BREAKING: NZ closes its international borders

1. Sensible. We are seeing irresponsible and selfish behaviour from tourists, and no doubt wealthy foreigners would love to escape to peaceful NZ and use our health care.

   • Yep, sensible, if one understands the virology. A bit overblown to say courageous, either in the true, or the Yes Minister, sense.

2. If putting billions back into the health budget wasn’t enough to get them reelected from the start of 2018 this ought to get them reelected don’t you think?

3. She musta read my posts!

   • Suspicious isn’t it

4. Good move by government.

   Now let’s see what Simon has to say about this.

   • Apparently “negative neddy” has been “advising” the govt to do this all day………….never let a chance go by.

   • I would imagine “a week late” would receive wide support.

     • What do you mean a week? Chinese boarder restrictions could have triggered NZ boarder restrictions months ago? You’re still jumping on the bandwagon late like the rest of the woke.

       • Your in a bubble,Bridges!

       • You’re in a bubble,Bridges!

         • The worse Jim Bolger, Shipley, Helen Clark and to an extent John Key had to deal with was woman running around topples. So the population has been blessed peaceful times. They go from there covered bus stops to there secure jobs and they just don’t know that things can go terribly wrong terribly fast. That is why a competent and prudent government builds up capacity so that the government has capabilities of there own to respond to anything at any time.

           We should have more State housing instead we’ve been selling them. We should have more hospital beds, power stations, public transport, more defence assets instead we’ve been selling them and shitting on this government for even contemplating restoring government capabilities. By we I mean the woke and right wingers keen to being down this government.

       • Damn those Chinese boarders! They’ll be the death of all us wokesters!

5. Good news. Right decision when you see what is going on overseas.

   Although, we still have a problem, as for the last decade nearly a million people in the world (and their children present and future, relatives) seems to have NZ residency or citizenship, some with only being in NZ 11 days to become a citizen.

   NZ sold it’s nationality, as for a while now. money and politics is more important than the treaty, indigenous people, protecting our environment, social democracy and welfare, society, national identity and fairness.

   • Yup agree, we have handed out citizenship or residency like it was a lolly scramble for too long so still plenty of ‘residents’ who can ‘return’ whenever they feel like it for a while before returning home to the PRC etc.

6. Should have happened approximately 2 weeks ago. The virus is very likely already out and about.
   Time will tell.

   • Agreed – imagine how much of a better state we would be in if it was closed 2 weeks ago.
     I think if Jacinda closing the border a couple of weeks ago would have shown leadership – doing so now shows the the lack there of.

7. Good.
   About time.
   Well done @ PM J.A.
   However….
   Why do I get a sinking and ominous feeling wriggling about in my woolly singlet?
   I think it might be because I’ve watched and read far too much about The Zombie Apocalypse in their various permutations.
   Or, I need to wash my singlet?
   Played Resident Evil on PS2?
   I would hide under my girlfriend as I journeyed into a world no one should go to. I also had her kid nephew in bed with us cowering under the duvet. It was fucking scary man. I’d scream, then we’d all scream!
   And now? I look out the window. Art? Imitating life?
   When I heard a fellow on RNZ some years ago talking about the end to kinetic wars….
   Kinetic Energy: noun [mass noun] Physics
   energy which a body possesses by virtue of being in motion: energy above that needed to ionize the molecule is carried away as kinetic energy of the electron ejected | [count noun] : particles with low kinetic energies.
   I.e. Bombs, bullets, rockets, spears, arrows etc
   He went on to paint a grim picture of the poor logic of traditional warfare, I.e. The destruction of infrastructure, therefore alternatives were likely to evolve.
   I know. It’s just a bit fucking scary.
   How about laughing to death? Shagged to death? High as fuck on good drugs to death?
   Coroners report:
   “Cause of death? For too much fun.”
   How about that? I vote that.
   Not, “ Died sneezing and coughing while shitting, spewing, farting, gurgling, writhing, then there was the ominous silence but for a blow fly…”
   Fuck. That !

8. Chinese boarder restrictions, Sam? That’s a bit racist isn’t it?

   • Very racist B2. Open boarder policy is the only signal the government is allowed to send so says the woke.

     • Lighten up a tad, Sam. A boarder is someone who pays money to rent a room or similar (eg school boarder); I think you mean border?! (And OK, my attempt at humour wasn’t all that stunning!)

9. The move, albeit a few weeks too late to undo the disastrous consequences of the decisions of March 14-15.
   Another concern is that the New Zealand government appears to be following the twists and turns of the government of the United Kingdom.
   Nothing new in that. The NZLP has never resiled from the infamous declaration “Where she goes we go. Where she stands we stand”.
   However this position becomes highly problematic when the head of government in the UK is a compulsive liar who has no clear idea about where he is taking Britain.
   So a week ago the NZ government approach was to let the epidemic run its course, as Boris had proposed for the UK. Now both governments have done an about turn – not quite 180 degrees, but at least they are now aiming to contain if not suppress the outbreak.
   It may be too late, and once again New Zealanders may be made to pay with their lives for the colonial allegiances of their rulers.

10. Agree, it’s a really good move. Now Jacinda et al need to close schools and we’ll be even safer.

    I’d like to see random checking/spot checking, change to checking all in obligatory self-isolation. Surely govt could advertise and recruit from the large pool of unemployed, suitable people to do the task.

    Australia has opted to encourage people to dob the dodgers in.

    • Janio,

      That will happen. It’s just when. Obviously an unprecedented, fast moving evolving situation.

      A family member is senior in the health system, in-particular community health. They spent the entirety of yesterday sorting out a contingency plan for staff all over NZ to either work from home, operate call centres and some being transferred to work the frontline of our hospital system where applicable etc. Of note, it took my wife 22 minutes to get to work in Auckland this morning. The trip normally takes 45 minutes so things are already changing.

      Also have a family member who is a principal at a high school. There is acceptance that it’s only a matter of days until ALL NZ schools are closed. Plans are underway with this. Due to the obvious issues with family in so many cases needing to take time off work or pay for full time child care when the budget is under so much pressure, the Ministry of Health is delaying the inevitable for as long as possible. They are also looking at jigging term dates.

      We know that the numbers of people gathering together can’t exceed 50 unless it’s work, supermarket, schools etc. That number will inevitably be reduced to 10 and possibly even 5. Should point out that in some cases I’ve witnessed, decisions are being made in the morning only to be completely changed by the afternoon.

      Look out for an upcoming inevitable announcement that the virus is now spreading in NZ via community spread. That will be another key moment and a game changer.

      Buckle in.

11. In the interests of positive action that we can all be doing,,, I recommend reading Gordon Campbells excellent article with a particular focus on these themes

    “IMO, the health sector should have been treated this week as a far more pressing priority than the small business sector. In this week’s $12.1 billion stimulus package, only $500 million was allocated to the heath sector – and as yet the expansion of testing centres is still only at the planning stage. New Zealand’s capacity for coronavirus testing remains alarmingly low: “S

    And

    “Covid 19 is primarily a respiratory disease, and ventilators are the most essential tool in assisting breathing functions so that serious sickness doesn’t become fatal. As this column pointed out yesterday, Johns Hopkins University research shows that Australia and New Zealand have one of the lowest rates of ICU beds/ventilators per capita in the developed world. There have been some local reports of boosting those numbers by adapting anaesthetic equipment for use as ventilators.

    One other route of expanding the supply would be to take a simple design and – as Italy has done – set our Defence Forces to work on a crash course of building them. There’s a good overview article here as to what the rest of the world is doing to expand its ventilator capacity. If – as reported this morning – the pandemic will not peak here until August, a production line of ventilators built by the armed forces would still be useful before then, and subsequently. “ http://werewolf.co.nz/2020/03/gordon-campbell-on-the-sudden-clamour-for-government-bailouts/

    .. WE should all be pressuring our representatives,,,, and seeding the ideas of what needs to be done.,,,, They need the message ,,,, To Get Real and Get Going.

    Myself I have contacted some engineering people who work in fabrication,,, and directed them to Gordon Campbells timely article ,, Apart from helping out , with a bit of problem solving there could be some work for recession hit order books.

    Which is also why testing needs to be ramped up ,,, a clear test is not a wasted test ,,, it shows who can be fit and suitable for work which will need to be done,,, or volunteer work.

    Test, Track, Contain.

    And otherwise Im directing people too ,,, and personally follow myself, the good practicle adivice and information from Dr John Campbell. I must thank a poster at TS for putting me onto him ,,, but I’ve forgotten the link posters name ,, thanks to whoever it was .

    Heres a relevant video from the good doctors daily updates . Whose message we should also be spreading ,,, its practical seriousness ,,, not panic inducing Face book type fearmongering.

    Getting real is the best way of getting through ,,, people and our politicians need to pull together on this ,,,, Dr John tells it like it is,,, and spreading his type of ‘best practice’ information is a positive action.,,,
    https://youtu.be/dr0Cqlf5xK4

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