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August 14, 2020 8:00am by Kokila Patel

General Debate 14 August 2020

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General Debate

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Scott

Well here we are waiting on the Prime Minister’s good pleasure as to whether we can have takeaway’s tomorrow or whether we will be locked down? Does anyone else think that the Prime Minister has us exactly where she wants us? We have had fear piled up over the last few days and now the whole country will be tuned in Friday at 5:30 PM. What will Cindy do? What will her decision be?

For myself I think that we are heading for lockdown. I think it’s a shame. We do need to get some courage. Unfortunately our leadership is only stoking fear. The fact of the matter is that we cannot lockdown every time someone gets the virus.

It would be like ordering all the cars off the road because we have 350 road deaths a year. That would cripple the economy.
The fact of the matter is that these lockdowns are crippling the economy. We cannot keep locking down every time. Does no one understand that?

Fortunately here at Kiwi blog there is a remnant of clear thinking New Zealanders who understand this. Unfortunately the rest of New Zealand appears to be in the thrall of the socialist spirit of control that our Prime Minister is manifesting.

At a deeper level we have to get less risk averse. I actually think the problem is spiritual. We need to regain our spiritual foundation of this country. Remember God is in control. Not Jacinda. For that at least I am eternally grateful.
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August 14, 2020 8:01am
- Classic Liberal
  
  Atheist here, but otherwise I agree. This extreme risk aversion is unrealistic and actually creates more risks to health overall.
  
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  August 14, 2020 8:28am
- Sir Cullen's Sidekick
  
  Already TV3 (Amanda) is talking about putting teddy on the window and take photos and post…So Sheeple are ready for lockdown.
  
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  August 14, 2020 8:37am
  - Daphne Whitethigh
    
    Not the flaming teddy bears again.
    
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    August 14, 2020 9:07am
    - Paulus Gnome
      
      As long as the teddy is on a 36 c cup, I am okay with that . . .
      
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      August 14, 2020 9:37am
  - softail 1450
    
    S C S, Amanda and Hayley from TV1 should get together and save money with their applications to become Mensa members, I’m sure “looking after your teddy” is one of that organisations harder IQ tests for consideration to become a member.
    Hayleys got a doctorate in “how to look good with your eyes nearly closed”,and Amanda specialises in “having a nose that smells like the labour parties arse crack”,winners both of them.
    
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    August 14, 2020 9:21am
  - Flossie
    
    That giggly Amanda from Gizzy makes me want to puke…. “talk us through how you feel about this”.
    
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    August 14, 2020 10:04am
    - softail 1450
      
      Flossie ,yes its so cringeworthy and spew enducing.
      
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      August 14, 2020 11:27am
  - Bob
    
    I HAVE ‘TEDDY’ IN MY WINDOW AS DIRECTED, BUT I’M STILL LOCKED DOWN.
    
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    August 14, 2020 10:19am
- Ford Prefect
  
  The fact we have 500 deaths from influenza every year shows that we can cope with tragedy every year. And that is with a vaccine.
  
  The only difference is that we are now highlighting each case and mourning each death from COVID. We have to accept we are part of nature, as are viruses, and death is part of our life-cycle.
  
  We cant prevent all deaths, which is what this government is trying to do.
  
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  August 14, 2020 8:42am
  - TWEEDSE
    
    Well said Ford. Couldn’t agree more. Trying to go against the flow of nature is not going to work.
    
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    August 14, 2020 10:07am
  - Alex13
    
    When was it last time that influenza overwhelmed hospital capacity and health systems?
    
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    August 14, 2020 1:58pm
- KevO'Brien
  
  The Irish in me may not be contained much longer.
  
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  August 14, 2020 8:42am
  - Brian McDonald
    
    Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
    So?
    
    4 38
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    August 14, 2020 9:17am
    - Random T Person
      
      Don’t be a stingy Scotsman now, Brian 😉
      
      14 1
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      August 14, 2020 9:53am
      - the deity formerly known as nigel6888
        
        Worse, he’s probably a bastard Prod from Belfast!
        
        😉
        
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        August 14, 2020 10:26am
  - IC5000
    
    Best hide the ammonium nitrate then.
    
    9 3
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    August 14, 2020 10:36am
  - JibberJabber
    
    Diddly Dee Potatoes!
    
    3 1
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    August 14, 2020 10:52am
  - cmm
    
    Off to the pub then Kev?
    
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    August 14, 2020 11:26am
    - cmm
      
      I’m quarter Irish so I’m allowed to say this without being raacist!
      
      The only reason I’m not in the pub with you is that I’m also 50% Scots so I’m too tight fisted to spend money on booze.
      
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      August 14, 2020 2:54pm
- JackRabbit
  
  “Remember God is in control. Not Jacinda.”
  
  It is worth remembering that Jacinda does not recognise the concept of being accountable. Not to the public, not to the voters, not to business owners or their employees, and least of all to a higher power of goodness, in whatever form that may be.
  
  Because she is not accountable, she does not have principles. Only emotions.
  
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  August 14, 2020 8:54am
  - alloytoo
    
    No accountability…..sounds like a preschooler.
    
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    August 14, 2020 9:10am
    - NoCash
      
      Be kind please.
      
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      August 14, 2020 10:58am
  - tf78
    
    How about we as her employers tell her she will get no salary until she gets her shit together.
    
    I think there should be a motto :
    
    IF IN DOUBT – DON’T GO OUT.
    
    Let everyone who wants to, get on with their lives and businesses do so – everyone else just stay home and whimper.
    I wonder how many people who were contagious went to the Covid Queen’s election launch.
    
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    August 14, 2020 9:26am
    - Paulus Gnome
      
      How many went to the blm march?
      
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      August 14, 2020 9:39am
    - Alex13
      
      There are thousands of other “employers” who may be more or less approving the way she does her job.
      And let’s not forget that in a society personal freedom is always linked to responsibility…
      
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      August 14, 2020 2:01pm
- lastmanstanding
  
  I will have you know that loyal citizens are awaiting their Dearly Beloved Leader Cin Jong Un to tell them how she will deliver them from the Covid Death.
  
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  August 14, 2020 9:10am
  - Paulus Gnome
    
    Cin Ill Wrong, her alter ego
    
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    August 14, 2020 9:40am
- DeepBlue
  
  Things are a changing. Chippy this morning not pushing Level 4 ‘at this time’. They must need a few more hours of polling before deciding the impact.
  
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  August 14, 2020 9:13am
  - GT Build
    
    Check on facebook likes most likely
    
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    August 14, 2020 9:38am
  - cmm
    
    We shouldn’t have had L4 last time either. The criteria were not met.
    
    L4 is for when everything has turned to custard, the health systems are overloaded and the hospitals need to re-prioritize every resource into the CV19 fight.
    
    We never got any anywhere near that. Even in Chch(where most of the deaths were), there were only a handful of days when there were any CV19 patients in the hospitals – and then it was only one ot two.
    
    So clearly nowhere near to having hospitals overloaded.
    
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    August 14, 2020 10:09am
    - alex Masterley
      
      criteria, critera? who needs them. its the feelz. get with the program.
      
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      August 14, 2020 10:14am
  - hullkiwi
    
    He might have to later today. Seems there is a reported case in Tokoroa.
    
    Amazing what turns up when people get tested. It has been here all along. The failure has been Bloomfield, the MoH and Jacinda with their lies.
    
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    August 14, 2020 10:24am
- Classic Liberal
  
  Level 4 lockdown was meant to be a once only huge financial and social sacrifice. Then we were to live in our pacific bubble until a vaccine appeared.
  
  Whether or not one believed that elimination was possible: this sacrifice cannot be repeated.
  
  We need a much more level headed approach: gradual herd immunity, protecting mainly the vulnerable.
  
  But National are too scared to suggest it. Bridges a couple of months ago said all businesses that can trade safely should stay open. Why isn’t National taking that line now?
  
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  August 14, 2020 9:54am
- Akarak
  
  There will be no nationwide lockdown announced today. We have to remember that the mosque attack sentencing date is August 24!
  Jacinda will not allow anything to happen that would alter this date and destroy her opportunity to bask in the international limelight.
  
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  August 14, 2020 10:01am
- lastmanstanding
  
  Just heard a guy from Auckland Uni on the radio.
  
  1. WHO say elimination means No virus for 36 months including high rates of testing.
  
  2. Shortest time a vaccine has been developed for a virus is 4 years.
  
  3.Average time to develop a vaccine for a virus is 10 years.
  
  4. Some like HIV no vaccine developed after 40 years.
  
  So to those Labour supporters can you reference where Cin Jong Un told the Sheeple any of this.
  Please provide links to the evidence.
  
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  August 14, 2020 11:18am
  - Paulus
    
    Didn’t Dr Bloomfield work for the WHO at one time in his career ?
    
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    August 14, 2020 2:06pm
- The Proper Ghandi
  
  To the atheist Socialist, all there is is matter. Cold hard matter. They therefore have to desperately scramble for dominance in the here and now at all costs over all others, because they are spiritually barren, empty people. That is why they are so dangerous.
  
  Non-materialists (in the philosophical sense) on the other hand have a better more rounded perspective and can let things lie. They don’t have to create a delusory dominion over the material.
  
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  August 14, 2020 12:16pm
- Aunty
  
  That’s right! All we need is more Jesus! Let’s pray the plague away
  
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  August 14, 2020 12:57pm
- Nutta
  
  On 12 August the COVID-19 level thresholds changed from what was originally published in April 2020.
  
  In April the threshold to go to L4 was:
  
  * Community transmission is occurring.
  * Widespread outbreaks and new clusters.
  
  From 12 Aug it has been redefined:
  
  * Sustained and intensive community transmission is occurring.
  * Widespread outbreaks.
  
  They have redefined the threshold to go into L4 lockdown. L4 lockdown is politically unpalatable, we’ll be staying in L3, because they’ve changed the rules to allow it.
  
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  August 14, 2020 1:51pm
- Alex13
  
  And why is your God, who is “in control”, allowing all the atrocities? – Christopher Hitchens left some very good answers for you…
  
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  August 14, 2020 1:55pm
  - The Proper Ghandi
    
    By what criterion would a smug atheist like the former revolutionary leftist and alcoholic degenerate Christopher Hitchens categorise an “atrocity”? He was a materialist who apparently accepted the moral standards as espoused in the tenets of Christianity, yet repudiated their purported source. If there is no objective morality, then there are no atrocities, just subjective opinions.
    
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    August 14, 2020 3:40pm
- Akarak
  
  It’s now after 5.30pm. The only thing that has finally been confirmed is that in not being able to provide any information on a revised election date there can be no doubt whatsoever that JA has no ability to multi-task!
  
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  August 14, 2020 6:02pm
- sharont
  
  I listened for a couple of minutes and then turned off. I can’t stomach that woman. Looking at the live updates without her voice is a mercy. The fact that we haven’t been put into lockdown four and that the rest of the country remains at lockdown three I think means Liebour are feeling the heat.
  This is crazy stuff.
  
  They made a big mistake saying this is a Covid election because now that they’ve failed to save the 5 million, many will turn away from their saviour I feel and start looking at the true cost involved of these lockdowns: what it will do the economy and people’s health in general. I note overseas publications likening Ardern’s actions to cracking a nut with a sledgehammer. Hopefully they’re beginning to wake up to the woman and see beyond the hugs and care bears.
  
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  August 14, 2020 6:06pm
Maggy Wassilieff

Last day of freedom, folks?
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August 14, 2020 8:02am
- wimpston peeeders
  
  I honestly dont think theyll risk losing the election over it, to answer my question from yesterdays GD jacinda will do whats best for her and the labour party, the peasants are just mere pawns in their game of our futures.
  
  if im wrong and she goes harder then its time to stand up and push back but my guess is most will sheepishly hide away and just talk tough on social media with no real action.
  
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  August 14, 2020 8:09am
  - Classic Liberal
    
    It’s even worse than her just wanting what’s best for her financially: her extreme socialism shows that she believes socialism is best for the whole world. She really wants to be some kind of saviour/saintly figure.
    
    Remember she was IUSY president, speeches to comrades, singing Internationale.
    
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    August 14, 2020 8:35am
    - giltee
      
      I wouldn’t be surprised if, with a landslide election victory that she starts calling us comrade. For those who like entertainment here’s comrade Jacinda at her best:
      https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=g9rsxFaq6Ig
      
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      August 14, 2020 9:12am
      - sharont
        
        That much vaunted landslide victory is off the table with this latest debacle.
        
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        August 14, 2020 6:07pm
- Loddenthinks
  
  Let’s hope not. Chippie on the AM show: “As of the moment … I’ve seen absolutely no evidence that would justify a move to level 4. Level 3 is certainly the maximum level that you could justify based on the information we know now.”
  
  So as long as Hipkins doesn’t act like Bloomfield yesterday and do a massive U-turn by the afternoon, we should be OK. I mean, what are the odds?
  
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  August 14, 2020 8:18am
  - igm
    
    It all depends on what UN/WHO tell Ardern they require . . . she is definitely under their total control.
    
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    August 14, 2020 8:24am
    - cmm
      
      Dr Ash spent 6 years with WHO figuring out exactly how to run an operation like this.
      
      Could just be a coincidence.
      
      Could be time for the tin foil.
      
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      August 14, 2020 10:13am
      - Jimmy White
        
        Announcement at 5, Contracts let for Gulags to be built on the desert Road and the Crown Range at 6
        
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        August 14, 2020 11:08am
  - wimpston peeeders
    
    Yep but the evidence earlier in the week met the threshold of auckland lvl2 not lvl3.9…
    
    the govt got a free pass 1st time around with covid but are now verging on doing more damage then the virus ever would.
    
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    August 14, 2020 8:28am
    - the deity formerly known as nigel6888
      
      Verging on????? Already achieved Comrade!
      
      This is Cindy’s moment. Everyone will be equally poor, and equally subjected to the control of the State.
      
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      August 14, 2020 11:55am
      - wimpston peeeders
        
        verging on it mate, we find out a 5.30pm if shes stupid enough to go the whole hog.
        
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        August 14, 2020 1:45pm
  - virtualmark
    
    Level 3 is just Level 4 with takeaway food. There’s really not that much difference between the two levels.
    
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    August 14, 2020 8:28am
    - thirteenstars
      
      Brilliant. The Takeaway Index(tm).
      
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      August 14, 2020 9:09am
    - Lance
      
      No, our business can still operate at level 3 as we are B2B (with lots of orders)
      
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      August 14, 2020 10:00am
    - Flossie
      
      There certainly is. A heck of a lot of people get to go to work under Level3… probably mostly tradies etc that cannot work from home I’ll grant you.
      
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      August 14, 2020 10:07am
  - Bobba Fret
    
    If Auckland has to go to level 4, it is clearly because they have messed up at the borders and not tested 2/3 of quarantine workers which surely would make Labour look bad…….or will media give them another free pass and keep attacking National for creating fear!
    
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    August 14, 2020 8:40am
    - DeepBlue
      
      Bad enough for government at Level 3 in Auckland. Let’s say Auckland just stays at level 3 until Monday (so JA doesn’t have to personally cancel the rugby), then Level 2.
      
      The damage is done. Uncertainty reigns. All those borderline businesses won’t reopen, won’t take wage subsidy. Businesses won’t take on new staff just in case of a three-peat. Restaurants with stock losses over weekend will fail. Hope is lost.
      
      This up and down levels was the Worst Case when Treasury did the analysis in March.
      
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      August 14, 2020 9:21am
  - Brian McDonald
    
    Just saw that. Simon Bridges looked every bit a leader, and in fact he was the leader for National through the worst Covid patch to this point.
    His only mistake was to say that testing had been pegged back, in fact there were pleas for people to keep testing that went unanswered.
    I’m one of them but hadn’t shown any symptoms.
    
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    August 14, 2020 9:21am
    - DeepBlue
      
      Bridges is very strong on certain aspects of politics eg attacking with vigor and putting himself on the line for an issue.
      
      It has become clear though (with leaks, resignations and bad decisions by MPs in the last three months) , that he did not have caucus under control, therefore he was not in fact leading the Parliamentary Wing of the National party well.
      
      As a front bencher he will excel, but he needs to regroup and learn from Judith how to run caucus without the stick being his main tool.
      
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      August 14, 2020 9:46am
  - the deity formerly known as nigel6888
    
    I heard him on Hosking. He was surprisingly adult, didn’t try the simpering patronising shit you get from Cindy and Woods.
    
    Maybe its Chippy’s time to make his play for leadership?
    
    Bwuahahahaha
    
    (yup I know Fraser House is watching, poison chalice time for Chippy now, can’t outshine St Cindy?)
    
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    August 14, 2020 10:29am
    - Raphael
      
      I don’t like Chippy. I don’t like what he’s been doing with Education. But unlike 99% of Labour, he is competant.
      
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      August 14, 2020 11:53am
      - the deity formerly known as nigel6888
        
        totally agree with you, on education, a one eyed disaster totally in the pocket of his mum and the union.
        
        Unfortunately, he can get shit done.
        
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        August 14, 2020 11:57am
- bruceavon
  
  Doesn’t sound like they are going to go to level 4. May only be level 3 for a short while.
  
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  August 14, 2020 8:38am
  - dcrane
    
    Suggestion here that North Island may go to Level 3. Cases in Tokoroa (linked to known source supposedly).
    
    https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/300082167/coronavirus-one-confirmed-and-one-probable-case-of-covid19-in-tokoroa-stuff-understands
    
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    August 14, 2020 10:16am
- tf78
  
  Half me thinks we might go back to Level 2 and damn the consequences. Life MUST go on.
  
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  August 14, 2020 9:28am
  - Ruawai
    
    What is your other half thinking?
    
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    August 14, 2020 11:33am
    - tf78
      
      FOUR!
      
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      August 14, 2020 5:24pm
Frank the tank

Last day of freedom for Aucklanders?
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August 14, 2020 8:02am
krazykiwi

Has New Zealand ever had less competent leadership than what we’re enduring today? Capability is zero. Accountability is zero. Delivery is zero. Transparency is zero. But the populace applaud and appear to want more. Utter madness.
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August 14, 2020 8:03am
- All_on_Red
  
  How long before the general public realises this and Arderns support fails?
  
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  August 14, 2020 8:07am
  - igm
    
    Too many supporters are unemployable bludgers filled with envy . . . real Labour/Green types!
    
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    August 14, 2020 8:25am
    - Benedict Yu
      
      It is not just the UN unemployable. It is the rest who are dependent on the money firehose. If Labor wins the election that money will be switched off. Because the purpose of the money firehose IS to win the election. Then there will be a god awful hangover. At that point a lot of the hypnotised folk will awake. Too late.
      
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      August 14, 2020 8:46am
      - Brian McDonald
        
        You’re dreaming if you think Nzers are not awake, get off the message board and find out.
        
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        August 14, 2020 9:22am
      - Classic Liberal
        
        Well Brian, you might be right. The mood in my Greeny/Labour suburb is very different this time. Go for a walk: usually friendly smiles and greetings, esp during lockdown level 4: we all were being good sports. Now everyone looks sullen and worried.
        
        Maybe they are starting to realise that their livelihoods are seriously at risk under this government. Playing with a few greeny ideas and claiming to support diversity and a few socialist concepts isn’t the same as actually having to sacrifice your business, your assets (Greens‘ wealth tax) and your retirement savings in a dying economy.
        
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        August 14, 2020 10:21am
      - Benedict Yu
        
        Well I can report from Manapouri that the good folk of Southland are awake. To a man and a woman in the pubs, cafes, and fish and chip shops, they can’t stand her.
        
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        August 14, 2020 10:29am
    - Engelbert Humperdink
      
      And of course all the public ‘servants’ who didn’t have to go to work at all yet kept getting their full taxpayer-funded salaries, won’t have a problem being locked down again in fact they are probably looking forward to it. Get all those home improvement projects finished.
      
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      August 14, 2020 9:03am
      - igm
        
        That goes for all overpaid losers employed and kept by ratepayers calling themselves public servants . . . council employees
        
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        August 14, 2020 9:42am
      - Lance
        
        I suspect the public service, councils etc are like a University. I used to be general staff (non academic) at Uni of Auckland.
        10% of the staff did 95% of the work, the rest were a waste of space nobody had the balls to deal with, as in sack.
        There were some decent workers there but they were vastly outnumbered and usually ended up leaving out of frustration. For some odd reason the useless (unemployable) ones stayed.
        
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        August 14, 2020 10:08am
      - Classic Liberal
        
        Engelbert, true. I can’t even contact my teacher friend right now because last time they whinged about having to make a few little videos, while just relaxing at home for 4 weeks!
        
        I’d just get too angry. That teacher loooves Taxinda.
        
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        August 14, 2020 10:26am
      - Maggy Wassilieff
        
        And those who got out of Auckland early to their holiday shacks or ski resorts will be feeling very pleased.
        
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        August 14, 2020 11:00am
      - Ruawai
        
        What public servants don’t realise is that in the long term their jobs are not sustainable if businesses aren’t paying tax. Very short term thinking.
        
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        August 14, 2020 11:36am
      - Benedict Yu
        
        Well the senior public servants I dealt with as clients during the last lock down were working long hours at home. There is no particular need to work in an office 5 days per week. My firm has cut back to two days per week across the staff.
        
        You should not assume that because someone is at “home” they are not working. The days of being in an office 5 days per week are thankfully finished permanently for most professionals, including most public servants who are not public facing.
        
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        August 14, 2020 11:46am
  - EssenX
    
    This is the $60 billion question.
    
    NZHerald running a ticker right now: ‘2 or 3’ out of 10 – medial professor criticises Government’s Covid response
    
    How long can the Ardern administration keep a lid on the bad news and suppress dissidents?
    
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    August 14, 2020 8:25am
    - Sir Cullen's Sidekick
      
      Throw another 50M and the press will worship at her feet.
      
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      August 14, 2020 8:39am
      - igm
        
        MSM could not give her any more support; surely!
        
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        August 14, 2020 8:56am
      - sooty
        
        But they are already!
        They have been paid for!
        
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        August 14, 2020 9:08am
  - giltee
    
    I can’t see it happening. Sheeple are conditioned to accept, want and like hugs, their social bubble, social media, reality tv so they’re mailable to be told what to do and think.
    
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    August 14, 2020 9:27am
  - Paulus Gnome
    
    ‘How long before the general public realises this and Arderns support fails?’
    
    When the cheque bounces I am picking.
    
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    August 14, 2020 9:42am
    - DeepBlue
      
      As soon as JA has to say how she is going to start paying back $100B and counting. Let’s start with 39% tax rate over $70,000. with 45% over $100,000. That’ll scare the teachers. Then maybe 20% GST. Keep airports closed, so people can’t leave.
      
      Pegging benefits and superannuation to the average wage is going to look very, very ugly come 1 July 2021.
      
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      August 14, 2020 10:03am
      - Classic Liberal
        
        Not gst I think: too hard on the ‘disadvantaged’. ‘Wealth’ tax probably: stealing your assets and savings to dish them out to people she favours.
        
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        August 14, 2020 10:39am
      - Paulus
        
        You are right – mainly putting up GST is the easiest and cleanest way of starting to pay back the enormous debts.
        20% a good starting point similar to other countries and easy to calculate, even mentally for some.
        
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        August 14, 2020 2:14pm
  - Observer of Life
    
    Saw a message from an acquaintance this morning. “Cindy is the BEST leader in the world… Long may she reign”. WOW! Blinded by the pearly whites perhaps?
    
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    August 14, 2020 10:01am
    - Classic Liberal
      
      Sounds like sarcasm.
      
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      August 14, 2020 10:40am
    - Ruawai
      
      Long may she ‘resign’!
      
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      August 14, 2020 11:39am
- pdm
  
  Not in my lifetime and I am 74.
  
  Even Bill Rowling was better organised and more up front.
  
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  August 14, 2020 8:07am
  - Prince
    
    Geoffrey Palmer was a joke. Bolger didn’t inspire confidence.
    I think Ardern may sneak into 3rd to last place, but it’s close.
    
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    August 14, 2020 8:23am
    - Engelbert Humperdink
      
      Palmer’s Legacy is the faux-racism with which all European Kiwis are saddled. But even he didn’t screw us as a nation, as comprehensively as the Princess of the Pestilence.
      
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      August 14, 2020 9:05am
      - calendar girl
        
        Brilliant name for our PM, Englebert!
        
        11 1
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        August 14, 2020 9:52am
    - MT_Tinman
      
      Ardern may sneak into 3rd to last place
      
      Nope!
      
      Only Bolger, who gave us the CoL, has done more damage to NZ.
      
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      August 14, 2020 9:16am
      - Tony Stuart
        
        Bolger? Or Peters?
        
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        August 14, 2020 9:20am
      - MT_Tinman
        
        Bolger? Or Peters?
        
        Bolger.
        
        Without bloody MMP we wouldn’t have the current travesty.
        
        May the fleas of a thousand camels infest his left testicle!
        
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        August 14, 2020 9:34am
- niggly
  
  All this incompetence is “protected” by the MSM.
  
  Interesting observation is that most of the MSM is following the Left-Wing (political activists/commentators) narrative.
  
  Eg the same pro-Labour/anti-National attack lines written by partisan lefties are repeated by the MSM. Birds of a feather perhaps.
  
  Balance and objectively has long gone, unfortunately.
  
  But if National/ACT politicians are noticing this too, all they need to do is adjust their messaging to take these biases into account. After all Labour are good at that (Greens aren’t), but they don’t have a monopoly so game on!
  
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  August 14, 2020 8:19am
  - Prince
    
    Example is the recent interview of Shane Reti on Morning Report.
    Dann started by claiming Collins had ‘demanded’ a review for Reti by Hipkins. She didn’t, the review had been offered by Hipkins but didn’t happen until yesterday.
    Then 90% of the interview taken up by pointless questions to Reti about Brownlee’s comments, which he had no responsibility for.
    Finally a couple of questions on what Reti thought could be improved. Too little, too late.
    
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    August 14, 2020 8:28am
    - Clyde
      
      Moaning Report’s Dann was pathetic and warrant an official complaint about bias. The reality is that the Board and Management of RNZ are now effectively Government appointments so any complaints go straight to the rubbish bin. I was however, impressed with Kim Hill’s interview of Hipkins. She had him squirming on the hook.
      
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      August 14, 2020 9:56am
  - wimpston peeeders
    
    Judith and Gerry need to be blunt the next time the media are having a beat up questioning.
    Go trump style and call the media out for fake news and bribery.
    “50mil buys alot of loyalty with you lot” the msm wouldnt know wether to put that as a headline or bury it. if they cant attack jacinda then attack her propoganda crew.
    
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    August 14, 2020 8:31am
    - Loddenthinks
      
      They’ve already been compared to Trump (by a failed US academic who scuttled over to NZ to find a job). The strange thing was, he said it like it was a bad thing!
      
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      August 14, 2020 9:03am
      - Tricati
        
        I saw that ex American pratt on TV last night, being presented as a ‘Political Commentator’, whereas last time the MSM ran to him for a ‘biased’ comment he was a ‘security expert’ – Just another mouth for hire
        
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        August 14, 2020 10:31am
- Evadne
  
  Herald today:
  
  Auckland University Professor of Medicine Des Gorman rated the Government’s response as “somewhere between two and three” out of 10.
  
  “I’ve seen health systems manage medical emergencies worse than this but it takes some doing,” Gorman told Hosking. “It’s like we’re living in a parallel universe.”
  
  https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12356368
  
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  August 14, 2020 8:24am
  - Tony Stuart
    
    Predictably, Gorman is being attacked on Twitter as a “faux medical expert” and a “tame Tory stooge”.
    
    Clearly, those people haven’t read Prof Gorman’s bio:
    
    https://www.nzhit.nz/profiles/professor-des-gorman-md-phd
    
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    August 14, 2020 8:37am
    - James Stephenson
      
      I see he did his research on brain injuries. Analysing the Government’s response much be giving him all kinds of deja vu.
      
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      August 14, 2020 10:53am
      - The Proper Ghandi
        
        One problem: brain injuries presuppose a brain.
        
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        August 14, 2020 12:53pm
  - Cinematic
    
    Wow, that’s scathing. But not surprising.
    
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    August 14, 2020 8:53am
- Durden
  
  You can add — Announcements are plenty.
  
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  August 14, 2020 8:38am
- Te Rauparaha
  
  The problem is not the incompetent leadership.
  
  It’s the dishonest media who fail to disclose that they are never, ever going to criticise a left government because this is their private agenda.
  
  And to hell with prior journalistic ‘standards’.
  
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  August 14, 2020 8:40am
- JackRabbit
  
  The gullible public are partly misguided by two un-inspected ideas or assumptions.
  
  -The first being that they do not understand politics. And that is driven by themselves never having worked out solid principles in their own lives. The consequence of that is they are not able to discriminate between good and bad. Case in point is Winston Peters who is nothing more than a criminal and a bully. If the voters were smart, he would get zero votes. But not all voters are smart.
  
  -The second idea is that Cindy could not have been voted into power if she was all bad.
  1) she was not voted into power by the voters – she was voted into power by Winston Peters, a crook.
  
  2) She is all bad, but because she makes promises (that she doesn’t keep), and tells people what they want to hear, and does it with a fake smile, they don’t see her as bad. Will shallow voters see someone as bad only it they have horns and breathe fire or look like Dr Evil out of Austin Powers?
  
  3) The shallow voters buy what they want to see, not what Cindy actually says, or her track record. Those voters got what they asked for.
  
  Like Hitler and countless other tyrants, Cindy is a projection of the voters. Cindy has to go, but errant voters have to wake up. They allowed this to happen. And socialist MMP allowed it to happen. It has to go as well.
  
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  August 14, 2020 9:14am
greenfinger

The Princess and her lot failed on Kiwibuild, child poverty, and now on testing and keeping this disease out because they thought it was too hard to test all the frontline staff at the border serving this country. Now she has the gall to come back to tell us we have to go in lockdown again? How many of us get to screw up 3 times of gigantic proportions in our job and not get fired? Believe you me, this won’t be the last time she screws up if she gets to hang around after September. Some of us think she should do us a favour by resigning at the 1pm announcement today but unfortunately many more think she is so lovely, until of course she too start to look like Auntie Helen a few years from now. By then, she’ll be winging her way to her job at the UN, leaving us to pick up the pieces.

It’ll be déjà vu. More platitudes like “be kind” and then there is a tilt of the head. Perhaps she should be kind to the nation by throwing in a mask for a change at these briefing. That way, we won’t have see that cheesy grin? Or does she not believe in what she preaches?
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August 14, 2020 8:04am
- krazykiwi
  
  “now on testing and keeping this disease out”
  
  If fairness to this absolutely useless government, they were never going to achieve that. It’s impossible, and without historical precedent. That so many experts supported this strategy is evidence of weapons-grade sycophancy.
  
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  August 14, 2020 8:24am
  - Cinematic
    
    Whilst that’s probably correct it doesn’t excuse this sort of failing. Testing isolation staff regularly would have been obvious to most 10 year olds.
    
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    August 14, 2020 9:02am
    - JackRabbit
      
      Which gives you a clue that we are run by a bunch of bureaucrats with an average mental age of less than most ten year olds.
      
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      August 14, 2020 9:15am
- tf78
  
  Covinda is to inept for a UN job, she’s making the most of her salary right now before she starts her next job as a DJ.
  
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  August 14, 2020 9:50am
  - Flossie
    
    And maybe that’ll go alright provided nobody criticizes her music choices!
    
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    August 14, 2020 12:31pm
- Paulus
  
  Do they do Fish Wrapping at the UN because that is all she MIGHT get.
  
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  August 14, 2020 2:19pm
wimpston peeeders

If ANYONE questions Cindy and co theyre now conspiracy theorists end of story.

sounds more like china everyday, the job of the opposition is to ask questions and hold the sitting govt to account but now it seems that gets a govt ordered hit job by the media.

I seriously worry for the future if all we are allowed to believe is the words that come from repeatedly proven liars.
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August 14, 2020 8:05am
- JackRabbit
  
  “conspiracy theory”:
  
  It is used by people to try and label their opposition as nutters because they are getting too close to the truth.
  
  Anytime anyone uses the term “conspiracy theorist”, it signals that (a) you are too close to the truth and (b) they have no arguable defense so they deflect by attacking the bearers of truth.
  –
  
  “The CIA promoted the term “conspiracy theory,” in the 1967 CIA Document 1035-960 entitled “Countering Criticism of the Warren Report,” as a propaganda device for their media “assets” to use against the many people who rightly recognized the Warren Report, claiming a lone nut murdered President Kennedy, as a huge steaming pile.
  
  Use of the term “conspiracy theorist” is a proven conspiracy.
  
  https://www.amazon.com/hz/reviews-render/lighthouse/0292757697?filterByKeyword=conspiracy+theorists&pageNumber=1
  
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  August 14, 2020 9:21am
Justitia

I am incredulous. I am seething with anger. Two thirds of those working at the border and in quarantine facilities had never been tested for COVID: https://t.co/zqeZQaGFvW?amp=1

We must NOT allow these incompetent liars to imprison us in our homes again to do even more harm to the economy and society. Any advantages won at such great cost from the previous lockdown have been wantonly squandered. They must be hounded from office.
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August 14, 2020 8:05am
- Benedict Yu
  
  About a month ago I remember asking a colleague “How do you think they stop the bus drivers and all the hotel staff from becoming carriers?” She replied “They must be regularly tested. Maybe they work in 14 day blocks and then stand down in self isolation?”
  
  Now if I was asking that question surely to god the PM could have asked it.
  
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  August 14, 2020 8:55am
  - JackRabbit
    
    Benedict, she would only have asked it, if she was equipped with the same rational mental powers of deduction as you possess.
    
    Sadly, either she does not have the same rational mental powers of deduction, or they are put to use in building and deploying her strategy of world domination. A Frau Farbissina, if you will.
    
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    August 14, 2020 9:27am
  - Lance
    
    It is also the MSM jobs to ask this.
    They don’t, in general (with only a very small number of exceptions).
    They only attack National at every opportunity, they are not in the slightest interested in any facts.
    
    I truly mean this, my opinion of them has degraded to that of little more than filth.
    
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    August 14, 2020 10:19am
    - Te Rauparaha
      
      Filth?
      
      My opinion of them is even lower…
      
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      August 14, 2020 10:52am
  - the deity formerly known as nigel6888
    
    Turns out of course it never occurred to them to ensure that workers were safe.
    
    Bit rich from the “workers party”
    
    Instead low income people, lots of them brown have been ferrying the virus back into their communities every single day.
    
    And nobody thought this might be a teensy weensy problem?
    
    Remarkable
    
    Wonder what workplace safety would say if an infectious diseases lab didn’t bother providing PPE gear or testing for its staff?
    
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    August 14, 2020 10:35am
    - Maggy Wassilieff
      
      These low-wage workers are known as “the deplorables” by the left.
      
      Remember how rest-home workers, DHB care-givers, cleaners and midwives were the last to get any decent PPE gear?
      https://www.nzdoctor.co.nz/article/news/midwives-continue-serve-despite-risks-and-lack-ppe
      
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      August 14, 2020 11:10am
- Unity
  
  I totally agree Justitia. I too am absolutely seething with anger – and also total disgust with those who cannot see through everything that’s going on. Where is their common sense. Also, why are we not getting stats for the regular flu. Are they all being put into the Covid pile?!! It wouldn’t surprise me.
  
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  August 14, 2020 9:09am
krazykiwi

This is topical: Testing patients and staff without symptoms for SARS-CoV-2: beware false-positives (and negatives).
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August 14, 2020 8:08am
KevO'Brien

I’ve got masks in my lab and that’s where they are going to stay.
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August 14, 2020 8:08am
cas

A new slogan for Labour? We did our bit why didn’t you do yours?
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August 14, 2020 8:11am
- Jimmy White
  
  “We only did a bit of what we were supposed to do”
  
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  August 14, 2020 11:13am
JibberJabber

If 2020 was a Rock Band…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utblvhkPYlI
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August 14, 2020 8:11am
- Engelbert Humperdink
  
  Wasn’t Mad Max set in 2021…?
  
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  August 14, 2020 9:06am
Brian McDonald

As long as it’s not Level 4 tonight in Auckland and changes are made outside Auckland in areas with no cases to go back to 1, seems best case scenario.
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August 14, 2020 8:14am
- Tony Stuart
  
  I would be very surprised if areas outside Auckland go back to Level One tonight Brian. I’ve just heard the owner of the Fat Duck Cafe in Rotorua on Newstalk ZB; his staff were tested yesterday, and were told results would come through in three to five days.
  
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  August 14, 2020 8:17am
  - Brian McDonald
    
    Sure Tony, that makes sense. I was provisionally talking about areas beyond where the family went. At the moment it looks like 6pm is the cut off time for tests taken one day and reported the next, although I haven’t been watching much TV.
    
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    August 14, 2020 8:29am
    - Flossie
      
      The logistics of shutting off areas would prove way too cumbersome.
      
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      August 14, 2020 12:34pm
- krazykiwi
  
  No Brian, the ‘best scenario’ involves a change in government so we can, at last, have some adults in charge.
  
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  August 14, 2020 8:18am
  - Brian McDonald
    
    Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
    Keeping viewing the world through political glasses KK there’s an illusion of safety in being one dimensional.
    
    5 38
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    August 14, 2020 8:30am
    - krazykiwi
      
      Well, this is a political blog, and in the real world science and evidence are being corrupted for political ends.
      
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      August 14, 2020 8:52am
    - the deity formerly known as nigel6888
      
      And you aren’t Brian? Really?
      
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      August 14, 2020 10:37am
  - Classic Liberal
    
    But National have not been promoting a different strategy, like: herd immunity, back to business, (more protection for the vulnerable of course).
    
    National doesn’t dare suggest that. Have they said at least level 4 needs to allow all shops to trade w customer distancing or masks?
    
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    August 14, 2020 8:48am
    - krazykiwi
      
      Yes, I agree. National are guilty. They have sniffed the fetid MSM/Socialist winds and decided that too many votes would be lost if they stood up to the utter nonsense that an ‘eradication strategy’ has always been.
      
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      August 14, 2020 9:10am
    - bruceavon
      
      No. National dont seem to be suggesting opening up more. They seem to be campaigning on more lock down. Tougher quarantine. Stricter regulation. They have gone all in on this covid thing.
      
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      August 14, 2020 9:29am
    - the deity formerly known as nigel6888
      
      And they should. There is no alternative now, we have to be Sweden.
      
      Cindy is painted into a corner, and if even half of what i have heard about her behaviour and the stress she is under, is true, is probably having pointed objectives quietly removed from her office…
      
      Everything is falling apart, and that simply is because the big job is hard.
      
      It takes a big tough person to stand up to the pressure, to enforce discipline and hold the team to account.
      
      JK could do it, HC could do it, I expect JC can do it.
      
      Cindy, nope, she hasn’t stood up to a single hard call since she was plonked in the big chair and told to smile and wave at the peasants.
      
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      August 14, 2020 10:41am
- MT_Tinman
  
  Brian, that won’t happen.
  
  Level one means control by the politburo is reduced and god MKII does not get to make a party political broadcast to a captive audience every day.
  
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  August 14, 2020 8:19am
- niggly
  
  Frankly if the Govt and MoH competently manage the cluster outbreak, Auckland could go to level 2 and let people and businesses get on with life.
  
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  August 14, 2020 8:22am
  - Brian McDonald
    
    Yes niggly, the question is the timing of that – how long the non contact cycle will be to ensure no further infections by those that might be symptomatic now, or from Wednesday lunchtime.
    
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    August 14, 2020 8:37am
- RJ
  
  I’d rather stay on level two until we are sure that no one that has travelled from Auckland has brought the virus back into the South Island.
  
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  August 14, 2020 10:15am
Tony Stuart

Chris Hipkins, interviewed by Mike Hosking this morning, says he hasn’t asked Winston Peters about the grenade he threw at the Government last night. Hipkins naively believes that the border is secure.

I thought Hipkins was one of Ardern’s more competent Ministers. But refusing to enquire of Peters what the story he’d been told was about smacks of a Minister in denial, with his fingers in his ears, hoping this is all just a bad dream.

Sorry Chris, but for New Zealand business owners and workers, the bad dream is fast becoming a nightmare!
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August 14, 2020 8:16am
- alex Masterley
  
  I listened to that interview too. Hipkins didnt have a clue. I think he wanted to be home tucked up in bed rather than answering Hosking.
  Oh, and does anyone know if the Prime Minister has been tested. I thought she would have been leading from the front on this. You know the old I don’t ask people to do what I wont do thing.
  
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  August 14, 2020 8:22am
  - igm
    
    Thank God we have Hosking . . . he asks the right pertinent questions and they hate it.
    
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    August 14, 2020 8:28am
  - Prince
    
    Anyone know if she’s had her 20% salary decrease yet ?
    
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    August 14, 2020 8:31am
    - Benedict Yu
      
      Couldn’t she just have donated 20 percent of her salary to selected charities providing assistance to those in need?
      
      Scratch that. As I was writing I realised that we could end up with her thinking “charity” equals Greenpeace.
      
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      August 14, 2020 9:02am
      - JackRabbit
        
        All socialists are motivated by greed. It would have taken one or two phone calls, lasting no more than 2 minutes to get her pay cut.
        
        Her thinking would have been:
        “Begger the public, I’m not taking a pay cut. I deserve every dollar I get paid.”
        
        Pure Greed.
        
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        August 14, 2020 9:41am
  - GazzaW
    
    “Say yes to the test!”
    
    How often did we hear her repeat that prior to her admission that she had not undergone testing herself? She has hardly led by example.
    
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    August 14, 2020 8:44am
    - krazykiwi
      
      31st March: “I would keep encouraging that we test, test, test,” Ardern said.
      
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      August 14, 2020 9:13am
      - the deity formerly known as nigel6888
        
        Except she didn’t. Her own Ministry cancelled funding for CBACs at the end of June. Bloomfield made that call.
        
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        August 14, 2020 10:43am
      - Ruawai
        
        Judith needs to ask labour and MoH why they cancelled funding for tests in the middle of a pandemic.
        
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        August 14, 2020 11:53am
Yvette

National Party deputy leader Gerry Brownlee’s “interesting series of facts” comments –
Deputy Prime Minister and NZ First leader Winston Peters said he was “astonished”.
“I was absolutely astonished that he would deviate with that sort of speculation and rumour-mongering,” he said. [1]

Then – Winston Peters claims current Auckland Covid-19 cluster could be linked to quarantine breach.
Mr Peters said he was given the information by a New Zealand journalist, who he said was “usually very reliable”.
“It wasn’t an official, I found out from somewhere else, but I think there’s been a breach inside our quarantine system,” Mr Peters said in an interview with Australian news channel ABC.
Mr Peters said they will find out the results of the investigation by around 2pm tomorrow [this afternoon]
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s office told 1 NEWS that they did not know what Mr Peters was referring to with the claims.
The Ministry of Health told 1 NEWS in a statement, “Dr Bloomfield was asked about the source of the outbreak at the stand up today and said that was something we were still investigating.” [2]

Unless New Zealand has suddenly developed its own virus, coincidentally the same as the evolution of Chinese original but with the genome of the UK version, it has otherwise had to come across our border. Winston probably nows that.

Newshub can reveal that just one week before our current community outbreak, 63.5 percent of all border and hotel isolation workers in Auckland had never been tested for COVID-19.
(Hard and early … really?)
It would seem of course that any border and hotel isolation worker, after being cleared by a test, could become infected the moment they returned to their work and infect others before their own symptoms appear, if they in fact display any at all. Winston knows that as well, or it may be what the “journalist” told him.

The current exposure of Ardern sucks as much attention out of the media as Metiria Turei’s admission of benefit fraud did last Election. And Metiria did it only once, Jacinda gets to do it each weekday – for weeks.

So Winston has another “media moment” that is as much a grab for oxygen as his “done and dusted, completely dealt with to the department’s satisfaction” super payments blip.
And, on the side, to Australian television, which is a little more international than disloyal than the undermining of Ardern that Winston and others accuse Gerry Brownlee of. “Black kettle, much”?

And if nothing emerges by 2pm to support Winston, he is then underdog, betrayed again by the media mischief as he was last Election. (Although the above outline also perhaps supports the theory that Winston released his own “private details” – he certainly confirmed all but one of them)

Merde! – you cannot teach an old dog, even an underdog, new tricks.
Particularly if the old tricks work.

[1] https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2020/08/gerry-brownlee-backtracks-on-comments-as-government-ministers-hit-out-at-spread-of-misinformation.html
[2] https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/winston-peters-claims-current-auckland-covid-19-cluster-could-linked-quarantine-breach
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August 14, 2020 8:18am
- Prince
  
  I’m sure Peters will be treated with the same disdain by the media as Brownlee was.
  Sometime.
  
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  August 14, 2020 8:33am
- MT_Tinman
  
  The current exposure of Ardern sucks as much attention out of the media as Metiria Turei’s admission of benefit fraud did last Election. And Metiria did it only once,
  
  You may have hit upon the reason for the current panic.
  
  Maybe the politburo has just discovered that the Minister of Justice (and Security in two different entities) has admitted, very publicly, that he has frequently broken drug laws of New Zealand.
  
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  August 14, 2020 8:57am
- Yvette
  
  The “investigation” result Winston may be anticipating, could be the genome sequencing of the Auckland Pacifika family cluster, which may reveal its origin
  
  Geoghegan, a senior lecturer in viral evolution at the University of Otago, says the [genome] testing would potentially identify which quarantine facility or border outpost the virus originated from in the Auckland family’s case.
  https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/2018759297/how-genome-testing-could-help-reveal-the-source-of-community-covid
  
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  August 14, 2020 10:34am
- The Proper Ghandi
  
  Yvette
  I love the systematic layout of your comments. I don’t always read them, but your presentation is remarkable.
  
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  August 14, 2020 12:55pm
- Ignatius
  
  Anyone who pushes conspiracy theories should be treated with disdain.
  
  Look no further than the whole russia did it con the liberal media pushed on the world.
  
  Or the muppets who marched in Whangarei yesterday, dumb ass BS.
  
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  August 14, 2020 1:13pm
alex Masterley

The government gave itself one real job – secure our borders.
As with Kiwibuild and light rail they failed miserably.
If we can import anything can we import one this? That is the Swedish approach which every day seems to be the best way.
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August 14, 2020 8:19am
Maggy Wassilieff

So Brownlee and Collins get linked to “conspiracy” theories by our media, but the Deputy PM’s bizarre ABC news interview about an unverified rumour from an unnamed source is not worthy of further investigation.
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August 14, 2020 8:21am
- Tony Stuart
  
  It’s even worse than that Maggy; yesterday morning, Peters was berating National for playing politics with Covid; by tea-time he was on Australian TV pushing a story given to him by a journalist which he clearly hadn’t either fact-checked himself, or run past the PM.
  
  In the overall scheme of things, who did more damage to the Government yesterday, National, Peters, or the Government itself?
  
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  August 14, 2020 8:28am
  - Paulus Gnome
    
    The difference is that National will eventually prove to be correct.
    
    Brownlee does not usually ask a question or propose a scenario as in this case, unless he knows the answer. Melissa Lee learned her craft from the master.
    
    When has Peters ever produced the ‘proof’ or ‘evidence’ after loudly proclaiming that he has it?
    
    a) Never
    b) Never
    c) Never
    d) Never
    e) All of the above
    
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    August 14, 2020 9:50am
- Gravelroad
  
  Just about every Radio NZ “news” bulletin this morning and last night has pushed back on the so-called ignorant and damaging Covid19 conspiracy theorists.
  It is presented as editorialised news.
  I have some concerns about this.
  Even if it is all rubbish speculation being put forward about the the virus, and the people on Twitter and fb are nutters – whatever happened to respecting the people reading/listening to have enough brains to make their own assessments?
  I am tired of state sponsored media outlets telling us what and how to think.
  I’m not voting for that.
  
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  August 14, 2020 8:45am
  - Benedict Yu
    
    I listened to RNZ in the car for 20 years. I even persisted for a while after they started the pidgin English routine. But it has been switched off since the last election.
    
    Patreon is great. I support 3 content creators including Kiwiblog. So the next National Government should reduce RNZ funding to zero phased over 3 years. And open up a Patreon account. If they are as fantastic as they think they will be deluged in Patreon subscriptions.
    
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    August 14, 2020 9:08am
  - tf78
    
    If you hear the same story from unrelated sources does that not give credence to the actual truth of the story.
    
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    August 14, 2020 10:05am
- Yvette
  
  To dismiss Brownlee and Collins as “conspiracy theorists” is as handy as condemning Hamish Walker as a “racist”.
  
  And do we yet have a reason for the United States a few days ago giving warnings against travelling to New Zealand when they have such incredibly high infection and death rates themselves?
  Why Bloomfield suddenly changed tact to “when, not if”.
  And why testing suddenly increased from August 2, or 3 (shows better in the health ministry graph rather than table of numbers)
  
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  August 14, 2020 8:56am
  - alloytoo
    
    When did asking simple questions become “Fear Mongering”?
    
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    August 14, 2020 9:23am
  - Classic Liberal
    
    The US doesn’t have ‘incredibly high’ death rates. There is a financial reward in reporting all sorts of other or deaths (comorbidities or accidents) as ‘Covid’ deaths, and hospitals have taken advantage of that.
    
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    August 14, 2020 11:18am
    - Ignatius
      
      The real problem is not the deaths, it the long term strain on the medical system by the damage to the body left behind by those who catch the disease. Each variation is producing distinct scaring in either lungs or heart. Personally I find this way more frightening, but I’m overweight so if I get it I’ll hopefully just die.
      
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      August 14, 2020 1:18pm
Simon

So the clown show fucked up quarantine and now will crash NZ back in level 4 lock up.

The clown show had given up governance and policy in all other areas (except 3rd trimester abortion) . Was all in on the Wuhan Virus and with all the vast resources of the State manged to fuck this up.

No change in plans except level 4 lockdown. Utter fucking clowns.

If only NZ had a political opposition that could hold Labour to account over the last 3 months.

The problem was National saw the polling around Ardern handling of the Wuhan virus and decided to not speak the truth. To wait for the economy to crash and then step in.

National Party basically gutless chicken shit cowards next to the out control mong clown show.
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August 14, 2020 8:21am
- alloytoo
  
  I disagree, Simon Bridges worked bloody hard trying ask the hard questions. I think critical review will show he asked many of the right questions.
  
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  August 14, 2020 9:26am
  - igm
    
    A very clever and astute young man . . . National will look back one day realising they were totally wrong!
    
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    August 14, 2020 9:47am
    - Gravelroad
      
      Agree.
      Not being a political insider, I have no idea why Simon Bridges was ousted in such a cavalier fashion – surely it wasn’t just because he “talked funny” and the party hierarchy got spooked by a planned twitter attack?
      Very poor judgement, especially when his successor was a no-show.
      This decision making has lead me away from voting National this time – unless there is some improvement in their integrity and image.
      
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      August 14, 2020 10:12am
      - Cassandra
        
        It was based on 1. The polls, and 2. Nikki Kaye and Amy Adams plus others from the left of the NP taking the opportunity the polls presented to roll Simon who is on the right side of the NP.
        
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        August 14, 2020 11:10am
Classic Liberal

Dr Reti sounded very calm and sensible in red radio interview just now, but hyperactive and aggressive interviewer kept interrupting him and trying to make him criticise National leaders.

Dr Reti wouldn’t be provoked, said he supports National leaders and that they are ‘raising the bar’. He seems a good choice for the job.

But National is not going for a totally different approach, like herd immunity.
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August 14, 2020 8:22am
- EssenX
  
  A totally different approach may not have been necessary. The problem with the current Labour administration is not the ideas, its the execution!
  
  There is also a problem where if you provide an alternative you are criticised as anti-science / nutter / conspiracy theorist so it’s difficult to go too far away from the establishment’s consensus right now.
  
  However, given these outbreaks that are emerging, and may continue to emerge, a different approach – such as the Swedish experiment that over time is showing they may get the last laugh – or a hybrid approach may be necessary rather than the blunt tools we are using now.
  
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  August 14, 2020 8:28am
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  Shane Reti has more practical experience of dealing with sick patients and handling virus outbreaks than anyone in the CoL.
  
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  August 14, 2020 8:32am
  - sooty
    
    But doctor clark has surely, after all he is a doctor!
    
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    August 14, 2020 9:16am
    - Tony Stuart
      
      You tend not to see too many patients when you are completing a PhD on the work of German/New Zealand refugee and existentialist thinker Helmut Herbert Hermann Rex.
      
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      August 14, 2020 9:24am
- Mike22240
  
  I was also impressed with Dr Reti
  
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  August 14, 2020 9:14am
  - Brian McDonald
    
    As well as Simon on the AM show.
    
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    August 14, 2020 9:30am
  - The Proper Ghandi
    
    I think that Reti is an excellent role model for young Maori. Shame that he isn’t seen as one due to his politics.
    
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    August 14, 2020 12:57pm
    - Ignatius
      
      As a good role model he’d should run for a Māori seat rather than a safe one.
      
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      August 14, 2020 1:21pm
JibberJabber

I thought this was satire, but it’s from America so no it’s real…

https://caldronpool.com/norwegian-flag-cancelled-after-dozens-mistook-it-for-confederate-flag/
?
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August 14, 2020 8:22am
- RW Capitalist
  
  Easier to mistake the Norwegian flag, for the Kriegsmarine flag.
  
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  August 14, 2020 8:26am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Stupid people.
  ‘So, basically identical, aside from all the differences.’
  
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  August 14, 2020 8:44am
  - sooty
    
    Just like ours and Australia’s.
    
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    August 14, 2020 9:18am
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      A previous PM did not even know what colour the star on our flag are
      
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      August 14, 2020 1:00pm
Paulus

I fully expect the whole country to go to Level 3 tonight and Level 4 next week.
Then she can have the Election.
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August 14, 2020 8:22am
RW Capitalist

In other news
Trump announces ‘Historic Peace Agreement’ between Israel, UAE
Biden’s statement made no mention of Trump, saying instead that the deal was built on efforts by “multiple administrations,” including the Obama-Biden administration that preceded Trump’s, to foster a broader Arab-Israeli opening.
Biden/Obama….all TALK
Trump….all ACTION
Biden/Obama….all appeasement
Trump….all achievement
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August 14, 2020 8:24am
Tony Stuart

Stolen from a mate’s Twitter page:

I had to hastily make a facemask from a pair of undies, because someone arrived at my front door.

Luckily they didn’t stay long, as my balls are freezing.
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August 14, 2020 8:25am
- RW Capitalist
  
  Are shopping malls going to take down those signs, banning motorbike helmets?
  
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  August 14, 2020 8:34am
- The Proper Ghandi
  
  I’m ahead of the game: I’ve worn undies on my head for years, and social distancing just seems to take care of itself.
  
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  August 14, 2020 12:59pm
  - Maggie Pie
    
    😛
    
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    August 14, 2020 2:37pm
Rodney Hide

The govt with the support of the opposition has shut down our largest city because of the threat of a killer virus.

There is one patient in hospital. People have to be tested to determine if they are sick.

We have 6 hospitals for every person at present tested positive.

The original justification for the unprecedented lockdown was to prevent our socialised, state rationed, hospital system being overwhelmed.

Sweden didn”t lock down. They are through it. It is now over for them. Their total deaths and demographic of those dying were nothing out of the ordinary year on year and they know they could have done better in not infecting aged care facilities because they rushed to discharge elderly patients to free up hospital beds that stayed empty.

I know it’s no longer acceptable according to our government and media to question policy but on a blog may I respectfully ask what vital bit of information am I missing?

Rodney
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August 14, 2020 8:26am
- igm
  
  I would by far prefer reports on blogs than the left-wing disseminated rubbish from unionised MSM.
  
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  August 14, 2020 8:32am
  - Ignatius
    
    Is that how you get around the media being owned by billionaires, the reporters have all the power because they want decent wages and conditions.
    
    So free association is somthing the right have given up on is it?
    
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    August 14, 2020 1:25pm
- EssenX
  
  “Lockdown is a blunt, unsustainable and harmful instrument over any prolonged period, especially damaging for younger populations, wider healthcare and the economy, with poorer people hit hardest.”
  
  – Professor Ekström, Clinical professor in infectious disease epidemiology at the Karolinska Institutet.
  
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  August 14, 2020 8:37am
  - KevO'Brien
    
    Most sensible people know that. Those whose minds are controlled by rules fall into the trap laid for bullies–they do nothing, just beat other into compliance. Is that reasonable in an MP? Hasn’t that caused trouble elsewhere? Pol Pot?
    ~~MMP,~~ not again.
    
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    August 14, 2020 8:58am
- Brian McDonald
  
  The latest update could have something to do with it.
  
  https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/sweden/
  
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  August 14, 2020 8:45am
  - Critical Thinker
    
    That shows that Sweden has had deaths per day in the single digits since the 20th of July ?
    
    90% of those that may have died with COVID-19 in Sweden were 70 years or older.
    https://www.statista.com/statistics/1107913/number-of-coronavirus-deaths-in-sweden-by-age-groups/
    
    Sweden has shown the scientific proof that you spend your limited resources in supporting the quarantining of the sick and infirm. NOT the healthy ?
    
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    August 14, 2020 9:15am
  - Rodney Hide
    
    Indeed Brian. The graph for Daily deaths in Sweden rose up and then down to nothing as your reference shows. They are through it. They are through it with no out of the ordinary change to their yearly mortality.
    
    Your reference is bang on.
    
    Rodney
    
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    August 14, 2020 9:16am
    - Brian McDonald
      
      I know it is Rodney, it’s the peaks and final tally. According to the NZ polls there was little public support for over 5,000 deaths. The second point is that the figures don’t capture any ongoing health issues of those recovered, no doubt it will in time.
      
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      August 14, 2020 9:46am
      - Rodney Hide
        
        My friend’s father-in-law died with covid. He was 94 and didn’t recognise his family. It was terribly sad but that’s what getting old does: it kills us.
        
        I’m going to die. You are going to die. It may well be an every day flu tha finishes us at the end. When we were young we would have shrugged it off.
        
        Viral infections often leave lingering effects. They can be nasty.
        
        Sweden has 10 million. At worst, we would be half that with median age 84. It would not be noticed in the year on year death statistics as people are expected to die when they get old.
        
        I don’t know what people find acceptable or not. But it would be helpful if we didn’t have click bait journalism and fear mongering politicians and heads of dept focusing on a very narrow objective irrespective of the cost.
        
        The virus is here. Lockdowns don’t work. The cost was for nothing. It still is for nothing.
        
        Rodney
        
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        August 14, 2020 10:02am
      - unaha-closp
        
        Brian, lockdowns don’t change the cumulative total just slow it down a little, by seriously jeopardising all other activity. Sweden doesn’t lockdown its hospitals for cancer treatment, but we do. Sweden does not shut down its borders to tourists, but we do.
        
        Do people desire 5000 deaths and 10,000 people impoverished or 5000 deaths and 300,000 people impoverished?
        
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        August 14, 2020 10:55am
      - Ian Boag
        
        Not quite that simple. We have a crack at segregating the elderly and accept that quite a few will cark it. It is what it is. Taking one for the team and all that.
        
        For every one that dies there will be about 5 that need hospitalisation. Those numbers don’t look good as a prospect, but it is what it is. We will no doubt muddle through but it will get pretty ugly.
        
        Anyway there is a rumour that we will eventually develop herd immunity from this approach. Like some other countries possibly already have nearly managed. We think …
        
        To sort the economics we need the tourists and students back. So we open the borders – and wait.
        
        Tourists – come to beautiful NZ – you might get a dose of covid but if you are young (under 50) you’ll be right. We won’t ask you get tested anyway unless you want to be. If you test positive that is OK – you can continue your holiday. Your home country might be a but funny about what happens to you on your return, but you will have seen Rotorua and Milford Sound …… Not our problem. The Aussies (esp from Victoria) will be flooding back ….. ?
        
        Same message for students – some risk that you will get a mild dose of covid but it’s just sniffles and a cough …. you can still do lectures labs and tutes ….
        
        I guess my point is that doing a Sweden and letting it rip is no guarantee that tourists/students will be back. So we could end up with lots of covid and an unchanged level of business damage.
        
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        August 14, 2020 11:04am
      - Cinematic
        
        Sorry fat fingers, reported Rodney’s comment by mistake.
        
        Government’s need to be able to make pragmatic decisions around Covid as unpalatable as they may be. This government is incapable of making such decisions which is why we’re now snookered.
        
        Unfortunately it seems too politically risky for National to point this out. But I’m confident if they get elected there will be a quick move away from this elimination nonsense.
        
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        August 14, 2020 11:07am
      - Ian Boag
        
        https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/07/business/sweden-economy-coronavirus.html
        
        Apparently – as of a month go, Sweden had oodles more cumulative deaths than its neighbours and the economic consequences were about the same or slightly worse.
        
        Go figure ….
        
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        August 14, 2020 11:23am
      - Ian Boag
        
        https://www.statista.com/statistics/1118811/number-of-overnight-stays-after-the-coronavirus-outbreak-in-sweden/
        
        Swedish tourism has taken a big hit too.
        
        Go figure ….
        
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        August 14, 2020 11:42am
    - Doc Holliday
      
      You wouldn’t recognise evidence that conflicted with your ideology if it bit you on the bollocks.
      
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      August 14, 2020 12:34pm
- Scott
  
  Rodney – thank you for your comments. You represent a bucket of common sense in an ocean of fear mongering and socialist control.
  
  I think the Prime Minister has already decided and the country will go into level III lockdown tonight with Auckland going to level IV.
  
  I was talking to the owner of the local café this morning while having my breakfast. She said that Level 3 was no good because they can’t survive on takeaways. It’s actually worse for them than level four. At level III they still have to pay staff to cook and make coffee and serve even though they don’t have enough customers for takeaway’s to make ends meet. Even this morning the café was depressingly empty because people are staying away because people have been told to be scared of the virus. Normally the café would be buzzing on a Friday morning.
  
  She was saying that she is very worried about the business. Will they survive another lockdown?
  
  That’s happening all over the country. It’s not a matter of lives versus the economy. If our economy goes belly up then plenty of lives will be lost. Our health system, our welfare state, rely on a healthy functioning economy where businesses can thrive.
  
  Sadly we see a government who appears to be determined to run our economy into the ground. They are going to kill the patient in order to save it.
  
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  August 14, 2020 9:06am
  - Te Rauparaha
    
    “They are going to kill the patient in order to save it”.
    
    NO!
    
    They are going to kill the patient in order to save THEMSELVES.
    
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    August 14, 2020 9:47am
  - Classic Liberal
    
    Same here in North Shore suburb, Scott: cafes and restaurants and bakeries just closing at this pathetic level 3 because they can’t do business that way and are afraid of having to throw out heaps of good food when level 4 comes.
    
    National needs to be strongly standing up for a different approach. Don’t be cowards, National: stand up for the health benefits of a functioning economy.
    
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    August 14, 2020 11:42am
    - Ignatius
      
      Or we could just change the economy.
      
      Use to be kiwis were masters at work arounds with number 8 wire and pair of pliers. The same needs to happen now.
      
      Can I suggest if your in Auckland take the kids out to the garden and get them to help you dig a garden in.
      
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      August 14, 2020 1:29pm
      - Classic Liberal
        
        WTF?
        
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        August 14, 2020 6:07pm
    - Brian McDonald
      
      Come to the East and South CL. Plenty open, orderly and following the rules. I went to one local coffee shop before 12 on Wednesday to remind they could stay open and the owner said she knew. Missed going to another that I often use but they too were open Thursday, app tracing, social distancing and not entering the shop.
      Now just keen to see the butchers, green grocers and others getting a fair go.
      Seymour said he’d heard reports of butchers crying in the streets. They must be bit tougher out this way, and competitive.
      
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      August 14, 2020 3:38pm
- the deity formerly known as nigel6888
  
  Thank you Rodney. Well said.
  
  It is time for national to (wo)man up and say it.
  
  The only sensible plan B is Sweden.
  
  We will go there anyway – this is a virus – so lets adjust the stiff upper lip, get it over with, and throw the cash at protecting our most vulnerable.
  
  Otherwise we will have six more months more of hell, periodic lockdowns, beggar our grandkids, and then have to live with Covid anyway.
  
  How much poorer will NZ be in 5 years because the Labour party cannot count above 10 without taking its socks off?
  
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  August 14, 2020 10:49am
  - Classic Liberal
    
    We end up poor and sick this way ?
    
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    August 14, 2020 11:43am
- Tomtoddy
  
  There is a further factor worth attention. How many people died because they couldnt get medical attention during lockdown? In my small circle of acquaintances there are two possibilities.
  
  It maybe that the numbers involved are greater than the so-called Covid deaths.
  
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  August 14, 2020 11:30am
  - the deity formerly known as nigel6888
    
    Then there are the suicides, the stress factor, family breakdowns, the drug and alcohol abuse, the domestic violence, the levels of untreated depression, kids getting anxious and losing a year’s education….
    
    Old people getting scared, dying alone separated from their families and loved ones….
    
    Theatre of Fear ™ quality of life has an immense ahem “wellbeing” cost, that the government just refuses to address.
    
    But until Tuesday, was near guaranteed to win Cindy the election.
    
    Man, U should be able to hear the screaming, ranting, smashing crockery and tanty throwing at Premier House as far north as Levin!
    
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    August 14, 2020 12:37pm
Maggie Pie

Here you go!
Our designer Face Masks have finally arrived from the States. And they look AbFab!!
We got 2 of each color off Ebay (USD 49.95 a pop with free postage).
Only downside…. they were labeled ‘Made in Pakistan’. (I’ve carefully scalped the label off in case any of our friends ask to try them on.)

https://i.imgflip.com/3u57yn.jpg
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August 14, 2020 8:26am
- sooty
  
  i didn’t realize you and your partner were so young. You do take a lovely picture!
  
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  August 14, 2020 9:25am
emmess

My wife has heard from two differents teachers that they are being told to prepare for two weeks of lockdown in Auckland.
Will be interesting to see if what the government tells the public matches what they tell the teachers.
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August 14, 2020 8:29am
- Evadne
  
  It’s an open secret in Auckland; I had it confirmed by several sources Tuesday night.
  
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  August 14, 2020 9:36am
RW Capitalist

Interview lesson for Dunkie on the AMshow
When Hipkins (or any politician)
says “I have not seen…..”
It can mean he has kept himself deliberately ignorant, for “plausible deniability”, recognize the phrase and follow up.
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August 14, 2020 8:32am
oldpark

Yes it has always been a matter of “Trust” for NZs Five Million Population on the Lockdown. Everytime Control Freak Ardern and her wee Puppeteer Bloomfield addressed the Nation of how good we all were and how Arderns approved Quarantine System was superior.Even though alot of the listenerers knew that half the Lies that were told by Control Freaks Ardern and Bloomfield were not true.
In fact “Trust” being so important for us all . Guess what? Winston Peters not “Trusting” Arderns” fawning NZS Mainstream Media to tell Arderns dirty little secret that there had been a massive breach of the Quarantine Lockup . Yes Peters went to the Australian Media and revealed the news that he had become aware of .
Now we see why Labour/ Green Commie Parties are desperate to make sure the General Election must continue on 19 09 2020.They now know they have been caught being economical with the “Truth”. People can’t be fooled all of the time.Or can they .
Yes sadly the Five Million believed too long now it has been revealed and exposed that the whole situation was wrong andthe hidden “Truth”about Quarantine Lockdown when we all thought we were safe and secure believing the Fairytales and be “Kind” lies and honeyed words that Ardern is now found to be guilty of with her hidden agenda of “Control” of the lives and lifestyles of NZs. What an abomination.
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August 14, 2020 8:36am
Letterman

Rodney: The bit you are missing is that evidence is not welcome in current policy making decisions – emotion rules the day.

We have a Leader with a publically disclosed DSM V diagnosis of Generalized Anxiety Disorder.

Ergo, she folds under pressure, has almost no emotional resilience, and her decisions are mood-dependent, not objectively rational in their content.

Add a fragile yet monumental ego, season with an embedded socialist zeal, saute with a refusal to ever admit error or being wrong, and you have the Leadership choice of around 60% of the voting population.

Which just goes to show you the veracity of the mental health status of the population as a whole – not great.
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August 14, 2020 8:41am
- JSelway
  
  That shows a total ignorance of what Generalized Anxiety Disorder actually is.
  
  Hint – it doesn’t automatically mean “folds under pressure, has almost no emotional resilience, and [her] decisions are mood-dependent, not objectively rational in their content”
  
  In fact it is none of those things
  
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  August 14, 2020 9:56am
- Classic Liberal
  
  I think after our Muller experience, Taxinda’s socialist stamina looks comparably better.
  
  I don’t admire her at all, but she is hanging in there.
  
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  August 14, 2020 11:50am
Maggie Pie

I can only assume it was something i said 😛

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EfRwVtgU4AIKPmm?format=jpg&name=medium
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August 14, 2020 8:43am
- Lee C
  
  Well done! I’d have that framed!
  
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  August 14, 2020 8:48am
- YesMinister
  
  Should government representatives be able to block citizens on social media without that citizen having behaved in a criminal manner? I don’t think so.
  
  He’s getting paid to work for you, who the fuck does he think he is blocking NZ’ers who don’t agree with him?
  
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  August 14, 2020 8:52am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  I don’t do Twitter but If I did I would make sure I got blocked on purpose by all of the COL
  
  21 1
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  August 14, 2020 8:53am
- wimpston peeeders
  
  Nah it will be your privilidge and failure to redistribute your wealth.
  
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  August 14, 2020 8:58am
- Frank the tank
  
  LOL – brilliant.
  
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  August 14, 2020 9:00am
- alex Masterley
  
  Badge of honor that.
  
  16 0
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  August 14, 2020 9:17am
- Belinda
  
  Wow that must make you special, probably the only person he has ever blocked.
  
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  August 14, 2020 9:17am
  - James Stephenson
    
    Not sure about that. He failed to recognise his partner in the pub, remember.
    
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    August 14, 2020 11:08am
- RJ
  
  Sad, grant hasn’t learned yet how to crop grumpy looking people out of his photos.
  
  9 0
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  August 14, 2020 9:54am
- Ruawai
  
  Who is the sad face behind Ardern
  
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  August 14, 2020 12:12pm
herb1

Social media influencers make a living out of supporting the views or products of their sponsors.
Prostituting themselves for money.
The MSM in NZ have confirmed there price for giving it up is $50m with the promise of more to come , simply for sprucing the faulty goods from Ardern Inc
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August 14, 2020 8:44am
- Maggie Pie
  
  Probably being just a WEE bit hard there herbie 🙁
  
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  August 14, 2020 8:51am
  - sooty
    
    Nah, bang on!
    
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    August 14, 2020 9:29am
Lee C

I think the Opposition are on a hiding to no-where asking pertinent questions.

There is no conspiracy- this is just good, old-fashioned incompetence.
Asking incompetent people to explain their incompetence is pointless.

What the Opposition need to do is itemize the incompetence and indicate what they would have done differently.

They also need to state outright that they are proposing a vote of “No Confidence “ in the current administration.

Stop dancing to their atonal and disruptive tune.

This election will be about which party can persuade people to get out of bed to vote.

Playing along with the media narrative will make many just not vote.

Grow a pair, National. It’s grownups time.
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August 14, 2020 8:45am
tedbear

When the Prime Minister who constantly takes over your favourite tv program but doesn’t get herself tested – you know the whole thing is a conjob.
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August 14, 2020 8:47am
- mandk
  
  She doesn’t wear a mask either.
  
  And I wouldn’t be surprised if she hadn’t signed up to the contact tracing app.
  
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  August 14, 2020 9:27am
rockape

Winston may be right, maybe by accident. The gnome looks like it is similar to Aussie strain not from those currently quarantined. My guess would be airline pilot or crew.
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August 14, 2020 8:51am
- Pharmachick
  
  How did you get a look at the genome? Is it deposited somewhere?
  
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  August 14, 2020 10:43am
  - rockape
    
    No but my wife. Nurse practitioner has access to the most up to date info on a National Ed website. You can access it too, I believe it only costs $500 a year.
    
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    August 14, 2020 11:58am
    - Pharmachick
      
      Thanks, appreciate it. Might get it through my institution…
      
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      August 14, 2020 12:17pm
      - rockape
        
        My wife gets it paid by DHB.
        
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        August 14, 2020 7:12pm
- Classic Liberal
  
  The gnome is called Peters…
  
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  August 14, 2020 11:54am
Durden

Who was the journalistic source ? I nominate Barry Soper. He would not trust Tova and her ilk.

“It wasn’t an official, I found out from somewhere else, but I think there’s been a breach inside our quarantine system,” Mr Peters said in an interview with Australian news channel ABC.
Mr Peters said they will find out the results of the investigation by around 2pm tomorrow [this afternoon]
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August 14, 2020 8:51am
- Loddenthinks
  
  Sounds a little like the fat German’s “Moment of Truth” which like everything else Winston promises will turn out to be a complete fizzer.
  
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  August 14, 2020 10:04am
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  Winston did say it was a reliable source.
  
  Karvelas: “I have to ask – who’s providing this information about quarantine breaches?”
  
  Peters: “A source that was usually very reliable. Dare I say, it was one of your colleagues.”
  
  Karvelas: “An Australian official?”
  
  Peters: “No, no, no – a New Zealand colleague of yours.”
  
  Karvelas: “A New Zealand colleague? A journalist?”
  
  Peters: “A journalist, yes.”
  https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12356430
  
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  August 14, 2020 11:24am
Lee C

What i do appreciate about Collins is she speaks to the grown ups.

The current shower has so successfully infantalised the discourse they have effectively neutralized debate.

This cannot continue – the Nation is at risk of a non-violent coup IMO.
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August 14, 2020 8:57am
David George

Some great news and a huge boost for President Trump with the historic Middle East agreement signed overnight.
https://nypost.com/2020/08/13/trump-announces-peace-deal-between-israel-united-arab-emirates/
Funny, not a word about it on the Herald website; just something about his hair.
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August 14, 2020 9:01am
greenfinger

There are many more holes than just this testing lax in the Princess’ “world class” quarantine process than the sieve in my pantry….Letting day 1 returnees mix with day 14 returnees in the quarantine facilities? You clearly have to be rocket science to figure that it is an accident waiting to happen. Oh, sorry. I forgot. She is only a political science graduate and a “world class” debater… surrounded by “world class” doofus!!
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August 14, 2020 9:02am
- Loddenthinks
  
  Political science graduate? If only! Try Communications, it’s all she’s got.
  
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  August 14, 2020 10:05am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    Communications – a degree in doublespeak waffle and say nothing
    
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    August 14, 2020 10:28am
    - Flossie
      
      Where there is obviously no part of the course on pronunciation.
      
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      August 14, 2020 11:29am
      - calendar girl
        
        Where did PM Ardern learn to pronounce the letter ‘t’ as a ‘d’?
        
        Given her public profile, many of NZ’s younger females have followed her awful pronunciation, and now significant (but smaller) numbers of NZ’s young males are also falling into the same speech pattern.
        
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        August 14, 2020 12:25pm
      - Steve Otto(North Shore)
        
        Fustrading
        
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        August 14, 2020 1:01pm
andrewo

Meanwhile back in the USA, read this twitter rant:

https://twitter.com/Doranimated/status/1293885855677976577
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August 14, 2020 9:05am
- marcw
  
  Interesting that you describe this ‘middle-class’ man’s description of life in NY and other cities today as a “rant”. I would think of a rant as an unhinged and illogical spray of hate filled criticism. This man’s description, sadly, seems totally sane and accurate to me.
  
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  August 14, 2020 9:19am
  - andrewo
    
    I agree – A ‘deeply disturbing account’ may be a more accurate term. The wheels are coming off the USA
    
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    August 14, 2020 9:31am
    - fernglas
      
      Meanwhile in Auckland…..
      
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      August 14, 2020 10:34am
Humble Capitalist

So this incompetent bunch of idiots have managed not to test 63.5% of MIQ staff. Yet parents are told by college sport in Wellington that they have to drop off their kids at sport and that they cant stay to watch.
a) kids are playing contact sport such as rugby, football etc. and we are told that we cant stand on the sideline even if we keep distance from others. We are more likely to bump into someone in the supermarket aisle and what about the kids in scrums, rucks and slide tackles?
b) there isnt a single reported case in the Wellington region
These comrade anti-logic rules are absolutely absurd. If its not safe to social distance on the sidelines of kids sport then it must be even less safe in a supermarket. If its not safe to stand on the sideline of sport then the sport itself must be even less safe.
We are being told this crap when they cant even make it mandatory to test two thirds of at risk isolation staff, until they get caught out of course with outbreak in the communidee.
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August 14, 2020 9:09am
- Engelbert Humperdink
  
  I think they are not conspiring, but are deliberately, ‘pushing the envelope’ and making us accept ever-increasingly-unreasonable policy stupidities.
  
  You don’t quarantine the well, you quarantine the unwell. You don’t tell 1 1/2 million people they can’t travel in their own country and then back it up with blue and camo gangs. People in military uniform are not police, they are military and they are the government’s ultimate expression of force. No wonder she wanted to disarm the population last year.
  
  And I can’t be the only one who’s noticed a startling resemblance of masks to burkas. St Jacinda of the Pestilence is reaching across the aisle to imitate her co-religionists.
  
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  August 14, 2020 9:54am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    To isolate the sick is ‘quarantine’
    To isolate the well is ‘tyranny’
    Just the way she wants socialism to work – total control
    
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    August 14, 2020 10:34am
  - calendar girl
    
    Engelbert H, earlier above on this thread you treated us to the wonderful title “Princess of the Pestilence” to describe PM Ardern.
    
    Now you’ve changed that title to “St Jacinda of the Pestilence”. Are you going to standardize on one description to help it stick? If so, the earlier one may be stronger because of its alliteration (the double-P).
    
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    August 14, 2020 12:53pm
sooty

Ain’t we all lucky to have Phill Twyford running the border quarantine looking after all of us!
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August 14, 2020 9:32am
Chuck Bird

Hosking thinks he knows what Peters is talking about in the border breach.

It must be pretty negligent the way Hosking is talking as it is already obvious that there have been a border breach.
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August 14, 2020 9:42am
- gorse
  
  Chuck, you say you have “an in” with the National party, can you tell them the barn door into Labour is open and they should be piling in. A large section of the public are ready and will support them. The media won’t like it of course, neither will Labour. Ignore all that and go for it, now is the time – now or never.
  
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  August 14, 2020 11:05am
  - Alex13
    
    And what exactly would National do with regards to the epidemic?
    
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    August 14, 2020 2:04pm
Libertarians are right

Do I think that Labour deliberately hid these positive cases or manufactured a problem? No, that’s ridiculous.
Do I think Gerry believes this or is even insinuating it? No, again, it’s ridiculous.

The issue here, and it’s what both Gerry and Judith have been pointing out is that the Government is not being honest with us.

There was a massive uptick last week in getting ready for another lockdown. It is entirely reasonable to ask why. It is entirely reasonable to point out that the Government only just realised last week that they should have been testing the people around the quarantined travellers and that this serious breach in process has left us succeptible to community transmission. It is entirely reasonable to point out that they were expecting community transmission because of their stuff up.

It’s very likely that this breach has resulted in the cases in the community and it’s very reasonable for not only National and ACT, but for the media to be asking questions and holding the Government to account. This wasn’t unavoidable. It was 100% the result of this Government not doing their job properly. Winston is blaming a breach in quarantine because then it’s not the Government’s fault but it was a breach in Quarantine processes and that it the Government’s fault.
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August 14, 2020 9:42am
- RJ
  
  The uptick started when the South Korean tested positive for the virus. That is when they would of hit the shit moment that someone could of spread the virus in multiple locations around the country and all the advertising come back on
  
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  August 14, 2020 10:23am
- bruceavon
  
  Yes I think it’s reasonable to ask the question Gerry did, but I don’t think he can continue down that path without some facts. Also I don’t see how breech in quarantine is not the governments fault.
  But they are saying now that the genome sequencing does not match any arrivals, which means it is not a border breech.
  Look for this to be the line today.
  
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  August 14, 2020 10:24am
  - fernglas
    
    I can’t see how it can fail to have come in over the border. If the genome sequencing is not matched to any known case, then it can only mean one of two things. Either it was brought in by or caught in quarantine from someone who did not test positive, or that the samples from a known case did not yield enough DNA to enable sequencing to take place. The first is a failure of the test, the second, of the tester.
    An unexplained or unexplainable case is the worst possible scenario for confidence in the testing regime, and by extension, the government’s response.
    
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    August 14, 2020 10:45am
    - bruceavon
      
      I agree but that will be the line they pursue. There is also the small chance that it came in through the cool store the guy worked in. There have been outbreaks in cool stores, most recently in China.
      But, there is a world wide database of the genome sequences so I can’t see why they can’t work out where it came from internationally and work from there. The problem with it coming from the border is how did it then get to the guy who is currently the patient zero?
      
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      August 14, 2020 12:05pm
  - Pharmachick
    
    [shrugs]
    
    I do not for a minute believe that they’ve sequenced enough of the arrivals to compare it to. Seq is not the same as PCR, its more expensive and the instruments are fewer and further between. Also what type of sequence is it, exome or deep? Most sequencers in NZ will be fully in use for medical research right now, including COVID research. At best they may have sequenced the cluster and then compared the alignments to the known world-wide strains (that ARE published).
    
    I’d love to get a look at the sequence, but whomsoever has done the work hasn’t published it or deposited it on a server, at least as far as I can tell. It wouldn’t break public health guidelines b/c the sequence itself tells you nothing about the patient. Just an anonymous virus sample.
    
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    August 14, 2020 11:55am
    - bruceavon
      
      I thought sequencing was a part of identifying the disease? Maybe that was only when they started testing at the beginning of the disease.
      Anyway, Bloomfield said yesterday they have now sequenced almost all the arrivals and would complete the rest. Frankly they need to.
      
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      August 14, 2020 12:18pm
      - Pharmachick
        
        Bruce,
        
        they test for the virus with PCR – it picks up certain DNA traits based on a primer designed to match the virus. If the primers span unique parts of the genome that have been shown to be geographically associated then yes, PCR can identify geographical stains. But the general testing primers will definitely NOT be to unique sections, because then they would miss the other strains. For general testing they will have primers that identify the canonical (i.e. must have this DNA to be considered a COVID-19 virus) DNA structure.
        
        Therefore they would have to re-test with different geographical-specific DNA primers (and as you have pointed out there are several strains worldwide) OR sequence the whole virus using a different technique (sequencing) where every base is identified and assembled into a chain, then align the sequence with the published strains. The latter is the correct way of doing it but time and $$.
        
        I find it hard to believe that Dr. Bloomfield has sequences everybody. And if they have PCRed them, they would have to repeat to identify the origin with different geographic-specific primers, which is possible but with currently ~9 strains out there, that’s 9 more PCR tests PER positive sample. I do this stuff for a living, and even if you’ve only had 3500 cases that’s a heck of a lot of lab power…
        
        Thx for the link to nextrain yes, I’ve been reading the sequences sing the Chinese published the COVID genome in January
        
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        August 14, 2020 12:38pm
      - Pharmachick
        
        Although I will say that viral genomes are much smaller than, well just about anything else so maybe they were sequenced (cannot see the multiple PCR testing (that we call “tiling”) being viable).
        
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        August 14, 2020 12:44pm
      - Pharmachick
        
        And there we have it at ~1:45 PM. Dr. Bloomfield is sequencing SOME samples, including from this cluster, and some others were already sequenced from MIQ. Prolly a sensible approach, only have to align with published sequences to see geo-location, no sense in sequencing everyone (But this cluster, yes.)
        
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        August 14, 2020 1:46pm
    - bruceavon
      
      Information on sequences here
      https://nextstrain.org/ncov/global
      
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      August 14, 2020 12:19pm
    - bruceavon
      
      Pharmachick I do not know what you know, but I thought I read that a New Zealand university developed a way to test 500 samples in a day?
      
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      August 14, 2020 1:01pm
      - Pharmachick
        
        Possible with automation, I guess I hadn’t thought of the large genome centres in NZ turning themselves over only to COVID sequencing, but makes sense! Public Health and Ministry never have that type of equipment available. The person down the hall from me at work (which we’re not at right now) runs a Seq lab facility, with automation they can do a few hundred viral samples a day. Fewer for complex organisms… he asked me if I wanted MY genome sequenced last year for a lark (no thx). Appreciate the conversation.
        
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        August 14, 2020 2:16pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  I say Ardern knew of community transfer 5 weeks ago but kept the lid on it so as to keep the numbers low or zero. Someone got wind of it and the Govt had to own their own shit, or tell more lies. Jacinda knows dam fucking well NZ has had enough of her compulsive lying
  
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  August 14, 2020 10:40am
- Ruawai
  
  They probably had a positive test in a quarantine staff member so knew it had a good chance of getting to the community.
  
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  August 14, 2020 12:19pm
  - wimpston peeeders
    
    any positive tests “at the border” that they never released details of where they came from?
    
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    August 14, 2020 1:58pm
- Ignatius
  
  The government is never honest, I would have thought 9 years of Clark and Key would have made that clear.
  
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  August 14, 2020 1:33pm
WaynelSexton

Did you see the perverts on 7 Sharpe last night? They were telling people that they’re now allowed to sniff underwear in public as long as you call it a mask.
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August 14, 2020 9:44am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Your own fault for watching play school TV1.
  Hope you learnt a lesson
  
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  August 14, 2020 10:43am
Maggie Pie

TBH, I’ve got sooo many Twitter friends, I hardly know half of them.
You do get a few interesting questions popping up though…..

https://twitter.com/LionelMedia/status/1293851998304047106
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August 14, 2020 9:57am
- RJ
  
  Is it A real photo of Helen Clark without it being photoshopped?
  
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  August 14, 2020 10:19am
Philview

A tutor in Southland shares a conspiracy theory about Jacinda with his students and he is national news. Anyone who talks out of turn about Jacinda now runs the risk of national humiliation. We are not in a healthy democracy anymore.
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August 14, 2020 10:00am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Jacinda is a liar – no conspiracy.
  Eg, KB post on Jacinda telling 2 ‘whoppers’ Tues 11th at 2.01 pm
  
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  August 14, 2020 10:50am
- Ruawai
  
  He better lock the door in case the military and police come for him. He should also expect to lose his job. He will be made an example of what happens if you question the authorities, similar to CCP.
  
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  August 14, 2020 12:24pm
- wimpston peeeders
  
  poor teacher will likely lose their job, we are turning into american leftards fast. over there teachers and professors that promote trump or refuse to use lgtb etc pronouns get fired.
  
  luckily for the teacher jacinda is widely hated here in southland but msm and social media backlash will be horrific
  
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  August 14, 2020 2:01pm
softail 1450

Please, at 5.30 pm you must watch the PM’s entire address ,you see, those folk that can’t stomach her complete diatribe are doing themselves an injustice of the highest order because you are missing the most important part of it.
The part where her words envelope you in a warm feeling of security like an old comforting blanket when it says “most of all be kind to each other”.
Seriously if you can get through to this segment you’ll save yourself a fortune on smashed TV screens as you sink into your couch with a Friday night wine and a feeling of absolute Nirvana,it’s heaven on earth.
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August 14, 2020 10:04am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  I will watch KB after that so I don’t have to listen to her confusing doublespeak. Someone on here can translate it
  
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  August 14, 2020 10:52am
  - wimpston peeeders
    
    what does lots of um ah wells translate too? same with tilty head and sad face? Id guessing the all mean the same thing… lies and bullshit
    
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    August 14, 2020 2:03pm
NZDirect

A very interesting article titled Authoritarianism in Auckland by Jeffrey Tucker from the American Institute for Economic Research.

The first openly critical international news I’ve seen on our PM and the failed strategy. It is really biting and I wish it was republished in the MSM but I doubt it will be.

https://www.aier.org/articl…
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August 14, 2020 10:06am
- fernglas
  
  It won’t be republished because it is badly written and doesn’t really add much to what we already know. What would be more desirable would be for one of the main stream organs to actually critique the Government response on an evidence, rather than anecdote-based basis. The MSM seems to delight in scaring people. When this nonsense is all over, we will look back at the media and wonder how we could have been so betrayed.
  
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  August 14, 2020 10:59am
- the deity formerly known as nigel6888
  
  Hosking was quoting it this morning. I read it yesterday, very telling.
  
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  August 14, 2020 11:42am
- Local Miller
  
  But everyone knows the AIEC is a right wing think tank and will always criticize a left wing government, so we can ignore this report as right wing propaganda!
  
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  August 14, 2020 2:35pm
  - Nickc2
    
    Do you also view CNN, CNBC, Wash Post and NYT as being Left Wing Propaganda?
    
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    August 14, 2020 4:06pm
  - Local Miller
    
    Ooops, did I forget the /sarc comment
    
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    August 14, 2020 4:39pm
Suze Wainwright

Was Phil Goff on RNZ this morning criticizing the Govt over Covid while not being critical of them, saying they were doing a great job on COVID while they weren’t, being nice to the Govt while he wasn’t?

Fantastic to see the old party loyalty showing through, because I think he was really on his knees begging and admitting that Auckland City’s bankrupt…
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August 14, 2020 10:13am
NoFax

New anti-body testing out of the UK found that up to 6% of the population or 3.4m had Covid-19. The death rate (which is over-stated) is around 45,000. This means the Infection Fatality Rate is 0.014%. That is not a typo – 0.014%,

Risk is not the same as fear.
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August 14, 2020 10:31am
- fernglas
  
  Antibodies are often absent in infected people after a few weeks or months, so the actual infection rate could have been much higher.
  I don’t think people grasp numbers very well; in the UK they saw 45k deaths and thought that was 7% of the population, according to a recent reliable survey. In New Zealand, to have died to date as an over-80 year old, you would have had to have been one person selected at random from 5 Eden Parks full of other 80 year olds. If you were under 80, one person out of 50 of them full of other people below 80.
  
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  August 14, 2020 11:07am
  - Tall Man
    
    Hard to be rational when you are completely surrounded by drama queen idiots.
    
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    August 14, 2020 2:10pm
Handyman

National is missing an open goal.
“Labour keep moving us backwards.
Move forward with National”
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August 14, 2020 10:32am
- Tall Man
  
  The goal may be open but the media have stolen the ball.
  
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  August 14, 2020 2:11pm
greenfinger

Shissh, the world has spun off its axis! Even CNN is getting into The Princess about having to battle a fresh outbreak after her claim on squashing the virus. Quick, if any of her spies is reading this blog, they had better get some new advertorial out to her mates at CNN!
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August 14, 2020 10:39am
Maggie Pie

And i see where Alabama has passed a law to castrate child sex offenders.
We’ve got Angry.
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August 14, 2020 10:41am
- Sir Cullen's Sidekick
  
  He will fight for their right to vote.
  
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  August 14, 2020 10:54am
  - Tall Man
    
    The nuts? …..;)
    
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    August 14, 2020 1:53pm
- RJ
  
  Damn it, sorry I hit downvote instead of up.
  
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  August 14, 2020 11:50am
Fisiani2

Labour allowed the outbreak by their negligence. They have never apologised for dropping the ball. They need to be removed.
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August 14, 2020 10:49am
fightingtemeraire

It is now in Tokoroa
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August 14, 2020 10:52am
JibberJabber

I know this won’t be popular to hear but, Phil Goff wrote to the govt a month ago voicing these very concerns about the state of the Border controls.
The day before level 3 was announced Hipkins deigned to reply and fobbed him off with blah, blah contact tracing, blah blah gold standard, blah blah…
And be aware the govt does not give a fuck about what is happening in Auckland and are making sure the rate payers have to pick up the bill for their cock up.
I’m no fan of Goff yet people need to realise the council is bound by the Local govt act, this clusterfuck lays fairly and squarely with the morons Ardern and co.
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August 14, 2020 11:03am
Engelbert Humperdink

In tangentially-CCPvirus-related news, where are the thousands of people out on the streets in the US and NZ to protest the cold-blooded point-blank execution of a five-year-old boy Cannon Hinnant by a person of the opposite melanin level? Surely, the politicians and their enforcers would have to give this protest a pass just like the last one.
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August 14, 2020 11:07am
greybeard

Just about every article on Stuff has had a begging-bowl piece tacked on the end of it.
How embarrassing it must be.
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August 14, 2020 11:18am
- graham
  
  Yup.
  
  The laughable thing is, they are trying to encourage people to donate to them to support them in:
  
  … in safeguarding a free and open society, and fostering a democracy that’s accountable to all its citizens.
  
  Because they feel that:
  
  … open and robust public discourse is under greater threat than ever.
  
  And just who is “threatening” open and robust public discourse, I ask myself? As I read a column by David Farrier scolding Gerry Brownlee for daring to ask questions, and then proceeding to scold New Zealand “influencers” for sharing it.
  
  As I read through Stuff’s begging letter, there are three phrases that leap out:
  – it’s their “mission” to provide trustworthy, accurate and reliable news and information
  – they remain a “trusted source of information”
  – their journalists “sort the facts from the fake news”
  
  What they are saying, essentially, is trust Stuff to feed you the truth, and guard you from … gasp! … the dreaded “fake news”. And keeping that in mind as you read David Farrier’s column, where he blames Gerry Brownlee for sparking off a bunch of conspiracy theories and then dives straight into QAnon …
  
  … you can’t help thinking that the very last thing Stuff wants, is truly “open and robust public discourse”.
  
  What they REALLY want, is for people to go to them as the source of truth. Don’t read blogs, Facebook, and other social media, because that’s just fake news. And to a degree, they’re correct. Of course conspiracy theories and the like circulate on social media. But so too do stories that Stuff and NZ Herald won’t dare go near, that they’ll brush under the carpet because they don’t conveniently fit their views.
  
  Stuff doesn’t want us to think for ourselves, in a nutshell. Because unless we follow their approved lines of thinking, we are guilty of thoughtcrime. And that just will not do.
  
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  August 14, 2020 12:44pm
  - Te Rauparaha
    
    @ graham. Good post, a couple of corrections:
    
    Stuff doesn’t want us to think for ourselves, in a nutshell. Because unless we follow their approved lines of thinking, we will stop paying for their rubbish ‘reporting’ and repeating and lobby our MP’s to defund the Main Stream Media and strip away its privileges.
    
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    August 14, 2020 1:28pm
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  I can’t get onto Stuff today…
  
  I keep getting this message ..
  
  Access Denied
  You don’t have permission to access “http://www.stuff.co.nz/” on this server.
  Reference #18.4ecf58db.1597371753.30f0522
  
  I’ve switched my laptop on & off a couple of times… but I seem to be a banned person.
  
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  August 14, 2020 2:25pm
  - Maggie Pie
    
    Just a thort Maggs – are you trying it with your laptop switched ‘on’ ?
    
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    August 14, 2020 2:46pm
  - RJ
    
    I just went to stuff, awwww, poor people, they now put a message up asking to disable our Adblock software, so sad, added their message to my filter rules, not removing it for them
    
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    August 14, 2020 2:52pm
  - lofty
    
    You are now officially an enemy of the state Maggy.
    
    I will come and visit you at the gulag, after “THEY” frog march you off 😉
    
    I will bring a bunch of grapes.
    
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    August 14, 2020 3:26pm
    - Maggy Wassilieff
      
      Haha…
      as if I’d be upset dining on Cabbage soup (Shchi) or attending Group think meetings…..
      
      (I think I can still recall some choice quotes from Chairman Mao)
      
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      August 14, 2020 5:14pm
softail 1450

Arderns whole 3 year reign has been an illusion and the smoke and mirrors mixed with pixie dust will be on full display at 5.30 pm today.
You know they are in trouble when you hear Chippie Hipkins say “but, but,but,but” when being interviewed by Hoskings this morning.
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August 14, 2020 11:19am
Critical Thinker

“Those who can make you believe in absurdities, can make you commit atrocities” – Voltaire
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kpBgtoGMGo
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August 14, 2020 11:23am
Maggie Pie

Can you imagine how boring life would be if all those f—wits never rang Talkback?
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August 14, 2020 11:44am
- RJ
  
  They’d just come on kiwiblog and down tick
  
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  August 14, 2020 11:49am
- Classic Liberal
  
  Sometimes, especially very late (almost early in fact, like 3am) I’ve heard really interesting and intelligent people. Elderly generally who have had interesting experiences and are already up that early. So I don’t completely write off talkback when I can’t sleep, but last night there was an unbelievable number of stupid sounding men saying labour was doing a good job despite everything!
  
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  August 14, 2020 1:17pm
  - Maggie Pie
    
    And have you noticed when someone calls in putting on a Maori voice, the host always let them speak twice as long as a normal sounding person?
    
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    August 14, 2020 2:50pm
    - Classic Liberal
      
      I hadn’t, but thanks for the tip ;). I’ll practice.
      
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      August 14, 2020 6:18pm
RJ

Argh, I hope he is wrong, but just got back from my GP who said there is talk going around that the South Island is going to level 3. Hope he is wrong.
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August 14, 2020 11:48am
I remember when

Is it time to be honest, about the possibility of elimination as a viable strategy for covid-19.
It is only possible if, we are prepared to restrict contact with the rest of the world, until there is total safety.
Elimination is a total ‘no risk’ approach which does not allow the possibility of any risk taking.
Any policy that involves planning for resuming contact with the rest of the world, must involve the taking of calculated risks.
Risk means the possibility of further cases occurring while moving to next step of covid-19 freedom.
‘Is elimination what we want?’
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August 14, 2020 11:55am
- bruceavon
  
  I just had this conversation with my business partner. The problem at the moment is the election. All parties are terrified to say they will do anything but keep the borders locked and us locked down because public opinion is firmly in favour of it. If you said you wanted to open the borders it would be political suicide. Hopefully after the election they will face reality. We can’t go into lockdown every couple of months.
  
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  August 14, 2020 12:43pm
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    We can’t go into lockdown every couple of months.
    
    Perhaps the CoL has a plan for what will transpire when we get through the “resurgence”.
    
    Has anyone bothered to ask our PM what her big plan is?
    
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    August 14, 2020 2:20pm
    - KevO'Brien
      
      Control, control, control . I need the people under my thumb so the NZ Communist Party can arise naturally. Grant has already lassoed the Reserve Bank so, soon, money will be there for all our needs.
      
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      August 14, 2020 2:43pm
      - lofty
        
        Ah well Kev, when we are set free, at least many will be able to tell their Grandchildren, as they sit enthralled with Grandads old stories…..Yes kids, I survived the socialist experiment of the “Great Manipulation” of 2020
        
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        August 14, 2020 3:40pm
      - sooty
        
        Don’t count your chickens before they hatch!
        
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        August 14, 2020 4:54pm
    - Nickc2
      
      Yep, its called ‘One World Government’ with open borders. Winston has already signed us up to open borders and Cindy is working her freckle off on the One World Government commitment.
      
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      August 14, 2020 4:15pm
  - Local Miller
    
    The only reason the public are in favor of keeping the borders closed is because they are not being honestly provided with alternatives.
    The science says this is a virus and cannot be eradicated. The only long term solutions are:
    1) A vaccine – Realistically around 4 years away, possibly 10. Worst case, there may never be a vaccine.
    2) Herd immunity – Despite not getting it perfect, this is effectively what Sweden has achieved. And while the rest of the world is hitting their 2nd wave, Sweden appears to have flattened out at around 1 fatality a day.
    Given the above epidemiologists and any politician worth their salt should be pushing for herd immunity. Protect those that are immune compromised (elderly, sick) and let the rest of us get on with life.
    If I get sick and die, then so be it. I could have a heart attack or get run over tomorrow, but given I’m under 60 I’m statistically at a very low risk of dying from COVID-19. Certainly no higher than any other risk.
    
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    August 14, 2020 4:26pm
- KevO'Brien
  
  Unless the virus was confined to a test tube elimination is extraordinarily unlikely. The controls required are worse than mitigation and avoidance. We have met the flu and deal with that changeable nuisance each year. COVID is just another bother.
  
  The Spanish Flu took out my 24 year old grandmother changing the futures of 4 orphans. The present virus is tame by comparison, mostly attacking the seriously elderly and some others with compromised health. Except for the 10-19 year old cohort, who are more adventuresome and less protected, most can ignore it, even if they have symptoms. The more who pass it on to the lower at risk groups the better.
  
  Mitigate not eliminate.
  
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  August 14, 2020 3:00pm
Observer of Life

Today I read a guy stating that he is in the ‘At Risk’ group because he is blood type A+. I’d never heard this before. I had a quick Google and it seems there’s nothing peer reviewed to concur. Anyone know what anything about it?
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August 14, 2020 11:57am
- Pharmachick
  
  Yes, there was early work showing that people with certain blood groups got more sick, more often. But it didn’t hold up to proper scrutiny, was a small sample size and likely false positive.
  
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  August 14, 2020 12:14pm
  - Pharmachick
    
    Also the initial study was geographically limited, so biased towards certain blood groups.
    
    https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.11.20031096v2
    
    (please note medrxiv is not peer reviewed, its a pre-print server)
    
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    August 14, 2020 12:16pm
  - cmm
    
    Yup
    
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_type_distribution_by_country
    
    And often factors like blood type are statistical markers for things like ethnicity/population group which are in turn linked to issues like obesity (== bad) and Vit D shortages (== bad).
    
    I suppose it would be theoretically possible that, say, the cocktail of proteins making up O+ blood could have some CV19 fighting properties but that would bneed some proving.
    
    Too often it is just crap stats.
    
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    August 14, 2020 2:20pm
    - Observer of Life
      
      Thanks Pharmachick and CMM
      
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      August 14, 2020 3:02pm
I remember when

Does it matter what they decide at 5.30pm?
The week-end is already in negative territory.
At least everyone will have time to contact their charity, church, sport’s group, decide whether to have take-aways to-night, will be able to (or should) visit family, friends.
Hands up who didn’t think they knew the 5.30pm answer yesterday?
Surely they are going to front foot it and announce the covid levels earlier.
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August 14, 2020 12:03pm
greenfinger

The next time anyone from this government or its supporter comes out and say they have been testing for everyone that showed symptom or that this was inevitable, please ask them take a running leap! Have they not heard about asymptomatic carriers? And if they thought all along this was inevitable, why spend $500mn on border control? Why put us through lockdown 4? Why did we not go for herd immunity?People will die from The Princess INEVITABILITY!! Pathetic incompetence of the highest order!!
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August 14, 2020 12:24pm
Ruawai

I would like to see instead of daily stand ups just numbers for covid reported on MoH website to prevent fear and panic. Alongside this information I would also like to see numbers for other deaths in NZ listing cause, number of cases and death rate so people can compare the relative risk between types of deaths. Then give all old and vulnerable advice to keep away from people and advice for all to wear masks. Much like telling us to wear a seatbelt in a car.
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August 14, 2020 12:35pm
- RJ
  
  Don’t be silly that would deny Jacindy the ability to campaign
  
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  August 14, 2020 1:03pm
Ruawai

If a child tests positive do they go into quarantine on their own?
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August 14, 2020 12:38pm
- softail 1450
  
  Ruawai ,Not if they are being cared for by the labour youth party .
  
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  August 14, 2020 1:07pm
  - lofty
    
    Boom
    
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    August 14, 2020 3:29pm
  - wimpston peeeders
    
    theyll literally be in “loving hands”
    
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    August 14, 2020 5:53pm
- Te Rauparaha
  
  I hope so. It’s a beautiful sacrifice for a child to make for a goddess.
  
  As I am presently doing a course (stage 2!) in ancient Sumerian (the world’s first writing) here is a modified beatitude from Ur c. 2100 BC:
  
  “In the name of Jacinda, my queen, Te Rauparaha, the Mighty Man, her temple built, actively by me, her necklace, consecrated, water thrown”
  
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  August 14, 2020 1:13pm
softail 1450

The most terrifying words you’ll hear this month”the labour caucus will decide Aucklands future” ..
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August 14, 2020 1:04pm
softail 1450

Oh no, my guess is they are running very low on test kits, if you go for a test with no symptoms you will be turned away .
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August 14, 2020 1:11pm
Maggie Pie

Just speaking to a friend of mine that owns a fashion outlet in the Village. She was saying they had to call the Police on Wednesday to arrest some drunk homeless loser that was asleep in the doorway of their shop. When the cops questioned him as to what he was doing there, he said he’d been looking for ages to get a place in the Grammar Zone.
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August 14, 2020 1:21pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

Hipkins on Covid. He was just asked about testing at the border and if there were new cases in Wellington. He answered the Wellington question and moved on to another reporter. He did not answer about border tests – they let him get away with it. NZ journalism is shocking
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August 14, 2020 1:29pm
- cmm
  
  Hipkins denied a rumour.
  
  At this stage what does a Hipkins denial mean?
  
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  August 14, 2020 2:06pm
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    sfa. He was told what to say by Supreme Leader
    
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    August 14, 2020 2:21pm
    - sooty
      
      Am I missing something by not watching the news. Were is Megan, she use to be spread everywhere?
      
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      August 14, 2020 4:50pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

Liz Wheeler, OAN on fake news. How they leave out context and fuck with the facts. Just like NZ media do.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWHrSkKWiM4
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August 14, 2020 2:18pm
BananaLlama

For ages fifty and below the death toll isn’t even half a percent. There is no reason for a young healthy individual to be concerned over Covid.
We have very robust data now and i think the domestic media have done a very poor job informing people, probably because they were given so much praise by their international colleagues who were only interested in scoring points for their own domestic political agenda.
Now there are those who speak about locking people up who spread “false information” and “conspiracy theories” well one should be careful what they wish for because that sword cuts both ways.
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August 14, 2020 2:21pm
Local Miller

One aspect of this gubbernment and the new lockdown that staggers me is that we have had 102 days without the virus appearing in the community, but in all that time they didn’t have the sense to go do some research and plan properly what they would do when the virus showed up again. They had 3 months to review what was happening in the rest of the world and put together a comprehensive strategy not based on knee jerk reactions, but on science.
Here we are 3 months on and their only option is lock down! Do they not understand that we can’t yo-yo between levels indefinitely?
I know I’m using big words here that they probably don’t understand, like “strategy”, “research”, “science”, etc.
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August 14, 2020 2:26pm
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  And to think,
  we had a perfectly sensible National Pandemic Plan all along before this CoL rearranged and buggered it all up
  
  https://www.health.govt.nz/system/files/documents/publications/influenza-pandemic-plan-framework-action-2nd-edn-aug17.pdf
  
  That 2017 Plan talked of “managing” the epidemic….
  
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  August 14, 2020 3:47pm
  - Nickc2
    
    Yes Maggy, all would have been a lot different had the CoL not chosen to use the situation in order to further their aspirations of a one world socialist government.
    IMHO, command and control over NZ’s population has been their undying objective throughout both lockups and will no doubt also become the centre point of any future lockups until such time as their politburo deems they are now in total control of all NZ’s peasants. Once that happens, we will be under total UN control.
    That will make Cindy and Winston very happy and on their way to the UN unchallenged.
    
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    August 14, 2020 3:57pm
greybeard

By God that Sharon Murdoch is a nasty piece of work.
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August 14, 2020 2:33pm
- Tall Man
  
  “Sharon Murdoch has worked as a “pooper-scooper” at dog shows”
  
  Still shovelling it I think ….
  
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  August 14, 2020 9:04pm
RJ

Useless idiots, get your information correct before you announce something to the country.

The principal of an Auckland high school is “furious” with the Ministry of Health for incorrectly claiming a coronavirus case had been confirmed at the school.

At the 1pm press conference on Friday, the Ministry of Health’s director-general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said there was a confirmed case linked to Pakuranga College.

Stuff
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August 14, 2020 2:34pm
cmm

I see Fauci is saying he thinks CV19 could be as deadly as the Spanish Flu.

Well if so, it better start trying a bit harder.

The Spanish Flu killed approximately 50 million out of a population of 2 billion. ie 25,000 per million. It also killed predominantly otherwise healthy younger people, trimming decades off their lives (typically 40 years or so).

So far CV19 has managed to “kill” 750k out of 7.8 billion. ie. less than 100 per million. In other words, only 100 per million. ie 250 times LESS than the Spanish Flu.

And those are almost all frail, sick people on the verge of dying anyway. CV19 might have just given then a little nudge – maybe reducing their life by 12 months or so.

Thus one could argue that the Spanish Flu is 10,000 times as deadly as CV19.

So it’s a hell of a long bow for Fauci to draw.
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August 14, 2020 2:51pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Numbers and the left do not work together – they can not comprehend. Sort of work with a roving decimal point.
  
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  August 14, 2020 2:57pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

https://babylonbee.com/news/blm-rioters-awarded-nobel-peace-prize?utm_content=buffer0f1eb&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer&fbclid=IwAR3CNABb0SQXz7pyZhMrR2ouNxXC8LijnwJeuSFGyihBBX3P3Jpjq7sCvlM
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August 14, 2020 3:07pm
- emmess
  
  Don’t laugh
  I’d say there is a better than even chance it could happen.
  
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  August 14, 2020 6:45pm
Maggie Pie

My partners mum re-tweets……. 😀

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EfTopBjUEAIqltB?format=jpg&name=small
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August 14, 2020 3:12pm
dave_c_

This is how other parts of the world are beginning to see NZ (in terms of Covid management)
https://www.investmentwatchblog.com/new-zealand-introduces-quarantine-camps/
(30 second read)
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August 14, 2020 3:52pm
dave_c_

Perhaps this is where NZ is also headed as authorities tighten their net on our freedoms.
This commentary from the Australian experience.
https://www.naturalnews.com/2020-08-13-australian-police-go-full-nazi-smashing-car-windows.html
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August 14, 2020 3:57pm
Maggy Wassilieff

Maori Party wants to put the entire country into Lockdown 4
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/te-manu-korihi/423550/maori-party-wants-to-move-to-covid-19-alert-level-4
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August 14, 2020 4:01pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  What is a ‘wartime cabinet?’
  Place where you keep guns?
  
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  August 14, 2020 4:09pm
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    sounds like our present CoL
    https://teara.govt.nz/en/cartoon/34355/war-cabinet#:~:text=In%20mid%2DJuly%201940%2C%20after,two%20members%20of%20the%20opposition%20(
    
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    August 14, 2020 4:18pm
    - sooty
      
      Yep their reasoning is to get plenty of money to run the roadblocks!
      
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      August 14, 2020 4:42pm
- Nickc2
  
  Tamahere, another blow-hard looking for relevance. Funny how he comes out of the woodwork whenever there may be some spare money around.
  
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  August 14, 2020 4:19pm
I remember when

Obviously Facci didn’t read the bits about the speed with which the Spanish Flu victims died.
Not too many people turning black almost immediately because of Covid-19. At least, not in the short time it is reported to have happened in some Spanish Flu cases.
Not too many went to work in the morning, dead by lunch time. Or fell in the street while at Armistice Day celebrations in considerable numbers, according to media reports.
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August 14, 2020 4:10pm
Prince

Another Gotcha from Henry Cook.
Chair of the Stratford Branch of the National Party has some weird ideas, writes to Collins and is rebuffed:
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300082468/coronavirus-national-party-local-official-urges-party-to-oppose-lockdowns-as-breach-of-human-rights
What the article doesn’t tell you is that National Party policy is developed through the regional conferences, voted on, then brought to the National conference where again it is subjected to a vote.
This is unlike the Labour Party where policy is developed through phone calls to friends overseas, or on the carpet with a friend in Hawkes Bay.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/105149781/new-mum-jacinda-arderns-families-package-message-from-her-couch
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/120954236/inside-jacinda-arderns-coronavirus-bubble-whats-on-the-pms-mind-during-covid19-crisis
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August 14, 2020 4:16pm
I remember when

Just read one of those 1920 newspaper articles.
It was obvious that they were going to get into trouble in time.
They just printed the facts and left it for the reader to form an opinion on the article.
THAT WAS NEVER GOING TO WORK!!
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August 14, 2020 4:20pm
rangitoto

A new job for Baghdad Bob.

https://twitter.com/IGottaNumBum/status/1294133870191718401
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August 14, 2020 4:59pm
Humble Capitalist

Comrade Ardern loves these press conferences. She has probably just been told by her mentor to go out there and lock in the election win with another pile of BS to wow the brain washed masses
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August 14, 2020 5:29pm
RJ

Time for Jacindy bingo

Team of 5 million
We are going hard and early
We don’t know where it came from, honest it wasn’t us, we didn’t fuck up
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August 14, 2020 5:30pm
Humble Capitalist

Comrade Ardern has us trying to believe the virus has come in on a frozen carton or fallen out of the sky
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August 14, 2020 5:53pm
- Max Howler
  
  Night store cool worker allegedly seen licking legs of kangaroo. Oh dear, did she really try to sell that one.
  
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  August 14, 2020 7:32pm
- Kiwi
  
  A friend in the UK just sent me this link –
  
  https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8625327/Coronavirus-infected-frozen-chicken-wing-New-Zealand-lockdown-OCTOBER.html
  
  How a coronavirus-infected frozen chicken wing could spell disaster for Jacinda Ardern and keep New Zealand in lockdown until OCTOBER – as five children test positive and a primary school is shut down.
  
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  August 14, 2020 7:33pm
  - sam green
    
    The Daily Mail? Ffs. Not known for journalism of any sort.
    
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    August 14, 2020 11:22pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

Key words repeated today at 5.30 pm on play school TV1.
‘burning ember’
How much did that cost?????
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August 14, 2020 5:58pm
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  and the ~~asinine~~ assonant repeat of:
  
  the covid cluster will grow before it slows
  
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  August 14, 2020 6:27pm
greenfinger

None of journalists are asking why the rest of the country are not back on level 1, given no COVID cases and no evidence that they might be COVID cases, and by the Princess’ own logic and world tracing standards?
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August 14, 2020 6:24pm
- RJ
  
  Commonsense, people flew out of Auckland, drove out of Auckland. I’d rather stay on level two which is nothing but having to wear masks and social distance until we know those Aucklanders have t spread it around the South Island
  
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  August 14, 2020 7:27pm
  - greenfinger
    
    Errr.. by your logic, the whole country is just an extension of Auckland because the whole country is just one big clusterfck. Why are we not all on level 3 then…. commonsense??
    
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    August 14, 2020 9:05pm
    - RJ
      
      Why would the whole country be in level 3, the virus at the moment is only at the moment in one cluster, but there is the possibility it could spread because irresponsible Aucklanders fled the city and travelled around the country. Queenstown is a prime example where these idiots have flown and are now demanding COVID tests down there.
      
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      August 14, 2020 9:36pm
greybeard

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/300082181/super-rugby-aotearoa-bluescrusaders-game-in-auckland-is-officially-cancelled

“CV-19 saves Crusaders from annihilation by Blues”.
Oh.
Ok.
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August 14, 2020 6:48pm
RJ

Experts have moved to allay concerns you can contract Covid-19 from frozen food, after Chinese officials found traces of the deadly virus on imported food supplies. Local authorities in the Chinese city of Shenzhen warned the public to take precautions on Thursday, after a sample taken from the Brazilian frozen goods were reportedly found to have been contaminated by coronavirus. Samples from packaging of frozen shrimp from Ecuador, sold in Xian, also tested positive for the illness, local authorities there said.

NZ Herald
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August 14, 2020 7:26pm
- Tall Man
  
  Yeah right …
  
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  August 14, 2020 8:55pm

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