In an attempt to calm the Nation, Jacinda has announced a new virus alert system so that everyone knows what is happening.
This is a smart move as it is the fear of the unknown that is driving panic buying.
Alert level 1 – The virus is here but has been contained.
Alert level 2 – Virus contained but cancel unnecessary travel and contact.
Alert level 3 – Virus is spreading, reduction of all travel and contact.
Alert level 4 – Virus has spread and country is in lockdown.
PM announces Alert level 2.
Promises essential services will be maintained.
She is so good and we are very lucky to have her as our leader right now.
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TDB Team 2020.
She again presented well but the system of alerts is reactionary and staged instead of early and strong.
As such we already appear to be at level 3 with community spread (and probably have for some days) but next stage of measures not caught up yet with us at official level 2..
Aand .govt.nz the site for all things true and official doesn’t currently show have the alert level.
My wife and I listened to her speech and both thought what it would have sounded like if Bridges was reading that statement. We couldn’t control our laughter.
The issue I have with your comment is that unless you physically imprison those infected, there will always be a spread. Why, the example of the tourist helicopter operator potting two Asian tourists whom had not self isolated for 14 days. If you go the early crow then there will be those complaining that She’s cost the country millions. No, I believe she has responded appropriately and professionally, given the most professional advice available, not advice by keyboard warriors.
she has responded appropriately and professionally, given the most professional advice available, not advice by keyboard warriors.
Yes.
So many instant experts… Not one of whom would last 24 hours in her job.
We have the best.
Yes hard decisions, but those decisions deserve to be critiqued as for any leader.
Since you went there I suggest your own keyboard wisdom is best spent reading and discussing why getting AHEAD of the virus is preferable to reacting.
Leave the partisan Jacinda fandom/Bridges hate for another time. I’ve no time for the man myself from what I’ve seen ive seen of him.
I have a passing acquaintance with the M Bovis response, interesting that when attempting eradication those teams have been both tracing cases back but also investigating any new reports outside the known relationships and testing them.
Contrast to Corona response not testing symptomatic people without travel history until about now.
That says to me they are either incompetent or not attempting to be disease free when we had the chance and the government has been allowing it in, similar to what Boris Johnson was critiqued for.
Which is it in your view?
My view is neither. Like every other disease in history, cases will occur. In this instance, whilst flights arrived into N.Z. daily, how can you absolutely guarantee absolutely, this virus did not arrive before we even new about it? People die from Flu whilst spreading it onto others, is that the Governments incompetence or non attempt to curb the illness?
Apportioning blame, as in incompetence, or not attempting, helps no one.
The fact that there are those sensationalising non testing at the border, just adds to the hysteria.
As for your keyboard wisdom, maybe you should listen to your own advice, Ardern “IS” trying to stay ahead.
I’d call that view simplistic.
There is good reason to get ahead of the curve instead of just reacting
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/120477240/coronavirus-doctor-group–raise-threat-level-now-or-risk-becoming-like-italy
“Ward said New Zealand had a choice between following the path of countries like Singapore, Taiwan and Hong Kong, which had successfully managed to contain the spread of Covid-19, or the path of countries like Italy, where it had spiralled out of control.
“We’re here to ask the Government to move to level 4 immediately, as that has worked in countries such as Singapore, Taiwan and Hong Kong when they were in the same phase that New Zealand is currently at,” Ward said.”
Despite the shade thrown at the UK response, we seem to be attempting some form of bureaucratic incrementalism as ours, and risk coming up short like them.
The UK actually has more transparency over its top level health advice than our “ most transparent government ever.”
Alert Levels don’t give panic? Oh right. Jebus. This is 9/11 all over again – a one off even that the world reacted to in an entirely irrational way. If I was conspiracy theorist, I’d suggest this entire response was engineered (despite knowing the virus being real). Almost none of the Government reactions anywhere makes any sense. If Martial law is declared anywhere in the West, I predict they’re (hopefully not we’re) ultimately planning on war with China.
MSD/WINZ should cancel beneficiaries debts and cease debt repayment deductions from their benefits NOW!
cancel beneficiaries debts and cease debt repayment deductions from their benefits NOW!
cancel beneficiaries debts and cease debt repayment deductions from their benefits NOW!
cancel beneficiaries debts and cease debt repayment deductions from their benefits NOW!
it only just began nz private debt bomb will start to unravel the virus has popped the bubble
That sounds good to me, Denny. Or the Government could announce a Universal Basic Income which is to be used for debt reduction to the best of the beneficiaries ability.
Funny how all the consumers, beneficiaries and workers staying home brings the economy to it’s knees and the “job creators” aren’t keeping things running with their amazing boot straps.
Almost as if its the people at the bottom who create wealth.
Well said Paula Bennett!
” Clear and Direct.”
A dramatic deviation from the deliberately misleading de rigueur which defines the average AO/NZ politician.
I hope that, that by and of itself will be as catchy as covid-19.
And despite my inherent misgivings about our politicians, I’m bloody glad Labour’s in governance while this shit’s going down.
The reason I write that is because I sense that information flows relatively more freely within the coalition Labour/Green/nz first government than it would have within the tank of dumb sharks that the natzo/Act/united future bastard spawns could have achieved.
Mind you, these, are heady times.
Add a disease to dis-ease about climate ‘change’ and add in a financial Armageddon and what do you get?
That’s anyone’s guess, but I’d think the guessing’s going to come out on the darker side of things as real hardship sets in.
My humble suggestion would be to write off all mortgage debt to the foreign banks, particularly in regard to farmers. We need to go on a financial war footing and that doesn’t mean watching $6 Billion dollars disappear off-shore in their net profits annually and have those same banks who have our fabulous farmers hobbled by greed based debt sent packing without their luggage. The banks are dragging us down to their level as we face a terrible and unpredictable disease, a looming financial crash and an enduring climate crisis never seen before because we fucking caused it.
Someone wrote. “ Once the belly’s full? All else is art.”
We could all be well fed to go strolling through The Art Gallery because I think it’s going to be a great and terrible show.
To say that this will be “a major reset”, as some are describing it it, doesn’t come anywhere near close. “Great and terrible” is an apt understatement. It will be like fastening your seatbelt when your car is stalled on the crossing and about to be struck by a runaway train. Go for a walk, enjoy the view.
debtor took the money how many people have used there homes as atms bought 4wd over seas holidays bought rental properties on leverage sorry mr country there is an element that have behaved with reckless disregard how many farmers leverage themselves and behave as bad as any auckland property speculator
Scripted … its early days yet. If she survives the general election, lets see what shes made of then? Theres more than likely a couple of years left in this bug.
Oooooo,… I think she’s made of sterner stuff than the other lot.
And have no fears, she’ll also be back after the election, as will the COL. It would be disastrous if we had a complete change of govt right smack in the middle of this crisis as the upheaval would be destructive.
And could you REALLY imagine National and its punitive anti bennie anti worker / pro foreign corporate’s stance and policy’s in maintaining a healthy populace ? ,…when they have already shown amply that they were incompetent , – and worse, – demonstrated their complete disdain for the poor, the sick , the low paid, the unemployed when they WERE in office?
Enough to make you shudder when you really think about it…
Imagine this … Will this Government do a Winston Churchill and suspend the election & parliament. Like Churchill did during WWII A Labour & National coalition as Government!Greens are dog tucker & NZF might not make it!
The Banks have been silent. They hope to go unnoticed. They will do anything they can to screw over the people and continue the drain of profit to their Aust. masters. They will lay off workers and make the smallest possible token response to this crisis. The people who ultimately control the big 4 have no empathy for our country and will reveal their true colours
The Banks have been silent.
If only.
You know those big (mostly Aussie owned?) banks that have been syphoning billions out of our economy, out of Aotearoa? (Heck, just ask CB – He’s onto that one I think).
Well now they’re going hat-in-hand begging to our AO/NZ gov for (high squeaky voice here) “Help? please Ma’am?”
Here’s da link: Banks Call on Massive Intervention (s’cuse me while I throw up.)
will reveal their true colours
Yep. Guess what’s happening in Aus.
The banks are stepping up and helping out their fave right wing govt, and those who voted for them. Over there, they’re the “good guys”:
ABC AU Coronavirus Banks Customers
SMH Westpac NAB Mortgage Payments Holiday Amid Virus
Excerpted:
National Australia Bank, ANZ and Westpac say they will allow eligible mortgage customers thrown into difficulty because of the coronavirus crisis to defer their mortgage repayments for up to six months.
As part of the plans, which will also include an industry-wide deferral of repayments for affected small business clients, the banks have said customers in financial distress because of the coronavirus should contact their bank to discuss a “repayment holiday”.
The banks had already said eligible customers could get up to three months mortgage relief. But under the new plans, the banks say they will offer some people an extra three months repayment holiday on top of this, subject to a review.
NAB chief executive Ross McEwan said: “Our view was we needed to be out there in support of business and personal customers because. The impact flows from businesses to the individual customers.”
It came as Westpac and NAB said they could not cutting variable mortgages interest rates on mortgages in response to this week’s emergency rate cut, while slashing business lending rates by 1 percentage point and also cutting fixed rates deeply.
Unlike the other three major banks, ANZ said it would cut variable rates on mortgages by 0.15 percentage points, while it cut small business rates by 0.25 percentage points.
NAB said that with a $400,000 mortgage, six months of not making repayments could save a customer $11,006 in total.
Westpac offered a similar arrangement, saying: “Westpac customers who have lost their job or suffered loss of income as a result of COVID-19 should contact us for three months deferral on their home loan mortgage repayments, with extension for a further three months available after review.”
Mr McEwan said that customers in trouble with their home loan would have a “check-in” at the three month mark, and if they were struggling they may be moved to the bank’s hardship program.
“If they are really struggling we may assist in a different way… through hardship arrangements, and we may just be giving more help to them,” he said.
A CBA spokesperson advised its customers affected by the coronavirus to contact the bank to discuss their options.
“We encourage our retail customers who may be facing hardship due to the impact of the coronavirus to contact us so that we can provide them with assistance, for example hardship options including deferral of loan repayments on their home loans,” the spokesperson said.
“This also applies to customers who are unable to meet credit card and personal loan repayments. We have tools and tips available to help customers manage their money.”
The announcements come after the Reserve Bank on Thursday slashed interest rates to 0.25 per cent in an attempt to shield the economy from the escalating health crisis.”
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