jarv5116

I agree. it's not as much as how well the government has handled it. It's been more todo with luck. Can you imagine what the chaos would have been here if it had hit NZ before Italy or Spain.
Its like when I listen to every one on those NZ Herald fb page slagging off or comparing the way it's been handled in the UK, Euro and USA. The difference trying to contain this virus in London or NY to Auckland is just on a complete different level.
The density, public transport and air traffic In London is crazy.

Charismatic

You have to see this in context. The PM has had both victories and defeats. She seems to do well when it comes to her own position (Christchurch shootings, the recent daily coronavirus updates) but on policy (e.g. tax reform, Kiwibuild) has not been successful. They will actually need to pass some policy measures before September to support job creation and collection of additional taxes. People tend to vote right if they are unemployed so there is some urgency to show unemployment is under control and being reduced rapidly.

I don't agree with the talking heads however, the weekend is less costly economically.
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Pom_Chch

I feel the decision to stay in lock down for a few more days is the right one, especially over a public holiday weekend. Look how many people tried to drive to their holiday homes and generally ignore lock down rules over Easter. A few more days will not make or break the economy and will not make much difference in the grand scheme of things.

I think the situation has been handled well by Jacinda et Al. You're never going to please everyone and sometimes the general public think they know better, often based off incorrect information. The government and health experts know far more about the situation than we ever will, and because of that I trust they are making the right decisions here.

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Bo-Jangles

Like always anyone trying to compare London to Auckland is way off the page but I think we can measure our 'luck' against countries with much smaller or isolated populations. Check out some of the Scandinavian countries, Denmark, Norway and Finland for example and see how well it went for them.

New Zealand - Population 4.8 Million with 1,451 cases and 16 Deaths
Norway - Population. 5.4 million with 7,361 cases and 193 Deaths
Ireland - Population 4.9 Million with 17,600 cases and 794 Deaths
Denmark - Population 5.8 million with 8,073 cases and 394 Deaths

Sweden in the other hand with population of 10 million is lauding its success with herd immunity and having no lockdown has 15,755 cases and 2,021 deaths - it will be interesting to see how that pans out for them but I certainly wouldn't want myself or my family to be any part of that experiment.

jarv5116

I was reading somewhere aswell that the NZ government. Is considering the option of buying PR for 50 million dollars of investment in NZ.
I was thinking why would you pay 50 million when the visa already exists for 500k?
Seems pretty strange idea or someone from the media ain't got a ******g clue about visas.

Bo-Jangles

You just need to know a few names. NZ always has always had some kind of unwritten policy that allows anyone with friends in high places such as Alexander Abromov, Peter Thiel, Kim DotCom et al and a spare few billion dollars, to come and 'invest' or spend their money here. The media keeps going on about all the apocalypse fearing billionaires that are supposedly living it large in their bunkers here in the Shires. .

BEVS

Agree. They have some hard work to do. Any economy was always going to suffer and suffer greatly. How this is managed will be interesting to see, bearing in mind also it will be a global downturn.

It isn't about the actual new cases anyway. It is about testing for hidden community spread and it is also about not putting temptation in people's way = Anzac Day.

chocolate cake

Level 4/3 from Thursday?? again Australia seem to have been bringing things well under control with their lockdown which is slightly less restrictive than our level 3 is going to be. As to public hol w/end, travel restrictions aren't greatly extended in Level 3. We could have just seen some safe working these couple of days, and slight extension to safe activities, golf in a bubble, solo swimming, surfing, kayaking etc.

Anyone expecting us going zero new cases in the next week, I suspect is going to be disappointed, there's still a fair number of NZ citizens, residents to return, I think 3,000 from India for instance.

It might sound callous, and while we certainly needed to get on top of the conavirus, there's more than health considerations, if that was the only concern we could we have 15kph speed limits, and that would reduce our road deaths to close to zero.
It's a question of balance, and too few of those at the top in the government have any experience of running a business. Jacinda Ardern a great communicator no doubt, how else can we explain her getting elected with the same policies that Andrew Little was sitting on barely 20% support 4 or 5 weeks away from the last election, likewise Christchurch shootings and the Whakatane White Island managed excellently, but ideas and policies, not seen too many of these (John Key was the same, though at least more understanding of business).

Bridges condemed for his comments, and no doubt he could have been communicated much better, though it's not standalone view he's expressed. Yet the Labour MP saying small businesses at fault if in trouble because they have not planned for 4 week shutdown, and Willie Jackson another Labour MP, 5 extra days of level 4 won't hurt anyone, have created barely any noise.

Timmy Chch

You pointed out the people coming back from overseas, remember they have 14 days in govt paid hotel so they all good after that

chocolate cake

Sure, no problem with that, other than should have started earlier. Only saying as ​​​​​​I guess they will still count in new case numbers.

Mishclark

I may not even need to apply for an exemption to come back to NZ, they may open the border between Oz and NZ by then. If not, I've got it sorted.

I had a deposit on a tour of England/Scotland /Ireland for a birthday present for myself next year, not so keen on solo travel there now and may bot be allowed from NZ then anyway.

Might just see more of New zealand instead.

Bo-Jangles

In the final few hours of level 4 lockdown - I expect to see stories on the news tomorrow of all the people who queued all night to get Maccas and KFC at 5am tomorrow.

I have a feeling it's going to be mayhem.

Mishclark

I was going to say "gross" but I guess if people haven't had it for a while I could understand. 😁

Charismatic

You can actually make delicious Southern fried chicken at home, far better than KFC, and eat it whenever you'd like.

Clappy

You were correct on that we see.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle...ectid=12327917

We are indeed living in paradise.