Why aren’t these tramping chumps being prosecuted for wasting everyones time?

1. Good god Martyn, you’re sounding like that idiot Mark Richardson. Were you never young once?

   • Hey Garbaldi,
     Question for you; “what if several others died as of attempting to find these clowns”????

   • Exactly. Luckily in NZ you still get to take some risk and people are still prepared to volunteer to look for you if you stuff up. And we dont bill you for any of the rescue. And I say thank goodness for that

2. According to locals in Collingwood its magic mushroom season in the area…Imagine having a media that actually researched.
   Im not sure how the decision to prosecute or not is made but there sure isnt consisitency.
   And how do we justify still being at level 2 or even 1 when we have no new cases for days and just one person infected.

   • Here is why we are not at Level 1.

     Calls to move to level 1 are either ignorant of politically driven.

     Top epidemiologist Sir David Skegg says anyone crying out for an immediate move to alert level 1 is either ignorant or trying to score political points.
     The Otago University professor is warning that a second wave remains a possibility, and complacency is now the greatest threat as Kiwis – buoyed by seven days of no new cases – head into the long weekend with greater freedoms on social gatherings.
     “I am glad the Cabinet decided we will remain at alert level 2 for several weeks, ” Skegg said in an exclusive interview with the Herald.
     “There is abundant evidence from other countries that a favourable situation like ours can very quickly turn to custard.”
     One of the dangers is that if a Covid-infected person goes to a big gathering, it could trigger dozens of branches of transmission that might take weeks to show up in test results.
     That is one of the main reasons director general of health Ashley Bloomfield called for at least 28 days – two two-week incubation cycles – at level 2.
     One prominent voice calling for a move to level 1 is Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters , who this week said the health risks were outweighed by the need to address the economic devastation.

     Skegg didn’t single out Peters, but made a general comment about the push for level 1.
     “People who advocate a move to level 1 straight away are either ignorant or indulging in political posturing.”

     There is now only one active case in New Zealand. Cabinet is planning to review level 2 settings on June 8 and will meet no later than on June 22 to consider moving to level 1.
     Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has not said what would need to happen to considermoving D-Day to a date earlier than June 22 , saying only that Bloomfield’s advice will be “fundamental”.

     Skegg said he understood the desire to move to level 1, especially with the tourism, hospitality and events industries still suffering under level 2 restrictions.
     “But if we have to return to higher alert levels, that will be very damaging for the economy and for society.
     “Our current control measures are already less restrictive than in most comparable countries, including Australia.”
     Skegg has been an independent adviser to Parliament’s Epidemic Response Committee, which was formally closed this week.
     On the committee, he was a vocal proponent of wider testing, greater contact-tracing capacity and a tighter quarantine at the border before the Government broadened testing criteria, imposed a blanket quarantine , and was trying to rapidly build up contact-tracing.
     “There were steps they could have taken more quickly, but it is easy to be wise in hindsight,” Skegg said.
     “When one compares our situation with that in most other countries, I think we can feel very proud.”
     Lockdown avoidable?
     Skegg said New Zealand had made “fantastic progress” towards elimination, and its advantages included our marine borders, low population density, and relative lack of crowded public transport.
     But he said the country had to confront Covid-19 following decades of chronic underfunding of public health units by successive governments.
     In his book last year titled The Health of the People , Skegg wrote: “There must be very few countries in the world, at our stage of development, where the capacity of central government for public health surveillance and action is so weak.”
     On March 17, the ministry and public health units were able to contact-trace only 10 active cases. At the time, there were already 125 cases – most undetected – in the country.

     Countries such as Taiwan have had more success against Covid-19 because of their greater public health resources, despite a less stringent lockdown.
     “If our public health capacity – such as for contact-tracing – had not been so run down, we could probably have avoided a lockdown, or at least such a rigorous one,” Skegg said.
     “Most people would be stunned to hear that our Ministry of Health employed no epidemiologists. A group had to be seconded quickly from the University of Otago [for the Covid response].”
     He said there remained questions about contact-tracing that had not been challenged during the weeks of low new cases.
     “That situation will change if new cases arise as a result of relaxing border restrictions, such as for Australian visitors or international students.”
     The ministry is in the process of bringing the 12 regional public health units under a national information system, following Dr Ayesha Verrall ‘s report that highlighted how fragmented and incompatible the system had been.
     But the latest data shows that the ministry is still taking nine days to isolate 80 per cent of close contacts after someone’s first symptoms.
     The benchmark standard for this, according Verrall’s audit in April , is four days.
     Government report card – generally brilliant
     In light of these challenges, Skegg said the Government’s performance in general had been “brilliant”.
     “They acted early and decisively. They have been willing to listen to scientists and to modify policies in response to new evidence.”

     He said New Zealand had been on the brink of a “terrible situation”, which could have overwhelmed hospitals and seen thousands of deaths.
     “By late March the number of new cases was rising towards a hundred every day. Early and decisive action was critically important, because of the exponential growth of infections with this virus.”
     “A group at Columbia University has estimated that the US could have avoided about 54,000 deaths by early May – 83 per cent of the total – if control measures had been introduced only two weeks earlier.”
     Although great progress had been made, Skegg wanted to see 28 straight days of no new cases before concluding that Covid-19 had been eliminated.
     That is in line with the Ministry of Health’s elimination strategy.
     He singled out more heroes beyond government leadership and communication, including: “Sterling work by depleted public health staff (such as medical officers of health and contact tracers), people in the Ministry of Health, and laboratory workers; wonderful support of the lockdown by most people in the community; and a modicum of good luck.”
     Ongoing concerns
     He said there was a danger that the streak of zero-case days would see people with mild symptoms deciding not to get tested.
     “This could mean that new cases slip through without being detected.”
     Borders remained a vulnerable area, and Skegg questioned why air and sea crew were not required to isolate for 14 days.
     Air NZ is testing crew at the airport, and Bloomfield has signalled that surveillance testing may be ramped up at the border – but no details have been released.
     “There needs to be a thorough review of both surveillance testing and preventive measures at airports and sea ports,” Skegg said.
     “At present none of us can judge whether or not these are adequate.”
     He shared other concerns from epidemiologists about the Ministry of Health’s presentation of case data .
     “All epidemiologists have been frustrated by the unsatisfactory tabulation and updating of information about cases of Covid-19. Often we had to depend on a journalist asking the appropriate question at one of the media conferences.
     “I hope there will not be a resurgence of cases but, if that does occur, this problem needs to be addressed.”
     A transtasman bubble and international students
     While Peters has been pushing for some transtasman flights immediately , Ardern has said September is “realistic”.
     Skegg said Australia was lagging behind New Zealand and he would like to see improvements before flights resumed.
     “We will need to see more progress in eliminating Covid-19 in Australia before we could feel comfortable about transtasman travel without quarantine measures,” Skegg said.
     “Australia is not doing as well as New Zealand in this regard. They are still having a steady stream of new cases each day and they are reporting well over 400 active cases. By contrast, New Zealand now has only one active case.”
     Peters has also been pushing for international students to return to New Zealand immediately, as has Auckland Council and universities.
     But Skegg, a former Otago University vice-chancellor, said foreign students returning for the 2021 academic year was more realistic – with managed isolation and testing.
     “Complex arrangements and precautions will be required, before and after travel, and I believe it would be unwise to rush this development while we are still working towards elimination.”

     On Simon Bridges’ contributions
     Skegg said the Epidemic Response Committee showed the public a side of politics that was less partisan.
     “In those early days, everyone was worried about the developing epidemic and wanted to help the country avoid a dangerous situation. It was often difficult to tell which political party a member was representing.
     “Simon Bridges was an effective chairman and I’m sure the committee helped to focus the attention of the Government on a number of key issues.
     “In several instances, important actions followed quickly.”

     Without singling out anyone, he said the committee’s members became more interested in scoring political points as time marched on.
     “I fear this may continue in the reconvened Parliament. Given that this country still faces formidable health and economic challenges, it’s a pity that far-reaching decisions have to be made so close to an election.”

     • Thanks, had read that.
       I’m instantly suspicious of any scientist calling any questioning ignorant – that’s not how science works.
       Cancel culture does not make fir robust science.
       For any epidemiologist trotted out by the media saying one thing it’s possible to find one that believes differently – Dr Simon Thornley for example has been a proponent of lightening up earlier.
       Risk of second wave? That’s always going to be there with our “eradication” strategy, and we can’t stay locked up forever.
       Certain pointy heads might be good at computer modeling but not see what’s happening in the street, other than some books to sign at the shop, a fair amount of the country has already moved itself to lvl one or lower.
       There is no reason we shouldn’t be allowed to go about our normal lives now and just keep the border controlled until we can test/quarantine all arrivals satisfactorily.

       • Except that there is no “normal” in the world outside NZ and your impatience just makes it more likely that we go one step forward and two back. Take a chill pill and relax a bit. The world economy is pretty severely stuffed so the best that we can do is get the health situation right. If we stuff that up then we dont really have much else. The govt has been right with their timing so far so maybe they have a little more knowledge and experience than you?

       • Would gungho NZ s keep following all the regs – keeping distance? Some of the young chaps i have spoken to just want to get back to normal; aren’t capable of restraining themselves. Self-interest rules okay!

         • Same for a certain demograph who would keep us locked down indefinitely as long as they keep getting their pension.
           Safety first! for all those comfortable boomers who couldn’t care less for the younger people picking up the tab or out of work.
           It’s not selfish to want to feed your family.

       • “I’m instantly suspicious of any scientist calling any questioning ignorant – that’s not how science works.”
         That’s your prerogative, but it doesn’t mean that they, usually knowing much more about the data, modelling and subject than you, are probably correct.

         • Edit
           “but it doesn’t mean that they, usually knowing much more about the data, modelling and subject than you, are not correct.”
           (I get no Pulitzer for proof reading).

3. I’m sure I saw the media use the word ‘miracle’ to describe the finding of these two. Nothing miraculous here. Charge them.

4. Geez they sure aint bush baby’s. I could have shown them at least a dozen vegetative foods and a few fish species where they could have made a decent boil up off. Especially if they had fire.

   Foreigners and Townies !

   Pah!

   Sasquatches they are definitely not !

5. Perhaps if there was a financial coast to being rescued without a beacon more people would use them. They can be hired for twenty bucks ffs. I am happy these two mongs are alive but something about their story does not ring true.

   • There isn’t any excuse for going hungry when you are literally living in an open air supermarket.

     If you don’t have the capability to make fire?- take a bootlace , make a hardwood spike, make a small bow out of whitey wood or some other springy wood, tie the boot lace to that, wrap the hardwood spike once around the bootlace and then use that to create friction on a wood base plate. Grab some dry tinder and blow gently as the first small wisps of smoke appear.

     Soon, with careful management, you will create a fire. Tea tree bush can be used to trap Koura and eel, and mountain trout. Ponga fronds, and nikau pith provide tasty and nutritious carbs and minerals. There are many others but these only to be used in the case of survival. As we don’t want people wrecking our damn NZ bush.

     Failing that , take in a damn firelighter like a ZIP, polypropylene’s and wool, and lightweight packaged freeze dried foodstuffs that can be cooked-beef , beans etc, coffee, tea, flour. None of which are heavy, – and take in a small tarp that can be used for a lean-to- it can double up as a windbreak in a cave, or on its own. This is far from an an exhaustive list and only the basics.

     Did you know you can make an effective wooden grubber from the natural ‘V’ of a tree branch? What were they doing in there without a heavy knife or machete?

     You can bend over a sapling and put small nooses in the front, cover the rest with foliage and put shiny objects at the back to noose trap possums. There’s your meat.

     Ponga fronds are your mattress to keep the damp off you when you sleep.

     Splints for broken limbs are easily made, as are headache / toothache etc cures- one of which is the inner bark of the tea tree. Make a brew of it. Koromiko cures things like dysentery. Again – make a brew.

     The innovative lists are endless and I could mention a whole lot more foods and constructions but I’ll stop there. There is no excuse to be brought cold, bedraggled and out of the bush like a helpless moron who should not have been there in the first place until they did their homework. Because it costs US!

     Now, these things are only required under survival conditions. You do not go into our NZ native bush and start whacking down our native flora and fauna just because you were too damn arrogant and lazy to take in whats needed in an emergency.

     Townies! Foreigners!

     Bah !

6. your sentiments Martyn are fair and relevant – a sorry and a than you multiplied is no way to act towards these irresponsible types whether locals or tourists.

7. Yep..lets have user pays for dummies..we all know, and have known for years… being overweight, not exercising, eating too much meat, drinking too much alcohol, not covering up in the sun, leads to health consequences..so if your health issue is lifestyle based..charge them.
   Car crash..consequence of your actions..you pay.
   Lost at sea..charge em.
   Young kid dabbling in drugs..gone missing…charges the parents search and police time.
   Walking home late at night..get attacked..well, shoulda realized the risks there..charge ’em.
   etc etc
   or..we can calm down, be thankful we don’t live in America, and appreciate the fact that our emergency services..rescue, fire, health are covered because we live in comparatively non feral country.
   Though..shout out to all of our Governments right and left..doing their darnedest to dismantle these services and turn us all into self righteous …….

Comments are closed.