workforce crisis
The National Government is hiding the gaps in the health workforce from New Zealanders, by not producing a full workforce plan nearly a year into their tenure. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Government cuts fair pay for bus drivers
The Government has cut funding for bus drivers to get paid fairly for the work they do, Labour transport spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...2 weeks ago
- Crown Minerals Bill Advances Colonisation
Today, the Crown Mineral Amendment Bill was read for the first time, reversing the ban on oil exploration off the coast of Taranaki. It was no accident that this proposed law change was read directly after the Government started to unravel the ability of iwi and hapū Māori to have ...2 weeks ago
- Landlord govt finds new way to undermine public housing
Proposed cuts to Kāinga Ora reflect a failure to fully commit to fixing the housing crisis. ...2 weeks ago
- Crown should prove their rights to Foreshore & Seabed – Te Pāti Māori
Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Justice, Tākuta Ferris, has hit out at the Government, demanding the Crown prove its rights to the foreshore, following the Marine and Coastal Area Amendment Bill, passing its first reading. "Māori rights to the foreshore pre-exist the Declaration of Independence, Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and ...2 weeks ago
- NZ must urgently help whanau in Lebanon
The Government must immediately help evacuate New Zealanders and Lebanese whanau caught up in the current conflict unfolding across south Lebanon. ...2 weeks ago
- Green Government will revoke oil and gas permits
The Green Party vows to reinstate the oil and gas ban and revoke permits when it returns to government following the coalition’s introduction of legislation to reopen offshore oil and gas exploration this afternoon. ...2 weeks ago
- Government introduces controversial MACA legislation
The Government’s introduction of its interventions in the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act threatens to throw relations between Māori and Crown into deeper disharmony. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Gun lobby bill removes regulation at ranges
Gun lobbyist Nicole McKee and her conflict of interest has struck again, this time removing safety regulations from shooting clubs and ranges in New Zealand. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Govt forgetting the 6000 jobs they’ve cut
The real problem in the public sector is ongoing job losses and cuts to the front line. ...2 weeks ago
- Government undermines public service with WFH crackdown
The Green Party says the Government’s retrograde move to tighten up on Work from Home arrangements is the latest in a series of blows to the Public Service. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Ministers oblivious to cuts’ effect on families
The National Government is oblivious to the impact cuts to services will have on New Zealanders who are doing the hard yards caring for mentally ill family members. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Public service set up to fail under National
Nicola Willis has set up the public service to fail to pay for reckless tax cuts for landlords and the tobacco industry. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Coalition cooking up costly RMA replacement
National continues to dismantle environmental protections in the interests of rushing through unsustainable development that will ultimately cost communities. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: National red-faced as benefit numbers skyrocket
The economy has stagnated and the National Government is having to face the consequences of its atrocious lawmaking, as beneficiary numbers skyrocket past even Treasury’s predictions. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: National allocating police officers not hired yet
There are 104 fewer police officers now than there were when National came into Government. ...2 weeks ago
- Economic decline further cause for tax transformation
Today’s GDP figures combined with the injustice of our tax system will mean more pain for our lowest-income households while those at the top remain relatively unscathed. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: No growth under National, just cuts
The National Government’s decisions have hindered, not helped the economy. ...3 weeks ago
- Govt must act to avoid the worst of NIWA’s climate projections
New climate projections from NIWA underscore how urgently climate action is needed. ...3 weeks ago
- Release: More job losses as Government fails on manufacturing
The Government is failing the manufacturing sector with no plan for its future. ...3 weeks ago
- Iwi-led and partnered projects among those referred for Fast Track approval
Kia uru kahikatea te tū. Projects referred for Fast-Track approval will help supercharge the Māori economy and realise the huge potential of Iwi and Māori assets, Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka says. Following robust and independent review, the Government has today announced 149 projects that have significant regional or national ...10 hours ago - Fast-track to boost renewable electricity
The Fast-track Approvals Bill will list 22 renewable electricity projects with a combined capacity of 3 Gigawatts, which will help secure a clean, reliable and affordable supply of electricity across New Zealand, Energy Minister Simeon Brown says. “The Government has a goal of doubling New Zealand’s renewable electricity generation. The 22 ...11 hours ago
- Fast-track to drive transport projects forward
The Government has enabled fast-track consenting for 29 critical road, rail, and port projects across New Zealand to deliver these priority projects faster and boost economic growth, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “New Zealand has an infrastructure deficit, and our Government is working to fix it. Delivering the transport infrastructure Kiwis ...11 hours ago
- Fast-track projects released
The 149 projects released today for inclusion in the Government’s one-stop-shop Fast Track Approvals Bill will help rebuild the economy and fix our housing crisis, improve energy security, and address our infrastructure deficit, Minister for Infrastructure Chris Bishop says. “The 149 projects selected by the Government have significant regional or ...12 hours ago
- Ruakākā recreation centre opened
A new multi-purpose recreation centre will provide a valuable wellbeing hub for residents and visitors to Ruakākā in Northland, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. The Ruakākā Recreation Centre, officially opened today, includes separate areas for a gymnasium, a community health space and meeting rooms made possible with support of ...2 days ago
- Extra Government support for farmers and growers in Southland and parts of Otago
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay, and Rural Communities Minister Mark Patterson announced up to $50,000 in additional Government support for farmers and growers across Southland and parts of Otago as challenging spring weather conditions have been classified a medium-scale adverse event. “The relentless wet weather has been tough on farmers and ...2 days ago
- Government welcomes move to delay EU Deforestation Regulation
Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay today welcomed a move by the European Commission to delay the implementation of the European Union’s Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) by 12 months, describing the proposal as a pragmatic step that will provide much-needed certainty for New Zealand exporters and ensure over $200 million in ...3 days ago
- Response to Ministerial Inquiry into School Property
The Government is taking decisive action in response to the Ministerial Inquiry into School Property, which concludes the way school property is delivered is not fit for purpose. “The school property portfolio is worth $30 billion, and it’s critically important it’s managed properly. This Government is taking a series of immediate actions ...3 days ago
- New Government support for residential construction market announced
The Government has announced a new support programme for the residential construction market while the economy recovers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop and Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk say. “We know the residential development sector is vulnerable to economic downturns. The lead time for building houses is typically 18 ...3 days ago
- New appointment to the EPA board
Environment Minister Penny Simmonds has confirmed the final appointee to the refreshed Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) board. “I am pleased to welcome Brett O’Riley to the EPA board,” Ms Simmonds says. “Brett is a seasoned business advisor with a long and distinguished career across the technology, tourism, and sustainable business ...3 days ago
- Strengthening resilience with critical road improvement projects
The Government has approved a $226.2 million package of resilience improvement projects for state highways and local roads across the country that will reduce the impact of severe weather events and create a more resilient and efficient road network, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Our Government is committed to delivering ...3 days ago
- Doubling road rehabilitation this summer to prevent potholes
Kiwis will see fewer potholes on our roads with road rehabilitation set to more than double through the summer road maintenance programme to ensure that our roads are maintained to a safe and reliable standard, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Increasing productivity to help rebuild our economy is a key ...3 days ago
- Sir Jerry Mateparae appointed in Bougainville post-referendum moderator role
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has welcomed the announcement of Sir Jerry Mateparae as an independent moderator, to work with the Government of Papua New Guinea and the Autonomous Bougainville Government in resolving outstanding issues on Bougainville’s future. “New Zealand is an enduring friend to Papua New Guinea and the ...3 days ago
- Latest census data highlights New Zealand’s growing ethnic diversity
The latest 2023 Census results released today further highlight New Zealand’s growing ethnic and cultural diversity, says Ethnic Communities Minister Melissa Lee. “Today’s census results are further evidence of the increasingly diverse nature of our population. It’s something that should be celebrated and also serve as a reminder of the ...3 days ago
- FamilyBoost payments make ECE more affordable
Parents and caregivers are now able to claim for FamilyBoost, which provides low-to-middle-income families with young children payments to help them meet early childhood education (ECE) costs. “FamilyBoost is one of the ways we are supporting families with young children who are struggling with the cost of living, by helping ...3 days ago
- South Pacific defence meeting fosters collaboration
This week’s South Pacific Defence Ministers’ Meeting (SPDMM) has concluded with a renewed commitment to regional security of all types, Defence Minister Judith Collins says. Defence Ministers and senior civilian and military officials from Australia, Chile, Fiji, France, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Tonga gathered in Auckland to discuss defence and security cooperation in the ...3 days ago
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Associate Police Minister Casey Costello has welcomed the Police announcement that recruitment wings at the Police College will be expanded to 100 recruits next year. “This is good news on two fronts – it reflects the fact that more and more New Zealanders are valuing policing and seeing it as ...4 days ago
- Speech to the Minerals West Coast Forum
Introduction Good morning! What a pleasure to be back in the stunning West Coast at one of my favourite events in the calendar. Every time I come back here, I’m reminded of the Coast’s natural beauty, valuable resources, and great people. Yet, every time I come back here, I’m also ...4 days ago
- Positive progress on Government health targets
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti welcomes new data from Health New Zealand, saying it demonstrates encouraging progress against the Government’s health targets. Health New Zealand’s quarterly report for the quarter to 30 June will be used as the baseline for reporting against the Government’s five health targets, which came into ...4 days ago
- Supporting better access to data for Kiwis
The launch of a new data tool will provide Kiwis with better access to important data, Statistics Minister Andrew Bayly says. “To grow our economy and improve productivity we must adopt smarter ways of working, which means taking a more data driven approach to decision-making. “As Statistics Minister one of ...4 days ago
- Progressing remote building inspections
The Government is progressing plans to increase the use of remote inspections to make the building and consenting process more efficient and affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “We know that the building and construction sector suffers from a lack of innovation. According to a recent report, productivity ...5 days ago
- PPTA accepts charter schools
Associate Education Minister David Seymour welcomes the PPTA putting a proposal to members at its annual conference to change its constitution and allow membership of teachers who work in charter schools. “The PPTA has had a come to Jesus moment on charter schools. This is a major departure from the ...5 days ago
- New TAIC Chief Commissioner appointed
David Clarke has been announced as the Chief Commissioner of the Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC). David Clarke is a barrister specialising in corporate and commercial law and he has over 20 years experience in governance roles in commercial, public and charitable sectors. He also is a current TAIC Commissioner. ...5 days ago
- Government secures market access for blueberries to Korea
The Government has secured market access for New Zealand blueberries to Korea, unlocking an estimated $5 million in annual export opportunities for Kiwi growers Minister for Trade and Agriculture Todd McClay today announced. “This is a win for our exporters and builds on our successful removal of $190 million in ...6 days ago
- South Pacific Defence Ministers meet in Auckland
Partnership and looking to the future are key themes as Defence Ministers from across the South Pacific discuss regional security challenges in Auckland today, Defence Minister Judith Collins says. The South Pacific Defence Ministers’ Meeting (SPDMM) brings together Defence Ministers, Chiefs of Defence and Secretaries of Defence from New Zealand, ...6 days ago
- Keytruda, CGMs, and FamilyBoost welcomed
In a triple whammy of good news, 1 October heralds the beginning of the funding of two major health products and a welcome contribution to early childhood fees, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says. “Keytruda is the first drug to be funded and made available from the $604 million boost we ...6 days ago
- Children’s Unit opens at Rotorua Hospital
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti today opened the refurbished Children’s Unit at Rotorua Hospital, which will provide young patients and their families in the Lakes District with a safe, comfortable and private space to receive care. “The opening of this unit is a significant milestone in our commitment to improving ...6 days ago
- Minor variations no longer major problem
It is now easier to make small changes to building plans without having to apply for a building consent amendment, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Previously builders who wanted to make a minor change, for example substituting one type of product for another, or changing the layout of ...6 days ago
- New diplomatic appointments
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced seven diplomatic appointments. “Protecting and advancing New Zealand’s interests abroad is an extremely important role for our diplomats,” Mr Peters says. “We are pleased to announce the appointment of seven senior diplomats to these overseas missions.” The appointments are: Andrew ...6 days ago
- SuperGold Information Hub live
The first iteration of the SuperGold Information Hub is now on-line, Minister for Seniors Casey Costello announced today. “The SuperGold Hub is an online portal offering up-to-date information on all of the offers available to SuperGold cardholders. “We know the SuperGold card is valued, and most people know its use ...6 days ago
- New fund to clean up old landfill and dump sites
A new Contaminated Sites and Vulnerable Landfills Fund will help councils and landowners clean up historic landfills and other contaminated sites that are vulnerable to the effects of severe weather, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds says. "This $30 million fund, part of our Q4 Action Plan, increases the Government’s investment in ...6 days ago
- Increased medicines access welcomed following budget boost
Associate Health Minister with responsibility for Pharmac David Seymour has welcomed the increased availability of medicines for Kiwis resulting from the Government’s increased investment in Pharmac. “Pharmac operates independently, but it must work within the budget constraints set by the Government,” says Mr Seymour. “When our Government assumed office, New ...6 days ago
- Foreign Minister completes successful week of international engagements
Foreign Minister Winston Peters today wrapped up a week of high-level engagements at the United Nations in New York and in Papeete, French Polynesia. “Our visit to New York was about demonstrating New Zealand’s unwavering support for an international system based on rules and respect for the UN Charter, as ...6 days ago
- Final 2024 Action Plan focused on infrastructure
The Government’s Quarter Four (Q4) Action Plan will be focused on making it easier and faster to build infrastructure in New Zealand as part of its wider plan to rebuild the economy, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says. “My Government has been working at pace to get the country back on ...6 days ago
- Four new laws to tackle crime passed in Q3
New Zealanders will be safer as a result of the Government’s crackdown on crime which includes tougher laws for offenders and gangs delivered as part of the Quarter Three (Q3) Action Plan, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says. “I’m proud to say we have delivered on 39 of the 40 actions ...6 days ago
- Government partnership boosting vineyard productivity
The Government is backing a new world-leading programme set to boost vineyard productivity and inject an additional $295 million into New Zealand’s economy by 2045, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay today announced. The Next Generation Viticulture programme will transform traditional vineyard systems, increasing profitability by $22,060 per hectare by 2045 without ...7 days ago
- Strong support for NZ minerals strategy
Over 90 per cent of submissions have expressed broad support for a New Zealand minerals strategy, indicating a strong appetite for a considered, enduring approach to minerals development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. A summary of the 102 submissions on the draft strategy has been published today by the Ministry ...7 days ago
- Snapper catch limits up, orange roughy down
Catch limits for several fisheries will be increased following a review that shows stocks of those species are healthy and abundant. The changes are being made as part of Fisheries New Zealand’s biannual sustainability review, which considers catch limits and management settings across New Zealand’s fisheries. “Scientific evidence and information ...1 week ago
- Reforming the building consent system
The Government is investigating options for a major reform of the building consent system to improve efficiency and consistency across New Zealand, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “New Zealand has some of the least affordable housing in the world, which has dire social and economic implications. At the heart ...1 week ago
- Cost-benefit analysis for potential third medical school completed
The Government has announced that an initial cost-benefit analysis of establishing a third medical school based at the University of Waikato has been completed and has been found to provide confidence for the project to progress to the next stage. Minister of Health Dr Shane Reti says the proposal will ...1 week ago
- In pictures: The Office of the Clerk vets Parliament’s questions
The House - Attend the session where MPs' oral questions to the government are vetted and authenticated by Parliament's Office of the Clerk. ...8 hours ago - KASM Slams Govt Decision To Fast-track Seabed Mining
“This is a long way from over: we will do everything we can to stop this monstrosity from going ahead, and we have tens of thousands of Kiwis behind us,” KASM Chairperson Cindy Baxter said. ...9 hours ago - Fast-track List Reveal Is A Dark Day For Democracy
The Fast-track Approvals Bill is the most extreme attack on nature in decades. NZ already has the highest proportion of threatened species in the world, and we’re in the midst of a climate and biodiversity crisis. It is the time to work towards ...9 hours ago
- Fast Track First 149 Projects – Reckless Extremism
Watchdog is calling on the Labour Party, Greens and Te Pāti Māori to clearly reaffirm that consents issued under the Fast Track can be withdrawn when the Government changes. ...9 hours ago
- ‘A Dark Day For Nature And Democracy’: Fast-track Destruction Laid Bare
WWF-New Zealand’s CEO Dr Kayla Kingdon-Bebb says it is a disgrace the Government is ramming through projects already rejected by experts and the courts on environmental grounds – and in doing so is almost certainly condemning some of Aotearoa’s native ...9 hours ago
- Luxon Escalates War On Nature With Mining-heavy Fast Track List
There are some worthy projects on the list but they are tainted by the process and the presence of Trans-Tasman Resources at the bottom of the barrel. The fast track is the wrong track and will be a poisoned chalice for those companies who risk it. ...10 hours ago
- Huge Number Of Projects To Be Fast-tracked; Some Good, Some Bad
Overall, we’re blown away by the sheer volume of projects listed. We question how the Government intends to stand up enough qualified expert panels to process them in the timeframes indicated. ...10 hours ago
- Government unveils 149 projects selected by Fast-track Approvals Bill
The projects will help the economy, housing crisis and infrastructure deficits, Minister for Infrastructure Chris Bishop says. ...10 hours ago
- Watch: Government unveils 149 projects selected by Fast-track Approvals Bill
The projects will help the economy, housing crisis and infrastructure deficits, Minister for Infrastructure Chris Bishop says. ...10 hours ago
- An Ode to .. Du Val
Temporary SetbackLord Kenyon and Lady Charlotte walk down the rampOf their magenta and lime green hot air balloon Hubris,In matching Polar Bear fur coats, wraparound shadesEncrusted with diamonds, and a hundredweightOf subtle and discreet chunky gold accessories.At the bottom of the ramp, a squad of burly Bailiffs wait.“What ho, good ...18 hours ago - Health NZ deputy commissioners being paid $200k a year in fees
The three deputy commissioners are trying to turn the public health system around. ...19 hours ago
- What’s next for Lebanon and the Middle East?
A new war in Lebanon has begun, but a dual focus on sub- and trans-national dynamics is required to understand what might come next in the Middle East.Starting with the trans-national matters. On ‘April Fools Day’ this year a region-wide game of cat and mouse began between Israeli and Iranian ...20 hours ago
- Fresh Rangers on fast-track to football No.1
Stuck on the wall in the women’s changing room at the West Coast Rangers Football Club is the catchphrase: It means more here.It personifies what it means to players to belong to a club in Auckland’s north-west that’s just three years old, but already has a team who’ve fought their ...2 days ago
- The Secret Diary of .. the Labour Gang
MONDAYA cold wind came down from the mountain range of the Sierra Thorndons and swept through the empty main street of Labour City.It had been the exact same weather for over a year.A few old-timers remembered a time of golden weather. Sometimes they thought they might only have dreamt it ...2 days ago
- One for the language lovers
Inspired by a dictionary’s survey of its online followers, The Detail gathers three professional word-workers to nominate the best and worst of language and the traps of faux erudition, cliche, neuron-breaking elaborate prose, and journalese.Alexia Russell chats with two editors, one who banned overused words and another who makes it ...2 days ago
- ‘Primary school LOTR’: The principal giving Peter Jackson a run for his money
Alex Casey meets the Southland principal who wrote and directed a feature length fantasy epic starring the whole school. Ask a primary school principal how many feature films they’ve made, and most will say zero. Ask Steve Wadsworth, principal of Winton School in Southland, and he will say not one, ...2 days ago - ‘I can’t believe we’re doing this’: John Campbell on his proudest TV moments
The award-winning broadcaster and journalist looks back on his life in television, featuring early morning All Blacks games, his love for The Repair Shop and why he’s turning into his parents. John Campbell doesn’t remember his first ever appearance on television. “Funny, eh?” the broadcaster chuckles over the phone. All ...2 days ago
- The breath out: Kataraina by Becky Manawatu, reviewed
Jenna Todd responds to Kataraina, the sequel to Becky Manawatu’s award-winning first novel Auē. This review contains major spoilers for Auē. Many years after the girl shot the man. I’d almost forgotten who had shot the man in Auē, winner of the Jann Medlicott Acorn Foundation Prize for Fiction in 2020. ...2 days ago
- ‘I am the dancing queen!’: Matthew Young and Jared Frost’s perfect weekend playlist
Big Fan mentor Matthew Young and mentee Jared Frost share their perfect weekend playlist. Breaking into the music industry is no easy feat, but it makes a difference when you have someone who can guide you through the distortion. At Auckland’s Big Fan, a live venue and recording studio, programmes ...2 days ago
- Podcast: Is our retirement system unsustainable?
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+100 great post Nick and sincerely hope you and your partner are on the way to recovery.
Re death rates per million
Belgium 1802
Slovenia 1685
UK 1515
Then US 1326
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/#countries
The Oxford research on deaths per million is a week or so out of date. The UK after nearly a month in lockdown has started to fall in the death per million numbers – thankfully
"and in this crisis, he has proved to be woefully inept"
To call Johnson inept is to give him something of a free pass. He is a preposterous Tory toff, and probably inept a lot of the time, but it's not the most important thing. The UK Covid response has been terrible because ideologically the Tories could not bring themselves to do what was necessary – shut down large parts of the economy and give people a big slug of money to stay at home and not work until you have the thing under control. This response requires recognition that citizens have rights above and beyond what they can earn for themselves in the labour market, and that every citizen has obligations towards the wellbeing of every other citizen. These are ideas that are toxic to conservative ideology.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/chancellor-extends-furlough-and-loan-schemes
I would not say it is a free pass. Yes, it was largely motivated by ideology, but there are other right-wing governments who still managed better. I think ideology and arrogance were both at play. Either way these people are not fit to govern and yet they still do.
Well the UK media (including The Guardian), UK Jewish leadership council and New Labour members should accept some of this responsibility, as we all know now they all relentlessly attacked, and through their ceaseless combined efforts destroyed Corbyn and the Socialist Labour UK project. And doubt anyone could deny that Corbyn the life long humanitarian, would have dealt with this this pandemic in a far more humane manner…but then you get what you vote for, and they all have admitted at some point either explicitly or implicitly that they preferred a Tory government under Boris than a Labour lead one under Corbyn….so maybe they need to stop bitching so much and look at their own role this UK disaster…wait what am I saying, of course that sort of self reflection never happens, these people are ideologues so the ends always justify the ends, even when it results with the deaths of 102, 000 human beings I assume..
The proof we have been waiting for: Jeremy Corbyn has the entire media elite against him
"The press coverage of the early election campaigns amounts to a level of brainwashing that is more commonly associated with dictatorships rather than a proud democracy."
https://www.thelondoneconomic.com/news/the-proof-we-have-been-waiting-for-jeremy-corbyn-has-the-entire-media-elite-against-him/19/11/
'Anyone but Corbyn': Jewish voters turn away from Labour
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/dec/10/anyone-but-corbyn-jewish-voters-turn-away-from-labour
Anti-Corbyn Labour officials worked to lose general election to oust leader, leaked dossier finds
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/labour-leak-report-corbyn-election-whatsapp-antisemitism-tories-yougov-poll-a9462456.html
Yes, Jeremy Corbyn has suffered a bad press, but where's the harm?
https://www.theguardian.com/media/greenslade/2016/jul/19/yes-jeremy-corbyn-has-suffered-a-bad-press-but-wheres-the-harm
The failure of leadership goes well beyond Johnson or Trump. The whole of Europe has been battered by this disease, partly because of political failure at every level.
At the very outset we have to look at how WHO burned away a great deal of it's credibility in the first month of the crisis, taking far too long at a critical moment to recommend shutting down travel and borders. As a consequence, the one organisation best placed to lead a global response has been hobbled, despite a lot of good work it's done subsequently.
Moreover now Trump is gone, it's become respectable to at least question the origin of the virus. This rather long but well written narrative kicks the door wide open, and asks some very obvious questions that have been suppressed for almost a year now.
Nor can anyone claim to have been unaware of the potential risk here – it was well understood at least a decade ago. This 2012 article presciently outlined what may well have happened – and makes it clear why so many professionals in the field who knew the risks of their research perfectly well, have spent the last year pretending otherwise.
And why public health authorities remain so reticent to undertake the definitive programs with Vitamin D remains a mystery to me. Even more disturbing is how they’ve treated Ivermectin’s potential role as completely unwanted. Note carefully, I’m no position to advocate for the effectiveness of these alternative treatments, but I can expect health authorities to honestly fund the research necessary to resolve the issues one way or another.
Too much of this COVID story seems to have been buried under political and professional conflicts of interest. And as a result the death tolls far higher than they should have been in my view.
Extraordinarily poor leadership by Johnson and Trump has contributed to relatively dire pandemic health outcomes for UK/US citizens, who have suffered ~25% of the global deaths attributed to COVID-19 while representing ~5% of the world's population. Maybe also due in part to a sense of entitlement – COVID’s not the boss of me!
https://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/2021/01/editorial-the-legislators-fomenting-turmoil-in-oregon.html
If Covid-19 Did Start With a Lab Leak, Would We Ever Know? [19 Jan 2021]
"The February letter in The Lancet, signed by Daszak and his fellow task-force members, does raise some legitimate concerns. In denouncing the “conspiracy theory” of a possible laboratory origin, it warns of the “fear, rumors, and prejudice” that might arise if this idea became widespread in the absence of evidence, which could then “jeopardize our global collaboration in the fight against this virus.” Indeed, this is the same worry expressed by many critics of the Baker piece—that loose speculation of this kind could be taken up by reckless or malicious actors, then used to buttress other, more harmful notions such as vaccine skepticism. Or else a “lab-leak theory” run amok could imperil more rigorous investigations by the WHO or others."
As humans continue to 'modify' and expand into previously wild habitats they will naturally provide all manner of new opportunities for pests and pathogens – we've been there before. The current pandemic could act as a (tragic) vaccine against future complacency – time will tell how long any 'immunity' lasts.
Maybe it's a conspiracy
Boris is a waste of oxygen, but the whole UK establishment must be sclerotic and rotting to let such a buffoon anywhere near the levers of power.
https://twitter.com/ByDonkeys/status/1354175393327153152?s=20
The WHO plan for a serious pandemic was not fit for purpose. More will come out in the WHO review which Helen Clark is involved in.
I did hear Johnson apologise sincerely for the high UK death toll on Aljazeera TV a week back. On the Lectern used when Johnson speaks it says "Stay home, Protect the NHS, Save lives."
It is obvious that immediate action needs to occur for lives to be saved and that everyone needs to play a part in this. As well each country needs to review what has worked and what has not worked in the response to the Covid pandemic.
It is crucial that where ever the origin of a pandemic starts that it must be notified immediately contained at ground zero and borders to be closed.
It appears that every country did not have a sufficient pandemic plan for a virus which can show no symptoms and be so transmissible.
Taiwan was prepared and acted decisively and the results speak for themselves.
Yes Taiwan is the exception.
Can you think of any other country being the exception?
No, I can’t think of any other country at the moment but others might. It is quite telling, isn’t it?
This ABC article might help.
In the link pertaining to NZ.
But the key factor in the countries success was how hard and fast it moved to lockdown the population following early cases.
Lockdown level 4 was a big success in stopping community transmission. Preventing another outbreak using the levels 1 – 4 and making a change to the criteria of a level needs to be reviewed.
I would like to see a change at level 2 that when there are 3 or more separate community cases in 3 different households (not community transmission) that the country goes to level 2 for 2 weeks. Hard and fast seems to be the best approach.
I will read all of the link later over the weekend.
Actually the US did have a plan – but you know who thought that it was far better to enrich himself and his buddies than to fund a pandemic response team which Obama had put in place for just such an event.
The key word is sufficient.
I read the link. Not a priority for Trump to manage a pandemic. His record on allowing Covid to run rampant is what cost him re election.
The key word is "did".
The plan put in place by Obama was made never able to be enacted. The idiot who replaced him, removed all the funding to enrich himself and a few others.
The plan is still there, but as your rightly point out, it was never a priority of him who shall not be named to manage a pandemic.
Had the plan been enacted the outcome would have been different.
When it comes to sufficient this is open to interpretation.
Tories are reduced to shooting the messenger.
https://twitter.com/PWGTennant/status/1354778651246604290