Beoz

Wow. You associate large populations and high density living with New Zealand. You need to travel more.

GarryP

Troubadour, you are playing pigeon chess....

abner

So you didn't think she responded appropriately to the spree-killer bigot, last year?

Meanwhile, I'm confused by all your level 2, 3, 4 numbers. They're not terms of art, they've meant different things in different places.

What is clear is that NZ has been at least as successful as Oz in terms of "flattening the curve", to the point where Ardern has been invited to join Australia's "national cabinet", and an "ANZAC bubble" is under current serious consideration as part of a recovery strategy for both economies.

That's leadership on Ardern's part, and ScoMo's, despite their diverging political viewpoints. Suggesting otherwise is just desperate.

BEVS

That post is just plain silly as you could not possibly know what outcomes could have happened at all .To my knowledge you have no past, present , future crystal ball. For all you know a different strategy could well have resulted in a far more dire outcome. As I have previously observed you clearly do not really get how NZ operates.

Still. The fact is NZ has achieved well against the spread of this killer viral pneumonia .

Beoz

This is the problem New Zealand has and is reflected in your post. Its not just about the virus, its about managing and finding the right balance for all aspects of society. Jobs, economy, mental health, etc. New Zealand ignored all those whilst show ponying to the world knowing full well it can write those other pieces off and blame the virus. The question is, if your aim was total elimination, why aren't you still in total lockdown? Easy answer, it was a mistake and that is fine, as you rightly say, there is no crystal ball, but there is a time to admit that New Zealand could have handled better then lying about elimination to get a few headlines in far flung places is absurd.

Beoz

Ardern asked to join and Australia gave her an invite. New Zealand needs a travel bubble ASAP and we need their economy going so certain industries and companies that fall under and ANZ umbrella in Australia can stop having to pass work onto their Kiwi counterparts because they killed off their supply over there.

abner

Example?

Beoz

My clients.

abner

You're going to have to do better than that...

Beoz

Not for you I don't. However, I make more money as these new kiwis buy my product. But its not about me, it's about the staff of my clients who need to go down to 4 days a week because some ego in NZ decided to shut everything down.

It's a bit like the app. It's not about your unfounded fear of privacy, it's about the rest of Australia, relying on the individual to load it up.

The selfish have become very noticeable during all this.

Amazulu

If you don't know the difference between level 2-4 then I suggest that you find out as it is affecting you directly! Australia and NZ use basically the same lockdown level system. Level 2 is what we currently have and Level 4, which NZ was at, is no movement and everything closed except supermarkets and chemists. Given that NZ had little death ship action compared to us and that they are crazily geographically isolated and have basically the same outcome, level 4 was way over the top. All well and good when it's happening but given that their economy is toast, the real pain is still to come - an election year too. An ANZAC bubble is a good idea

She did well with the Christchurch massacre situation, but that's irrelevant to the bigger crisis her country is currently facing - and she's overreacted. Sure, she doesn't make decisions on her own but she's the one responsible. ScoMo initially didn't perform well during the initial phase of the bushfire crisis but he came good. Again, irrelevant to today - which he's handling very well

Beoz

So we all know Dan Andrews loves a bit of communism and he loves to rule his people with an iron fist. His language speaks volumes. Given Victoria has the harshest rules in the country (FFS you can't even golf or fish) and the COVID numbers are exploding, why has he left the borders open when other less draconian states have shut theirs?

paulry

Yep, ScoMo is doing an awesome job right now, and big thumbs up too across the political divide in Australia for putting their differences aside to address the emergency.

paulry

Yeah, he has been a bit over the top.

Beoz

A bit? A lot.

However that's been one of the best things about the National Cabinet and the way a national guide has been implemented and then the states can choose to deviate from from there. Dan Andrews can bang his fists on the table and the rest can say, that's fine Dan, if you think golf is going to encourage the spread of COVID, go nuts in Victoria, let the rest of us manage it proportionally.