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April 12, 2020 8:00am by Kokila Patel

General Debate 12 April 2020

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The Proper Ghandi

This is a good exposition of Chinese duplicity

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKmUxSlOoUE
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April 12, 2020 8:04am
- GoVege
  
  Don’tcha mean oriental inscrutability? 🙂
  
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  April 12, 2020 7:07pm
mikenmildagain

Happy International Day of Human Space Flight. Celebrating 59 years since Yuri Gagarin’s flight.
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April 12, 2020 8:07am
- quarterpack
  
  An achievement all the more remarkable considering the way things were in the Soviet Union at the time
  
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  April 12, 2020 11:23am
Happychappy

Didn’t a a UMR Poll in Noember also have Labour in the high forties % and National on 38% so are the Journalists in Wellington that Barry Sopers misus is crowing about because Labour is on 49% with their two Coalition partners onthe threshold of 5% a bit premature as that poll ended up being rubbish with National being able to govern with the help of Act.
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April 12, 2020 8:09am
- Tricati
  
  Very True Happy – I suspect this is all about positioning the PTPM, and setting the scene for when the real impact of the close down is realized. Note we have not had actual figures for unemployment, just some vague %, and we haven’t had any info on insolvency yet. When those that have over-extended financially due to low interest rates, start loosing their jobs and we start to see the mortgagee sales, you will see a dramatic change in peoples attitudes towards this inept government.
  
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  April 12, 2020 8:48am
  - Surely Knott
    
    Agree. At this stage, for many, it’s just a government supported 4 week holiday, with good weather. What’s not to like. It’s what comes next when things get interesting.
    
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    April 12, 2020 12:08pm
- Prince
  
  True. There’s still 5 months to go and preferences can swing wildly in the current environment. Ardern has all the limelight and adulation at the moment, but the financial realities are about to bite, and some unpopular decisions to be made. There is not much depth to the Labour caucus.
  As Barabbas may have said, a week is a long time in politics.
  
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  April 12, 2020 9:06am
The Proper Ghandi

This is a great article:

“But what is interesting is that, instead of worrying about the economic shutdown, many in the ideas caste seem to see the crisis as an opportunity to re-order life around their own opinions and priorities.”

https://www.pundit.co.nz/content/bzs0nbg4n8jjvvz1mi3mw2xu8zk7ku
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April 12, 2020 8:10am
- Ruahine
  
  At the moment guess who has got their hands on the levers of power and also more importantly the money. There is more to this charade than meets the eye.
  
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  April 12, 2020 10:21am
Mr Coronavirus

Daily announcements from Dr Ashley Bloomfield?

I would like a second opinion!
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April 12, 2020 8:13am
- Jack5
  
  The health chief is the person who should be making daily announcements, to give us more breaks from the PR Minister.
  
  Speaking of her, Andrea Vance, the ex-News of the World scribbler at Stuff, today reaches new heights of Ardern syncophancy with this description of the PR Minister’s pandemic pronouncements:
  
  “It’s an iron fist, dressed up in velvety words.”
  
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  April 12, 2020 9:01am
  - doggone7
    
    Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
    If the Prime Minister wasn’t appearing the antis would be saying she’s hiding, afraid to face the nation, etc., etc.
    
    If she does appear the antis are saying she’s manipulating the crisis and using it as a personal PR exercise.
    
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    April 12, 2020 10:04am
    - Jack5
      
      So we must all adulate Jacinderella?
      
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      April 12, 2020 10:21am
      - Alex13
        
        Adulate? – No. But give credit when credit is due.
        
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        April 12, 2020 6:35pm
      - double d
        
        She does read the auto cue well – there ya go.
        Doesn’t make her a leader.
        
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        April 13, 2020 12:29am
    - JackRabbit
      
      There are more than two choices. It is not either or…
      
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      April 12, 2020 10:28am
  - Ruahine
    
    She is hoping to get a job in the new Ministry of Truth.
    
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    April 12, 2020 10:22am
  - stewmar
    
    “It’s an iron fist, dressed up in velvety words.”
    
    Nauseous
    
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    April 12, 2020 10:31am
    - 3-coil
      
      Unctuous
      
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      April 12, 2020 11:28am
    - Classic Liberal
      
      Hm, if I didn’t know that was meant to be sycophantic, I would have interpreted it to mean she is a false and dangerous authoritarian.
      
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      April 12, 2020 12:44pm
  - Nickc2
    
    What’s Andrea Vance’s credibility – ZIP! Ask Peter Dunne.
    
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    April 12, 2020 11:34am
    - Michael NZ
      
      Rather ask his wife! Nick..
      
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      April 12, 2020 3:22pm
  - kowtow
    
    Or a jack boot with high heels.
    
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    April 12, 2020 12:09pm
- Mr Coronavirus
  
  By not mentioning the effects on suicide, mental health, relationships, long term economic pain and the cancellation of elective surgery, good Dr Ashley Bloomfield is lying for Jacinda through omission!
  
  SECOND OPINION TIME!
  
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  April 12, 2020 9:06am
  - herb1
    
    Perhaps Dr Bloomfield or Ardern could offer a sad face for the roughly 1700 fellow citizens who have died during the lockdown from causes other than Covid.
    Not to mention the 2,915,000 who have died worldwide during our 19 day lockdown.
    
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    April 12, 2020 9:54am
    - JackRabbit
      
      500 people die every year, from the flu and despite best efforts, could not be saved.
      
      Several hundred people die every year from infections they pick up in hospitals and nursing homes, and despite best efforts, could not be saved. In fact hospitals and nursing homes are a major contributor to death by influenza.
      
      Corona viruses are part of the wider group of influenza. Not being callous, but the Corona virus deaths we have in NZ so far are a tiny percentage of what happens every year:
      
      This from 2016:
      https://www.canterburyscl.co.nz/images/Infection_Control/LTCF_Info/Influenza_Vaccination.pdf
      
      The government is painting a morbid picture of the Covid-19 situation to justify their actions. What is happening in NZ is what happens every year.
      
      What is happening worldwide is what happens every year. 650,000 die every year from the flu. That’s 1800 every day. Coronavirus are one variant of the flu. It may be a nasty variant, but it needs to be put in context.
      
      Like the flu, the deaths vary according to region as a result of pollution, population density and yes body fluid exchange. Think about that next time (if there is one) you arrange a Tinder hook-up or kiss granny on the cheek at the nursing home.
      
      Practicing good hygiene, avoiding shaking hands and avoiding indiscriminate shagging has always been good advice to reduce virus transmission. No doubt the PM’s office will lead the way on that one. Hand’s down pants guy is definitely banned as are the young Labour party sex fests.
      
      Now is also a perfect time to stop smoking tobacco, marijuana and vaping, all three of which setup the ideal conditions for viruses to overcome the defences in your lungs. You can go through all the withdrawal symptoms in the privacy of your own home, and not inflict grumpiness on your workmates.
      
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      April 12, 2020 11:01am
      - JackRabbit
        
        @mod
        
        Bump
        
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        April 12, 2020 12:46pm
  - doggone7
    
    If Bloomfield was to mention all the negative side effects he’d have to make daily comments about the haters of the government and Ardern and that National isn’t in power acting even more stupid than ever.
    
    No second opinion needed on the fact that is happening,
    
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    April 12, 2020 10:07am
    - Happychappy
      
      Weren’t you one of those that did same when Bill English was PM, then you chose to spew Winston’s lies if I remember correctly.
      
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      April 12, 2020 10:32am
  - theoldbloke
    
    Many years ago I had a boss who said
    To cut thru the emotional crap apply ridiculous to the argument.
    With the current “”save lives”” argument.
    Would we(NZ) spend $22 trillion to save one life?
    Obvious answer NO
    Would we(NZ) spend $20 to save one life?
    Obvious answer yes.
    
    So its not about saving lives.
    Its about how much are we prepared to spend to save ONE life.
    Jacinda sees no limit.
    
    Various Gummint departments think that its in the order of $5? million.
    
    So 4 deaths currently. ($20 million)
    Lets ramp that to 400. ($2 billion)
    
    How much are we spending now? $12 Billion?
    So we should forecast 2500 deaths to justify the $12 Billion.
    
    Cant see that happening!! can you?
    
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    April 12, 2020 4:11pm
- Stellaboxer
  
  Why he’s an expert in non communicable disease what the hell do you want a virologist ?
  
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  April 12, 2020 10:41am
- theoldbloke
  
  Interesting that the Princess has been caught in another mis truth.
  Remember that Taiwan is not in lockdown
  Makes face mask wearing compulsory.
  has 386 cases
  6 Deaths
  Population 23 million
  649 people per sq kilometer
  
  here is the kicker
  On 15 March, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said New Zealand would follow Taiwan’s example in their strategy to fight the epidemic.[115] Several news outlets in New Zealand have also mentioned what Taiwan has done to prevent the coronavirus.[116][117] TVNZ1 also reported Taiwan in the Saturday 6pm Headline. [118]
  
  She didnt. Instead opting for a lockdown on march 23rd! A whole week later!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  
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  April 12, 2020 4:30pm
Chuck Bird

Given a bit of time, the voters might see we may not have been still in level 4 if Cindy had quarantined everyone coming in when we went to level 4. Good point made by Heather.

Heather du Plessis-Allan: Labour Party is polling well but are they untouchable?

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=12324066
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April 12, 2020 8:18am
- Mr Coronavirus
  
  Heather [del -mod.] Allan has been somewhat critical of the whole panic.
  
  Why hasn’t she drunk ALL of the Cool Aid?
  
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  April 12, 2020 8:25am
  - Nickc2
    
    I think her husband and Aunty Audrey scoffed the lot.
    
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    April 12, 2020 11:40am
- Paulus Gnome
  
  The point to linking to an article behind a paywall is what exactly?
  
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  April 12, 2020 8:30am
  - artemisia
    
    PressReader….
    
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    April 12, 2020 8:55am
    - john1234
      
      Does pressreader get you around the paywall?
      
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      April 12, 2020 9:47am
      - Ruahine
        
        Yes.
        
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        April 12, 2020 10:23am
      - Jack5
        
        Thanks for that, Ruahine.
        
        NZ Herald, Otago Daily Times accessible that way, but, at least at my library, not Stuff titles.
        
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        April 12, 2020 10:59am
  - Joely Doe
    
    Firefox and NZHerald Fixer…
    has been faultless for me.
    
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    April 12, 2020 11:58am
- The Proper Ghandi
  
  The numbers of new unemployed in 5-6 months will determine who wins the election. That may or may not be a rational stance, but people aren’t always rational when they don’t have enough to eat and cannot pay the bills.
  
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  April 12, 2020 8:32am
  - Mr Coronavirus
    
    People’s wits are sharpened considerably when they don’t have enough to eat and cannot pay the bills.
    
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    April 12, 2020 8:48am
    - Classic Liberal
      
      Until now, however, the unemployed have been reliable Labour voters. Will the new unemployed be any different? One can only hope so because they have been hard-working employees and business owners who want to get businesses back onto their feet instead of becoming long-term beneficiaries.
      
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      April 12, 2020 12:55pm
  - UkiWop
    
    As a side issue I expect that sadly there will be many many morgagee house sales, which will then lead to those that have money will happily snap up the undervalued houses that will become available. The consequences of this will be the rich get richer and the poorer get poorer this is a sad but inevitable unitended consequence of Ardrens socialist policies
    
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    April 12, 2020 8:57am
    - Chris R
      
      This could be so…but the economic trashing we are suffering will be the very excuse Ardern is looking for to bring in “ghost house” taxes and of course her much loved CGT. It won’t be worth hoarding houses once these bandits are through with all of us.
      
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      April 12, 2020 9:42am
      - Jack5
        
        Capital gains tax looks certain in a two-term Labour coalition, or at least a real CGT compared with the ghost one we have now.
        
        Landlords will risk the Tasman in rickety fishing boats, the new boat-people, border crashers.
        
        Will Jacinderella plead for their release from Christmas Island?
        
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        April 12, 2020 11:03am
      - Durden
        
        CGT when prices are falling?
        
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        April 12, 2020 12:15pm
  - Simon
    
    “when they don’t have enough to eat and cannot pay the bills.”
    
    Cindy said they should talk with their bank. Everything is fine.
    
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    April 12, 2020 9:07am
  - kwkiwigirl
    
    I think it will be earlier than 6 months. Till September will be plenty of time to give National a chance. Unemployment will have kicked in by then. Polls at present don’t mean much.
    
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    April 12, 2020 5:39pm
- Fletch
  
  Yep. People are being critical of Trump’s “slowness”, yet Trump closed the border to China on January 31st. Jacinda followed Trump’s lead yet didn’t close our border to China until February 3rd. And she didn’t close the border to all foreign travelers until March 20th.
  
  So if Trump was too slow, then what were we?
  
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  April 12, 2020 8:56am
  - kowtow
    
    ‘So if Trump was too slow, then what were we?’
    
    Comrade , please stop asking pertinent questions.
    Now is the time for short snappy slogans , that’s what will get us through this faux crisis.
    Unite , together ,battle etc.
    
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    April 12, 2020 9:45am
  - Sacha
    
    We were on holiday.
    Nothing could be done until everyone had returned to the office and the media woke up. The MSM attacked the pandemic with the same enthusiasm that they gave to Greta months earlier – like a pack of hounds after the fox.
    I am already detecting that the MSM are getting bored, and are looking around for a new cause –
    
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    April 12, 2020 10:03am
  - Stu2
    
    He largely closed the border
    
    Those banned from entering the U.S. were non-U.S. citizens, other than the immediate family of U.S. citizens and permanent residents, who have traveled to China within the last two weeks
    
    US citizens could continue going back and forth
    
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    April 12, 2020 10:16am
  - Critical Thinker
    
    Trump was far too quick in his “racism” in closing the US border, according to the Chinese Health Organisation (WHO) ?
    
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    April 12, 2020 10:16am
    - PhilBest
      
      And according to Democrats, progressives, and the Fake News MSM. One of the reason NYC and a few other places are epicentres, is that local administrations even including Health Commissioners, were assuring everyone that it was all a xenophobic plot, so get out there and party, patronize events and venues in Chinatown, to make a statement to the Bad Orange Waaacist in the Oval Office.
      
      In NYC people are STILL riding the subways at dangerous proximity to each other. Public transport is so dam sacred to progressives!
      
      https://www.foxnews.com/health/coronavirus-sparks-fear-in-new-york-city-subway-riders
      
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      April 12, 2020 11:06am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Should have been done late Jan. US knew of this last November.Obvious 5 eyes is not working or supreme commander was ignoring intelligence sources
  
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  April 12, 2020 9:09am
  - mikenmildagain
    
    Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
    It does appear that the US Commander-in-Chief ignored intelligence warnings, yes.
    
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    April 12, 2020 9:10am
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      Another smarmy smartarse comment. Or maybe you just can’t comprehend
      
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      April 12, 2020 10:31am
    - PhilBest
      
      “Intelligence warnings” from an agency that has appeared more than once to be working to his own downfall. Why would he automatically trust them on anything?
      
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      April 12, 2020 11:07am
    - Nickc2
      
      Before you sound off, take a look at the linked video.
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mruYmlTb8As
      
      You should take note of who knew what and when and listen to Sen Tom Cotton’s version of Nancy Pelosi preventing him telling the House of Representatives.
      
      Oh, but you won’t, will you?
      
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      April 12, 2020 11:57am
    - Fletch
      
      Yes, Trump was making noises in January that everything was going to be OK. But he is not a doctor or a virus expert. He has people to advise him of that like Dr Fauci, who said in an interview on January 25th on John Catsimatidis’s show that the virus was a “very, very low risk low risk to the United States” and that “It isn’t something the American public needs to worry about or be frightened about”.
      
      Fauci is widely recognized as one of the world’s leading experts on infectious diseases and has served every president since Reagan in 1984. So, if Trump were taking his cue from his adviser (and why shouldn’t he?) then of course he is going to speak the information he has been given.
      
      https://thehill.com/homenews/sunday-talk-shows/479939-government-health-agency-official-corona-virus-isnt-something-the
      
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      April 12, 2020 1:09pm
    - Ed Snack
      
      Bullshit, there was no “Intelligence Assessment” in November warning of a viral outbreak. That is more fake news used as a deliberate political ploy to undermine Trump. And done with the full complicity of the MSM as usual.
      
      Just like it has just been revealed in some now unredacted footnotes to the Horowitz report that the FBI knew that the Steele Dossier was not only unreliable but judged to contain deliberate Russian disinformation designed to undermine the US administration. Test the FBI went ahead anyway with their perjury and misinformation to gain FISA warrants to spy on US citizens. There was Russian Collusion alright, between the FBI, the Democrats and the Russians. What’s even worse, Adam Schorr as ranking member (then) on the intelligence committee knew this yet continued to release and promote direct lies about the verification of the Steele Dossier, which is again collusion with the Russians to achieve their aims.
      
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      April 12, 2020 1:28pm
      - mikenmildagain
        
        Really?
        https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/04/u-s-intel-warned-of-coronavirus-threat-in-november-report.html
        
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        April 12, 2020 3:32pm
      - Fletch
        
        Yep, just more media lies, especially by ABC this time.
        
        “As a matter of practice, the National Center for Medical Intelligence does not comment publicly on specific intelligence matters,” Col. Day said. “However, in the interest of transparency during this current public health crisis, we can confirm that media reporting about the existence/release of a National Center for Medical Intelligence Coronavirus-related product/assessment in November of 2019 is not correct. No such NCMI product exists.”
        
        https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/apr/9/pentagon-says-covid-report-cited-abc-doesnt-exist/
        
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        April 12, 2020 4:00pm
      - Ed Snack
        
        So NY Mag lies yet again. Embarrassed at falling for a such a transparent falsehood are we Mikey ?
        
        You should know when they say “sources say” that the source they are actually referring to are their own arseholes.
        
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        April 12, 2020 6:43pm
      - mikenmildagain
        
        You are right, ED. It seems that story was wrong. The fuller picture is here:
        https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/11/us/politics/coronavirus-trump-response.html?action=click&module=Spotlight&pgtype=Homepage
        
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        April 12, 2020 7:01pm
  - notreadyet
    
    Chosing to ignore. Was recommended by specialist health group to close the boarders on 5/3 and chose to ignore it as had other things she wanted to do on 15/3
    
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    April 12, 2020 9:12am
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      And waiting for advice from socialists in the UK
      
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      April 12, 2020 10:33am
  - Kabull
    
    The DNI has publicly stated that this media report is false.
    
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    April 12, 2020 10:12am
- Suze Wainwright
  
  ScoMo’s polling high in Aus right now too – does anyone remember the bushfires…?
  At the moment polling is a function of constant media exposure and currently being in charge.
  However, at least the Aussie media are prepared to have intelligent adult conversations about what might happen to polling when it comes time to properly open up and manage the economy again…
  
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  April 12, 2020 9:18am
  - PhilBest
    
    If you believed the fake news MSM, Morrison
    1) couldn’t win the election in the first place
    2) was handling the bushfires issue appallingly badly
    3) was handling the COVID-19 issue appallingly badly.
    
    On point 2) progressives point of argument that the bush fires were because Australia experts fossil fuels. Morrison was guilty of perpetuating bad bushfires forever by not shutting down Aussie’s fossil fuel extraction sector. Morrison himself was evidently some sort of “denier” for arguing that direct management of the forests themselves might be a more rational idea.
    
    The fact that most Aussies might support Morrison merely leads the fake-news progressives to the conclusion that Aussies are evil deniers just like their evil denier PM. They don’t seem to be capable of reflecting that their own position is the epitome of unreason.
    
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    April 12, 2020 11:11am
    - Suze Wainwright
      
      And the ABC is demanding more funding right now…!
      
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      April 12, 2020 12:53pm
- Jack5
  
  Heather du Plessis-Allan has developed into a bit of a rock amid the Leftist-Woke media tide.
  
  There must be interesting political banter between Heather and her husband, the radio political-news veteran Barry Soper.
  
  However, she is spared from being the “Mrs” part of an old mates’ nickname for Soper. Heather doesn’t fit a sobriquet of “Mrs Barely Sober”.
  
  The hackground of du Plessis-Allan:
  
  https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv-radio/70857862/the-real-heather-du-plessis-allan
  
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  April 12, 2020 9:24am
  - Chris R
    
    I don’t agree. I recognise her as an unmitigated leftie with not a single idea of her own. Her opinions change daily if not hourly. (Dictated to her by Sober?) Her delivery is so fast as to mask any merit in her deliverances…in fact she talks at a pace which suggests bladder incontinence.
    
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    April 12, 2020 9:46am
    - Jack5
      
      Perhaps, Chris, you spend more time listening to radio than I do.
      
      I apologise for the Freudian slip at the end of my post, though.
      
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      April 12, 2020 9:56am
    - stewmar
      
      One minute Heather is in awe of PTPM and praising her the next day she’s attacking poor Jacinda. She’s all over the shop
      
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      April 12, 2020 10:39am
      - Rachael Membery
        
        Balance?
        
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        April 12, 2020 1:33pm
Lee C

Well, having milked the pandemic they would be. No they are not untouchable.
How many potential MPs will ACT field this election?
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April 12, 2020 8:20am
- mikenmildagain
  
  Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
  Well, I am sure they will field their usual 30-40 potential MPs. Perhaps you meant to suggest they will increase their vote from 13,000 to the 130,000 or so needed to get more MPs than the National Party’s client in Epsom
  
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  April 12, 2020 8:27am
  - Benedict Yu
    
    He doesn’t behave like a National Party client. He is frequently the only voice of reason, freedom, and economic rationalism in Parliament.
    
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    April 12, 2020 9:04am
    - mikenmildagain
      
      Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
      He is ultimately hostage to the National Party’s fantasy that granting him an electorate seat might bring in other MPs to prop up a government.
      
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      April 12, 2020 9:37am
      - Benedict Yu
        
        He is not ‘granted’ a seat. He has Epsom for as long as he wants it. After the next election there will be at least 3, possibly more ACT MPs.
        
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        April 12, 2020 10:00am
      - mikenmildagain
        
        Ah, the usual ACT fantasy…
        
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        April 12, 2020 10:33am
      - JackRabbit
        
        @mikenmildagain
        
        Probabilities and aspirations are not fantasies.
        
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        April 12, 2020 1:01pm
  - Paulus Gnome
    
    Luckily we have National fielding 120 potential competent MP’s, the likes of Aaron Gilmore withstanding, and David Seymour, to counter 40 or so Twyfords, Currens, Mallards, Hipkins’s, Mahuta, Little, Sepuloni, Woods, Salesa, Davis, Adhern, Poto Williams, Jackson, Lee’s Galloway, Whaitiri, Coffee, ad infinitum.
    
    The brains trust of failure.
    
    With mention of Peter’s, Jones, Martin, Mark and the rest of the misfits that make up the Clown Car Pardy (CCP)
    
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    April 12, 2020 9:19am
    - gump
      
      National – the party which selected 17 year-old William Wood to stand as their candidate in Palmerston North?
      
      4 7
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      April 12, 2020 11:46am
      - JackRabbit
        
        Now 18 but the portion of his IQ that is over 100 is more than 90% of the Labour MPs combined. And he doesn’t lie or dance around with words. Something the PM could learn from.
        
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        April 12, 2020 1:03pm
      - Benedict Yu
        
        https://blog.powerscore.com/lsat/bid-277660-flawed-reasoning-in-lsat-logical-reasoning-questions-exceptional-cases-and-overgeneralizations/
        
        You might benefit from reading this.
        
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        April 12, 2020 1:21pm
  - alwyn
    
    You obviously don’t have the faintest idea how the system works do you?
    Not surprising really I guess. Your stupidity is exposed every time you tap away at your keyboard.
    For your information about 31,000 votes, in total, would have gained them a second MP. The 130,000 you talk about would have gained them 6 MPs. To get a seventh they would have needed about 135,000 notes.
    How did you think that the Green Party got 8 MPs from only about 160,000 votes if your estimate was correct?
    Some people really are thick.
    
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    April 12, 2020 9:51am
    - mikenmildagain
      
      Sorry. I realised after I posted that I had work it out correctly, and that ACT only needed to treble its vote to get two MPs. Still fantasy land.
      
      2 29
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      April 12, 2020 10:35am
      - JackRabbit
        
        Being negative and making up shit as you go along makes you a prime Labour Party candidate.
        
        4 1
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        April 12, 2020 1:06pm
mikenmildagain

Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
Israel’s health minister has coronavirus; he had previously claimed the Messiah would arrive for Passover to fix everything…
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April 12, 2020 8:21am
- All_on_Red
  
  Maybe he will be cured by Monday
  
  37 2
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  April 12, 2020 8:42am
  - mikenmildagain
    
    Or have passed over…
    
    8 17
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    April 12, 2020 9:07am
    - Sacha
      
      4. Dammit.
      
      3 1
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      April 12, 2020 10:06am
  - Paulus Gnome
    
    Or have egg on his face . . .
    
    9 0
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    April 12, 2020 9:21am
    - mikenmildagain
      
      Not an Easter egg though.
      
      5 14
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      April 12, 2020 9:38am
      - Jack5
        
        As an agnostic, I’m not offended by your religious humour, Milky.
        
        However, will it extend to the Islamic celebrations of Eid Al-Fitr and Eid Al-Adha?
        
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        April 12, 2020 9:53am
      - mikenmildagain
        
        I’m not familiar enough with those festivals to think up any offensive jokes about them. But fill your boots, and I’ll let you know if they made me laugh.
        
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        April 12, 2020 10:36am
      - mikenmildagain
        
        You could start with these guys, though:
        https://www.jesusandmo.net/comic/phony/
        
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        April 12, 2020 12:12pm
Ipanema69

On the what are people thinking front.

I was listening to parts of my partners virtual drinks (conducted by zoom) lastnight.

There are a couple of Jacinda fan girls in the group. One of whom works in the public sector and the other works for a small company.

Suffice to say that there is now a widely divergent view of the governments performance between the two women. This is obviously being driven by the economic consequences of the lockdown on the private sector.

I am now naming this phenomena the “Marvelly” effect.

The worm is turning.
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April 12, 2020 8:21am
- Hacked-Off
  
  ‘Now is our Winter of discontent’. I could not agree more. As people sit at home with not much to do, they will be contemplating their situations now and in the future when we move to a post-Covid phase. Many who are not in public sector, and perhaps those whose public sector jobs are marginal and insecure, will see a bleak future or one likely less promising then before the lock down. I would say that the poll released by Labour (and here is an example of them politicizing the crisis – another Ardern hypocrisy) is transitory according to the perception of the moment. I would challenge them to do another poll and publish it if they were to extend the lock down, or release the New Zealand public into a depression type environment. I guarantee that the polls would almost be reversed.
  
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  April 12, 2020 8:58am
  - Ipanema69
    
    Yip hacked off I agree. This is as good as it gets for Ardern.
    
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    April 12, 2020 12:30pm
JibberJabber

American liberals finding out about “being careful what you wish for, you just might get it” the hard way…

Virus-Panicked Liberal Gun Buyers Are Getting Angry When They Discover Their Own Gun Control Laws
https://www.redstate.com/kiradavis/2020/04/10/815520/
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April 12, 2020 8:22am
Poppa

This narc on people instruction from Cindy is just disgusting frankly

We are hearing of people being abused for simply minding their own business

It seems to be all part of the socialist agenda
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April 12, 2020 8:28am
- artemisia
  
  It’s important to listen to the people especially when they are complaining about stuff. Some stuff anyway, if there is mileage in it.
  
  Easy enough to set up a way for people to complain about cauliflowers and those walking their dogs. Not so easy to justify diverting public servants on full pay to follow up and answer thousands of complaints from curtain twitchers.
  
  Not easy to justify but that hasn’t stopped that diversion happening.
  
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  April 12, 2020 9:02am
- rightoverlabour
  
  Narcs don’t always get the last laugh….
  
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pursuit_of_Nazi_collaborators
  
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  April 12, 2020 9:05am
  - mikenmildagain
    
    Planning to shave some collaborators’ heads? Part of your fantasy of Nazi comparisons?
    
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    April 12, 2020 9:39am
    - kowtow
      
      I’d wager the cut the girls’ hair types weren’t the ones who were in early and taking the real risks. Like the bully boys that they were they probably joined up once it became clear the tide had turned ……
      
      In other words real heros don’t bully the weak.
      
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      April 12, 2020 10:57am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Just like kindy. When one does not own up to being naughty, the whole lot suffer. Collective punishment
  
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  April 12, 2020 9:12am
Dougal10

I get the feeling we are just shifting the so called curve to the depths of our winter ,when the northern hemisphere countries are trying to shift their curve to the middle of summer.
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April 12, 2020 8:33am
- Simon
  
  Geez dont worry about it. Its bullshit.
  
  2 8
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  April 12, 2020 9:19am
  - Dougal10
    
    Unless you over 70 like most of our parents are I’d rather they had it when weather was warmer
    
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    April 12, 2020 10:29am
- kowtow
  
  It may well be less of a curve than a series of waves.
  That being the case this shut down has killed the economy ,for what?
  
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  April 12, 2020 10:59am
- PhilBest
  
  I’ve been saying this repeatedly on KB. It is a question whether our COVID outbreak was going to be 1/100 as deadly as it has been in Northern Italy, for a whole host of reasons including “flu season” and which hemisphere we’re in. Then there’s housing, urban density, air pollution/ cleanness, etc etc. Germany is now estimated to have a COVID-19 deadliness around 1/35 of Northern Italy. NZ certainly would be even better. Even “the rest of Italy” has far lower susceptibility. There are numerous forecasting mistakes being made, along the lines of extrapolating data from epicentres onto “the rest of the world”.
  
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  April 12, 2020 11:26am
Than

The 4-level Coronavirus Alert level system was an excellent concept. But that’s also the problem – it was, and still only seems to be, just a concept. What the levels actually mean doesn’t seem to have been defined.

In the first days after the government moved to level 4 there was confusion around which businesses could open and exactly what people would be allowed to do. And now several weeks later we still don’t have clarity what will be allowed under level 3.

The government should have decided exactly what restrictions would be in place at each level before the system was announced. It wouldn’t have needed to be a 100-pages of exact rules – just a dozen or so bullet point guidelines for each level would have been enough. Not having that was sloppy and amateurish.

The alert level system is typical of this government – great on slogans, utterly useless on details and implementation.
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April 12, 2020 8:35am
- SGA
  
  Conversely, I am hoping that we don’t have a religious adherence to the specifics of the Alert levels once we get out of Level 4. They serve as good markers, but also we should be learning about what seems to be important and working and what’s not (both here and overseas) – be adaptable. For example, if the outbreaks looks well under control in a week or so, then I have no problem with a something that looks more like Level 2.5 than Level 3.
  
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  April 12, 2020 9:01am
  - Than
    
    Sure. And as I said, we wouldn’t want the levels to be a 100+ page document of exact rules defining what people can do.
    
    But we need to have at least some guidelines around what is permitted at each Alert level, or there is simply no point in having the system.
    
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    April 12, 2020 9:47am
    - SGA
      
      But we need to have at least some guidelines
      
      There are no guidelines at all? Really? For heavens sake, I have a pretty good idea what I should be doing at the moment, and so do the people in my community. Maybe it is just you?
      
      Governments around the world should be doing what any good military commander, sports coach, or CEO would do. Look at what’s working, look at what’s not working, look at how the conditions are changing, and be willing to adapt. No one can plan for the specifics of a pandemic.
      
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      April 12, 2020 10:02am
  - namron
    
    ALERT LEVEL THREE: RESTRICT.
    * Travel in areas of community transmission limited
    * Affected educational facilities closed
    * Mass gatherings cancelled
    * Public venues closed
    * Alternative ways of working required and some
    non-essential businesses closed
    * Non face-to-face primary care consultations
    * Elective surgeries and procedures deferred and
    healthcare staff reprioritised
    ALERT LEVEL FOUR: ELIMINATE.
    * People to stay at home
    * Educational facilities closed
    * All nonessential businesses closed
    * Rationing of supplies and requisitioning of
    facilities
    * Severe travel restrictions
    * Major reprioritisation of healthcare services
    There you go, what do you {and them} make of
    those?
    Plenty of room to “read between” the letters, words and lines to do what they want!!!
    
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    April 12, 2020 11:47am
- Hacked-Off
  
  Considering this Levels system was only thought up in a weekend, and politically was only to make it look like the CoL had a plan, What did you expect? They are making it all up as they go along. Will Stage 3 look like the 48 hours that we had before the lock down? If so, that will still leave most businesses closed and people unemployed. The decision to be made on the 20th will be vague and unfocused which will create more confusion.
  
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  April 12, 2020 9:05am
  - SGA
    
    Considering this Levels system was only thought up in a weekend
    
    I don’t think that’s quite right. New Zealand had a general (too many unknowns to be too specific in advance) pandemic/epidemic plan. Someone provided a link to it 1-2 weeks ago. It was last updated in 2017. The early response was largely based on it.
    
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    April 12, 2020 9:39am
    - Than
      
      If so, surely that would make the lack of clarity we’re facing now even less excusable? If the restrictions have already been figured out, why is the government not just announcing them?
      
      My guess would be that 4-level Alert system was not part of previous pandemic planning. I don’t doubt there has been plenty of planning around counting number of hospital beds available, how to do infection tracking, isolating individuals or small groups, etc. But the 4-level Alert system specifically, I strongly suspect was thought up in the last couple of months.
      
      To be clear, I think the 4-level Alert system is a great idea. It should be kept for future outbreaks, and the concept could even potentially be adapted for other emergency situations like tsunami or earthquakes. But it needs meat on the bones – actual plans to implement and actions to take. More than just announcing “we’re at level X” as a feel-good headline.
      
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      April 12, 2020 10:32am
      - SGA
        
        If so, surely that would make the lack of clarity we’re facing now even less excusable? If the restrictions have already been figured out, why is the government not just announcing them?
        
        From the post you are commenting on
        
        New Zealand had a general (too many unknowns to be too specific in advance) pandemic/epidemic plan.
        
        What part of that are you having trouble understanding?
        If this virus was as deadly as SARS and/or as contagious as measles, things would be very, very different at the moment.
        
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        April 12, 2020 10:41am
      - PhilBest
        
        And so far all the “expert” officials are fighting this as if it was SARS. They are completely ignoring the now-proven very high asymptomatic infection rate of COVID-19. It’s like trying to fight WW2 over again, in Vietnam.
        
        If you got SARS, you were in trouble. But about 97% of people getting infected with COVID-19 won’t even need to go into hospital – unless, like elderly Northern Italians, your environment and pre-existing health conditions and co-infections meant most of you had to go into hospital anyway every flu season. Even there, the asymptomatic infection rates in the general population are nearly as high as everywhere else.
        
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        April 12, 2020 11:31am
      - SGA
        
        My guess would be that 4-level Alert system was not part of previous pandemic planning.
        
        Why would you guess that? From memory, I think it had something similar. The document is publically available, so perhaps you might consider looking at.
        
        You seem to have trouble with the idea that it is very difficult to have a “one size fits all” template. A country’s response will depend on the nature of the disease (is it more like measles, influenza, meningitis, whatever), how serious is it (both in terms of deaths and hospitalisations), the demographics of the most vulnerable (children, young adults, older adults), how contagious it is (more like Ebola or measles), can asymptomatic people spread it, response to medication, and there are probably of other things I can’t think of off the top of my head.
        
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        April 12, 2020 12:42pm
    - JackRabbit
      
      I agree SGA, it did exist in 2017, but it did not excuse the government for not carrying out Level2 maximum border control until late this week, well after we are in Level4 lockdown. Leave the gates open for the contagion to come in why don’t they.
      
      Any law or rule, no matter how good, or well intended, is of little value if those that are assigned to enforce it, breach it with contempt.
      
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      April 12, 2020 1:14pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Let’s do this, and nothing is done
  
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  April 12, 2020 9:13am
  - Happychappy
    
    Steve you wouldn’t be happy if you were one people advising Jacinda over COVID – 19 with her statement that she took the advice of her friends overseas when making the decision to lockdown NZ. This revelation could come back to bite her on the arse by senior Health officials if it goes pear shaped.
    
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    April 12, 2020 10:45am
    - septic skeptic
      
      And just a few days prior she was still happy to go ahead with the commemorative hugefest! Rumor has it that was only cancelled because Bloomfield threatened to resign if it went ahead.
      
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      April 12, 2020 11:37am
      - JackRabbit
        
        And Bloomfield was quite right to do so. The PM is inept.
        
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        April 12, 2020 1:17pm
- notreadyet
  
  They didn’t know anything about the 4 level system, it was put together under national and has been sitting on a shelf gathering dust, was quickly dusted off and implemented without any thought
  
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  April 12, 2020 9:19am
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    The 2017 Influenza epidemic plan has a 6-stage system.
    
    https://www.health.govt.nz/system/files/documents/publications/influenza-pandemic-plan-framework-action-2nd-edn-aug17.pdf
    
    Jacinda Ardern referred to it in the early days of our pandemic when she talked of stage 2 & 3 in that plan:
    Keep it out
    Stamp it out.
    
    She didn’t seem to refer to stage 1: Plan for it.
    
    The next 3 stages are:
    Manage it
    Manage it – Post -peak
    Recover from it.
    
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    April 12, 2020 12:39pm
- JackRabbit
  
  Under Level 2, there was supposed to be MAXIMUM border entry control.
  
  As I keep saying, handing out pamphlets about Covid-19, and asking if you feel unwell is not MAXIMUM border entry control. Especially when travelers are focused on getting back to their families and loved ones.
  
  If the threat was terrorism or drugs what would be MAXIMUM border entry control.?
  
  BC (border control): Here’s a pamphlet on terrorism. Do you have sociopath feelings?
  IP: (Incoming Person): No
  BC: Do you feel like you are likely to carry out a terrorism threat?
  IP: No
  BC: The scanner shows an object in your baggage that looks like a shoulder mounted SAM (surface to air missile)
  IP: Nah, thats a shoulder mounted sonic gun designed to keep birds off my strawberry patch.
  BC: Yes we have seen a few of these lately. Made in Iran or Iraq I believe. Must be a late strawberry season this year. You are free to go.
  
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  April 12, 2020 10:08am
- Brian McDonald
  
  Haven’t you got a mail box. We got the alert levels details weeks ago and have it on the wall. If you want to be critical at least get your facts right.
  
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  April 12, 2020 10:11am
MrTips

Happy Easter to all readers, regardless of your station and beliefs. Hope you all have a great day with family.

And a roll away the stone question: why did Grant Robertson recently insert himself into a MoH/contractor dispute, siding with the contractor? This gossip is all over the place at the moment.
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April 12, 2020 8:44am
- jv
  
  And Happy (near) Jacinda-free long weekend
  
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  April 12, 2020 8:55am
- Engelbert Humperdink
  
  Would appreciate a link please Mr T.
  
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  April 12, 2020 9:04am
  - MrTips
    
    All I can say is that the COVID19 breaking lockdown narc line isn’t running anywhere as hot as Robertson’s own operating circle.
    
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    April 12, 2020 9:37am
    - Inandout
      
      MrT, ‘Robertson’s operating circle’..now I am interested.
      
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      April 12, 2020 11:14am
    - JackRabbit
      
      Group Bubble?
      
      2 1
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      April 12, 2020 1:19pm
- krazykiwi
  
  And a roll away the stone question: why did Grant Robertson recently insert himself into a MoH/contractor dispute, siding with the contractor? This gossip is all over the place at the moment.
  
  I for one would be happy to not learn anything about where Grant Robertson inserts himself.
  
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  April 12, 2020 9:55am
- Sacha
  
  Ooooh. Tell us more please Mr Tips.
  
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  April 12, 2020 10:10am
Doubledimp

Starting to look like the perfect storm for landlords. Those that sold up in the “great tenancy war” of 2019 will now be seeing their fund’s value decreasing in the current sharemarket, through no fault of their own. And those who switched to Air BnB are also stuffed.

I purchased 2 rental properties because of the inherent instability and lack of control the sharemarket brings, and I can add value to my asset by managing it properly and investing in it. If you take away my control, I will dispose of my asset as it is no longer mine anymore.

Oh and I drove past one of my rentals yesterday and they have 2 children under 10 and no teddy bears in the windows. For shame!
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April 12, 2020 8:50am
UkiWop

When the daily counts are given, I would like a some more detail i.e.
4,000 tests, out of that number how many where clear of the virus, how many had a cold, flu, sore throat etc. or some other infection.
I think by doing this we will get a clearer picture as to what is truly going on
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April 12, 2020 8:50am
- barnacle bill
  
  Well, counting all of that will soak up many of the unemployed for awhile.
  
  Just another KB blogger brainwave.
  
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  April 12, 2020 9:45am
- Brian McDonald
  
  Would you also like reports on their temperature readings?
  
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  April 12, 2020 10:12am
- SGA
  
  how many where clear of the virus, how many had a cold, flu, sore throat etc. or some other infection.
  
  I think I would rather that we used our finite amount of laboratory resources concentrating on the virus at hand rather exhaustively testing each sample for every known virus and bacteria. Call me old fashioned.
  
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  April 12, 2020 10:28am
  - mikenmildagain
    
    Or sensible.
    
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    April 12, 2020 10:38am
  - Ed Snack
    
    The Laboratories are well under-utilised at present and could easily handle other tests. The limits on the CV tests are due to limited availability of those specific tests, not on the ability to process in general.
    
    There still should be a random sample test conducted so this government has more than a complete guess at the actual presence of the virus in NZ. It would take maybe 5,000 samples to get a reasonable assesssment, but it could be done relatively quickly and without exhausting our testing capacity as we appear to have at least 1,000 tests per day more capacity available than is being used.
    
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    April 12, 2020 1:39pm
- Ruahine
  
  I do not think we are supposed to have a clear picture of what is going on.
  
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  April 12, 2020 11:08am
  - JackRabbit
    
    A clear picture might burst our bubbles.
    
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    April 12, 2020 1:20pm
- PhilBest
  
  You can form a lot of good conclusions from the MoH web page itself.
  
  https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/covid-19-current-situation/covid-19-current-cases
  
  Follow the embedded links to further information, especially on clusters. I think whatever accusations we can make of the government right now, this web site is pretty good for “transparency”.
  
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  April 12, 2020 11:35am
Komata

MrT@0844

‘Friends’ in low places perhaps or even (and surely not, ‘cos he’s a ‘Minister of the Crown’ and above such things),’Vested interests’…?
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April 12, 2020 8:52am
- JackRabbit
  
  Wouldn’t that be ‘Unvested Interests’?
  
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  April 12, 2020 1:21pm
DeepBlue

Legally it is the DG of Health who has all the power during the Epidemic. It is he who decides the rules to depoliticize the lockdown according to Damien Grant.

If so, why is Jacinda saying Cabinet will decide next week? You can’t get any more political than that.
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April 12, 2020 8:53am
- doggone7
  
  Do you want elected politicians deciding or do you want public servants deciding?
  
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  April 12, 2020 10:10am
DRHILL

I see in the Sydney Morning Herald that the Tourism Minister states the Australian border might stay closed until the end of the year or beyond
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April 12, 2020 8:55am
- Brian McDonald
  
  Because Australia is in a similar situation to NZ in getting control of their borders and stamping C19, I think at the appropriate time travel restrictions will be eased between the 2. It’s certain that countries that impose no (to minimal) C19 risk on one another will more freely open their borders to one another.
  Eventually, both countries will be in a position to allow visitors from other countries who have tested Covid free and willing to under quarantine in comfortable conditions – our hotels, after all, are empty with no real relief in sight. Students who are willing to accept the same protocols should be welcomed back.
  And by no means lastly on the changing economy, working and studying from home where ever possible should be a priority to keep traffic levels, fuel consumption, and pollution down.
  
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  April 12, 2020 10:00am
- emmess
  
  Well yes, that is the obvious solution for us too.
  Get life back to normal domestically.
  I have heard no thinking ahead from the government apart from for returning to level 3, then what?
  Do we need the Aussies to think ahead for us?
  
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  April 12, 2020 10:27am
  - Brian McDonald
    
    Not at all, because we have done better than them.
    
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    April 12, 2020 8:43pm
oldpark

Happy Easter everyone . Also Happy “real” genuine Chocolate Easter eggs. Not the fake quelchy softy marshmallow too sweet to be wholesome hearts. Yuk!Yuk!
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April 12, 2020 8:56am
Mr Coronavirus

Judging by the screams and shrieks my next door neighbour’s three teenage daughters are going to kill each other long before the coronavirus 🙂
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April 12, 2020 8:58am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Same next to us. Two of them that can only scream, not talk, and they are sisters ffs
  
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  April 12, 2020 9:28am
- MCos
  
  People next to me are yelling at their kids just the same as they always have.
  
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  April 12, 2020 9:43am
JibberJabber

Hard times create strong people,
Strong people create good times,
Good times create weak people,
Weak people create hard times.
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April 12, 2020 8:59am
- Inandout
  
  JJ you speak the truth, plain and simple. This time last month we were surrounded by the usual crap having transgenders making the news and weird people pushing their human rights. It was reaching crazy proportions and suddenly it all came crashing down to earth. Every cloud has a silver lining.
  
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  April 12, 2020 11:27am
Steve Otto(North Shore)

Is everyone enjoying their free 30 day trial of communism?
Karl Marx.
Vladimir Lenin.
Joseph Stalin.
Jacinda Ardern
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April 12, 2020 9:05am
- mikenmildagain
  
  Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
  Did you forget to compare her with Hitler, Mao and Pol Pot as well?
  
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  April 12, 2020 9:08am
  - KevO'Brien
    
    Those three could be mild compared to what overly enthusiastic commies could do.
    
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    April 12, 2020 9:40am
  - Suze Wainwright
    
    Mao and Pol Pot were communists, Hitler was a socialist…
    
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    April 12, 2020 10:07am
    - mikenmildagain
      
      Sigh. Hitler was a socialist in the same way that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is democratic…
      
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      April 12, 2020 10:41am
      - septic skeptic
        
        Hitler was a socialist in the same way all socialists impose state control.
        
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        April 12, 2020 11:46am
      - JackRabbit
        
        You had it right with “Hitler was a socialist”
        
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        April 12, 2020 1:25pm
      - UrbanNeocolonialist
        
        But ultimately what is the difference? Vast numbers end up dead and the rest impoverished and bought low because a mob of autocratic arseholes gain power by hook or by crook, regardless of what banner they happen to be waving.
        
        Every revolutionary is a closet aristocrat.
        
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        April 12, 2020 2:38pm
      - Paulus Gnome
        
        but but but, it says National in the title, how can that be a socialist pardy?
        
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        April 12, 2020 2:57pm
    - JackRabbit
      
      Same guns, same outcomes, different PR…
      
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      April 12, 2020 1:23pm
- Jack5
  
  Let’s hope the economic dive caused by the lockdown doesn’t go down in local history as the NZ-scale equivalent of Stalin and Mao’s famines. ??
  
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  April 12, 2020 9:10am
  - JackRabbit
    
    No doubt Jacinda will announce a Five Year Plan.
    She started with a Ten Year Plan for Supplanting a Billion trees and Bobbing (the Builder) 100,000 houses, and Stamping out Child Poverty.
    
    Now it is Supplanting 100 Billion in Loans, Rogering 10,000 businesses and Rubber Stamping Child Poverty.
    
    Kiwibuild didn’t work because there was was no demand for expensive state supplied houses. She’s trying to fix that by making people so poor that they have choice but to buy KiwiBuild houses with a $1 deposit or some similar incentive.
    
    Planting a Billion trees (actually 500,000) did not work because everyone was working. Now she will be victorious as unemployed people will be lining up for the dole, but able bodied workers will be forced to work in state compounds planting trees or get no money.
    
    Socialist Rules.
    
    1. Create a problem, and watch the carnage occur.
    2. Offer the solution that matches your agenda.
    
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    April 12, 2020 1:37pm
- JibberJabber
  
  The UK got Boris ?
  We got Corbyn in a frock ?
  
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  April 12, 2020 9:10am
- SJ Actual
  
  Unfortunately, it’s going to be far from free
  
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  April 12, 2020 9:16am
- Simon
  
  Ardern what a mong. Apparently NZ is in home detention because of her conversation with a fellow vegetable in London.
  
  The big cities are suffering from the Wuhan sniffles because of public transport and close proximity. London has 11,200 people per Km squire whereas NZ has 18.
  
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  April 12, 2020 9:18am
  - MCos
    
    You’re comparing a country with a densely populated city?
    A bit meaningless, I have thought.
    BTW
    Our worst area for infections is Southland, which has a population density of 2.9 people/km2
    
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    April 12, 2020 9:58am
    - kowtow
      
      Due to one event , the wedding.
      Lies damn lies and statistics.
      
      South Island has 75 % of the deaths and yet is less populated than the NI .
      
      I extrapolate from that that less populated areas with out door healthy farming folk are more dangerous than cities full of obese drug addled homeless types who have TB.
      
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      April 12, 2020 10:31am
      - MCos
        
        Two events, as it happens.
        The other one was the World Hereford Conference, which toured Southland in conjunction with the conference in Queenstown in Otago (pop density 7.6/km2)
        
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        April 12, 2020 11:44am
    - Dougal10
      
      It also contains queenstown
      
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      April 12, 2020 10:32am
      - Jack5
        
        And Bluff.
        
        Icy Antarctic winds chill the restaurant on the Foveaux Strait lookout hill where the Covid-19 wedding was held.
        
        There was a local saying: “We’re rough and we’re tough, and we come from the Bluff.”
        
        Conclusion: there’s no point in lowering the temperature in Covid-19 wards in the hope of freezing the virus to death.
        
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        April 12, 2020 10:52am
- info@cruzpro.com
  
  Never enjoyed life so much.
  
  Not having to work.
  
  No annoying customers phoning in to disturb us.
  
  The government putting money into our bank account instead of us putting money into their bank account.
  
  What’s not to like?
  
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  April 12, 2020 9:21am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    You will be putting it back into their account soon enough. These are socialists we are talking about
    
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    April 12, 2020 10:40am
    - info@cruzpro.com
      
      Only if we survive long enough to make a profit Steve. At least the employees will get paid for a while and their income is taxed.
      
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      April 12, 2020 11:36am
      - Steve Otto(North Shore)
        
        True. The company I work for will survive. They are sound financially and have good assets and infrastructure. That means I can keep on working (68) I do it because I am fit and I like what I do.
        However, the Government NEVER loses, they will slam the private sector as hard as they can
        
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        April 12, 2020 2:34pm
- Liberty
  
  Lets not forget.
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9rsxFaq6Ig
  
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  April 12, 2020 9:31am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    15
    
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    April 12, 2020 10:43am
- Inandout
  
  Steve, and special shops for the commissariat. They are essential people.
  
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  April 12, 2020 9:34am
- Rich Prick
  
  The food queues are horrendous this morning.
  
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  April 12, 2020 10:01am
  - Liberty
    
    Comrade Stalin would have been impressed with Dear Leader.
    The food lines are back.
    
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    April 12, 2020 1:57pm
- Belinda
  
  Yes loving defying the guards on gates of my retirement village, and incurring the wrath of fellow residents, as I don my russian peasant woman disguise, and take my little basket to queue outside pak nsave for my loaf of bread.
  When the weather cools, we will probably be more likely to get pneumonia from standing in queues in a howling southerly.
  
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  April 12, 2020 10:29am
- PhilBest
  
  I am reminded of an assessment by C S Lewis, where he said “it would be better to live under robber barons than omnipotent moral busybodies”.
  
  And he went on to say something like, the straight-out brute dictator will occasionally have his own appetite for brutality sated, but no-one will torment us as incessantly, without relent, as those who do so “for our own good”.
  
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  April 12, 2020 11:40am
  - mikenmildagain
    
    CS Lewis thought witch hunts were wrong, but only because he didn’t think witches existed. If they did, he thought, they should be killed.
    
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    April 12, 2020 2:35pm
Mr Coronavirus

Castro and Cuba is a better analogy:

– Close to a larger economy
– Island nation
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April 12, 2020 9:08am
- kowtow
  
  Some detail would be useful.
  Apparently they have ( had) an excellent health system . They being commie types also had a huge degree of coercion as part of the system ie HIV was controlled through draconian isolation . Does the same apply now ?
  
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  April 12, 2020 11:05am
Yvette

Government wants widening of footpaths so people can maintain 2m distance post lockdown.
In a bid to maintain social distancing even after we come out of lockdown, the Government is giving extra money to councils to widen footpaths and roll out temporary cycleways throughout the country.
Today, Associate Minister of Transport Julie Anne Genter announced the project which aims to ensure people can keep two metres apart while out and about.
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/government-wants-widening-footpaths-so-people-can-maintain-2m-distance-post-lockdown

Is this for real – or just 12 days late?
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April 12, 2020 9:09am
- Benedict Yu
  
  I am just flabbergasted. When I read your post I had assumed it was a joke. AFAIK if NZTA is paying for this it will come out of petrol tax.
  
  Yet another example or someone using this crisis to advance ideological whims.
  
  FFS. I hope DPF posts on this.
  
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  April 12, 2020 9:34am
  - dog_eat_dog
    
    Supposedly it is coming out of money already budgeted for piloting street changes. So it is literally an announcement they’re actually going to spend money they’ve already announced would be spent on this very thing.
    
    Breathlessly reported as heroic responsive action from the MIA transport minister who was apparently prepared to bring down the government over a tunnel in Wellington, but deafeningly silent on anything to do with the total cock up that is light rail in Auckland.
    
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    April 12, 2020 9:59am
    - PhilBest
      
      I’d love to know how they are going to achieve this on the many streets around Wgtn city that are far too narrow. Demolish buildings? Massive earthworks? Elevated grade separation? Remove vehicle access permanently?
      
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      April 12, 2020 11:42am
      - Steve Otto(North Shore)
        
        JAG will just ban cars there. Road lice and foot traffic can have the whole road
        
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        April 12, 2020 2:38pm
- YesMinister
  
  I hope this is a joke. Even if two people passed on the far side of a footpath, if one of them was sufficiently ill and sneezed a good amount of virus into the air, the other would breathe it in. But that’s irrelevant, because we don’t design our world around viruses anyway. If we did, it would end up being that every human would be born into a solitary pod and we’d be grown Matrix style. No transmission there at all!
  
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  April 12, 2020 9:42am
  - septic skeptic
    
    Call me Smith ?
    
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    April 12, 2020 12:33pm
    - mikenmildagain
      
      Winston or Agent?
      
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      April 12, 2020 2:36pm
      - Ed Snack
        
        It was just his dream…
        
        Nearly wrote dram, but come to think of it, that might be appropriate.
        
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        April 12, 2020 4:31pm
  - UrbanNeocolonialist
    
    2m outside is bollocks because of wind. Walking on the beach this morning a caught a strong whiff of perfume from an old lady passing 10m away.
    
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    April 12, 2020 2:33pm
- Sofia
  
  This was TVNZ. It is now also on RNZ among supposedly serious “Things you should know”
  
  What is Julie Ann going to do about public transport?
  Ban it or take out every second row of seats?
  
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  April 12, 2020 9:47am
  - PhilBest
    
    Look, even in NYC where they are hauling bodies away from hospitals in refrigerator trucks, public transport is too dam SACRED to be shut down!!
    
    https://www.foxnews.com/health/coronavirus-sparks-fear-in-new-york-city-subway-riders
    
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    April 12, 2020 11:44am
- Brian McDonald
  
  I think she needs to take up knitting.
  
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  April 12, 2020 10:04am
  - Suze Wainwright
    
    Who? JAG or Jacinda?
    
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    April 12, 2020 10:45am
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    A very dangerous suggestion.
    https://femnista.wordpress.com/2016/06/02/knitting-a-revolution-madame-defarge-in-a-tale-of-two-cities/
    
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    April 12, 2020 11:33am
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  and don’t forget the folks on bicycles…
  Highly-visible plastic posts, planter boxes and other materials could be used to create temporary separated cycleways.
  
  https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/414054/social-distancing-more-funding-on-way-for-wider-footpaths-new-cycleways
  
  Isn’t it great that our Green MPs aren’t sitting at home having a 4-week holiday, but are coming up with deep solutions to our transport-health problems?
  
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  April 12, 2020 11:28am
guardianista

Do we know whether NZ doctors are using the hydroxychoroquine/azithromycin regime to treat our Covid patents? I have never heard a journalist ask this question at any of the briefings (but a lot of really stupid ones!).
I hope we don’t have a purer than thou medical profession that is awaiting full on testing and reading the cnn lobbying against the “trump drug”.
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April 12, 2020 9:09am
- MCos
  
  Conversely should our doctors be prescribing a drug on the say-so of some unqualified foreign politician?
  I don’t think that’s how our system works.
  
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  April 12, 2020 10:03am
  - Ed Snack
    
    That is a stupid response; HCL has been around for 70 odd years, it’s side effects and contra-indications are well documented. Given those, it is as safe to administer as any drug.
    
    There are no top quality double blind tests on its efficacy, but there is some evidence that it is useful. It was tested and found effective during the SARS outbreak some 15 or so years ago but further research was shelved when SARS died down. Plus there is a reasonable amount of plausible data from non-controlled studies that it is effective in at least some cases, and some where it shows no effect. It has also been studied for other viral diseases where it has shown anti-viral activity but the actual mode of action is unknown.
    
    Given that as long as it is prescribed only for those it is NOT contraindicated for then it is highly unlikely to do no harm and may very well do some good.
    
    If you are against using it at all, what would you suggest instead ?
    
    There are no other drugs with properly controlled studies showing efficacy, so you presumably would recommend zero treatments, correct ? Otherwise your opposition is purely because Trump mentioned it, and you would rather more people died than Trump be just possibly shown to be somewhat prescient in this case.
    
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    April 12, 2020 4:41pm
- mikenmildagain
  
  I would hope New Zealand doctors are not stupid enough to prescribe dubious treatments for COVID-19 when those drugs are actually needed for other serious conditions, for which they have been properly tested and approved.
  
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  April 12, 2020 10:45am
  - septic skeptic
    
    Those conditions being mostly rheumatoid arthritis. A nasty condition, but not fatal. Apparently some trials are scheduled at some DHBs, so there is a chance that you get chloroquine if you are sick in hospital with covid. Chloroquine or a placebo anyway.
    
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    April 12, 2020 12:42pm
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    Uptick for Mike. But if this drug is good for malaria and arthritis, it is not going to hurt anyone. A side effect of helping someone with covid 19 would be a bonus
    
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    April 12, 2020 2:42pm
    - mikenmildagain
      
      Do you really think that because a particular drug is effective against some conditions then it is safe to be taken by anybody?
      
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      April 12, 2020 3:36pm
      - Ed Snack
        
        Mike, HCL is not just any drug in that regard. It is very widely prescribed and taken by people with no disease at all – it is taken as a preventative for malaria. And as above, subject to known contraindications it is often taken for extended periods of years. Thus a prescription for a 2 week course is very unlikely to be a problem.
        
        On top of that it is long off patent and by medical standards, dirt cheap. And relatively easy to make though of course making from scratch would take time. A significant proportion of the world output for now is manufactured in India, probably because they use a lot of it.
        
        About the only valid reason not to at least trial it for patients with CV infections is that the supply is too constrained for that purpose. That may be the case in NZ
        
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        April 12, 2020 4:46pm
- PhilBest
  
  In the interests of fairness in the way this issue is disussed, the treatment has been trialed in the context of it being carefully administered to severe, hospitalized cases under constant observation. Seeing 97% of people who contract COVID-19 don’t end up in this situation, and a majority of those who do are ending up dying anyway, it is quite a different set of moral considerations, to that of whether your GP is allowed to prescribe it and your pharmacist dispense it, “just in case”.
  
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  April 12, 2020 11:49am
The Other Enoch

As of 6:00pm on Saturday, 11Apr20, Police proudly claim tha they have stopped 677 sheople breaching COVID-19 Lock-Down. How many burglars did they catch?

And, I see that they were happy to give the Easter Bunny an escort. So, they believe in the Easter Bunny but they don’t believe in catching burglars?

Honestly, you couldn’t make this shit up.
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April 12, 2020 9:09am
- JackRabbit
  
  Like crims are going to observe lockdown!
  
  During the CBD exclusion zone after Feb22, with police and army cordons, crims with back packs went over fences and had a field day in deserted businesses.
  
  I hope we do not find businesses ransacked.
  
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  April 12, 2020 10:18am
  - The Other Enoch
    
    Hey Jack, was that you that I saw in my garden eating my lettuces this morning?
    
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    April 12, 2020 11:41am
    - JackRabbit
      
      No Mr. McGregor, that was one of Hugh’s bunnies. Hmm, Mrs McGregor has cooked you Apple Pie, and it smells much nicer than Rabbit Pie.
      
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      April 12, 2020 12:56pm
    - Classic Liberal
      
      Nah, someone was laying a chocolate egg for you. Have a look …
      
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      April 12, 2020 2:11pm
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    Crims will do whatever PTPM says – like handing in guns
    
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    April 12, 2020 2:44pm
  - Ed Snack
    
    Well, thieves are not observing the lockdown everywhere anyway. My sone had his bike nicked in Auckland last weekend.
    
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    April 12, 2020 4:48pm
euro2019

it is not well thought thru these different levels. In the believe to eradicate the virus is bordering onto shear stupidity as it is also with Zero Emission, Poverty, Affordable Housing etc.
I don’t know what they will do with the tourism, seasonal workers, overseas students, we are looking at not only millions of revenue lost, no we are looking at billions. And somebody has to pay for all that, certainly it will not be the people who made these decisions nor the experts nor the professors, we as the taxpayers will be invited to the table present with a desert which is not as sweet as usual.
Now it is all done under the words “saved 1000’s of lives” what a statement, just grabbed out of the sky and people believe this utter lie.
To sacrifice the entire economy even for 100 deaths is in real terms on a suicide mission and this will cost more deaths than the worst case scenario of this virus disaster.
Now it is known that the most people which will possibly die are in the age bracket 70 plus. Instead leave the economy halfway going and do something with the 70 plus population.
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April 12, 2020 9:13am
- septic skeptic
  
  You need to wake up about tourism. Who do you think is coming here even if we open our borders and despatch Tourism Aotearoa off with a vast marketing budget?
  
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  April 12, 2020 12:46pm
  - Nickc2
    
    Why would tourists want to come here when all their time will be spent dodging traffic cones as Genta’s footpath widening is carried out.
    Hey all you Mobile Caravan renting businesses, take another enforced holiday with zero income as footpath widening is carried out.
    No kidding, where does this Sheila get her dopy ideas from? My mates tell me she bought them from America but I’m not convinced. Surely, America is not that stupid.
    
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    April 12, 2020 1:43pm
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      Um, she is from California – they are a bit different. By product of 2 generations of fucked drugs from the 60s
      
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      April 12, 2020 2:48pm
      - Nickc2
        
        Thanks Steve but she is from Rochester southern Minnesota. Does that account for her stupidity? Don’t know, but it’s the home of the Mayo Clinic.
        
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        April 12, 2020 3:56pm
      - Steve Otto(North Shore)
        
        Nick2. I did not check, I just repeated what I had been told about her. I stand corrected
        
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        April 13, 2020 8:46am
      - Nickc2
        
        No worries, keep going.
        
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        April 13, 2020 9:10am
Lee C

“Comrades! when our own women can’t feel safe amongst us – then we have lost.”
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April 12, 2020 9:21am
Tony Norriss

On a personal level we all know people who are vulnerable to this virus and we would hate to lose, so can understand on one level the need to minimise the risk of it.

But taking a wider standpoint, if this were any other species, the virus would be seen as a positive thing, culling the herd, and weeding out the weaker members so the herd as a whole can be stronger.

So, is this a weakness we have as a species, that our human compassion stops us from making decisions that benefit humanity in the long run. Perhaps it would be better for the human species if we just let this virus run its course, and then come out stronger on the other side.
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April 12, 2020 9:21am
- mikenmildagain
  
  Great. Maybe we should also stop vaccinating against measles, mumps and rubella, etc. Let a few lazy people starve to death, too. Thin that herd a bit more!
  
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  April 12, 2020 9:34am
  - Ian Boag
    
    COVID looks a bit like God’s helpful response to the burgeoning future cost of National Super ….
    
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    April 12, 2020 10:15am
    - Inandout
      
      Ian, I thought the Chinese respected the older generation?
      
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      April 12, 2020 11:35am
    - PhilBest
      
      In the context of deaths of the elderly from “all causes”, all COVID-19 is doing is changing the date of death only slightly. Some of them have survived last year due to a milder flu season; Northern Italy routinely runs out of ICU capacity in flu season but last year was mild and heaps more people survived to join this year’s stats. On the other hand, the oldest person to survive infection with COVID-19 is 107. Just broke the previous record of 104.
      
      So probably minimal observable effect on Super liabilities.
      
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      April 12, 2020 11:55am
  - Tony Norriss
    
    You haven’t responded to the point I made. In the situations you describe we have ready solutions to our problems that are easy to impliment.
    
    In the Covid 19 situation, there isn’t a vaccine at the moment. So the “cure” may be doing more harm than the disease.
    
    So, maybe the best strategy was just to let the disease run its course and those that survive are stronger as a result.
    
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    April 12, 2020 11:08am
    - Classic Liberal
      
      The herd becomes stronger when breeding age members are culled, not the elderly who have already had children and grandchildren.
      
      However, this late and lax level 4 is a total ruination of our economy and could have been avoided by early and strict quarantining, together with self-isolation of vulnerable people.
      
      We could have protected the elderly while rescuing all but tourism in our economy.
      
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      April 12, 2020 2:17pm
    - mikenmildagain
      
      That’s a different point from your first, eugenicist, one. As we have no real-world case of just letting the virus ‘run its course’, despite some fringe loonies on Kiwiblog asking for such an experiment here, we will just have to wait and see.
      
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      April 12, 2020 2:41pm
- YesMinister
  
  It would be better for us as a species if we stopped breeding into filthy situations where we live clustered together in such high densities that viruses can rip through the population.
  
  We’ve all been told for a very long time that there’s too many of us, and that the natural consequence of overcrowding is disease. That has not stopped people in many countries pumping out fairly pointless replicas of themselves until they’re left resorting to eating whatever they can get their hands on and serving their food in oil yanked out of the sewers.
  
  Humans are a fairly stupid species when viewed as a mass, and our population has spiked massively over the last decade or two. We’re going to see waves of disease until we’re at reasonable numbers again. And there’s nothing Bill Gates, Jacinda Ardern or anyone else can do about it.
  
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  April 12, 2020 9:46am
  - GoVege
    
    We’re only seeing these waves of disease because certain ignorant cultures have stubbornly resisted carrying on their precious traditions of eating highly infectious animals.
    Its the same reason so many species are in danger of extinction (including here in Godzone).
    And the #1 reason this planet is so overpopulated is down to one thing: the primitive male chauvinism that runs rampant in most human cultures.
    
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    April 12, 2020 11:05am
    - GoVege
      
      Most human cultures but fortunately not in western societies. 🙂
      
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      April 12, 2020 6:24pm
  - PhilBest
    
    Don’t ignore the role for the last 20 years, of urban planners wanting to “save the planet from urban sprawl”. There are always nice pictures of modern townhouses and apartments but the way these Plans distort property markets, and push property prices up, the “increases in density” achieved are always a matter of crowding in the scungiest old housing. This has been called the “dirty little secret of density increases” in exemplar cities like Vancouver and Portland.
    
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    April 12, 2020 11:58am
- Jack5
  
  Tony, you’re presuming a plague or virus would necessarily cull on lines that suited human “progress”.
  
  What if its effect skewed to spare people with some anomaly or anomalies that did not favour progress or survival or happiness of the “herd”?
  
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  April 12, 2020 10:32am
  - Tony Norriss
    
    That is a hypothetical we know is not correct in this case.
    
    Most of those dying are those who probably only have a few months left anyway, so it is a lot of pain and suffering for everyone for delaying the inevitable by a few months at best in most cases.
    
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    April 12, 2020 11:17am
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    As it seems to be most effective at culling those folks past reproductive age, it really isn’t going to have a great effect on the human gene pool.
    
    (unless lots of those 70+ yr-old males were intending to inseminate fecund females)
    
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    April 12, 2020 12:46pm
    - Paulus Gnome
      
      You really know how to sell sex Maggy! It seemed much more fun than your description, what am I doing wrong?
      
      Asking for ‘er indoors you understand . . .
      
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      April 12, 2020 3:08pm
Wayne Mapp

Steve,

It is pretty obvious that you think the whole isolation thing is a socialist conspiracy.

Would you care to explain why Australia has done virtually the same thing. Yes, I know there are differences between their lockdown and ours, but they are relatively minor.

Has Scott Morrison also become a communist, to be compared to some of the worst mass murders of the twentieth century?
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April 12, 2020 9:22am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  I forgot the sarc tag //
  Sorry
  
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  April 12, 2020 9:26am
- Benedict Yu
  
  There is a difference. When this is all over Australia will double down on its pro growth policies. Whereas New Zealand will double down on socialism. The lockdowns may be similar but post crisis the divergence in the paths of the two countries will accelerate.
  
  I agree that comparing the PM to Stalin is ridiculous.
  
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  April 12, 2020 9:27am
  - MCos
    
    That’s your opinion.
    
    6 4
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    April 12, 2020 10:04am
    - Benedict Yu
      
      Are you seriously suggesting that our our PM can be compared to Stalin?
      
      5 2
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      April 12, 2020 10:58am
      - mikenmildagain
        
        Lots of Kiwibloggers seem to believe so, and that the lock-down make us just like Nazi Germany…
        
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        April 12, 2020 2:42pm
  - Jack5
    
    Benedict, you’re right about that evil bastard, Stalin.
    
    He would be sending newly unemployed to the North Island horticulture region in cattle trucks or containers or forced-march columns.
    
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    April 12, 2020 10:34am
    - JackRabbit
      
      Jacinda is “not” a commie. She would use buses. To plant trees. And if you didn’t go, no dole.
      
      “Taxpayers have been complaining that I’m too soft on the unemployed. I’ve listened, and now I’m taking action.”
      
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      April 12, 2020 1:50pm
- Mr Coronavirus
  
  May I remind people that Mapp was a failed Labour candidate before he crossed to National.
  
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  April 12, 2020 10:19am
  - Jack5
    
    Wayne Mapp deserves praise, then, for having seen the light.
    
    “A man who is not a Liberal at sixteen has no heart; a man who is not a Conservative at sixty has no head.”
    
    That’s Disraeli’s version, but the origins of the phrase go back further than him:
    
    https://quoteinvestigator.com/2014/02/24/heart-head/
    
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    April 12, 2020 10:38am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    Leopards don’t change their spots?
    
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    April 12, 2020 10:46am
  - mikenmildagain
    
    Which is relevant how?
    
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    April 12, 2020 10:46am
  - Suze Wainwright
    
    Didn’t Geoffrey Palmer used to be in the National Party before he met his wife…?
    
    9 2
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    April 12, 2020 10:48am
    - Inandout
      
      Suze, that would explain his record of failures while an MP.
      
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      April 12, 2020 11:38am
  - chukar
    
    Did he notice a difference?
    
    1 0
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    April 12, 2020 3:44pm
- Karl B
  
  I’m a Kiwi on the ground here in Australia (Queensland). I would suggest the lock-down situation is significantly different than in New Zealand.
  
  Many retail stores are still open and all fruit and vege stores are open. Cafes and restaurants are open for takeaway. Where we live, there are no queues for supermarkets because other stores are open, although we are also in a less populated area.
  
  Social distancing is being practiced and enforced. In Queensland, if you are out walking it must be groups of 2 or less (unless you are a family in which case it can be more). But people are allowed to visit each other in homes (max 2 people) and people are also allowed to swim and surf.
  
  There are significant differences in support for small to medium sized businesses between NZ and Australia.
  
  The Australian government is paying a minimum $20,000 to all affected small to medium businesses to support cashflow. In addition to this, businesses that have had a 30% drop off in revenue can receive the job-keeper payments of $1,500 per fortnight for 6 months per employee (and for themselves as the business owner too). There are also State initiatives to support SME businesses.
  
  The daily infection rate is dropping across Australia as a trend ( https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/australia/ )
  
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  April 12, 2020 10:28am
  - Jack5
    
    And there won’t be the oddity in Queensland of having butcher shops closed, except for Muslims’ halal butcheries, which are exempt.
    
    Not so many woke vegans in Queensland.
    
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    April 12, 2020 10:40am
  - Suze Wainwright
    
    I’m just trying to figure out why your comment has so far got one downtick – there’s no possibility of misunderstood sarcasm or irony and it seems quite clearly put forward and explained…
    Is there someone out there who’s upset that Aus might be doing some things better or more reasonably than here, when international media are meant to be promoting Jacinda Ardern Superstar!
    
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    April 12, 2020 10:55am
    - Maggy Wassilieff
      
      We have a committed downticker…
      
      21 5
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      April 12, 2020 11:19am
      - Jack5
        
        But the institution they committed her/him to allows inmates internet access.
        
        10 3
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        April 12, 2020 11:23am
      - Maggy Wassilieff
        
        @jack5
        
        It’s a male…no female could be so bothered.
        
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        April 12, 2020 12:48pm
      - The Proper Ghandi
        
        “We have a committed downticker…”
        
        Probably another victim or two of Down Syndrome.
        
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        April 12, 2020 2:29pm
      - Paulus Gnome
        
        More than one apparently or is the second one there an opportunist or perhaps someone who genuinely disagrees with you Maggy.
        
        My money is on wanker.
        
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        April 12, 2020 3:11pm
- Ford Prefect
  
  Some countries seem to reluctantly lock down their citizens and are eager to end it as soon as possible. Its also clear that Ardern is loving this level of control and propaganda and would continue until her retirement if she could. She will begrudgingly take us down to Level 3 only when its deemed political suicide not to do so.
  
  Nothing to do with health, all to do with controlof the people.
  
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  April 12, 2020 10:31am
  - Poppa
    
    A thousand upticks Ford
    
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    April 12, 2020 10:55am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    Now if only the left could understand that, instead of fawning over her
    
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    April 12, 2020 11:44am
- bruceavon
  
  Yes. Agree. I notice people are now attacking Wayne personally because his opinions don’t fit the anti government at all cost thing on here. Soon it will be censored out of view so no one can see it. I enjoy his rational posts, often just pointing out the obvious. Another point I would make is the whole narrative on here that with the lock down Ardern, is wrecking the economy, instituting a police state etc, it’s all her fault, ignores the fact that if National were in power they would have done the same. I have listened to most of Simon’s committee meetings and all indications are they would have gone into lock down earlier and been even tougher. Where’s does that put them? a lot of arguments on here attack the governments response as if it would all have happened differently if someone on the right had been in charge. Not in any major way. National have agreed with almost all that was done and have only argued over the details. They even agreed with David Clark staying on.
  
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  April 12, 2020 12:39pm
  - Classic Liberal
    
    Earlier and tougher (proper quarantine as soon as Covid was known of) could at least have made it shorter. But yes, if National had better ideas the time to put them into Press Releases and ensure all Kiwis knew about those ideas was *a lot* earlier!
    
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    April 12, 2020 2:30pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

Shout out to all the parents who never taught their kids respect, and now they’re stuck at home with the little shits
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April 12, 2020 9:24am
Benedict Yu

One of my neighbours is a high end sex worker. She has been locked down, but she seems to have decided to break her bubble. ?
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April 12, 2020 9:30am
- Jack5
  
  Mmm.
  
  What makes her “high end”, Benedict?
  
  Was that her advertising, to did someone show you the bill on their credit card?
  
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  April 12, 2020 11:09am
fernglas

My kids have been trying to keep a small business afloat, and it can do limited work, but those who can do that aspect of the work don’t want to, because the others are getting paid not to work. Am I alone in thinking that it’s not just civil servants who think this is a glorified paid holiday?
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April 12, 2020 9:33am
- Rich Prick
  
  With 22,500 applying for welfare last week, we are achieving that income equality the left have been so excited about. Why not join in on all the equal “fun”?
  
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  April 12, 2020 9:55am
- Benedict Yu
  
  No. A friend is the financial controller of a builder. Employs about 25 people. She says the young guys on the tools are really happy to have 4 weeks off on full pay. They are being short sighted, to put it politely.
  
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  April 12, 2020 10:03am
Tony Stuart

I guess this was inevitable…

https://twitter.com/TonyStuart55/status/1249086500375052288/photo/1
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April 12, 2020 9:36am
rangitoto

No viruses for the computers running the TCEC Chess superfinal between Stockfish and Leela Chess Zero. So far after 27 games, 4 wins each and the rest drawn. Not much other sport around. If you are bored with watching your paint dry, you can follow here:

https://tcec-chess.com/
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April 12, 2020 9:48am
- UrbanNeocolonialist
  
  Seems we are getting close to the day when Chess will stop being a winable game as black, and eventually expect all computer games will be either white wins or a draw.
  
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  April 12, 2020 1:46pm
barnacle bill

Did Boris learn anything during his stay in Hospital .

https://www.counterpunch.org/2020/04/10/the-last-refuge-of-a-scoundrel-coronavirus-and-the-british-establishment/
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April 12, 2020 10:00am
3-coil

SundayStarTimes delivers “same old same old” this morning…where do they find these writers?? I had to google Jo Cross (“civil servant, headed the Ministry for Women…”) which explained the sexist crap she’s written about coronavirus/listening.

After “noticing the gender” of the group she’s chosen to criticise (seems it’s old school, just “boys and girls” for Jo) she starts well – instep with Jordan Peterson by pointing out women are empathetic listeners, but also they have “juicer” conversations (is that some sexist women-in-kitchen stereotype?)

But then Jo confesses she is only a “sort-of listener”, like when she’s folding the washing or painting her toenails (at least she admits there’s one woman who can’t multitask). So why is Cribb lecturing us about listening, when she admits she can’t do it properly herself?

But it does explain her stupid plug for Siouxie Wiles’ performance in the NZ coronavirus propaganda tsunami. Pink-haired Siouxie who squeals hysterically when a Nat backbencher suggests you’d better get supplies in before the lockup, but is totally silent (obviously has no problem with it) when her Labour Health Minister breaks the travel, then the risky activity rules etc etc endangering the lives of the innocent plebs of NZ.

Why should we ever bother listening to any of the biased utterings at all, from an evidently partisan media hack like Wiles? And why should the SST expect us to pay to read an article by a non-expert and evidently biased part-time hack like Jo Cribb?
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April 12, 2020 10:00am
- mikenmildagain
  
  If you should ever want to waste time on a worthless book, try Cribb’s execrable screed about the future of work.
  
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  April 12, 2020 10:49am
- Rachael Membery
  
  Lots of out of work journalists apparently.
  
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  April 12, 2020 2:18pm
Tasman Terror

Ardern has three problems after the lockdown: 1 She and Robertson have no idea how to run an economy; 2 She underestimates how badly the economy will suffer, eg many people will simply not spend through household budget caution and because they won’t want to risk infecting themselves at cafes, bars, etc; and 3 Infrastructure won’t get built under morons like Jones and Twyford.
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April 12, 2020 10:00am
- si_rangi
  
  Also, as we will be one of the first countries to come out of a lockdown situation, Ardern and Robertson will not have the benefit of following other countries leads, they will need to take the lead. This is what concerns me. Up until now, they have been able to see what other countries have done and act accordingly.
  
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  April 12, 2020 10:33am
- rockape
  
  But she will be saved by the businesses she hurt. They will be desp rate to get back to work making a profit so she and Robby will be able to tax them till they suffer the same as the poor and lazy. A socialist wet dream.
  
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  April 12, 2020 11:06am
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  I believe Labour is well aware of the problems that await them.
  That is why we have a full-on propaganda programme being delivered by our Media around the leadership qualities of Jacinda Ardern.
  There is no positive focus on any other members of her team….
  She and she alone has delivered us from the pestilence and into the promised land.
  
  As things turn to custard when the lockdown comes off, we will see full-on attacks against members of the opposition and piles of deflecting fluff from our MSM.
  
  ~~Propaganda~~ Communication tactics 101.
  
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  April 12, 2020 11:11am
  - Gravelroad
    
    Absolutely correct MW.
    
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    April 12, 2020 12:13pm
- brett68
  
  You seem to be under the illusion that it’s Robertson and Ardern who are coming up with the ideas.
  
  They just front and present the policy, Labour has quite a significant amount of advisors and policymakers in the background.
  
  Ardern is a salesperson and she’s very good at it, on par with Key, Bridges is dreadful in comparison.
  
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  April 12, 2020 11:14am
Maggie Pie

Me Posting Nonsense Will Continue During Lockdown
Because It’s Considered An Essential Service.

😀 😀 😀
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April 12, 2020 10:02am
- Brian McDonald
  
  I’ve never seen you post nonsense Maggie, not once.
  
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  April 12, 2020 10:15am
Yvette

Andrea Vance in a stuff piece headlined “Coronavirus: How Jacinda Ardern is using soft propaganda to beat Covid-19” says –

Go hard and go early. Jacinda Ardern repeats it over and over in her frequent press briefings. Our mission, pain, fight, stay the course and sacrifices. Other words that crop up regularly in the prime minister’s addresses.

It seems another Jacinda d’Arc fluff piece, more aderneration: “Ardern is recognised as an excellent communicator, and her brand centres on positivity, kindness and empathy.”

But then it warns –

A lot of questions are going unanswered. Most pertinently there seems to be a huge gulf between these Beehive briefings and experiences of frontline health care workers over personal protective equipment, contact tracing and levels of testing.
It’s still not clear why initial border controls were so haphazard and slow to be implemented.
These briefings give the appearance of effective and extensive communication and transparency in a time of crisis.
For the media and by extension the public, it’s useful access to some of the decision makers and offers an up-to-date assessment of the numbers on the ground.
But it’s unsatisfactory because, at present, it’s really our only chance to ask questions. They can’t be detailed, they can’t contain specific answers, and they are rarely allowed to be followed up.

However, reassuring as these daily news conferences are, they don’t substitute for truth and accountability

“Go hard and go early” – but, did we?
Some people have still not see through “Let’s do this” – didn’t do that either, did they.
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April 12, 2020 10:11am
- Tony Stuart
  
  At my most charitable, I would say we went moderately firm, and rather tardy.
  
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  April 12, 2020 10:16am
  - doggone7
    
    C’mon be a little bit more charitable. If we’d gone more than that moderately firm or less than moderately firm, and were more tardy or less tardy, many would have got full retard.
    
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    April 12, 2020 1:33pm
- greybeard
  
  The graphic of Ardern in that article has the same style as the old Lenin / Che Guevara / Castro posters.
  
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  April 12, 2020 10:24am
  - burt
    
    She wasn’t the president of international socialist youth for nothing comrade.
    
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    April 12, 2020 10:32am
- burt
  
  The reality is we were never going to be able to stop the virus entering the country. The rest of what has happened is a PR campaign around allowing it in slowly so we can manage the load on our health system. It all makes perfect sense when you look at it thru this lens.
  
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  April 12, 2020 10:31am
- Suze Wainwright
  
  Hmmm, I’ve heard back from a couple of health workers at the coalface now – and no, the stories ain’t good…
  One felt particularly angry about at least some NZ PPE going to China early on – also feels there is some covering up going on about the reasons why borders were not being shut properly earlier
  
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  April 12, 2020 11:03am
- KevO'Brien
  
  Ardern has the words but not the action–the brain lag is too great. She prefers others of her ilk, ineffectual wannabes with other peoples money.
  
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  April 12, 2020 1:07pm
  - doggone7
    
    So she has words but doesn’t act yet people are bitching about her actions?
    
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    April 12, 2020 1:29pm
- Paulus Gnome
  
  Love the ‘Jacinda d’Arc’!
  
  Remind me how it ended for her predecessor, Joan . . .
  
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  April 12, 2020 3:21pm
  - mikenmildagain
    
    Canonised?
    
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    April 12, 2020 6:28pm
Waipuk

What happens on the 20th if there are still new cases of Covid. Or if the country moves to level 3 and then there are new cases?

So Do we continue or go back to level 4. Or do we grow up, accept we live in a modern society with car accidents, people die of the flu, plane crashes, people falling off ladders?

I do realise that a decision has been made so virtually impossible For the powers that be to go back or change direction.
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April 12, 2020 10:14am
- GoVege
  
  With all these thousands of people standing in line for groceries, risking coronavirus, surely it would be safe enough to at least open the fast-food drive-throughs!!!!
  
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  April 12, 2020 10:53am
- Prince
  
  I understand Ardern has a call with her overseas mates next weekend to decide. Then on Monday it’ll be rammed through Cabinet and we should know via a live telly broadcast, flag on Monday evening, or Tuesday midday latest.
  
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  April 12, 2020 12:35pm
oldfella

Finally, a venerated greenie with the frightening truth about what REALLY caused this pandemic.
https://news.yahoo.com/jane-goodall-says-disrespect-animals-caused-pandemic-091036641.html
10 1
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April 12, 2020 10:21am
- emmess
  
  Raacccccciiiisst
  
  7 1
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  April 12, 2020 10:35am
- GoVege
  
  Face it, oldfella, it was eating other animals, particularly mammals, that started this pandemic.
  And it has been known for yonks that bats carry more viruses dangerous to humans than any other species, yet nothing was done to stop these dorks catching and eating them.
  
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  April 12, 2020 10:40am
  - MrLovebucket
    
    I heard it was someone eating a Panda. How else would you start a Pandamic
    
    13 0
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    April 12, 2020 11:23am
  - MCos
    
    People have probably been eating bats plus all sorts of other virus ridden wild animals for centuries.
    You get hungry enough you’ll eat anything, don’t you worry about that.
    
    8 2
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    April 12, 2020 12:06pm
    - GoVege
      
      Mcos: that’s NOT why they eat them nowadays.
      Apparently they regard them as a “delicacy”.
      It must be rather expensive and inconvenient to go hunting for bats in their caves, when its so much cheaper and easier to raise chooks.
      
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      April 12, 2020 4:04pm
      - Scooter
        
        Ffs they even eat the saliva birds make their nests with
        
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        April 13, 2020 6:23am
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  So some animals transmit disease to humans…
  
  let’s not discuss the outbreaks/ pandemics of plant disease that have devastated human populations:
  Potato late blight (Europe -1846)
  Wheat stem rust (Russia – 1932-33)
  Rice brown spot (Bengal Great famine – 1945)
  Ergot poisoning (Europe – middle ages – 1800)
  
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  April 12, 2020 1:10pm
  - NeverMindTheBollocks
    
    Don’t tell GoVege!
    
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    April 12, 2020 3:16pm
  - GoVege
    
    Dunno about the others, Maggie, but the potato blight didn’t pass on disease to humans.
    It just destroyed the crops so the people starved to death.
    (Apparently the Irish were only permitted to grow certain vegetables.)
    I’m sure you can enlighten us about the others….
    
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    April 12, 2020 3:56pm
- GoVege
  
  Has nobody noticed that all these pandemics seem to emerge from China, whose people apparently will try eating anything?
  Whereas that other huge nation, India, never seems to produce any pandemics, and is mostly vegetarian.
  
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  April 12, 2020 4:07pm
potato

I hope and expect after all the teddies,
dog walks and Easter egg photos the campaign to change the government is furious
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April 12, 2020 10:21am
oldfella

US Surgeon General under fire for telling African Americans not to smoke, drink or take drugs.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8210359/Surgeon-general-fire-offensive-instruction-black-Americans-not-smoke-drink.html
Wonder when Hone will tear himself away from the barricades and issue similar warnings to our own vulnerable community.
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April 12, 2020 10:24am
- kowtow
  
  If the shoe fits.
  
  12 2
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  April 12, 2020 10:32am
- GoVege
  
  That dude just doesn’t understand.
  If you’re raised in a home with either a violent, abusive dad or stepdad…or no dad, why wouldn’t you need to “smoke, drink or take drugs”?
  
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  April 12, 2020 10:46am
Paulus

“Go Hard Go Early Go Fizz” !
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April 12, 2020 10:32am
burt

Sharia law comrade.
8 6
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April 12, 2020 10:33am
kowtow

The one country that was onto it early was the Republic of China .
They’re excluded from WHO membership due to the politics of Beijing.

Now the world suffers.

“Last month, Taiwan said it had received no reply from the WHO to a December 31 query for information on the outbreak in Wuhan, including whether it could be transmitted between people.”

https://news.rthk.hk/rthk/en/component/k2/1520148-20200411.htm?spTabChangeable=0
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April 12, 2020 10:37am
- Jack5
  
  You’re right, Kowtow. We don’t read much about the details of Taiwan’s campaign against the virus.
  
  Taiwan’s latest figures: 385 confirmed cases, six deaths, 99 recovered. Population: 23. 6 million.
  
  Beijing is keeping Taiwan shut out of the World Health Organisation.
  
  Ignore sycophants gushing about Jacinderella. Look at how early, and how successfully, Taiwan started its Covid-19 campaign:
  
  https://www.dw.com/en/taiwan-coronavirus/a-52724523
  
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  April 12, 2020 11:21am
Maggie Pie

I urge you to check food labels. Had been sooo looking forward to making an authentic Spanish Pasta. Meh, now not so much 🙁

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EVO70wXUwAABagk?format=jpg&name=900×900
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April 12, 2020 10:38am
- curry4me
  
  Maggie Pie: Yes, If I can’t see on the packaging where something is made, I won’t buy it. all Chinese goods have been staying on the shelf for months because of the human rights issue. the CCP virus is another good reason.
  
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  April 12, 2020 12:17pm
- JibberJabber
  
  Serves you right for buying that Pams muck, you know there is a reason why it is cheap?
  
  8 1
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  April 12, 2020 12:23pm
- BeaB
  
  Authentic Spanish pasta?
  
  4 0
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  April 12, 2020 4:55pm
Ian Hawthorn

Found this on youtube. It deserves a wider audience.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dTeUq5Bqeg
2 1
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April 12, 2020 11:24am
Komata

BB@1000

Only that Tony McKenna doesn’t like him (which, given the details within McKenna’s Bio is unsurprising).
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April 12, 2020 11:28am
Wired-one

Why the hell are we not doing all of the major roadworks right now? Perfect time surely?
12 1
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April 12, 2020 11:29am
- Paulus Gnome
  
  Don’t be silly, they can piss off more people when / if, we ever get back to work if they hold out until then!
  
  ‘Wes on ‘oliday like youse bro’ ‘ is the call!
  
  Bet orange cone making has been going flat out as an essential service!
  
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  April 12, 2020 3:27pm
Lee C

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/nov/07/jacinda-ardern-has-a-major-problem-with-minor-parties-and-it-could-seal-her-fate
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April 12, 2020 11:38am
curry4me

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgxJZrmG_Rc
Pro-life policies in Hungary cause significant rise in birth, and marriage rates. The administration
Wants to revitalize the traditional family.
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April 12, 2020 11:38am
curry4me

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/lifestyle/renew-houston/health/article/Texas-A-M-pandemic-expert-coronavirus-stages-15192147.php
The CCP virus in America will have five stages. This expert believes stage two has been reached. There will be different measures for different stages.
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April 12, 2020 11:39am
Ruahine

Read or scroll to the end of the article. Just says it all about some people.

https://asianinvasion2019.blogspot.com/2020/04/if-google-and-apple-partnered-in-1980s.html
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April 12, 2020 11:49am
Lucia Maria

Really, really Need this lockdown to be over.

Today, now, this minute.

Apparently, every single day of lockdown is losing NZ A Billion $ worth of GDP.

The stupid is so mind blowing that I can’t listen or read the news except in small chunks and then have to block it out completely, otherwise would have a complete melt down.

The husband goes out shopping to stand in infernal queues out of a self-inflicted apocalyptic nightmare.

You’d think thousands of people were dropping dead and dying in the hospitals with this level of lockdown, yet they are empty.

How much longer???

It’s Easter Sunday and instead of enjoying it I’m bored out of my tree. For an introvert, that is saying something.

Had to code a little alogorithm I need for next week just to get it out of my head.

Aaaaaaaa (yes, I know screaming into the void here is pointless given that only 5% of us think this this lockdown is far too extreme)
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April 12, 2020 12:08pm
- Lucia Maria
  
  Also, how where do I apply to get automatic commenting rights here rather than having to wait for the mod?
  
  DPF knows who I am, just don’t want to have everyone else know. There are weirdos around & have had a few death threats over the years.
  
  12 3
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  April 12, 2020 12:17pm
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    You have to email DPF directly and request permission to go automatic.
    
    I’m not sure how many with a nom-de-plume have this privilege.
    
    9 0
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    April 12, 2020 1:16pm
    - Lucia Maria
      
      Thanks, Maggy.
      
      Now I have to decide if it’s worth bothering him over.
      
      Anyway, my commenting here is most likely a blip caused by coronavirus.
      
      7 1
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      April 12, 2020 1:38pm
      - Steve Otto(North Shore)
        
        DPF is quick and efficient. Maybe not today though
        
        3 0
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        April 12, 2020 3:00pm
  - Michael NZ
    
    good luck with that!
    
    2 0
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    April 12, 2020 3:27pm
- septic skeptic
  
  Does it occur to you that the lockdown is the reason that spread has slowed and that we don’t have lots of deaths in the hospitals?
  
  4 6
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  April 12, 2020 1:13pm
  - Lucia Maria
    
    I’m generally not that simplistic in my thinking. But I know that works for many people, otherwise things wouldn’t be so calm.
    
    5 2
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    April 12, 2020 1:59pm
- kowtow
  
  Hang in there girl. You’ve got this far , keep going.
  
  Get out every day in the am for a long walk , that’ll set you up for the rest of the day.
  
  7 1
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  April 12, 2020 1:18pm
  - Lucia Maria
    
    Thanks, kowtow.
    
    Should have done that today. Instead moped around and ate chocolate.
    
    Oh well, still have time, but would feel cruel to ask the husband to come with me given that he’s just mowed our massive backyard!
    
    4 1
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    April 12, 2020 2:04pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

The people saying “Trump doesn’t know about medicine” consider a 16 year old Swedish girl to be a climate change expert …….
26 3
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April 12, 2020 12:14pm
- Suze Wainwright
  
  Well to be fair, it’s her father and some Indian publicist dude trying to create business for himself…
  
  10 3
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  April 12, 2020 12:50pm
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    Yes she has controllers. Trump doesn’t. That is why he is there. He can’t be bought or paid off
    
    7 4
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    April 12, 2020 3:02pm
    - mikenmildagain
      
      Sure. Trump is just an (unwitting) Russian asset, so that’s fine…
      
      3 10
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      April 12, 2020 3:38pm
      - Ed Snack
        
        Nah, there’s no doubt now from the information we have that the perfectly witting Russian collaborationist were the Democrats, the MSM, and chunks of the US Intelligence community.
        
        They knew Steele’s information was dodgy and likely contained Russian Disinformation, but deliberately used it to cause problems for the Trump Administration.
        
        And if you doubt that they knew, you should follow the news a little better and not rely on the Clinton News Network so exclusively.
        
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        April 12, 2020 5:18pm
surfing

This story really irritates me…

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/120849980/how-a-mitre-10-franchise-defrauded-one-of-its-building-contractors

If it were the employee defrauding the employer he’d have been thrown in prison.

Why do employers get off the hook?
12 0
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April 12, 2020 12:14pm
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  Makes you wonder if the authorities waited until the owners of the franchise had died.
  
  8 2
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  April 12, 2020 1:18pm
kowtow

Gordon Brown , one world govt and Robert Patman , Otago Uni media go to international expert agrees.

That’s what the comrades have always wanted.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/mar/26/gordon-brown-calls-for-global-government-to-tackle-coronavirus

https://www.odt.co.nz/news/global-insight/global-insight-covid-19-requires-one-world-government
17 2
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April 12, 2020 12:15pm
- KevO'Brien
  
  Who’s going to rule? The Easter Bunny?
  
  9 2
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  April 12, 2020 12:57pm
- The Proper Ghandi
  
  Patman is an idiot. If he thinks we could implement a “temporary” world government, then he is further beyond help that I thought. You cannot wind that back. This exemplifies how divorced from reality these theoreticians typically are.
  
  9 2
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  April 12, 2020 1:12pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

Getting serious. Mass burials in New York.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-52241221
5 5
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April 12, 2020 12:20pm
- Andrei
  
  More Bullshit from the BBC – the State owned propaganda outlet for the British Govvernment.
  
  Hart Island where that video was taken is where New York city has buried unclaimed bodies for over a century and there are over a million people buried there.
  
  New York city has over 70,000 homeless people some of whom die on the censored streets every censored night.
  
  The city has a crew dedidated to the task of picking up the bodies of people who have died sleeping under corrigated cardboard in back alleys, behind dumpsters and in shop doorways each and every day.
  
  The city keep their bodies in the morgues until they can find someone to claim them and if they can’t find anyone they clear out th morgues of the older ones bury them in mass graves on Hart Island – which is what those images show.
  
  18 4
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  April 12, 2020 12:37pm
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    A lot of coffins in the video that I saw.
    US now has 20000 deaths
    
    9 4
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    April 12, 2020 1:00pm
    - Andrei
      
      There are 2000 abortions in the USA every day my friend
      
      There are over 350,000,000 people in the USA and nearly 29,000,000 people die there every year which is about 80,000 every day
      
      According to the CDC in 2018 55,672 people died in the USA of influenza and pneumonia, a diease that peaks in the winter and early spring
      
      8 4
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      April 12, 2020 1:09pm
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    Looks like you may be correct. I’m still not sure
    
    1 2
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    April 12, 2020 1:25pm
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      Snopes say mostly true, but they are dodgy.
      CNN say it is false, so therefore it must be true – they are fake news!
      Really I don’t know
      
      2 2
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      April 12, 2020 1:33pm
- Andrei
  
  And here is the evidence
  https://youtu.be/Z1MdDA4uuJs
  
  6 2
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  April 12, 2020 12:42pm
Fletch

Really?? The government is giving funding to widen footpaths to promote social distancing?

The Government has announced it will give councils more money to widen footpaths and install temporary cycleways to help people keep their distance from each other.

Health officials say keeping at least 2m away from people outside your home ‘bubble’ is key to stopping the spread of COVID-19, which has killed more than 100,000 people in the past few months, including four New Zealanders.

Though there are few people out and about at present due to the lockdown, eventually restrictions on travel will be lifted.

“When people begin to return to city centres following the lockdown we want them to have enough space to maintain physical distance,” Associate Minister of Transport Julie Anne Genter said on Sunday.

“Some of our footpaths in busy areas are quite narrow. Temporary footpath extensions mean people can give each other a bit more space without stepping out onto the road.”

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2020/04/government-to-fund-wider-footpaths-more-cycle-lanes-to-help-with-social-distancing.html
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April 12, 2020 12:20pm
- Nickc2
  
  Here we go again. Genta wants to widen footpaths. Why? She says its the 2m separation rule. What a load of crap! This COVID-19 thing won’t be around when the footpaths are widened FFS. It’s all about making more room for bikes and less room for cars.
  Has there been a costing put on this rubbish? Doubt it!
  When are we ever going to have politician swear to tell the truth at all times? Given the current bunch, I can’t see it happening in my lifetime more is the pity.
  Perhaps she is just trying to get her name in the media and appear as relevant. Fat chance of appearing as relevant. Stupid . . . . .
  
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  April 12, 2020 12:56pm
  - namron
    
    I’d love for Hosking to interview Genter on Newstalkzb about her latest stupidity!
    “Widen the footpaths to allow for the 2m separation” is just another crazy idea she thinks we are gullible to accept.
    I can imagine Mike “shredding” her over this.
    
    10 1
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    April 12, 2020 2:25pm
  - Classic Liberal
    
    Genter wants to allow bicycles and scooters on footpaths, endangering pedestrians. Pedestrian groups said ‘no: we can hear them or see them coming from behind and they will be much faster than pedestrians, and footpaths are already too narrow, let alone for bikes and scooters!’.
    
    So this is Genter’s opportunity to get everything she wants: bikes and scooters all over the footpaths, people giving up on cars in sheer despair!
    
    8 2
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    April 12, 2020 3:03pm
- KevO'Brien
  
  With enlarged cycle ways are they going to stack the cars on top of each other?
  
  10 1
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  April 12, 2020 12:56pm
- kowtow
  
  Why not widen the roads to prevent head on collisions ?
  More people die in car smashes than of Pangovid 19.
  
  7 2
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  April 12, 2020 2:07pm
- rangitoto
  
  It would make more sense to ban public transport. The footpaths are out in the open air where person to person transmission is less likely.
  
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  April 12, 2020 10:54pm
rockape

My wife is an ED nurse and this lockdown is affecting her badly. When she comes home , she stands at the window for hours with tears running down her cheeks. I have considered letting her in , but rules are rules!
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April 12, 2020 12:49pm
- Maggie Pie
  
  😛
  
  7 2
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  April 12, 2020 1:25pm
- seismac
  
  sometimes these girls get above themselves when they get in a uniform next they will be wanting to wear face masks and scrubs too like the men do –!
  
  6 1
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  April 12, 2020 3:31pm
JibberJabber

Will any of the Labour Lickspittles have the cojones to dob this halfwit in?

https://twitter.com/NZjusticeSUCKS/status/1249123510884143104
8 2
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April 12, 2020 12:53pm
- MCos
  
  Apart from anything else he’s got no affiliation to the Labour Party.
  He’s leader of the Mana Movement.
  
  5 2
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  April 12, 2020 1:41pm
Doubledimp

I note charities asking for pensioners to give up their pension to feed families, and those to eliminate period poverty. I would like to start one sponsoring the cost of a contraceptive implant for the lady of the house, to prevent further welfare dependent children. (A bit 180 degrees to the current regime’s policy of sponsoring more children).
16 1
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April 12, 2020 12:54pm
- GoVege
  
  Don’t forget the same for daughters over 11.
  We have 13 year old mothers in our neighbourhood.
  
  6 1
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  April 12, 2020 3:50pm
  - mikenmildagain
    
    The latest stats I could find quickly suggest that about three girls under 14 give birth each year. You mus either live in a very unusual neighbourhood or being making stuff up, again.
    
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    April 12, 2020 4:17pm
    - GoVege
      
      I don’t “make stuff up”, milky.
      Young Maori girls aged 13 to 17 are said to have four times the number of babies than any other ethnicity.
      (Apparently Dame Tariana says this is a good thing, and “our fertility “.)
      We met a 13 year old mother last year.
      I personally know a sweet young Maori girl who had a baby at 14.
      There are a lot more than these.
      You can remain in denial if it makes you happy.
      
      9 1
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      April 12, 2020 6:15pm
      - mikenmildagain
        
        Stats please, not your anecdotes. It is very rare for such young girls to give birth, so I am afraid I don’t believe that there are a few in your neighbourhood.
        
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        April 12, 2020 7:14pm
Maggie Pie

In light of recent events, has anybody seen where Simon has expressed either some sort of repentance or contrition for the sickeningly sycophantic remarks he made late last year in relation to this country’s ties with the CCP?

https://twitter.com/simonjbridges/status/1169903122031865856
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April 12, 2020 1:00pm
- Inandout
  
  Maggie, I despair at that man, he is so wet. His replacement though should be announced at least three months before any election.
  
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  April 12, 2020 1:10pm
  - The Proper Ghandi
    
    Inandout
    Ahem, Oravida?
    
    2 2
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    April 12, 2020 1:46pm
- The Proper Ghandi
  
  We live in a different world than we did a month ago. China is now, if it wan’t already, an international pariah. Therefore, the optics of Bridges’ obsequiousness places him, and others no doubt, in a very precarious political bind: keep the Chinese donours happy at the expense of New Zealanders; or tell them “thanks but no thanks, Charley Wong.” I guess we will soon find out who has strength of character, and who is just a puppet, promoting China at any cost.
  
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  April 12, 2020 1:45pm
  - mikenmildagain
    
    Be fair: Bridges is doing no more than every other politician in National and Labour: sucking up to Beijing for cash as hard as he can
    
    7 2
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    April 12, 2020 3:40pm
    - The Proper Ghandi
      
      True. The rot runs deep. The Universities may need to have a good think too. Not to mention all of the city councils who have junket destinations, aka Sister City arrangements. I mean, Shangai and Dunedin clearly come from the same womb.
      
      11 1
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      April 12, 2020 4:12pm
      - mikenmildagain
        
        The universities were bought of years ago. I’m not so worried about the councils’ sister city arrangements. Even though they are patently a rort to promote goodwill for the CCP, our councils can’t do much in the way of selling out to China.
        
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        April 12, 2020 6:16pm
    - Philview
      
      He visited China last year after National was already rocked by the scandal. I was very surprised by the visit as didn’t seem a wise political move.
      
      6 1
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      April 12, 2020 5:29pm
- Michael NZ
  
  Funny, i don’t trust him or National.
  But i loath the Liar and her Party.
  
  9 1
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  April 12, 2020 3:25pm
Old White Loser

Why is this details of the mystery Auckland cluster being kept a secret?

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12324276

Something is not right with this being kept a secret.
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April 12, 2020 1:08pm
- The Proper Ghandi
  
  My guesses:
  1) A political party; or
  2) A religious group
  
  Could be way off, but if they don’t tell us, we will speculate.
  
  12 2
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  April 12, 2020 1:50pm
  - lifesgood
    
    Nah, more likely a brothel. Unless it’s a muslim group they are always happy to have something to slur against it.
    
    5 2
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    April 12, 2020 3:12pm
  - Maggie Pie
    
    I alluded to this in my GD post yesterday with relation to that big West Auckland Swingers party. The numbers stack up and from what we’re hearing a few of the participants were from the big end of town.
    Just saying.
    
    13 2
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    April 12, 2020 3:28pm
    - Old White Loser
      
      So the more money you have the more privacy you get from the government.
      
      9 1
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      April 12, 2020 3:56pm
    - kowtow
      
      Big end , te he he.
      
      10 1
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      April 12, 2020 3:57pm
      - JibberJabber
        
        Maybe now they`ll call it the Bell End of town ?
        
        9 0
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        April 12, 2020 4:29pm
    - The Proper Ghandi
      
      Ah, I see. A number of Knobs from the Big End of Town, found to be balls deep in imported Chinese secretions?
      
      Maggie, for my sake, may I please ask you to maintain your head down, butt up attitude (i.e workin’ hard undercover, keeping your ear to the ground etc).
      
      11 1
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      April 12, 2020 4:23pm
  - Suze Wainwright
    
    3) a ‘celebrity’ with connections…
    
    9 1
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    April 12, 2020 4:56pm
    - The Proper Ghandi
      
      Suze, you’re breakin’ my balls here, girlfriend! This would have been a lot easier to guess when the only connected celebrities NZ had were Madge Allsop, Ed Hillary, and Hudson & Halls…
      
      7 1
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      April 12, 2020 5:31pm
JibberJabber

So simple even Bill Maher gets it…..
https://twitter.com/RealSaavedra/status/1248883434396610560
5 1
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April 12, 2020 1:19pm
- Tauhei Notts
  
  When Bill Maher leaves alone his terrible affliction with the Trump Derangement Syndrome, he is actually brilliant.
  
  4 1
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  April 12, 2020 3:31pm
Wired-one

https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/120974582/coronavirus-new-zealands-standout-leadership-during-covid19-pandemic

More media loving of Ardern. Let’s face it those of us on the right may as well look ahead to 2023. The media are all Ardern fangirls and it doesn’t matter that we were already heading for recession or that anything her government actually has to deliver themselves is a complete failure. Ardern now has a pass mark on all her failures and bullshit.

The 2020 election is over people.
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April 12, 2020 1:24pm
- Wired-one
  
  Adding to that. I’m kind of over the state of our media and their sycophantic coverage of our dear leader and her government. We all deserve better, but I cant see it changing anytime soon. So I’m not going to comment anymore, I mean what’s the point? Policy delivery doesnt matter and the people of NZ are happy with a smirk and a slogan. Bridges isnt going to win the next election, even if he should frankly walk in, due to this current lots, ineptitude, ineffectiveness and incompetence.
  
  See you around in a few months maybe.
  
  7 2
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  April 12, 2020 2:30pm
- Mr Coronavirus
  
  1) Campbell don’t live here!
  2) Campbell don’t vote here!
  3) A Recommendation from a bLiar war-mongerer?
  4) So the Kiwis will wanna be reminded of their time in ‘Porridge’ after a few elderly deaths?
  5) One way ticket to safe UN glammer job and besties with Meghan!
  
  5 1
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  April 12, 2020 2:58pm
Surely Knott

Can someone help me with the maths? Megan Woods has put aside 1000 motel units so that homeless people can go into shutdown and she plans to keep the motels for 3 months. So far 496 units are filled. Yet previously claims were that NZ had 41,000 homeless?? Where have they all gone? Did we really only have 496 homeless? https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12324268
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April 12, 2020 1:48pm
Maggie Pie

Just opened a bag of Cadbury’s Marshmellow Easter Eggs.
Firstly, they are not ‘eggs’, only half eggs! Secondly, they taste and smell like PirelliPzeros.
One bite and put them all in the bin.
Absolutely disgusting 🙁
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April 12, 2020 1:52pm
- mikenmildagain
  
  Cadbury is disgusting chocolate. If a new brand were to make their rubbish, no one would eat it.
  Whittaker’s only, please.
  
  13 2
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  April 12, 2020 2:50pm
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    Another uptick Mike. That is 3 today. I send Whittakers to our friends/adopted stepdaughter in Alaska. Fucking expensive postage, but hey, it is Whittakers.
    3 times Mike, World record for 1 day
    
    10 0
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    April 12, 2020 4:14pm
    - mikenmildagain
      
      In these desperate times, it make sense to buy local, especially when it is the best chocolate in the world.
      
      3 2
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      April 12, 2020 6:13pm
  - Ed Snack
    
    [ dupe ]
    
    0 1
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    April 12, 2020 6:13pm
- Gravelroad
  
  Shoulda bought Queen Anne ones, Maggie ?
  
  5 1
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  April 12, 2020 2:52pm
  - Tall Man
    
    Rainbow Confectionery
    
    https://rainbowconfectionery.co.nz/
    
    0 1
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    April 12, 2020 6:19pm
- JibberJabber
  
  Heh, welcome to the world of Halal certification and the cost saving of using inferior ingredients.
  Cadburys turned to shit when they got that certification and Whittakers are not much better.
  On the upside my waistline is much better for it.
  Used to love me a Whittakers Almond Slab, now they are inedible.
  Praise the lord for Nestle’ Scorched almonds tho` some of their Chocolate is, Kitkats FFS.
  
  9 1
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  April 12, 2020 4:26pm
- Fletch
  
  They do taste a bit weird, I must admit… Sort of a plastic taste.
  
  5 2
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  April 12, 2020 4:42pm
euro2019

Another interesting write-up – https://stovouno.org/2020/04/10/open-letter-to-mps-the-lockdown-is-a-disastrous-error/?fbclid=IwAR3RFppZa9yb0GxoJq5El-na45Q9P-Ef65BWIfW317Gs4J2Rge5PNfKNf5Q
9 2
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April 12, 2020 1:55pm
- Andrei
  
  You are pissing in the wind posting that.
  
  New Zealand is a nation of sheep and the mob has been spooked by a news media only notable for its banality while the nation is led by polticians exceptional only in their mediocrity.
  
  7 2
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  April 12, 2020 3:33pm
- Kabull
  
  Bravo.
  
  4 2
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  April 12, 2020 3:47pm
Chuck Bird

Good news today. 18 new cases, 49 recovered and 859 current cases.
12 0
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April 12, 2020 1:55pm
- Poppa
  
  I can see Cindy stamping her feet now. Not high enough!!!
  
  I fully expect a convenient little spike just prior to the big announcement on 20th
  
  I am sure she wants this circus to continue as long as possible in order to keep her in the headlines
  
  13 4
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  April 12, 2020 2:08pm
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    Yah! She can see her popularity going down the gutter.
    Open the borders, let more in will be her thinking.
    Oz going out 3 more weeks? Watch her make up some shit that she suggested it on advise from experts in the UK.
    We will be at home longer now – call me out
    
    7 2
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    April 12, 2020 4:20pm
- PhilBest
  
  It looks like the curve of cases is flattening. And given the delay from infection to illness, and a further delay from illness to death, we can’t tell the impact of the lockdown yet. Given that the current situation pretty much represents where we were before lockdown, we certainly didn’t need to do it, and certainly don’t need to prolong it.
  
  According to HDPA in the Weekend Herald, the OECD says NZ will suffer the greatest economic impact of any nation. This is sadly ironic given that we were probably going to suffer the least actual impact of the virus.
  
  13 2
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  April 12, 2020 2:35pm
- bruceavon
  
  Yeah. We are entering a period where we can see the real results of the lock down. Hopefully these numbers continue.
  
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  April 12, 2020 2:41pm
emmess

Why willl schools be opening when we return to level 3? They are not as important as reopening businesses.
https://covid19.govt.nz/alert-system/covid-19-alert-system/#level-3-restrict

They should be optional at level 3 for those kids that can do their work from home.
7 1
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April 12, 2020 3:01pm
- Fletch
  
  I don’t think it will happen very soon. No way the govt is starting up two educational channels on TV and shipping 17,000+ modems and devices to students if it wasn’t going to take a long time to get them back.
  
  14 1
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  April 12, 2020 4:41pm
  - DeepBlue
    
    What competent Ministry is that you speak of?
    
    11 2
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    April 12, 2020 6:35pm
- Rachael Membery
  
  Childminding when other businesses open?
  
  1 0
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  April 13, 2020 12:08am
Maggy Wassilieff

Victoria, Australia has just extended its State of Emergency to May 11th.

https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/coronavirus-updates-live-us-death-toll-has-overtaken-italy-s-signs-of-hope-in-spain-on-easter-sunday-20200411-p54j38.html
9 0
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April 12, 2020 3:17pm
- Andrei
  
  Why do politicains always double down on stupid?
  
  13 3
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  April 12, 2020 3:37pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  That will be the signal PTPM has been waiting for. 3 more weeks of control
  
  13 4
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  April 12, 2020 3:49pm
- Lucia Maria
  
  I’d take a Victorian lock down over a NZ one.
  * Takeaways open
  * My sister, who works in a garden centre, is still working
  * Maybe you can even get a haircut!
  
  12 1
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  April 12, 2020 6:27pm
Maggie Pie

Goodness, was anyone else in the group aware of this? 😛

https://twitter.com/apblake/status/1249100925483941889
10 1
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April 12, 2020 4:32pm
Fletch

Democrats are just pure evil. On Good Friday (of all days!) Governor Northam of Virginia signs a sign to further free up abortion laws and remove protections for women.

Senate Bill 733 and House Bill 980, which are identical pieces of legislation, rescind the required 24-hour waiting period, ultrasound, and counseling prior to having an abortion.

In addition, the measures allow non-physicians to perform abortions and roll back building safety standards in abortion clinics that are required of other outpatient facilities, restrictions Northam and Democrats say are used to force closures of abortion facilities and block access to the procedure.

Democrats said all of the abortion restrictions are unnecessary and make access to abortion more burdensome.

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2020/04/10/virginia-governor-announces-signing-of-extreme-abortion-bill-on-good-friday/

What the hell is their obsession with killing babies? Nothing seems extreme enough for them, bar smashing the head in with a rock. At a time when they should be humbling themselves and asking for God’s mercy they come up with this?

Unbelievable..
9 4
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April 12, 2020 4:38pm
- The Proper Ghandi
  
  They are demonic. The reason they want to be able to abort a postnatal baby is so they can harvest the organs.
  
  They would save more lives if they locked down women seeking an abortion, than by locking down entire countries to prevent a severely overblown threat from the virus.
  
  4 5
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  April 12, 2020 4:49pm
- kowtow
  
  Virus kills elderly : MSM loses its shit.
  
  Dems kill babies : MSM , ho hum , nothing to see here , move along please.
  
  15 6
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  April 12, 2020 5:12pm
- mikenmildagain
  
  It is simply rolling back unnecessary restrictions on a routine medical procedure – restriction that were not imposed to improve health outcomes but simply to make it harder for women to obtain an abortion.
  
  2 8
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  April 12, 2020 6:10pm
Suze Wainwright

It might just be my feed, but I’m strongly getting the impression the Labour Party is doing some serious social media (Facebook especially) pushing of Cindy’s wondrous leadership abilities to the masses during our crisis
14 1
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April 12, 2020 6:21pm
- Suze Wainwright
  
  Often with ‘endorsements’ along the lines of – “You know, I don’t actually vote Labour, but isn’t Cindy just doing an absolutely fantastic job…?”
  
  14 1
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  April 12, 2020 6:30pm
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  Yep,
  it’s a full-on propaganda push.
  
  -Using the the National Emergency as an election campaign opportunity.
  
  – Organising positive spin before s*** hits the fan.
  
  12 2
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  April 12, 2020 8:02pm
  - sam green
    
    I thought you had more intellectual grunt Maggy. Seems you are just partisan and that’s it. Shame.
    
    2 0
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    April 13, 2020 1:26am
Lucia Maria

Most New Zealanders willing to extend Covid-19 lockdown ‘pain’ – survey

Who did they survey?

Maybe my neighbour, who thinks everything will get back to normal once the lockdown lifts, that businesses won’t be destroyed & everyone will have enough money to go out spending again?

I need to start ignoring the news again, this is not good for me!

Started off with 2 bottles of Belvedere Vodka before the lockdown and am almost halfway through the second one.
19 1
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April 12, 2020 6:24pm
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  hahaha..
  Sounds like we’ve got identical neighbours.
  
  8 0
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  April 12, 2020 8:03pm
info@cruzpro.com

Good on you for keeping you blood alcohol level down to a reasonable level.

I have a problem with believing poll results without knowing the details of exactly what was asked and to whom.

HYSP website allows you to start your own poll so I have tried to do so on this topic. Have never used HYSP before so don’t know if it’s going to fly. We will see.
6 1
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April 12, 2020 7:31pm
Rich Prick

I have fears for this country, we have a PM who has chosen which businesses can trade and which cannot. She has chosen who is free to move about and who is not.

I’d like to take a drive to my other house to make sure that it is secure and not burgled by ferals from Featherston, but the Police say they have more interest in me daring to drive than the burglars breaking and entering and stealing my possessions and vandalising the place (apparently Martinborough is “local” to Featherston, but Wellington is not).

Idi Amin did exactly that with Asians in Uganda in the 1970s. Look where that all ended up.

I may just go anyway, and out run the Cindy force twats should they try to detain me.

Man, this is like Sleeping Dogs.
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April 12, 2020 8:55pm
- sam green
  
  Grow up.
  
  2 2
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  April 13, 2020 1:23am
  - Rich Prick
    
    Fuck off.
    
    1 1
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    April 13, 2020 7:53am
Ian Hawthorn

Well that is interesting. Here is an article that suggests having had the BCG vaccination (against TB) means it is less likely coronavirus will turn deadly.
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.07.20053272v1

At school in the 1970s we were all lined up and shot with the BCG vaccine and most people my age have the little scar on their left arm as a souvenir. New Zealand back then had universal vaccination against TB in schools. Other countries like the US did not. I wonder if that is why our death rate is low.
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April 13, 2020 1:25am

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