On September 19 New Zealanders will be voting in a referendum on whether or not to legalise cannabis. In the below podcast chief economist Dr Eric Crampton approaches the decision from an economic perspective. He says that even though there is not a lot of solid data available about how
Jacinda travelled to Queenstown last week to announce $85 million of government funding, aimed at assisting the town’s Town Centre project and also to help fund stage one of Queenstown’s Arterials projects. These projects are not of immediate assistance to the tourism sector, but will be funded partly
Alex Smith khn.org Despite the lack of dine-in customers for nearly 2½ long months during the coronavirus shutdown, Darrell Loo of Waldo Thai stayed busy. Loo is the bar manager for the popular restaurant in Kansas City, Missouri, and he credits increased drinking and looser liquor laws during the
Dr Muriel Newman nzcpr.com New Zealand’s COVID-19 free status was short-lived. The team of 5 million is being badly let down by government incompetence at the borders. While bureaucratic ineptitude is nothing new, given the personal sacrifices that everyone was required to make during the lockdown, the stakes
It was October 2019. On a sunny spring day in Wellington, Richard, a builder, was doing some work in a house in the suburb of Seatoun. The renovations had been a bit erratic, as the lady of the house had just come back from a trip to the UK and
It’s been a week since problems at the New Zealand border first emerged, but the cloud hanging over Health Minister David Clark’s career hasn’t lifted. It’s a big deal calling for someone to resign. Despite much jeering and jibing, the Opposition doesn’t often call for
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Sir Bob Jones nopunchespulled.com With the public’s broad support, in the face of the COVID threat, the government closed down New Zealand, imposing a dictatorial control regime to an extent unprecedented in our history. That said, every measure they took copied to the letter what was being done
“I will get you that number – I’m sorry I haven’t got it – I’d like to have it as well.” It’s been a week and counting since the Director-General of Health was first asked how many people have left managed isolation without being tested for Covid-19. Today
The Prime Minister has stated the tests in quarantine will be compulsory: “We’ve taken the opportunity, while renewing that health order, to make it crystal-clear that individuals must submit to testing and medical exams, including the potential of multiple tests,” Ardern said. Well, it turns out that isn’t
Mike: We begin as we always do these days with the Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern who is with us. A very good morning to you. Jacinda: Good morning Mike. Mike: So, how many people left hotels without testing? Jacinda: (Sucks in breath) Well, from the 9th of June of course
A grieving American woman who was allowed to attend her father’s wake just a day after arriving in Auckland was not tested before being granted a compassionate exemption, the Herald can reveal. The case comes as the Government still can’t say today how many people were allowed out
Ananish Chaudhuri Simon Thornley Michael Jackson covidplanb.co.nz The recent fiasco that allowed people to leave quarantine without testing, risking the spread of COVID-19, highlights how nebulous the government’s claim of total elimination always was. The government, in projecting thousands of deaths that never eventuated, has continued with
Just when you thought it was safe to go back outside, China proves itself as the country that keeps on giving. Euroweekly News reports. Over 1,000 flights into and out of Beijing have been grounded today, after the alarm was raised over fears of a new outbreak of coronavirus.
Now would be an excellent time for a political leader (with a steely backbone) to step forward with a COVID management plan in hand. The coalition government is completely out of ideas after promising much and delivering ineffective quarantine management and testing. Please don’t ask what happened to “test,
