Coronavirus: Health Minister Andrew Little confirms November 29 is not ‘Freedom Day’
Bad news for Aucklanders expecting to escape the city before the end of this month – the Health MInister says the so-called ‘Freedom Day’ that’s been reported widely is nothing of the sort.
November 29 “is now circled on every desk and wall calendar in Auckland”, Newsroom reported this week, while Newstalk ZB reported “Ardern signalled the city’s own ‘freedom day’ is November 29” – and they weren’t the only ones.
And the Prime Minister this week said shifting all of New Zealand into the new traffic light framework when Auckland does “could play a role in helping us drive [vaccination] rates up”, ending alert level and travel restrictions nationwide.
“Most DHBs are rapidly getting there,” Health Minister Andrew Little told Newshub Nation on Saturday.
“In fact, we expect the Auckland DHBs to exceed that. The payback for getting to that level of vaccination – which would be one of the leading levels in the world – is that we do start to reduce restrictions.”
But that’s absolutely not going to happen on November 29, he said.
“Not at all… You might have misunderstood what the Prime Minister has been saying,” he told host Simon Shepherd.
“The Prime Minister said on the 29th of November, Cabinet will do a significant check-in on the state of the system… as we start to make decisions about the introduction of of the COVID Protection Framework – the traffic light system.
This is so disingenuous.
Technically what Little is saying here is true, the Government stated right at the beginning that November 29th was a decision day but I’ve watched journalist after journalist say ‘Freedom Day’ to the Prime Minister and she cocks her head to one side, pulls that concerned face and then nods without correcting that view.
Labour have been happy to allow that misrepresentation to dominate headlines because it calms the angry hobbits down.
The real reason why we will still be under de facto house arrest on the 29th November is because the vaccination passports are still not ready.
There has been 4 different dates as to when we can get our vaccination passports.
First it was mid November.
Then it was the end of November.
Then it was early December.
Now it’s back to mid November but I’m guessing that will become end of November.
The system already looks buggered.
Many, many, many New Zealanders don’t have a drivers license or passport so they will have to apply elsewhere which of course will see people not get their passports despite having been in de facto house arrest for what will be 4 months.
If the Government fuck up the vaccination passports, anxious people desperate to get their life back are going to lose their shit.
This could be the straw that breaks Labour’s back.
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As today is the 15th with no sign whatsoever of vaccine passports, my pick is that the middle of December will occur and we will still be being told of development issues and other reasons why the system will not be ready until the end of December. This is yet another example of a promise with no delivery by this Government.
You need to define passport.
If you are talking an app “passport”, then it is worse than any of the 4 dates you quote above.
Refer to the (subscription required) 5 November article in businessdesk, penned by Henry Burrell:
Dreyer (MOH group manager of national digital services) said in October smartphone apps for individuals to use for their vaccine certificates would be ready in January at the earliest.
no smart phone = no freedom.
.education minister casually mentioned 40.000 NZ kids having no internet access…..how many Kiwis have no smartphone because of poverty, general technophobia or lack of interest.
I was double vaxxed well ahead but will be under house arrest because my lack of smartphone is deemed ‘sinful’
Apparently our passports won’t match up with European, North American or even Australian vaccine passports. if that is the case this is truly fucked up. Imagine finally getting tourists back and they can’t go to the pub or going to the US on a business trip and not getting through the conference check in………
You are right Bomber – fuck this up and there is going to be some righteous anger
FTT
It’s as good as done…the fuck up I mean. Most things like that, important tji go you know, mostly get fucked up by this govt. There’s just to much history of badly planned and terribly executed ideas.
Sorry folks…sceptical…
The Kraut and frank the tank must have babies. Immediately. You’re so well suited you could be clones.
What actual human people must endeavor to comprehend is that our entire politic is really just one thing. National, Labour and the sundry hangers on parties are the same one thing.
Neoliberal capitalism only has one agenda and that is to make sure its privateer mates, you know the ones? The ones who lobby constantly within our parliament who keep coming back. Their purpose is, of course, to line the pockets of the already rich.
While our politic is a neoliberal capitalist democracy there will never be peace and prosperity for us. We’ll always be getting fucked on the deal.
Our fate will remain sealed so long as we remain a [neoliberal] capitalist democracy.
We must become a socialist capitalist democracy or we’re fucked.
In these times of novel diseases and global climate collapse we must organise our political systems in such a way as to provide vital support to those most at risk first.
We must do that. We, the people. The neoliberal right wing can’t afford to while they’re handing themselves massive bonuses and share options to avoid paying income taxes while astride millions and billions.
I think there has to be a revolution. One where our parliament is rebooted.
I wonder what would happen if there was a referendum on whether or not we should reboot as a socialist capitalist democracy?
I like the idea of that…!
If national had been the government…? Oh my God. judy would have made bolsonaro look like a person of reason and stability.
I like what you say CB. Seriously, there’s lots of good thinking there. Doesn’t change the fact that this particular govt is brilliant at fucking up things. Come on, even you have said many times it before! So excuse me for being sceptical ok! I’ll just recite the last few words from Martyn in this post of his: “If the Government fuck up the vaccination passports, anxious people desperate to get their life back are going to lose their shit. This could be the straw that breaks Labour’s back.” CB…watch it happening soon!
We shouldn’t be that surprised that they’ve gone again shifted the goal posts!
Remember, this is how the “new Roger Douglas Labour party” rolls!
With no rhyme or reason, they’ll do whatever they like to keep everyone on their toes!
It’s like one of the kiddies games you play at kindy.
It’s like ‘Statue!’ When the music stops! Freeze! And that is what you are at that moment in time! Fuck’d!
Or, alternatively. They’re trying wheelie, wheelie, hard to trick Delta-Covid? Or, they’re just keeping the crazies off-balance with a moving feast of potential ‘Freedumb’ dates just to confuse them?
One thing I know for sure. Lockdown(s) are good for the environment. That’s about all I know. Oh, and it’s Labours fault for Rogernomics and the economic shite we’re in now.
Apart from the Deep Red seats of Auckland — Labour is poked in Auckland for the 2023 elections
Not sure about that. We are in a highly dynamic situation. I do expect that Jacinda Ardern will be rolled once we have learned how to live with Covid, because that tends to be the fate of successful leaders in times of crisis. Perhaps it is because people remember the hardships they suffered for the greater good (once the threat has passed).
Who will/could take over from Jacinda from announcements?
The bloke who used to commentate at Western Springs Speedway if he’s still alive. For a brief moment there I thought you were worthy of my time.
I’m guessing most of us have received an email from the MOH, instructing us to put a code “in the text box”.
That only works on a desktop, not that they tell you this. There is no text box on your phone. And if you can’t work out out, you probably won’t bother.
Without it the whole linking in of MOH held details on you is likely to not work. Which I am second guessing will mean drama’s with the passport.
If this is a portent of things to come, it’s in for an epic failure.
And yes, Aucklanders will lose their shit! Justifiably.
I don’t know what drugs you fullas are on re Certificate/letter and QR Code. I’ve got both and had them within 24hrs of receiving my 2nd jab months ago.
So what gives?
Won’t be surprised if Auckland is coming to the rest of NZ/AO ready or not on 29/11/21 !
It is not hard to see that Andrew is lining Jacinda up for a fall. .It has taken time but payback is best served cold . Winston was a past master of this Utu .
Fuck Freedom Day. Aucklanders need to stay home.
Evidently some Jafas just can’t wait for ‘freedom’ day. I imagine a brave few will soon be camping out at the border, taking a dump on the side of the road, desperate to taste the sweet smell of “freedom”.
But what is this freedom ? Among other thing’s its the freedom to leave covid ground zero and potentially infect every nook and cranny of Aotearoa. Including low vax areas with vulnerable populations.
I don’t care if said Jafas have a vaccine passport. Vaccinated individuals can and do host and transmit the virus. Science says so. They might themselves be safe from serious illness by vaccination, but whanau they rub shoulders with at Christmas might not. So they should stay home, not for themselves, but for their neighbours. If they care for others and trust the science that is.
Vaccination works alongside appropriate public health measures, like the border that protected the rest of aotearoa from the covid breakout in Auckland. It doesn’t work so well when you dismantle those same basic public health measures, like Freedom day will do.
Freeing the Auckland populace is like sending smallpox infected blankets to Maori communities around the motu. Meanwhile Dr Ashley Bloomfeld is on his high horse garotting the champions of Maori health with red tape. Fuck. Off.
People willing to risk infecting our remote communities because they just can’t wait for vaccination to achieve equitable coverage for all are a clear and present danger to vulnerable populations throughout Aotearoa. To those people I have a message:
Put your mask on and stay home. And if f Christmas makes you “lose your shit”…go fuck yourself.
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