Covid-19
Still Being Brought to Heel
The little woman running this country appears to be still obsessed with control. Even though there are countries that are happy to accept Kiwis with tourist dollars to spend, her advice is not to go. Stay and spend those dollars in your own backyard, she says. In one way encouraging
Todd Muller Breaks His Duck
Sir Bob Jones nopunchespulled.com The Nats new leader has finally put some runs on the board. Speaking to the Wellington Chamber of Commerce he stated the obvious, namely that it’s totally untenable to keep our borders closed until either/if a vaccine is developed or every country has
Healthcare through the Looking Glass
We have passed through the COVID Looking Glass and entered a strange new reality, according to Sherelle Jacobs in The Telegraph. While New Zealand reclines in splendid isolation, the rest of the world is dealing with ‘second wave hysteria’. Not surprisingly, vaccines remain elusive and the race is on to
Daily News Roundup – 2 July 2020
NZ First, fishing industry, light rail Michael Morrah (Newshub): Talleys hosted fundraiser dinners for NZ First, but denies that’s behind delay in fishing boat cameras Thomas Coughlan (Stuff): Stuart Nash apologises to Winston Peters and Shane Jones over fisheries comments Conan Young (RNZ): Fishing industry unimpressed by Stuart Nash’
Should We Bring Back Overseas Students?
Now that the world is opening up again, the government finds itself under pressure to follow suit, at least in a limited way. Kiwis are now allowed to travel overseas, with the clear understanding that they will face 14 days quarantine on their return (which presumably will not be funded
Should Kiwis in Quarantine Pay for Their Stay?
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Until We Have Faces: The American Niqaab
Judith Acosta classicalhomeopathynewmexico.com The other day I was in the garden with a friend, enjoying all the tender blessings of nature when, suddenly, a large vinegaroon crawled past her bare feet. It is a formidable-looking bug, but completely benign to humans. She leapt up like a gazelle on the
Non-essential (Parliamentary) Business
Chris Penk The BFD is serialising National MP Chris Penk’s book Flattening the Country by publishing an extract every day. Non-essential (Parliamentary) business Emergency powers were invoked by the government, giving itself the ability to amend laws and take actions without the usual safeguards, as Newsroom’s Sam Sachdeva
Daily News Roundup – 1 July 2020
Fishing industry Michael Morrah (Newshub): Fisheries Minister Stuart Nash blames pressure from NZ First for delay in fishing boat cameras in recording Herald: NZ First blamed for delay in fishing boat cameras by Stuart Nash in leaked recording Scott Palmer (Newshub): Winston Peters launches attack on Newshub journalist Michael Morrah
Was Level 4 a Step Too Far?
Barry Brill nzcpr.com Barry Brill, OBE, JP, LL.M(Hons), M.ComLaw, is the Chairman of the New Zealand Climate Science Coalition. A former MP, Barry was a Minister of Energy, a Petrocorp director, and the Chairman of the Gas Council, Power NZ, ESANZ, and EMCO. On March 23
Self-Isolation Self-Delusion
Chris Penk The BFD is serialising National MP Chris Penk’s book Flattening the Country by publishing an extract every day. Self-isolation self-delusion We’ve already looked at self-isolation in the context of the practically non-existent border controls. This was another missing piece of New Zealand’s puzzle of health
Daily News Roundup – 30 June 2020
Greens Thomas Coughlan (Stuff): Taxing weath: a necessary step, or unachievable pipe dream? Dave Armstrong (Stuff): Greens’ wealth tax will appeal to Labour’s Left-wingers Richard Harman (Politik): Ardern shuns Greens’ wealth tax; Nats mount scare campaign Barry Soper (Newstalk ZB): Is the Greens’ poverty plan a flight of fantasy?
Are We Being Kind to the Cook Islands over COVID-19?
Gerhard Sundborn covidplanb.co.nz The Cook Islands is almost as much a part of New Zealand as the North or South Island. Like Niue and Tokelau, all Cook Islanders hold New Zealand citizenship. The Cooks is home to 17,500 people of whom about 2,500 (15%) are either
A Lack of Contact
Chris Penk The BFD is serialising National MP Chris Penk’s book Flattening the Country by publishing an extract every day. A lack of contact While the government was attempting to mask its issues providing PPE (yes, pun intended) it soon found that it had another shortfall to cover: contact