thedailyblog--2020-06-18--Reinfection – Labour’s kryptonite

Reinfection – Labour’s kryptonite

Labour ’ s “ dream run ” of being a competent manager during the Covid19 Crisis may just have come to a crashing end .
Recent revelations that some of the quarantine facilities ( hotels converted to the task ) have been shambolically mis-managed has raised alarm bells and widespread criticism ; A day later , on 12 June , former Police Commissioner , Mike Bush – in charge of the Government ’ s Covid-19 operational taskforce – stated that he was not satisfied with the lax procedures in the TVNZ story and promised to tighten adherence to protocols ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can bus people to another location .
For others we ’ ve found another location on site where people can ensure that they ’ re not near any other members of the public .
Yet , we now know that the two women who drove from Auckland to Wellington a day later , on 13 June , were not tested .
When TVNZ ran the story above , I guessed even then that our lax border controls and complacent , half-hearted , quarantining would not end well ; None of this was unknown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were exempt from mandatory 14 day quarantining – despite travelling to covid-19 hotspots around the world .
This should not have surprised officials or Government ministers .
As far back as April – two months ago – it was reported that isolation procedures at these quarantine facilities were being flouted ; Which makes this random comment I posted on Twitter , on 15 June – the day before the story broke in the media – eerily prescient ; Little did I realise that my remark about “ inept quarantining leading to another C19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unpleasant reality and headline news the very next day ; Minister of Health and serial screw-up , Minister David Clark , reassured the public on RNZ ’ s Checkpoint that evening ( 16 June ) ; “ They followed all of the instructions given to them and so they haven ’ t come into contact with a wider group of people … but nonetheless I am disappointed to learn they were out of the facility without testing negative first , because that was my understanding that that would have happened.
” According to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Morning Report on 17 June ; “ There was a , an agreed plan in place .
As part of the approval process for the compassionate exemption , and that included for the travel arrangements .
So they had a private vehicle dropped to the hotel .
They then drove together all the way to Wellington and had no contact with anybody else during that trip .
And , uh , they didn ’ t use any public facilities and they also have been just with a single family member since they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Clark assures the public that the two women “ followed all of the instructions given to them and so they haven ’ t come into contact with a wider group of people “ .
Unless he – or a Ministry staffer was travelling in the same car – how on Earth could he possibly know that they “ followed all of the instructions given to them and so they haven ’ t come into contact with a wider group of people “ ?
!
[ We now know they didn ’ t .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , on 17 June , Minister Clark alluded to the fact that contact tracing was well under way , and he was “ waiting for data overnight “ .
He admitted that he “ needed to know how many people ” [ had to be traced ] .
That clearly conflicts with his assurance the previous day that the two women “ followed all of the instructions given to them and so they haven ’ t come into contact with a wider group of people “ .
At least one of those women @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] .
We may see the resurgence of clusters potentially from Auckland to Wellington .
It doesn ’ t get any worse than this .
Even more problematic is Dr Bloomfield ’ s assurance that “ they then drove together all the way to Wellington and had no contact with anybody else during that trip .
And , uh , they didn ’ t use any public facilities “ .
Again , how does Dr Bloomfield know for certain that neither women “ had no contact with anybody else “ ?
Contact tracing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that must have been in contact with someone ?
It also defies credulity that on a ten hour-plus drive from Auckland to Wellington that neither women “ didn ’ t use any public facilities “ ?
!
Modern vehicles have developed considerably since their early fuel-guzzling predecessors and are more efficient .
A vehicle could make the Auckland-Wellington trip without having to re-fuel along the way .
But not so human beings .
We ’ ve hardly changed much over the last 200,000 years .
I doubt very many human beings could make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ having to stop along the way to use public toilet facilities , at least once .
Dr Bloomfield should be fully aware of this – he graduated in medicine in 1990 and so should have a fairly good understanding of the workings of human plumbing .
So please Minister Clark and Dr Bloomfield : stop BSing us .
Neither of you can have any idea what those two did on their drive to Wellington .
It is inconceivable that they did not use public facilities along the way .
What about the other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ compassionate grounds ” ?
Were they tested before release ?
Have they recently been re-tested ?
Do we even know where they are ?
!
No wonder Opposition MP , Michael Woodhouse , questioned this government ’ s fitness to carry out health sector reforms after the Health and Disability System Review was released ; “ They haven ’ t been able to deliver anything else .
I dare say a large reform of this nature is certainly beyond them.
” I ’ m starting to think the same thing .
Up until @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been stratospheric : between 80s and 90s in favourable percentage terms .
But watch that support wither and fall away if – due to complacency and mis-management – the virus reappears in the community .
And watch it collapse altogether if Aotearoa New Zealand has to go back to Level Alert 3 or – Thor forbid – Level Alert 4 .
The public will not be happy .
“ I ’ m as furious as I suspect most New Zealanders this morning .
This is clumsy and totally inappropriate when you consider @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we ’ ve spent a number of months locking our country down , we ’ ve got ourselves to the point where we ’ re Covid-free , we have systems in place that we expect to be followed and they simply weren ’ t .
We can ’ t have such a lax approach to our border when the stakes are so high.
” — he was reading the room and expressing a reaction shared by about 99 % of the population .
Unlike his hapless predecessor , Mr Muller got the tone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off .
The incompetence of those managing our quarantine facilities was sheeted home when , on 17 June , Mike Bush was interviewed on RNZ ’ s Checkpoint .
It was a class act of evasion , vagueness , buck-passing , and a startling inability to offer information to some basic questions .
It reminded me of former Corrections Minister , Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga ‘ s inept responses when interviewed on TV3 ’ s The Nation , in May 2015 ( an interview which , coincidentally , was also done by Lisa Owen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ responses had to be heard to be believed .
Likewise , when Ms Owen kept repeatedly asking Mike Bush who was responsible for failures , he kept deflecting to Minister Clark , Director General Bloomfield , et al .
He simply could not answer Ms Owen ’ s questions – because he was obviously ignorant at what was going on in the quarantine facilities .
Mr Bush confirmed to listeners what most New Zealanders already suspected : no one was in charge ; no one knew what was going on ; and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ testing were not doing their jobs .
No wonder PM Ardern has had a gutsful and appointed Air Commodore Darryn Webb to take over .
However , PM Ardern can not simply call this colossal clusterf**k “ an unacceptable failure of the system “ .
Assigning responsibility to a mythical creature called “ The System ” is a cop-out .
It wasn ’ t “ the System ” at fault .
It wasn ’ t System Bush , or System Bloomfield , or System Clark , or System Ardern in charge .
Human @ @ @ @ @ @ @ knows this .
When “ The System ” is blamed , there is a collective eye-rolling of five million pairs of eye-balls .
People recognise “ Politician Speak ” when it is fed to them .
If PM Ardern wants to engage in “ Politician Speak ” , that ’ s her mistake to make .
Up until now , she has earned the respect of the nation as a Leader , not Just A Politician .
Does she really want to be seen as Just Another Politician ?
I would have thought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ person ’ s career path .
Someone screwed up .
Someone in a position of authority where they should have been doing their job .
Their .
One .
Job .
In fact , this government ’ s astronomical popularity has been predicated on them doing Their One Job : guiding Team Five Million through this crisis ; doing the tough calls ; ensuring all our resources were targetted at containing and defeating The Enemy .
They had one job .
And they ’ ve been shown up not to have done it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ popularity to take a nose-dive in the next political poll .
They will have earned the bollicking that the public is about to dish out to them .
But if we ’ re going to dish out the Finger-Pointing Pie , there is plenty to go around .
The Mainstream Media has amplified every “ human interest ” story of tragedy ; people returning to Aotearoa New Zealand desperate to get out of 14 day quarantining to attend to dying relatives or attend funerals .
( The six people who absconded from quarantine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) Media amplification of these tragic stories – aka “ grief journalism ” – has no doubt put inordinate pressure on government ministers and Ministry staff .
Whilst these stories are good click-bait and help sell advertising space ( or attract listeners in RNZ ’ s case ) , they serve no other useful purpose .
Quarantines are not quarantines if people can side-step them because of tragic personal circumstances .
( And I write this knowing full well how it feels , as last year someone close to me died .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be adequately put into words . )
In one case , the Courts ruled to overturn a Ministry of Health decision to decline an exemption , saying ; “ decisions to decline permission are on their face legally flawed ” and the “ exceptional ” case “ had the hallmarks of automatic rejection based on circumscribed criteria rather than a proper exercise of discretion.
” The media should take a long , hard look at itself and the role it played in undermining implementation of quarantine protocols .
And the Courts should decline @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lest it need be repeating : the virus is no respecter of our human-made laws .
Next , the National Party and sundry business lobby groups with their relentless , irresponsible agitation to move down Alert Levels and re-open our borders to foreign students , tourists , Uncle Tom Cobbly , et al ; In the case of foreign students , National is particularly strident ; Ms Kaye ’ s assertion that “ … [ National ] have also proposed that education providers would handle quarantine procedures ” did not age well .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , there are over eight million confirmed covid19 cases in the world .
The real figure is most likely higher as countries like Brazil have consistently under-reported their infection rate .
The global death toll has passed 450,000 .
That is the threat that vote-chasers in the National Party and profit-takers in the business world would expose us to .
National ’ s cynicism is nowhere more apparent than Opposition MP , Michael Woodhouse , who reported the case of two women leaving quarantine whilst infected with covid19 – several days after finding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
As blogger “ Mickey Savage ” outlined the timeline of events in The Standard ; The timing in interesting .
According to this interview on Morning Report Woodhouse found out these details two days ago and yesterday spent time checking the veracity of the story .
He then discussed matters with his leader ’ s office .
He did not go to the Health Ministry and did not think he should .
He thinks this was necessary for presentation of the story .
In his view his job is not to work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hold the government to account and show shortcomings .
But as we are fighting a pandemic that has caused huge damage to countries overseas didn ’ t he have a duty to bring this information to the authorities as soon as possible ?
So that these operational holes could have been filled ?
I heard the interview .
Mr Woodhouse did indeed insist it was not his job “ to improve the quarantine system “ .
Also not his job to potentially save lives either , it appears .
So while National Leader @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by 99.99 % of the country – one of his loyal MPs was reporting to him quarantine failings ; potential re-infection throughout the country ; and possibly ending in death – all from a “ reliable source ” .
National Party priorities – certainly not saving lives .
But eventually , responsibility for this colossal mistake lies with those people whom we entrusted to safeguard us .
We know who they are .
Most have appeared nightly in our homes ; on our devices ; encouraging us to do the right thing .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ We rewarded them accordingly , singing their praises .
And printing t-shirts bearing their image .
Those hymns of praise have stopped , to be replaced by the silent sound of bemusement , if not outright anger .
The t-shirts may take a bit longer to sell .
The public will be in no mood to go back into any form of lock-down .
In case I have to spell it out for Prime Minister Ardern ; Health Minister Clark , Director General Bloomfield ; Mike Bush , et al , the good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Faith has been replaced by cold fury .
The problem with being at the top ?
The only way from there is down .
Regardless of whether anyone takes responsibility for this failure , the ultimate decision will be taken from the hands of this government and its officials on 19 September .
As I wrote on 12 June – four days before the story of the quarantine failure broke ; TVNZ : Travellers mingling with passengers from other flights , members of the public during Covid-19 isolation TVNZ : Government to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1 NEWS investigation Stuff media : Covid-19 – new cases as thousands fly in from Australia , Asia , Pacific Islands and US Mediaworks/Newshub : Father concerned after quarantined son taken for walk with person with COVID-19 RNZ : Covid-19 – Two new cases in New Zealand , both arrivals from UK RNZ : Two new Covid-19 cases in NZ visited dying parent – Bloomfield RNZ : Covid-19 – Exemptions concerning after women test positive outside managed isolation – Baker ( audio ) RNZ : No answers yet on why Covid-19 cases weren @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( audio ) The Spinoff : The face of the Covid-19 response – Who is Ashley Bloomfield ?
RNZ : Covid-19 – Exemptions concerning after women test positive outside managed isolation – Baker Mediaworks/Newshub : Health and Disability System Review aims to end racism in New Zealand ’ s health sector The Spinoff : Exclusive new poll : public support for Covid response remains sky high RNZ : Two new cases leaving isolation ‘ an unacceptable failure of the system ’ – Ardern ODT : Six people – not two – abscond to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quarantine pleads with Government for right to visit dying mother Mediaworks/Newhub : Coronavirus – Kiwi woman desperate to see her dying mother denied isolation exemption RNZ : Covid-19 – NZer in quarantine appeals to government compassion to see dying wife NZ Herald : Covid 19 coronavirus – Kiwi in LA begs for quarantine exemption to see dying dad in Christchurch Magic Radio : Dr Bloomfield denies ‘ blanket approach ’ used for quarantine exemptions despite zero approvals Mediaworks/Newshub : Woman in the same hotel as new coronavirus cases ‘ shocked ’ at finding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Twitter : @ fmacskasy – 9:45AM Jun 12 , 2020 – no mood to go back into lockdown The Warehouse – where everyone gets a virus Life in Lock Down : Day 28 – An Open Letter to Prime Minister Ardern Life in Lock Down : Day 2 of Level 3 This blogpost will be re-published in five days on “ Frankly Speaking “ .
Reader ’ s comments may be left here ( The Daily Blog ) or there ( Frankly Speaking ) .

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17 June
Labour’s “dream run” of being a competent manager during the Covid19 Crisis may just have come to a crashing end.
Recent revelations that some of the quarantine facilities (hotels converted to the task) have been shambolically mis-managed has raised alarm bells and widespread criticism;
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TDB Recommends NewzEngine.com
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A day later, on 12 June, former Police Commissioner, Mike Bush – in charge of the Government’s Covid-19 operational taskforce – stated that he was not satisfied with the lax procedures in the TVNZ story and promised to tighten adherence to protocols;
“That’s not good enough. We’ve got to keep those people safe … We need to get that right.
Walking groups have gone. Some hotels can bus people to another location. For others we’ve found another location on site where people can ensure that they’re not near any other members of the public.
We will put a new practice in place to make sure people on day one don’t mingle with people who have been there a lot longer. That is a difficult process.
The smoking area, we’re trying to make improvements there so we don’t have people there from day one with people from day 12.” He specifically added:
“Now we’re in Alert Level 1, we will be having a new testing regime so people will be tested on day three and then on day 12.”
Yet, we now know that the two women who drove from Auckland to Wellington a day later, on 13 June, were not tested.
When TVNZ ran the story above, I guessed even then that our lax border controls and complacent, half-hearted, quarantining would not end well;
.
.
None of this was unknown to us. We knew flight crews were exempt from mandatory 14 day quarantining – despite travelling to covid-19 hotspots around the world.
This should not have surprised officials or Government ministers. As far back as April – two months ago – it was reported that isolation procedures at these quarantine facilities were being flouted;
.
.
Which makes this random comment I posted on Twitter, on 15 June – the day before the story broke in the media – eerily prescient;
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Little did I realise that my remark about “inept quarantining leading to another C19 infection in Aotearoa” would become an unpleasant reality and headline news the very next day;
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Minister of Health and serial screw-up, Minister David Clark, reassured the public on RNZ’s Checkpoint that evening (16 June);
“They followed all of the instructions given to them and so they haven’t come into contact with a wider group of people … but nonetheless I am disappointed to learn they were out of the facility without testing negative first, because that was my understanding that that would have happened.”
According to Dr Bloomfield, speaking on RNZ’s Morning Report on 17 June;
“There was a, an agreed plan in place. As part of the approval process for the compassionate exemption, and that included for the travel arrangements.
So they had a private vehicle dropped to the hotel. They then drove together all the way to Wellington and had no contact with anybody else during that trip. And, uh, they didn’t use any public facilities and they also have been just with a single family member since they arrived in the Wellington region.”
I call bollicks to both statements.
Minister Clark assures the public that the two women “followed all of the instructions given to them and so they haven’t come into contact with a wider group of people“.
Unless he – or a Ministry staffer was travelling in the same car – how on Earth could he possibly know that they “followed all of the instructions given to them and so they haven’t come into contact with a wider group of people“?! [We now know they didn’t.]
On RNZ’s Morning Report, on 17 June, Minister Clark alluded to the fact that contact tracing was well under way, and he was “waiting for data overnight“. He admitted that he “needed to know how many people” [had to be traced].
That clearly conflicts with his assurance the previous day that the two women “followed all of the instructions given to them and so they haven’t come into contact with a wider group of people“.
At least one of those women was infectious [as at 17 June].
We may see the resurgence of clusters potentially from Auckland to Wellington. It doesn’t get any worse than this.
Even more problematic is Dr Bloomfield’s assurance that “they then drove together all the way to Wellington and had no contact with anybody else during that trip. And, uh, they didn’t use any public facilities“.
Again, how does Dr Bloomfield know for certain that neither women “had no contact with anybody else“? Contact tracing is already under way – so clearly that must have been in contact with someone?
It also defies credulity that on a ten hour-plus drive from Auckland to Wellington that neither women “didn’t use any public facilities“?!
Modern vehicles have developed considerably since their early fuel-guzzling predecessors and are more efficient. A vehicle could make the Auckland-Wellington trip without having to re-fuel along the way.
But not so human beings. We’ve hardly changed much over the last 200,000 years.
I doubt very many human beings could make a ten to twelve hour drive without having to stop along the way to use public toilet facilities, at least once.
Dr Bloomfield should be fully aware of this – he graduated in medicine in 1990 and so should have a fairly good understanding of the workings of human plumbing.
So please Minister Clark and Dr Bloomfield: stop BSing us.
Neither of you can have any idea what those two did on their drive to Wellington.
It is inconceivable that they did not use public facilities along the way.
What about the other 200 people released from quarantine on “compassionate grounds”? Were they tested before release? Have they recently been re-tested?
Do we even know where they are?!
No wonder Opposition MP, Michael Woodhouse, questioned this government’s fitness to carry out health sector reforms after the Health and Disability System Review was released;
“They haven’t been able to deliver anything else. I dare say a large reform of this nature is certainly beyond them.”
I’m starting to think the same thing.
Up until now, public support for this government has been stratospheric: between 80s and 90s in favourable percentage terms. But watch that support wither and fall away if – due to complacency and mis-management – the virus reappears in the community. And watch it collapse altogether if Aotearoa New Zealand has to go back to Level Alert 3 or – Thor forbid – Level Alert 4. The public will not be happy.
Adulation can turn to animus pretty damn quickly.
When National’s Leader, Todd Muller expressed his anger;
“I’m as furious as I suspect most New Zealanders this morning.
This is clumsy and totally inappropriate when you consider what’s at stake here … we’ve spent a number of months locking our country down, we’ve got ourselves to the point where we’re Covid-free, we have systems in place that we expect to be followed and they simply weren’t.
We can’t have such a lax approach to our border when the stakes are so high.”
— he was reading the room and expressing a reaction shared by about 99% of the population. Unlike his hapless predecessor, Mr Muller got the tone 100% right. People are pissed off.
The incompetence of those managing our quarantine facilities was sheeted home when, on 17 June, Mike Bush was interviewed on RNZ’s Checkpoint. It was a class act of evasion, vagueness, buck-passing, and a startling inability to offer information to some basic questions. It reminded me of former Corrections Minister, Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga‘s inept responses when interviewed on TV3’s The Nation, in May 2015 (an interview which, coincidentally, was also done by Lisa Owen).
Minister, Lotu-Iiga‘s responses had to be heard to be believed.
Likewise, when Ms Owen kept repeatedly asking Mike Bush who was responsible for failures, he kept deflecting to Minister Clark, Director General Bloomfield, et al.
He simply could not answer Ms Owen’s questions – because he was obviously ignorant at what was going on in the quarantine facilities. Mr Bush confirmed to listeners what most New Zealanders already suspected: no one was in charge; no one knew what was going on; and the people supposedly carrying out quarantine protocols and testing were not doing their jobs.
No wonder PM Ardern has had a gutsful and appointed Air Commodore Darryn Webb to take over.
However, PM Ardern cannot simply call this colossal clusterf**k “an unacceptable failure of the system“. Assigning responsibility to a mythical creature called “The System” is a cop-out.
It wasn’t “the System” at fault. It wasn’t System Bush, or System Bloomfield, or System Clark, or System Ardern in charge. Human beings were in charge.
The public knows this. When “The System” is blamed, there is a collective eye-rolling of five million pairs of eye-balls. People recognise “Politician Speak” when it is fed to them.
If PM Ardern wants to engage in “Politician Speak”, that’s her mistake to make. Up until now, she has earned the respect of the nation as a Leader, not Just A Politician. Does she really want to be seen as Just Another Politician? I would have thought that was a step down in any person’s career path.
Someone screwed up. Someone in a position of authority where they should have been doing their job. Their. One. Job.
In fact, this government’s astronomical popularity has been predicated on them doing Their One Job: guiding Team Five Million through this crisis; doing the tough calls; ensuring all our resources were targetted at containing and defeating The Enemy.
They had one job. And they’ve been shown up not to have done it very well.
Expect Labour’s popularity to take a nose-dive in the next political poll. They will have earned the bollicking that the public is about to dish out to them.
But if we’re going to dish out the Finger-Pointing Pie, there is plenty to go around.
The Mainstream Media has amplified every “human interest” story of tragedy; people returning to Aotearoa New Zealand desperate to get out of 14 day quarantining to attend to dying relatives or attend funerals. (The six people who absconded from quarantine had attended a tangi in Hamilton.)
.
.
Media amplification of these tragic stories – aka “grief journalism” – has no doubt put inordinate pressure on government ministers and Ministry staff. Whilst these stories are good click-bait and help sell advertising space (or attract listeners in RNZ’s case), they serve no other useful purpose.
Quarantines are not quarantines if people can side-step them because of tragic personal circumstances. (And I write this knowing full well how it feels, as last year someone close to me died. The awful feeling of total helplessness cannot be adequately put into words.)
In one case, the Courts ruled to overturn a Ministry of Health decision to decline an exemption, saying;
“decisions to decline permission are on their face legally flawed” and the “exceptional” case “had the hallmarks of automatic rejection based on circumscribed criteria rather than a proper exercise of discretion.”
The media should take a long, hard look at itself and the role it played in undermining implementation of quarantine protocols.
And the Courts should decline to become involved in pandemic-control policies. Lest it need be repeating: the virus is no respecter of our human-made laws.
Next, the National Party and sundry business lobby groups with their relentless, irresponsible agitation to move down Alert Levels and re-open our borders to foreign students, tourists, Uncle Tom Cobbly, et al;
.
.
In the case of foreign students, National is particularly strident;
.
.
Ms Kaye’s assertion that “…[National] have also proposed that education providers would handle quarantine procedures” did not age well. Four days later…
As I write this, there are over eight million confirmed covid19 cases in the world. The real figure is most likely higher as countries like Brazil have consistently under-reported their infection rate. The global death toll has passed 450,000.
That is the threat that vote-chasers in the National Party and profit-takers in the business world would expose us to.
National’s cynicism is nowhere more apparent than Opposition MP, Michael Woodhouse, who reported the case of two women leaving quarantine whilst infected with covid19 – several days after finding out from “a reliable source”.
As blogger “Mickey Savage” outlined the timeline of events in The Standard;
The timing in interesting. According to this interview on Morning Report Woodhouse found out these details two days ago and yesterday spent time checking the veracity of the story.
He then discussed matters with his leader’s office.
He did not go to the Health Ministry and did not think he should.
He thinks this was necessary for presentation of the story.
In his view his job is not to work to improve the quarantine system but to hold the government to account and show shortcomings.
But as we are fighting a pandemic that has caused huge damage to countries overseas didn’t he have a duty to bring this information to the authorities as soon as possible? So that these operational holes could have been filled?
I heard the interview. Mr Woodhouse did indeed insist it was not his job “to improve the quarantine system“. Also not his job to potentially save lives either, it appears.
So while National Leader Todd Muller was reflecting the anger felt by 99.99% of the country – one of his loyal MPs was reporting to him quarantine failings; potential re-infection throughout the country; and possibly ending in death – all from a “reliable source”. National Party priorities – certainly not saving lives.
But eventually, responsibility for this colossal mistake lies with those people whom we entrusted to safeguard us. We know who they are. Most have appeared nightly in our homes; on our devices; encouraging us to do the right thing. Most New Zealanders followed their lead.
We rewarded them accordingly, singing their praises. And printing t-shirts bearing their image.
Those hymns of praise have stopped, to be replaced by the silent sound of bemusement, if not outright anger. The t-shirts may take a bit longer to sell.
The public will be in no mood to go back into any form of lock-down. In case I have to spell it out for Prime Minister Ardern; Health Minister Clark, Director General Bloomfield; Mike Bush, et al, the good will of the public has mostly evaporated. Faith has been replaced by cold fury.
The problem with being at the top? The only way from there is down.
Regardless of whether anyone takes responsibility for this failure, the ultimate decision will be taken from the hands of this government and its officials on 19 September.
As I wrote on 12 June – four days before the story of the quarantine failure broke;
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As at 16 June 2020:
Current covid19 cases: 1,156
Cases in ICU: nil
Number of deaths: 22
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References
TVNZ: Travellers mingling with passengers from other flights, members of the public during Covid-19 isolation
TVNZ: Government to make changes to managed isolation facilities following 1 NEWS investigation
Twitter: @fmacskasy – 10.44PM Jun 11, 2020
Stuff media: Covid-19 – new cases as thousands fly in from Australia, Asia, Pacific Islands and US
Mediaworks/Newshub: Father concerned after quarantined son taken for walk with person with COVID-19
Twitter: @fmacskasy – 1.41PM Jun 15, 2020
RNZ: Covid-19 – Two new cases in New Zealand, both arrivals from UK
RNZ: Two new Covid-19 cases in NZ visited dying parent – Bloomfield
RNZ: Health Minister temporarily suspends compassionate exemptions from quarantine
RNZ: Covid-19 – Exemptions concerning after women test positive outside managed isolation – Baker (audio)
RNZ: No answers yet on why Covid-19 cases weren’t tested leaving isolation – Clark (audio)
The Spinoff: The face of the Covid-19 response – Who is Ashley Bloomfield?
RNZ: Covid-19 – Exemptions concerning after women test positive outside managed isolation – Baker
Mediaworks/Newshub: Health and Disability System Review aims to end racism in New Zealand’s health sector
The Spinoff: Exclusive new poll: public support for Covid response remains sky high
TVNZ: Public sector’s reputation in NZ reaches record high amid Covid-19 crisis, survey shows
RNZ: Government slammed after new Covid-19 cases revealed
RNZ: Mike Bush answers questions over botched Covid-19 isolation
Frankly Speaking: “The Nation” reveals gobsmacking incompetence by Ministers English and Lotu-Iiga
RNZ: Two new cases leaving isolation ‘an unacceptable failure of the system’ – Ardern
ODT: Six people – not two – abscond to go to tangi
Mediaworks/Newhub: Kiwi in quarantine pleads with Government for right to visit dying mother
Mediaworks/Newhub: Coronavirus – Kiwi woman desperate to see her dying mother denied isolation exemption
RNZ: Covid-19 – NZer in quarantine appeals to government compassion to see dying wife
NZ Herald: Covid 19 coronavirus – Kiwi in LA begs for quarantine exemption to see dying dad in Christchurch
Magic Radio: Dr Bloomfield denies ‘blanket approach’ used for quarantine exemptions despite zero approvals
Twitter: @JudithCollinsMP – 12:44 PM · Jun 8, 2020 – Go to level 1
Twitter: @nikkikaye – 12 June 2020 – foreign students
Worldometer: Coronavirus Covid-19 Pandemic
NZ Herald: Covid 19 coronavirus – Brazil stops publishing number of virus deaths
Mediaworks/Newshub: Woman in the same hotel as new coronavirus cases ‘shocked’ at finding out via Ministry of Health press conference
RNZ: National Party on managed isolation bungle
Twitter: @fmacskasy – 9:45AM Jun 12, 2020 – no mood to go back into lockdown
Other Blogs
The Standard: Responsible politics verses Gotcha politics
Previous related blogposts
The Warehouse – where everyone gets a virus
Life in Lock Down: Day 28 – An Open Letter to Prime Minister Ardern
Life in Lock Down: Day 2 of Level 3
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This blogpost will be re-published in five days on “Frankly Speaking“. Reader’s comments may be left here (The Daily Blog) or there (Frankly Speaking).
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= fs =


thedailyblog--2020-06-18--But What Of The Real Culprits ? Covid Quarantine Crisis And The Rush To Judgement And Blame

There ’ s been a few instances over the past few months wherein the Government and the Director-General of Health have said one thing … and it ’ s turned out that the situation on the ground has been a little different .
A good example of this concerns the NZ Nurses Organization saying they were having issues with getting PPE , and other working conditions .
As it turned out , there were issues – and these were moved to be rectified ; occasionally at a rather glacial pace by the local DHBs involved .
I was disquieted about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sort of person who generally presumes that if somebody on the front line says there ’ s an issue , and somebody somewhat removed therefrom says there ’ s not … then you believe the ordinary worker .
At least enough to take them at their word that there ’ s something which deserves looking at – and then look seriously into it .
The past 48 hours have thrown up another cluster of such occurrences .
Some events that should never have happened ; some events that – with something like 19,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bound to have occurred eventually .
As applies the former , there ’ s been a notable discrepancy between what we were told towards the start of the occurrence … and what it is that now appears to be the case .
But here ’ s the thing – it ’ s tempting to go for the simplistic take on this .
To assume that when there ’ s a dysjunction between the facts-on-the-ground and the words-from-the-mouth at the Parliamentary Press Conference … that that means somebody standing in the latter is wilfully @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most prominently their own behind ) up .
That ’ s what National wants you to believe .
And to be fair , they ’ ve got understandable reason to presume so – they ’ ve certainly done it often enough themselves while they were in Government .
It ’ s part of the nature of the game in politics , no matter which side of the aisle you find yourself upon .
Except I ’ m not sure that that ’ s what ’ s happened here .
Not exactly , anyway @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go so far as to suggest that there seems to be reasonable evidence that it ’ s virtually the opposite .
Phrased another way : I have no reason to doubt that Bloomfield et co , and even the hapless David Clark *genuinely* believed they were in possession of the facts .
That procedures were being followed .
That we *were* in possession of what we said we were , doing what we said we were doing , things working basically as they almost ideally should .
And that the shock and fury @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out that this is not , in fact , the case – has been an emotion they ’ ve felt , too .
Because it seems like they ’ ve been operating in almost as much of an informational void about this as we have .
Perhaps even more so – as they had every right , as the lawfully empowered and responsible oversight of the situation , to presume that the datastreams they were getting were reasonably accurate and comprehensive in scope .
So why weren ’ t they .
What went @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calling this the “ Yes Minister ” defence .
Because that ’ s honestly what it looks like .
Multiple layers of questionable communication let alone accountability and command-and-control , between often-competent and certainly well-meaning people at the top , and often-competent and certainly well meaning people at the bottom , that have allowed the *incompetent* exceptions to not so much *test* the rule as seemingly become it .
This does not absolve the Minister or the Government of ultimate responsibility in the overarching sense – it happened on their watch .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sense , decision-makers at the top weren ’ t the directly proximate cause of these situations .
After all – superhuman though he may occasionally seem to be , it ’ s not like Dr Bloomfield could be personally across all quarantine facilities and testing-before-release in the country .
What I ’ m saying is – it ’ s easy and cathartic to focus upon the faces at the top , and fixate that they ’ re somehow the sum totality of the problem .
To do so , in this instance allows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fester quietly out of sight .
Safe in its relative anonymity and lack of true accountability .
At various points in the informational chains going upwards , and the implementation chains going back out , things have become broken .
In fact , it ’ s inescapable to conclude that they ’ ve actually been severely broken for some time .
Our health system has some amazing men and women operating in it – but time and again seems to find itself with feet and nervous-bundles of clay .
Just look at Dr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ various other bureaucrats and middle-managers who ’ ve graced the headline pages in ignominy over the past couple of years .
In some ways , it ’ s almost amazing that the system ’ s performed as well as it has up until this point – in ‘ peace-time ’ let alone during the depths of the current crisis circumstance .
This is why the military ’ s really been brought in .
Because the Government has rapidly come to realize that really … it can ’ t actually trust the informational picture @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the center , of those other agencies that were hitherto entrusted with the running of our quarantine system .
Perhaps that should have happened some time before now .
Pending the no-doubt inevitable Commission of Inquiry into our pandemic response all up … who can say .
All things considered , while I am not seeking to abrogate the burden of responsibility that is borne by those by now household names at the top of the tree … I do think it ’ s worth emphasizing that having responsibility for the situation , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cause it – are not , strictly speaking , the same thing .
The factors that may have lead to this week ’ s major shortfalls , or various others of the events I ’ ve subtly alluded to – would quite likely have taken place regardless of who was Minister of Health at the time … or even perhaps regardless of who was in Government .
In fact , while I am openly somewhat partisan about this – I actually think that had National been in the driver ’ s seat , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risky occurrences to deal with .
Simply because National has been quite plain in their intent to bring in more people with looser restrictions ( particularly international students , and matching the Trans-Tasman Bubble with re-opening the border with China at the same time ) .
That ’ s why I don ’ t think sending David Clark afore a firing squad is actually going to help matters ( in the short term , anyway ) .
And why if there ’ s going to be a Witch Hunt – it should presumably @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are focused rather further away and into darker recesses and corners than those we can see blaring back at us from the nightly news-casts as Tova O ’ Brien endeavours to tear to shreds the trustworthy reputation of the man we fondly call St Ashley .
There ’ s little to be gained from that .
Except ratings and shock-value .
Both for the Government ’ s political opponents , and for a scandal-hungry news-media looking to stoke the regime-change fires of the impending Election that ’ s coming later this year .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a nation – and after what ’ s occurred – or , should I say , what ’ s nearly occurred ( and hopefully hasn ’ t ) – this week , that ’ s both understandable and as it should be .

There’s been a few instances over the past few months wherein the Government and the Director-General of Health have said one thing … and it’s turned out that the situation on the ground has been a little different.
A good example of this concerns the NZ Nurses Organization saying they were having issues with getting PPE, and other working conditions.
As it turned out, there were issues – and these were moved to be rectified; occasionally at a rather glacial pace by the local DHBs involved.
I was disquieted about that – as I’m the sort of person who generally presumes that if somebody on the front line says there’s an issue, and somebody somewhat removed therefrom says there’s not … then you believe the ordinary worker. At least enough to take them at their word that there’s something which deserves looking at – and then look seriously into it.
The past 48 hours have thrown up another cluster of such occurrences. Some events that should never have happened; some events that – with something like 19,000 people going through quarantine – were probably bound to have occurred eventually.
As applies the former, there’s been a notable discrepancy between what we were told towards the start of the occurrence … and what it is that now appears to be the case.
But here’s the thing – it’s tempting to go for the simplistic take on this. To assume that when there’s a dysjunction between the facts-on-the-ground and the words-from-the-mouth at the Parliamentary Press Conference … that that means somebody standing in the latter is wilfully obfuscating. Lying. Covering things (most prominently their own behind) up.
That’s what National wants you to believe. And to be fair, they’ve got understandable reason to presume so – they’ve certainly done it often enough themselves while they were in Government. It’s part of the nature of the game in politics, no matter which side of the aisle you find yourself upon.
TDB Recommends NewzEngine.com
Except I’m not sure that that’s what’s happened here. Not exactly, anyway. In fact, I’d go so far as to suggest that there seems to be reasonable evidence that it’s virtually the opposite.
Phrased another way: I have no reason to doubt that Bloomfield et co, and even the hapless David Clark *genuinely* believed they were in possession of the facts. That procedures were being followed. That we *were* in possession of what we said we were, doing what we said we were doing, things working basically as they almost ideally should.
And that the shock and fury many of us have experienced to find out that this is not, in fact, the case – has been an emotion they’ve felt, too.
Because it seems like they’ve been operating in almost as much of an informational void about this as we have. Perhaps even more so – as they had every right, as the lawfully empowered and responsible oversight of the situation, to presume that the datastreams they were getting were reasonably accurate and comprehensive in scope.
So why weren’t they. What went wrong.
Broadly speaking – I am calling this the “Yes Minister” defence.
Because that’s honestly what it looks like. Multiple layers of questionable communication let alone accountability and command-and-control, between often-competent and certainly well-meaning people at the top, and often-competent and certainly well meaning people at the bottom, that have allowed the *incompetent* exceptions to not so much *test* the rule as seemingly become it.
This does not absolve the Minister or the Government of ultimate responsibility in the overarching sense – it happened on their watch. But it DOES show that in the SPECIFIC sense, decision-makers at the top weren’t the directly proximate cause of these situations.
After all – superhuman though he may occasionally seem to be, it’s not like Dr Bloomfield could be personally across all quarantine facilities and testing-before-release in the country.
What I’m saying is – it’s easy and cathartic to focus upon the faces at the top, and fixate that they’re somehow the sum totality of the problem. To do so, in this instance allows the ACTUAL cause of these lapses to fester quietly out of sight. Safe in its relative anonymity and lack of true accountability.
At various points in the informational chains going upwards, and the implementation chains going back out, things have become broken. In fact, it’s inescapable to conclude that they’ve actually been severely broken for some time.
Our health system has some amazing men and women operating in it – but time and again seems to find itself with feet and nervous-bundles of clay.
Just look at Dr Bloomfield’s immediate predecessor, or various other bureaucrats and middle-managers who’ve graced the headline pages in ignominy over the past couple of years. In some ways, it’s almost amazing that the system’s performed as well as it has up until this point – in ‘peace-time’ let alone during the depths of the current crisis circumstance.
This is why the military’s really been brought in. Because the Government has rapidly come to realize that really … it can’t actually trust the informational picture, and the adherence to commands from the center, of those other agencies that were hitherto entrusted with the running of our quarantine system.
Perhaps that should have happened some time before now.
Pending the no-doubt inevitable Commission of Inquiry into our pandemic response all up … who can say.
All things considered, while I am not seeking to abrogate the burden of responsibility that is borne by those by now household names at the top of the tree … I do think it’s worth emphasizing that having responsibility for the situation, and being at fault so as to cause it – are not, strictly speaking, the same thing.
The factors that may have lead to this week’s major shortfalls, or various others of the events I’ve subtly alluded to – would quite likely have taken place regardless of who was Minister of Health at the time … or even perhaps regardless of who was in Government.
In fact, while I am openly somewhat partisan about this – I actually think that had National been in the driver’s seat, we would have had more numerous and risky occurrences to deal with. Simply because National has been quite plain in their intent to bring in more people with looser restrictions (particularly international students, and matching the Trans-Tasman Bubble with re-opening the border with China at the same time).
That’s why I don’t think sending David Clark afore a firing squad is actually going to help matters (in the short term, anyway). And why if there’s going to be a Witch Hunt – it should presumably be an Inquisition whose more searching instincts are focused rather further away and into darker recesses and corners than those we can see blaring back at us from the nightly news-casts as Tova O’Brien endeavours to tear to shreds the trustworthy reputation of the man we fondly call St Ashley.
There’s little to be gained from that. Except ratings and shock-value. Both for the Government’s political opponents, and for a scandal-hungry news-media looking to stoke the regime-change fires of the impending Election that’s coming later this year.
Our trust has been shaken, as a nation – and after what’s occurred – or, should I say, what’s nearly occurred (and hopefully hasn’t) – this week, that’s both understandable and as it should be.


thedailyblog--2020-06-18--Reinfection:  Labour’s kryptonite

Reinfection:  Labour’s kryptonite


thedailyblog--2020-06-20--The bottleneck for almost everything – only 250 people a day can enter NZ

In an interview with the Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway on Radio NZ last week it became clear that the entire country is now hostage to a bottleneck in the managed isolation/quarantine system that means only 250 people a day can be allowed into New Zealand .
He explained that currently we are able to manage ( laugh , laugh ) 3000 people in quarantine or managed isolation .
That means that New Zealand can only allow 250 people a day to enter .
There are many terrible humanitarian stories of people being stopped from returning to New Zealand who have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their visa status .
But if the system will only allow 250 a day it means only New Zealand citizens and permanent residents were being allowed in .
Of course , there are also exemptions being given to groups of workers who are deemed to have a significant economic benefit by their admission such as the Avatar film crew .
The next group to be allowed in are partners and children of residents who don ’ t have PR already .
After this group the Minister said he was looking at allowing back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resident ” in NZ .
This group is estimated by Immigration NZ to be around 10,000 .
But at the current rate of admission , and with priority being given to returning residents , that could take years .
New Zealand needs to radically increase the number of people it is able to admit and put into managed quarantine or managed isolation .
Only after we have brought back those people “ normally resident ” in New Zealand can we consider opening up the tertiary education sector to private students .
It is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this group of ordinarily resident New Zealanders should be admitted .
These are people who have made their lives here over a decade or more renewing visa after visa and may even have children born here .
This group in New Zealand should also be fast-tracked for residency if they want it .
I am very concerned that we have gone to Level 1 with no real system of contact tracing in place and having mass gatherings with no social distancing involved .
I am very concerned that New Zealand seems to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does not encourage the wearing of masks on public transport at least .
The entire health system had been weakened over decades to the point that as a country we were lucky to have dodged the bullet of widespread community transmission .
We did not even have a decent supply of proper protective gear for an emergency that everyone knew would happen one day .
That means the border is our only protection .
But the embarrassing failures around managing the 3000 currently under supervision make it urgent that a new culture be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needed to protect NZ from Covid are simple .
They just need to be imposed .
That also means a dedicated government agency managing the process .
No one comes to New Zealand unless they accept the rules .
Everyone gets tested when they arrive and before they leave isolation .
Isolation/quarantine is rigorous .
Humanitarian exceptions can be allowed but they should be under constant supervision even when attending a funeral .
The problem appears to me that we have turned the entire country into privatised parts and we lack a dedicated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take on tasks vital to our development as a country .
This includes setting up simple isolation and quarantine facilities and managing them effectively .
Hotels and security companies formed to make a profit not provide a public service with staff with little training on the minimum wage are given responsibility .
In the public services everything has been privatised as far as possible through contracting out whatever they can .
Even government owned companies like Air NZ and NZ Post and most power companies are forced to operate as for profit capitalist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public service .
In the end the government was forced to turn to the military to take over and run the quarantine-isolation system .
That is a massive admission of failure in our core public service .
It is a product of decades of running everything , including the health system , as if it was a business and not a service .
The health service became simply cost centres that needed controlling .
Bureaucratic management and cost cutting was imposed .
Whole new layers of management were imposed to count every bean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Front line health workers were treated as a problem to be controlled , disempowered and poorly paid .
National planning around democratically determined health outcomes was abandoned .
Elected health boards actually had no power over often out of control and even corrupt chief executives .
I have no confidence that the proposals in the new report on Health and Disability Services will address these key problems .
Funding needs to be radically improved and guaranteed .
A national health plan needs to be discussed and agreed in a democratic process involving workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been systematically neglected .
Health system workers need to be an important part of the management boards and also be trusted to run their workplaces in the interests of us all .

In an interview with the Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway on Radio NZ last week it became clear that the entire country is now hostage to a bottleneck in the managed isolation/quarantine system that means only 250 people a day can be allowed into New Zealand.
He explained that currently we are able to manage (laugh, laugh) 3000 people in quarantine or managed isolation. That means that New Zealand can only allow 250 people a day to enter.
There are many terrible humanitarian stories of people being stopped from returning to New Zealand who have a right to be here because of their visa status.
But if the system will only allow 250 a day it means only New Zealand citizens and permanent residents were being allowed in.
Of course, there are also exemptions being given to groups of workers who are deemed to have a significant economic benefit by their admission such as the Avatar film crew.
The next group to be allowed in are partners and children of residents who don’t have PR already. After this group the Minister said he was looking at allowing back those without PR who are “normally resident” in NZ. This group is estimated by Immigration NZ to be around 10,000.
But at the current rate of admission, and with priority being given to returning residents, that could take years. New Zealand needs to radically increase the number of people it is able to admit and put into managed quarantine or managed isolation.
Only after we have brought back those people “normally resident” in New Zealand can we consider opening up the tertiary education sector to private students.
It is good that the government has recognised that this group of ordinarily resident New Zealanders should be admitted. These are people who have made their lives here over a decade or more renewing visa after visa and may even have children born here. This group in New Zealand should also be fast-tracked for residency if they want it.
I am very concerned that we have gone to Level 1 with no real system of contact tracing in place and having mass gatherings with no social distancing involved. I am very concerned that New Zealand seems to be the only country in the world that does not encourage the wearing of masks on public transport at least. The entire health system had been weakened over decades to the point that as a country we were lucky to have dodged the bullet of widespread community transmission. We did not even have a decent supply of proper protective gear for an emergency that everyone knew would happen one day. That means the border is our only protection.
But the embarrassing failures around managing the 3000 currently under supervision make it urgent that a new culture be imposed on the system. The rules needed to protect NZ from Covid are simple. They just need to be imposed.
That also means a dedicated government agency managing the process. No one comes to New Zealand unless they accept the rules. Everyone gets tested when they arrive and before they leave isolation. Isolation/quarantine is rigorous. Humanitarian exceptions can be allowed but they should be under constant supervision even when attending a funeral.
The problem appears to me that we have turned the entire country into privatised parts and we lack a dedicated public service that can step up and take on tasks vital to our development as a country. This includes setting up simple isolation and quarantine facilities and managing them effectively. Hotels and security companies formed to make a profit not provide a public service with staff with little training on the minimum wage are given responsibility.
In the public services everything has been privatised as far as possible through contracting out whatever they can. Even government owned companies like Air NZ and NZ Post and most power companies are forced to operate as for profit capitalist enterprises rather than be part of a public service.
In the end the government was forced to turn to the military to take over and run the quarantine-isolation system. That is a massive admission of failure in our core public service. It is a product of decades of running everything, including the health system, as if it was a business and not a service. The health service became simply cost centres that needed controlling. Bureaucratic management and cost cutting was imposed. Whole new layers of management were imposed to count every bean being used at least three times. Front line health workers were treated as a problem to be controlled, disempowered and poorly paid. National planning around democratically determined health outcomes was abandoned. Elected health boards actually had no power over often out of control and even corrupt chief executives.
I have no confidence that the proposals in the new report on Health and Disability Services will address these key problems. Funding needs to be radically improved and guaranteed. A national health plan needs to be discussed and agreed in a democratic process involving workers and consumers, especially Maori who have been systematically neglected. Health system workers need to be an important part of the management boards and also be trusted to run their workplaces in the interests of us all.


thedailyblog--2020-06-20--Reinfection: No, Dr Bloomfield!

Reinfection: No, Dr Bloomfield!

The bad news : Aotearoa New Zealand has two new cases of covid-19 .
The good news : the two cases were picked up at an Auckland quarantine facility .
The terrifying news : had the story of the two women leaving quarantine without testing not broken four days ago – this couple and their child were due to depart the facility ; The couple returned to New Zealand on a repatriation flight from Delhi – AI-1306 – and arrived on 5 June .
They also have an infant who has not been tested due to age .
The couple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ result after being tested on day 12 of isolation .
They were tested on Day 12 .
Up until now testing had not been done or was haphazard .
The infuriating news : Dr Ashley Bloomfield needs to stop bullshitting us .
At today ’ s presser , he made this statement .
See if you can pick up the half-truth : “ Just a good time to remind everybody that we were always expecting to get new cases at our borders , as Kiwis return home from overseas .
And I guess @ @ @ @ @ @ @ several weeks where we didn ’ t get any cases at the border and now we are .
And I ’ d like to reflect on the reasons for that .
First of all , we are seeing an increasing number of Kiwis returning to the country from around the globe .
The second is , just to reiterate the point that I have made , there is still a global pandemic raging offshore .
And only overnight the Director General of the World Health Organisation noted that the global pandemic is accelerating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 150,000 new cases worldwide .
So there is an increased likelihood we will see Kiwis coming back , especially from countries where there are high rates of infection , like India .
We also earlier in the week of course had those two Kiwis who ’ d returned from the UK where they ’ ve got high rate of infection .
So this explains why we are now detecting these cases at the border.
” Dr Bloomfield ’ s assertion that new cases of covid19 are being picked up because “ we are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the country from around the globe ” is not the reason .
The reason infection is being detected is because testing is now being carried out in earnest .
If personnel at quarantine facilities were still half-heartedly ( or not at all ) implementing testing protocols , all three recent cases ( one returnee from Pakistan , and the couple from India ) would likely have departed their respective facilities without having been tested .
They would be in our community – along with their viral “ passengers ” .
In fact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ magnitude of the potential crisis we might be facing ; “ 2400 people who had left a managed isolation facility but had not had a test “ .
I fear our good luck is about to run out .
RNZ : Two new cases of Covid-19 in New Zealand ( alt link to video ) NZ Herald : Covid 19 coronavirus – New arrivals to New Zealand told swab testing is not compulsory NZ Herald : Covid 19 coronavirus – NZ has another new case – a man in his 60s in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where everyone gets a virus Life in Lock Down : Day 28 – An Open Letter to Prime Minister Ardern Life in Lock Down : Day 2 of Level 3 This blogpost will be re-published in five days on “ Frankly Speaking “ .
Reader ’ s comments may be left here ( The Daily Blog ) or there ( Frankly Speaking ) .

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20 June
The bad news: Aotearoa New Zealand has two new cases of covid-19.
The good news: the two cases were picked up at an Auckland quarantine facility.
The terrifying news: had the story of the two women leaving quarantine without testing not broken four days ago – this couple and their child were due to depart the facility;
The couple returned to New Zealand on a repatriation flight from Delhi – AI-1306 – and arrived on 5 June. They also have an infant who has not been tested due to age.
The couple showed no symptoms and returned a positive result after being tested on day 12 of isolation.
They were tested on Day 12. Up until now testing had not been done or was haphazard.
TDB Recommends NewzEngine.com
The infuriating news: Dr Ashley Bloomfield needs to stop bullshitting us. At today’s presser, he made this statement. See if you can pick up the half-truth:
.
.
@ 4:44 – 5:52
“Just a good time to remind everybody that we were always expecting to get new cases at our borders, as Kiwis return home from overseas.
And I guess the comment here is, we had several weeks where we didn’t get any cases at the border and now we are. And I’d like to reflect on the reasons for that.
First of all, we are seeing an increasing number of Kiwis returning to the country from around the globe.
The second is, just to reiterate the point that I have made, there is still a global pandemic raging offshore.
And only overnight the Director General of the World Health Organisation noted that the global pandemic is accelerating, with Thursday this week being over 150,000 new cases worldwide.
So there is an increased likelihood we will see Kiwis coming back, especially from countries where there are high rates of infection, like India. We also earlier in the week of course had those two Kiwis who’d returned from the UK where they’ve got high rate of infection.
So this explains why we are now detecting these cases at the border.”
Dr Bloomfield’s assertion that new cases of covid19 are being picked up because “we are seeing an increasing number of Kiwis returning to the country from around the globe” is not the reason.
The reason infection is being detected is because testing is now being carried out in earnest.
If personnel at quarantine facilities were still half-heartedly (or not at all) implementing testing protocols, all three recent cases (one returnee from Pakistan, and the couple from India) would likely have departed their respective facilities without having been tested .
They would be in our community – along with their viral “passengers”.
In fact, Dr Bloomfield may have revealed the magnitude of the potential crisis we might be facing;
.
.
“2400 people who had left a managed isolation facility but had not had a test“.
I fear our good luck is about to run out.
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As at 20 June 2020:
Confirmed & Probable covid19 cases: 1,159
Active cases: 5
Cases in ICU: nil
Number of deaths: 22
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References
RNZ: Two new cases of Covid-19 in New Zealand (alt link to video)
NZ Herald: Covid 19 coronavirus – New arrivals to New Zealand told swab testing is not compulsory
NZ Herald: Covid 19 coronavirus – NZ has another new case – a man in his 60s in a quarantine facility in Auckland
Ministry of Health: Two new cases of COVID-19
Previous related blogposts
The Warehouse – where everyone gets a virus
Life in Lock Down: Day 28 – An Open Letter to Prime Minister Ardern
Life in Lock Down: Day 2 of Level 3
Reinfection: Labour’s kryptonite
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.
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This blogpost will be re-published in five days on “Frankly Speaking“. Reader’s comments may be left here (The Daily Blog) or there (Frankly Speaking).
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= fs =


thedailyblog--2020-06-21--Auckland Council Austerity Budget Part of the Problem not the Solution

Submissions on the Auckland Council ‘ Emergency ( COVID ) budget ’ closed on Friday , and received many more submissions in this special consultation than it did with its business as usual budget , first time round , earlier this year .
Just when the Council ’ s annual plan indicated a small step towards overdue environmental , infrastructure and social equality , it has reviewed its budget in light of expected income slumps , and suggests cutting all things good in favour of austerity , prioritising contracts where commitments have already been made with socially distorting effects .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been brought about because of reduced revenue and expected ratepayer hardship resulting from COVID-19 .
Income is expected to be around $ 525million less than first budgeted , due to lower dividends ( for example from Auckland International Airport and Ports of Auckland ) , fewer public transport fares , lower fuel tax income , less event and facilities revenue and fewer developer contributions and regulatory services fees .
The Council considered a range of budget reduction options , and Councillors will now have to grapple again with weighing up whether to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increase to make up the shortfall .
But make no mistake , the ‘ austerity ’ options proposed , aren ’ t politically neutral .
There ’ s nothing immutable or fixed , and there are no ‘ necessary ’ measures in the budget that aren ’ t a reflection of ideology .
Even though conservative elements always fall back on the catch-cry “ focus on core and essential services ” , it remains to be discussed , what are core versus discretionary functions for local government .
Indeed , your essential service @ @ @ @ @ @ @ versa .
Where you stand will depend on where you sit – and that will partly depend on where you sit in the socio-economic hierarchy .
In a democracy , each view should be valid , equally considered , without privilege , and determined through debate , discourse and deliberation .
However , under the SuperCity , the opportunities formerly provided , pre-amalgamation , to even speak to your annual plan submission have been eroded .
And participation in local government is generally loaded toward wealthy , white ratepayers rather than renters or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We have less democracy now than we did before .
And despite an anticipated increase in participation from younger cohorts , the political prerogative to keep rates low is a strong one , even without economic duress from COVID-19 .
Just when the budget was actually looking progressive , equitable and toward addressing the existential issues of the future , a crisis occurs that drives the agenda for cuts .
But austerity is a solution looking for a problem .
Instead of amplified investment to stimulate the economy and to respond to Aucklander @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and cycling , the ‘ There is No Alternative ’ budget slashing mantra comes to the fore .
But just look at what ’ s proposed to be cut – and assess whether it feels politically neutral : a delay in new climate change responses ; a cut to support for initiatives addressing homelessness ; a delay in extending the living wage to contract cleaners ; cancelled public transport fare subsidies for children ; reduced investment in Māori outcome projects including marae and papakainga safety ; delayed walking and cycling projects – while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regional parks track upgrades and cancelled parks events ; community facilities , library , halls , and playground closures ; reduced public transport services and road and footpath maintenance and less investment in environmental services .
This is cutting costs for the present to punish generations in the future .
The draft budget allegedly prioritised ‘ financial prudence ’ , honouring contractual and statutory obligations , public health and safety , asset integrity , Māori outcomes , jobs and employment , ease of implementation , protecting the most vulnerable and “ supporting our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them worse off ” .
However , the budget also acknowledges that the proposed cuts will also have a disproportionate effect on lower income households and those communities most in need .
The Mayoral budget ( cut ) recommendations proposed deferring the living wage roll-out , Housing First , climate change responses , marae development , and the closure of community facilities .
And even though there are also staff cost reductions proposed , and some Councillors have volunteered to donate some of their salaries to charity , the Mayor ordinarily earns $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than $ 250,000 p.a.
, seven staff members earn more than the Prime Minister .
And the Council will retain its $ 98million spending on the America ’ s Cup .
Auckland ’ s five substantive “ Council Controlled Organisations ” are under review – to assess whether they are sufficiently efficient , responsive , accountable , well governed ; whether they appropriately reflect the Council brand , if their roles are appropriately defined , if there ’ s unnecessary duplication , and if there are other viable service delivery models .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 , and opportunities for rationalisation of the CCO ’ s , and amalgamation of their functions – while perhaps obvious targets to address savings , are not on the table for the emergency budget .
Proposed reform in the emergency budget disproportionately impacts the very community services local government is designed to deliver , while leaving publicly unaccountable , overpaid , duplicative CCO ’ s intact .
The law of Maslow ’ s hammer has it that if all you have is a hammer , everything looks like a nail .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proofing transport , saving lives with better walking and cycling and road safety , fire sales of community assets , retrenching services , neglecting existing infrastructure , abandoning recreational services in the community while retaining spending on elite yacht racing , and cancelling living wage increments while top dogs get paid hundreds of thousands of dollars , reminds us that the hammer of austerity is an ideology ready poised to hit any progress right on the head .
If the Council is serious about public health and safety , Māori outcomes , community @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote to maintain higher rates , socialising the costs across the wider ratepayer base ; they would review support for the America ’ s Cup , they would turn their attention to a root and branch reform of the CCO ’ s .
They would fund the living wage for contract cleaners and reduce inflated executive salaries .
They would recognise that public service is about the public good , and future investment requires bravery now , most of all , courage to invest in their communities .
They would recognise that austerity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that ’ s loaded in favour of entrenched interests and comparatively wealthy elites , both within society and within Council staff .
This week , Stephen Town , hitherto Auckland Council ’ s Chief Executive departed the $ 698,000 role .
At forty hours a week , that ’ s about $ 335 an hour .
Meanwhile , if the Council won ’ t find the money to pay its ( contract ) cleaners a living wage of $ 22.10 an hour , and cuts community services , it is part of the @ @ @ @ @ @

Submissions on the Auckland Council ‘Emergency (COVID) budget’ closed on Friday, and received many more submissions in this special consultation than it did with its business as usual budget, first time round, earlier this year.
Just when the Council’s annual plan indicated a small step towards overdue environmental, infrastructure and social equality, it has reviewed its budget in light of expected income slumps, and suggests cutting all things good in favour of austerity, prioritising contracts where commitments have already been made with socially distorting effects.
The unprecedented review of the prior budget has been brought about because of reduced revenue and expected ratepayer hardship resulting from COVID-19. Income is expected to be around $525million less than first budgeted, due to lower dividends (for example from Auckland International Airport and Ports of Auckland), fewer public transport fares, lower fuel tax income, less event and facilities revenue and fewer developer contributions and regulatory services fees.
The Council considered a range of budget reduction options, and Councillors will now have to grapple again with weighing up whether to proceed with a / any planned rates increase to make up the shortfall.
But make no mistake, the ‘austerity’ options proposed, aren’t politically neutral. There’s nothing immutable or fixed, and there are no ‘necessary’ measures in the budget that aren’t a reflection of ideology. Even though conservative elements always fall back on the catch-cry “focus on core and essential services”, it remains to be discussed, what are core versus discretionary functions for local government. Indeed, your essential service is my discretionary one, and vice versa. Where you stand will depend on where you sit – and that will partly depend on where you sit in the socio-economic hierarchy.
In a democracy, each view should be valid, equally considered, without privilege, and determined through debate, discourse and deliberation. However, under the SuperCity, the opportunities formerly provided, pre-amalgamation, to even speak to your annual plan submission have been eroded. And participation in local government is generally loaded toward wealthy, white ratepayers rather than renters or citizens, or the working class. We have less democracy now than we did before. And despite an anticipated increase in participation from younger cohorts, the political prerogative to keep rates low is a strong one, even without economic duress from COVID-19. Just when the budget was actually looking progressive, equitable and toward addressing the existential issues of the future, a crisis occurs that drives the agenda for cuts.
But austerity is a solution looking for a problem. Instead of amplified investment to stimulate the economy and to respond to Aucklander’s lockdown love affair with walking and cycling, the ‘There is No Alternative’ budget slashing mantra comes to the fore.
But just look at what’s proposed to be cut – and assess whether it feels politically neutral: a delay in new climate change responses; a cut to support for initiatives addressing homelessness; a delay in extending the living wage to contract cleaners; cancelled public transport fare subsidies for children; reduced investment in Māori outcome projects including marae and papakainga safety; delayed walking and cycling projects – while acknowledging this will cost lives; defered regional parks track upgrades and cancelled parks events; community facilities, library, halls, and playground closures; reduced public transport services and road and footpath maintenance and less investment in environmental services. This is cutting costs for the present to punish generations in the future.
The draft budget allegedly prioritised ‘financial prudence’, honouring contractual and statutory obligations, public health and safety, asset integrity, Māori outcomes, jobs and employment, ease of implementation, protecting the most vulnerable and “supporting our communities”, -“avoiding making them worse off”.
However, the budget also acknowledges that the proposed cuts will also have a disproportionate effect on lower income households and those communities most in need.
The Mayoral budget (cut) recommendations proposed deferring the living wage roll-out, Housing First, climate change responses, marae development, and the closure of community facilities. And even though there are also staff cost reductions proposed, and some Councillors have volunteered to donate some of their salaries to charity, the Mayor ordinarily earns $296,000 per annum, 86 staff earn more than $250,000 p.a., seven staff members earn more than the Prime Minister. And the Council will retain its $98million spending on the America’s Cup.
Auckland’s five substantive “Council Controlled Organisations” are under review – to assess whether they are sufficiently efficient, responsive, accountable, well governed; whether they appropriately reflect the Council brand, if their roles are appropriately defined, if there’s unnecessary duplication, and if there are other viable service delivery models. But the review has been overtaken by COVID-19, and opportunities for rationalisation of the CCO’s, and amalgamation of their functions – while perhaps obvious targets to address savings, are not on the table for the emergency budget. Proposed reform in the emergency budget disproportionately impacts the very community services local government is designed to deliver, while leaving publicly unaccountable, overpaid, duplicative CCO’s intact.
The law of Maslow’s hammer has it that if all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail. The recourse to slashing community investment, future proofing transport, saving lives with better walking and cycling and road safety, fire sales of community assets, retrenching services, neglecting existing infrastructure, abandoning recreational services in the community while retaining spending on elite yacht racing, and cancelling living wage increments while top dogs get paid hundreds of thousands of dollars, reminds us that the hammer of austerity is an ideology ready poised to hit any progress right on the head.
If the Council is serious about public health and safety, Māori outcomes, community support and asset integrity, Councillors will vote to maintain higher rates, socialising the costs across the wider ratepayer base; they would review support for the America’s Cup, they would turn their attention to a root and branch reform of the CCO’s. They would fund the living wage for contract cleaners and reduce inflated executive salaries. They would recognise that public service is about the public good, and future investment requires bravery now, most of all, courage to invest in their communities. They would recognise that austerity is an ideology, a choice, that’s loaded in favour of entrenched interests and comparatively wealthy elites, both within society and within Council staff.
This week, Stephen Town, hitherto Auckland Council’s Chief Executive departed the $698,000 role. At forty hours a week, that’s about $335 an hour. Meanwhile, if the Council won’t find the money to pay its (contract) cleaners a living wage of $22.10 an hour, and cuts community services, it is part of the problem, not the solution.


thedailyblog--2020-06-21--Dr Liz Gordon – No open borders for at least a year

What we have learned this week , with absolute clarity , is that our borders will have to remain closed for a long time to come .
Those talking about a trans-Tasman bubble are not thinking straight .
Until there are no new cases in Australia , and no chance of new cases , the bubble is not possible .
And , as neither Australia nor New Zealand are prepared to close their borders to repatriating citizens ( and , indeed , how could they ? )
, there will continue to be cases at the border .
This means @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country without at least a two week quarantine , now or in the foreseeable future .
That is the bottom line .
I think we should be exceedingly grateful to the two women whose case exposed the failures of implementation of this policy .
Their frightening experience has been a salutary lesson to the nation .
The government got the policy absolutely right .
We will have to manage , and try to thrive , by ourselves until the Covid threat has passed .
The threat is very proximate .
Daily number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The number of deaths worldwide is approaching half a million .
And we are probably still in the early stages of the pandemic .
As the disease rages in the world around us , the current border policy is our only hope to keep NZ free of Covid-19 .
The frightening anger unleashed against those grieving , isolated , women , the name-calling ( that ridiculously misogynist term ‘ Karen ’ ) , the blame-the-victim stuff showed a very different face of New Zealand than our official policy of ‘ be kind ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , that the anger was fuelled by the unconscious realisation that if we are to remain Covid free , things will not be the same for a long time to come .
There is not going to be an Australian resurgence to save the ski season .
There are currently 110 live cases in Victoria alone , and some signs of a slight resurgence , including community transmission .
And because that number is not nil and is unlikely to get to and stay at nil for a long time yet , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are very bad elsewhere .
Most countries seem to have given forms of lockdown around 6-8 weeks to work .
Often , those periods ran out at the end of May .
The fight was declared over .
And now , numbers are starting to climb again , especially in the USA .
This is not the second wave , but the second act of the first wave .
Brazil is fulfilling its promise to be the world experiment for what happens when a pandemic is simply ignored .
It is not a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ behind , and it is interesting that two cases caught at the border are New Zealanders returning from there .
Right wing groups – and governments – all over the world now equate freedom with the right to freely mingle , catch and transmit this deadly disease .
Those people refusing to be tested in quarantine have apparently adopted a position that having a nostril swab is a breach of their human rights .
Frankly , if they think that way they should not have decided to return home .
There are plenty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , where they may feel more at home .
The Covid has always been a political disease , and the parlous state of politics in many parts of the world has hampered public health efforts to control the spread .
When looking for someone to blame , it must be those governments that have refused to control the disease , ignored the WHO and who now pretend there is nothing amiss .
We are not immune from impatient white blokes itching to be ‘ free ’ .
In a weekend column , someone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ policy is untenable .
In a quote memorable for its sheer idiocy , he noted : “ At some point our concern for the welfare of Grandma is going to be overtaken by our desire to visit the Grand Canyon ” .
Try telling Granny that your little trip is more important than her life .
I am sure she will understand .
It is not the time for anger , recriminations , spurious rights claims or the whining of selfish blokes .
Einstein said : “ Anger dwells only in the bosom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a great feeling when we were declared Covid free , and it is within our grasp to retain that status except at the borders , where cases will come in and hopefully now be dealt with efficiently .
Fingers crossed that the two women did not inadvertently infect anyone and that border controls now remain firm .
I am so sorry for those who have successfully pursued international tourism for so long .
It must feel very personal to have your future stymied by a virus .
But the government is doing exactly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on building our domestic economy and other export industries that do not require large influxes of uncontrolled people .
New Zealand is an innovative country and now is the time to think outside the square .
We can export our Covid-free status without jeopardising it .
Hold the line .
Be positive .
This too will pass .
Dr Liz Gordon is a researcher and a barrister , with interests in destroying neo-liberalism in all its forms and moving towards a socially just society .
She usually blogs on justice , social welfare @ @ @ @

What we have learned this week, with absolute clarity, is that our borders will have to remain closed for a long time to come. Those talking about a trans-Tasman bubble are not thinking straight. Until there are no new cases in Australia, and no chance of new cases, the bubble is not possible. And, as neither Australia nor New Zealand are prepared to close their borders to repatriating citizens (and, indeed, how could they?), there will continue to be cases at the border.
This means that no-one can be allowed in the country without at least a two week quarantine, now or in the foreseeable future. That is the bottom line. I think we should be exceedingly grateful to the two women whose case exposed the failures of implementation of this policy. Their frightening experience has been a salutary lesson to the nation. The government got the policy absolutely right. We will have to manage, and try to thrive, by ourselves until the Covid threat has passed.
The threat is very proximate. Daily number of infections worldwide is now approaching 200,000. The number of deaths worldwide is approaching half a million. And we are probably still in the early stages of the pandemic. As the disease rages in the world around us, the current border policy is our only hope to keep NZ free of Covid-19.
The frightening anger unleashed against those grieving, isolated, women, the name-calling (that ridiculously misogynist term ‘Karen’), the blame-the-victim stuff showed a very different face of New Zealand than our official policy of ‘be kind’. It is quite possible, though, that the anger was fuelled by the unconscious realisation that if we are to remain Covid free, things will not be the same for a long time to come.
There is not going to be an Australian resurgence to save the ski season. There are currently 110 live cases in Victoria alone, and some signs of a slight resurgence, including community transmission. And because that number is not nil and is unlikely to get to and stay at nil for a long time yet, we cannot mingle with them.
Things are very bad elsewhere. Most countries seem to have given forms of lockdown around 6-8 weeks to work. Often, those periods ran out at the end of May. The fight was declared over. And now, numbers are starting to climb again, especially in the USA. This is not the second wave, but the second act of the first wave.
Brazil is fulfilling its promise to be the world experiment for what happens when a pandemic is simply ignored. It is not a pretty sight. India is not far behind, and it is interesting that two cases caught at the border are New Zealanders returning from there.
Right wing groups – and governments – all over the world now equate freedom with the right to freely mingle, catch and transmit this deadly disease. Those people refusing to be tested in quarantine have apparently adopted a position that having a nostril swab is a breach of their human rights. Frankly, if they think that way they should not have decided to return home. There are plenty of countries proclaiming rights over good policies, where they may feel more at home.
TDB Recommends NewzEngine.com
The Covid has always been a political disease, and the parlous state of politics in many parts of the world has hampered public health efforts to control the spread. When looking for someone to blame, it must be those governments that have refused to control the disease, ignored the WHO and who now pretend there is nothing amiss.
We are not immune from impatient white blokes itching to be ‘free’. In a weekend column, someone called Damian Grant stated that our current policy is untenable. In a quote memorable for its sheer idiocy, he noted: “At some point our concern for the welfare of Grandma is going to be overtaken by our desire to visit the Grand Canyon”. Try telling Granny that your little trip is more important than her life. I am sure she will understand.
It is not the time for anger, recriminations, spurious rights claims or the whining of selfish blokes. Einstein said: “Anger dwells only in the bosom of fools”.
It was such a great feeling when we were declared Covid free, and it is within our grasp to retain that status except at the borders, where cases will come in and hopefully now be dealt with efficiently. Fingers crossed that the two women did not inadvertently infect anyone and that border controls now remain firm.
I am so sorry for those who have successfully pursued international tourism for so long. It must feel very personal to have your future stymied by a virus. But the government is doing exactly the right thing. We must concentrate on building our domestic economy and other export industries that do not require large influxes of uncontrolled people. New Zealand is an innovative country and now is the time to think outside the square. We can export our Covid-free status without jeopardising it. Hold the line. Be positive. This too will pass.
Dr Liz Gordon is a researcher and a barrister, with interests in destroying neo-liberalism in all its forms and moving towards a socially just society. She usually blogs on justice, social welfare and education topics.