Hypocrisy, incompetence and blame-shifting, while Wuhan virus infections just keep climbing – I’m talking, of course, about the Australian state of Victoria, aka “Dandrewstan”. But the deadly lessons of Victoria ought to send a shiver down the spines of New Zealanders – because the Ardern government seems to be following the same script.
Melbourne’s surge in infections sprang entirely from its botched, bungled and ballsed-up hotel quarantine. The Ardern government can’t seem to make up its mind whether the resurgent infections that sent Auckland into a second lockdown were brought in from overseas or were solely via community transmission, but the likelihood seems that lax quarantine is the culprit. (If it’s not quarantine, then Ardern is tacitly admitting that the virus persisted in the community well after she claimed it had been “eliminated”.)
Worse for New Zealanders, though, Ardern is following another of Daniel Andrews’ leads: blame the public for her own stuff-ups.
David Seymour has criticised Jacinda Ardern for breaking COVID-19 social distancing rules.
Ardern was on the campaign trail in Palmerston North on Thursday, meeting with the public.
But during the visit, the Prime Minister broke social distancing protocols to take a selfie with fans[…]
Social distancing is currently required while New Zealand is at alert level 2. Kiwis are asked to keep a two-metre distance while in public or one metre in controlled environments.
Note that: the Prime Minister broke the rules. Yes, the idiot fans broke them, too, but Ardern was a clearly willing participant in the rampant violation of her own rules. No one forced their phones into her hands at gunpoint and said, “Smile, or else”.
But, just like Andrews, don’t expect Ardern to admit to her own failing. Instead, it’s everyone else’s fault.
A spokesperson for Ardern said she asks members of the public to practice social distancing when interacting and getting photos but it’s not always possible.
“There are a number of handshakes and hugs she, unfortunately, has to decline and best endeavours are made to keep separated when people ask for photos, but often members of the public will come very close to the Prime Minister which is difficult to control.”
Which is nonsense, of course. That is what prime ministers have security details for. If people are allowed close enough to take selfies with the prime minister, it’s only because she allows it.
Daniel Andrews has repeatedly lied about his own disastrous decisions and tried to shift the blame onto the general public. Now, Jacinda Ardern is doing the same thing.
New Zealanders, I’d suggest you keep a very close watch on how more and more draconian rules become. One day, you’re wearing masks on pain of being fined or arrested, the next, you’re under curfew and the police can kick down your door without a warrant at any time they please.
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