In my last blog I speculated that a breakout of community infection of the Covid virus was the one thing that could harm Labour’s chances at the election.
I take it back. The response from the government has been so quick, so sure-footed and so fair that, for me at least, it reminded me why Jacinda has received so much attention internationally for her response.
Compare it with Victoria, which faffed around for ages until the numbers grew so large that a six-week lockdown had to be imposed. At the moment Auckland is only in level 3 for three days, although further evidence of community transmission means that a four week lockdown is probably on the way.
Good grief, has Gerry Brownlee got a virus in the head? Or was he simply having a Trumpian moment? Whatever it was, intimating that the government knew all about the community transmission in advance and kept it from the people was a nasty, low blow.
And what on earth would Jacinda have had to gain by waiting to announce the sad news? I don’t believe it at all (even though I also heard the story days ago – I think the Nats have been planting this for a while). Urging the population to be prepared in case of community transmission is not the same as saying such transmission exists and we are hiding it from you.
There is nothing dirtier than the dirty politics of innuendo, aimed at bringing down the trust that the people hold for the government. When I saw Gerry standing up there, smirking away with his dirty little conspiracy theories, and Judith smirking in synch, my stomach turned.
Judith wants to stop the election and hold it later, in November. There is no certainty that November is going to be any better than September. Quite the reverse – many people are predicting an international ‘second wave’ by then.
The only things that are needed for the election to proceed are (1) the means to get one’s political message across to the people, and (2) an assurance that those eligible to enrol and vote are not hindered in their ability to do this.
As far as I can tell, while the situation is not perfect, both those conditions can be met, even under level 4, should we get to that.
It looks like Grant Robertson’s glory box of $14 billion is going to be opened sooner rather than later, to save the workers of Auckland.
So I said on Monday that this kind of situation could affect Labour’s re-election chances. On the performance of the parties today, I was so wrong, wrong, wrong. Any comparison of earnest and focussed Jacinda, against the smirking faces and negative role of the National Party leaders, would lead anyone to conclude that only one party can lead the country through the difficult times that lie ahead.
Dr Liz Gordon is a researcher and a barrister, with interests in destroying neo-liberalism in all its forms and moving towards a socially just society. She usually blogs on justice, social welfare and education topics.
Yes she is. John Key stood her down due to the ongoing inquiry into her role with Adam Feeley….but she’s back.
You dont get to be Gerry’s size by doing the hard yards. He is a lazy thinker.
lol
Hey Berty,
There are a number of prominent ministers on the other side that have the same weight-related challenges and none of them are former pole vaulting champions.
Trouble is that windbag says he has done a lot for NZ in his time???
Did he keep burger king/Mcdonalds takeaways alive??
Trying to work out if any are buffoons like Brownlee,, Frankie
I’ll raise you a Nanaia Mahuta – tell me what she’s achieved in all her years of being a MP?
I’ll do some research but raise you with David Carter, Nick Smith, Brownlee, Maureen Pugh, Scott Simpson, I have to stop otherwise I’ll get writers cramp.
Nice one Bert – but i’ll raise you a Kevin Davis, David Clark, ILG and a Phil ‘Stoner’ Twyford.
All past or present senior ministers too
Hamish Walker, sorry that one leaked out!
That’s not fair – that one had a case of the ‘Boag’ – a far more virulent virus than covid19.
Ha ha, as you say, Frank touche!
The new bill to make our lives better is one of Nanaia Mahuta’s bills that has passed; but did you care if that bill makes others lives better? read it here Frank.
https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/bills-and-laws/bills-proposed-laws/document/BILL_77941/local-government-community-well-being-amendment-bill
Local Government (Community Well-being) Amendment Bill
Home Parliamentary Business Bills and Laws Bills (proposed laws)
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The main objectives of this bill are to restore the purpose of local government to be “to promote the social, economic, environmental, and cultural well-being of communities”; to restore territorial authorities’ power to collect development contributions for any public amenities needed as a consequence of development; and to make a minor modification to the development contributions power.
Bill information
MP in charge
Mahuta, Nanaia
I rest my case
You literally just wrecked yourself.
Doubt you realize it.
Ok? cleangreen briefly outlined what Nanihia did in response to your Mer-Engines question and his immediate response was to deny, deflect and obfuscate.
But the majority of The Merv community does that. So the point still stands.
Anyways, there’s no need to act all edgy when rightwing strategists like Methew Hooten knows how much of a pathetic liar you are.
Unfortunately, as idiotic as Brownlee’s conspiracy theory is, like Trump and his bizarre rants there will be the uneducated people who have/will latch onto what Brownlee said and develop his conspiracy theory to the point when it becomes fact. Luckily only in their own limited minds which reminds me of a comment made by an MP in the NZ Parliament – “His (read their) brains could revolve inside a peanut shell for a thousand years without touching the sides.”
To say the virus is back is bullshit the virus has been here for sometime and will always be here as long as our borders are open the virus will always be with us and we all need to get that into our heads ASAP. We were all warned about the importance of tracing and about not going to work if we felt sick. This incident is yet another reminder for us to heed the advice we have received. Now we can’t stop people from coming home so we cant stop the virus from entering our country. All we can do is keep working hard. We need to keep working together and not let the nutters with their nutty theories divide us. United we stand divided we will fall, just look at Victoria. As for the election, the sooner we have it the better, we need certainty.
Covid is pa,
I disagree bro. If we still had the virus in the community since the lockdown ended fully on the 9th June. Someone would have presented at some point as a symptomatic case and a shitstorm would have got underway. I’m certain this current outbreak was bought in through the border when the flood of “kiwis” returned to NZ. My best guess is a security guard at a quarantine facility or at the airport is where this outbreak got underway some time from middle to late July. Most cases have mild symptoms but sooner or later someone very poorly would have been the focus.
I’d like the election to go as scheduled but it’s now guaranteed to be delayed. The PC tomorrow at 4pm will announce Auckland is going back into a level 4 lockdown. You can take that to the bank. 100% guaranteed. The only question marks are for how long and when will it start. I’m picking Sunday night at midnight. That time makes the most sense. it gives business a little over 48 hours to prepare for level 4 trading on Monday. As for how long. 14 days is not long enough. There are many cases being discovered and will be over the next 14 days so the lockdown will need to be for longer. It wil either be 21 days or 28 days. 28 makes good sense from a health perspective but 21 days would be more widely accepted by business. Im picking it will be 21 days.
I can’t wait to see NZ voters send arrogant and despicable National to the nearest landfill. They’ve done irreparable damage to NZ. Our beautiful country is now more divided than it was during the 81 Springbok tour. Selfishness has been promoted by National as has blistering contempt for those doing it hard. That is not the NZ I grew up in and want to leave behind for my kids and grandkids etc.
The certainty you seek is already here. National will suffer an unprecedented drubbing at the polls regardless of the election date.
JC
You are talking about possible “benign” infections.
These are not the only options. We have seen Nationals Maleficence, lies and irresponsibility around covid19 and a fresh outbreak can be managed easily. Over 100 days gives plenty of time and a week or so is enough for an outbreak to be implemented at little cost.
The possibilities are wide.
When Dunedin has identified the genome we may glean some important information about this “new” outbreak and where it came from.
You a right Andrew!
Jacinda can not shut the economy down every couple of months.The decimation of business, thus employment and eventually the financial viability of the Nation as a whole will colapse.
The suffering will be wide spread.
The only viable solution is to accept the virus is here and elimination is not an option. We tried that, at a very real cost, and it failed !
Tell the vunerable to stay home and look after themselves.
Let the rest of the people get on with keeping the wheels turning.
Says the man that wakes up every morning alive. I wonder if any of the over 5700 dead that Andrew mentions , think herd mentality was the right idea?
Yep Bert I get up every morning pull on the boots and go to work and have been doing that for more than 50 years. I will keep doing that until the “grim reaper” catches up with me.
He might be called covis, might be a heart attack who knows? But I refuse to cower in the corner and wait for him and watch this country bankrupted !!
Clifford
There are better ways to organise our economy than the neo-liberal mess we are determined to continue with BAU thinking.
This country should never be bankrupt while we can organised to feed ourselves, provide shelter, education and a well resourced state health care system
Meanwhile we give away billions to predatory bankers plus many times that amount to corporate off shore investors and “profits” from parasitic take overs of public agencies.
Grant Roberton just gave 31 billion to the off shore banks and less that 8% of that will reach the streets. It will be used to inflate financial assets with no benefit to the Kiwi public.
Tell me please why anyone on this earth should have a billion dollars and how you would lay your hands on even half a billion without cashing in on the efforts of others.
Over the top for you then mate. Your instructions are to take out that machine gun nest alone armed only with a plastic fork.
Godspeed old chap.
Army’s proud of suc, – I mean – brave volunteers such as yourself.
Clifford J, I notice your self interest. Any concern for the thousands of children left parent less because of the fucked up herd mentality?
Actually Andrews and Cliffords j daft responses about herd immunity is exactly why some of our Maori whanau implemented road blocks. And I see an Aboriginal group have done the same. We we are not a herd and we do not want to be rounded up like hoskings said. And we do not want to be eradicated OF THIS PLANT like many other indigenous peoples. Herd immunity requires sacrifice if you want to be a sacrificial lamb then you can bugger of to Sweden of you go on your bike Andrew and can you take mike motor mouth hoskings and clifford j with you.
So how many times to you shut the country down. 2 more times, 10 more times?
Each time we shut down the economy more businesses will close their doors, more jobs are lost, more poverty for more New Zealanders.
At some point we have accept that the virus has to be lived with.
Or do you all believe that there is a utopia where funds will just keep arriving in your bank account while you stay at home under virtual house arrest?
With a very few “”Essential Workers” providing the necessities of life for you?
At some point soon reality must be faced.
As many times as it takes.
The reality you quote is a manufactured on than can be reworked to suit the conditions.
It is not immutable as the civid19 outbreak has shown.
The economic model we accept is not the best for Kiwis but suits those international parasites organising what the want and getting Kiwis to go along with it.
Take a look at what happened here in the 1930s and we can do much better than that.
And your argument?
And how many deaths do you think it justify’s? So you’d quite be happy to throw a few thousand ‘useless old people’ into the grave all because YOU are too damn self centered, short sighted and vicious to wait and use these methods until a vaccine arrives, are you?
And what about all those immuno compromised kids with cancer, – let em ALL get bumped off as well?
WANKER.
And fuck your stinking working boots as well.
Andrew Clifford J; So to make your solutions more efficient, everyone over 70 should face the firing squad. I hope they give the likes of you’s Auschwitz!
Jays
The plan was to factor in lockdown as fresh pockets were detected and that is what is being done.
What is the problem.
We should spend more and resource better and more widespread testing and random testing as well, plus build up better stock of PPE, marks and hospital resource.
This Pandemic is a result of many things and others will proliferate while we run a globalised rat race.
Our strategy may be tested but it has been shown to work in China, South Korea and Taiwan with variations and in Iceland who have show resolute togetherness in the past with sacking banks and on online community authored constitution.
Togetherness is not business dictating to the rest about who will die or be left chronically disabled.
Folks are giving Andrew a hard time for pointing out that ultimately lockdown has the potential to cause more deaths than covid. Where that balance point is no one yet knows but it’s there somewhere. It does seem that nearly every recorded death from covid world wide has been of a person with multiple age related co morbidities ,ie other ailments competing with covid to claim responsibility for their death.
We are lucky in some ways that Sweden is providing a comparison in approach. What the final comparison will be we don’t know yet, and it will not be that much use in deciding how to deal with the next pandemic because it will be of a different lethality . maybe better may be worse. And we don’t know the final effects of this one on patients who seem to recover or show no symptoms either.
I have no doubt in my mind that the cautious action our government has taken is the right one. But if it proves to not shift the annual average death rate at all which it seems it has not in Sweden where the average death from covid is 82 yrs ,exactly the same as as the average age of death overall,and keeping it out proves almost impossible, we might have to live with it anyway.
Also I read a couple of weeks ago that deaths from all causes in the UK for the previous 2 weeks had been less than the 5 year average for those two weeks. Indicating that their high death rate cf Sweden was also a matter of hastening the death by a few weeks or days of someone who would be dead by now anyway.
In the meantime I fully support trying to keep it out. But it will require pretty unusually co-operative human behaviour . Not bolting out of Auckland to avoid the lockdown and so risk spreading it throughout the country like thousands did on Wednesday.
D J S
Yes nice comment.
I think people need to declare their own vested interest when they comment.
If you are susceptible to Covid-19, that’s cool.
But declare your interest otherwise your comment is displaying nothing more than your own personal motivation and need.
Comment based on the good for all society, not your own personal good.
Comments are closed.