New Zealand political discussion thread

[H.E. VOLODYMYR ZELENKSYY]

Congratulations on your second dose, but I really don't think New Zealand should open to Americans ever again. My country is depraved, and there's a solid floor of 30% that won't get the vaccine no matter what.

That number is much higher than that. Republicans make up about 45% of the country. 100% of Republicans will never get vaccinated for COVID.

Aren’t something like 70% of Americans vaccinated?

[Pericles]

Congratulations on your second dose, but I really don't think New Zealand should open to Americans ever again. My country is depraved, and there's a solid floor of 30% that won't get the vaccine no matter what.

That number is much higher than that. Republicans make up about 45% of the country. 100% of Republicans will never get vaccinated for COVID.

Aren’t something like 70% of Americans vaccinated?

77% of those eligible, which could have been good enough but the Delta variant ruthlessly spreads through the clusters of the remaining 23%.

[brucejoel99]

Congratulations on your second dose, but I really don't think New Zealand should open to Americans ever again. My country is depraved, and there's a solid floor of 30% that won't get the vaccine no matter what.

You realize that they could just require proof of vaccination status in order to enter the country... right?

Congratulations on your second dose, but I really don't think New Zealand should open to Americans ever again. My country is depraved, and there's a solid floor of 30% that won't get the vaccine no matter what.

That number is much higher than that. Republicans make up about 45% of the country. 100% of Republicans will never get vaccinated for COVID.

[Pericles]

Yesterday, by 10pm on 'Super Saturday' 129,995 vaccine doses were administered in NZ, smashing through the 100,000 dose target and any previous records here, vaccinating about 2.5% of the total population in a day. The total numbers now stand at 85% of the total eligible first dosed, 65% double-dosed, and 89% in Auckland first dosed.

[Sestak]

Congratulations on your second dose, but I really don't think New Zealand should open to Americans ever again. My country is depraved, and there's a solid floor of 30% that won't get the vaccine no matter what.

That number is much higher than that. Republicans make up about 45% of the country. 100% of Republicans will never get vaccinated for COVID.

I know it's pointless responding to you people but I feel obligated to point out that the percentage of the country that is not yet fully vaccinated is below 45%. The number of Americans without even one dose is one-third and dropping - will probably go below 30% in December sometime.

[CumbrianLefty]

The statement "100% of Republicans will never get vaccinated" is pure content free trolling.

[SnowLabrador]

I read this thread and I'm hugely embarrassed to be an American. The last year and a half have been absolute murder on my self-esteem.

[CumbrianLefty]

Not even Trump losing an election he should have won - given incumbency and the economic boom - cheered you up? I suppose some people are hard to please.

[Pericles]

The government has just given some more clarity on what the future looks like. They have set a target for the alert level system to end, so both lockdowns and the current alert level 2 restrictions, at 90% of 12+ double-vaccinated. However, this would not be a return to level 1, but instead a 'traffic-light' system that still aims to suppress the virus-while accepting that it cannot be eliminated. This target is not nationwide, but alert level 2 only ends when all regions (assessed by district health boards) achieve it. Auckland's lockdown ends though when its 3 DHBs get 90%, but a hard border then stays between it and the rest of New Zealand. It's not clear whether the original roadmap still applies with the 'steps', I'm guessing Auckland stays at the current restrictions until it hits 90% (or the review of vaccination rates on November 29). The South Island could also move to the green light when/if all its DHBs get to 90%.

So here are what the three traffic lights mean, it's hard to explain so have a look here. This is quite confusing, but Jacinda tried to give a simple message, saying that if people want their everyday freedoms like going to bars, restaurants, gyms, getting haircuts and so on, they should get vaccinated.

It is an interesting approach, hopefully it increases vaccine uptake and once implemented it should keep deaths low. It is also more necessary for New Zealand than most other countries because our ICU capacity is low. However, it feels like this could have been set too high-maybe they thought it was better to be aspirational. Nationwide, based on the government's measure, we are at 86% first-dosed and 68% double-dosed. The Auckland DHBs are very close to 90% already so it may be realistic for them. It doesn't look like anywhere has actually gotten 90% first dose yet (and since not all first doses become second doses they might need to be a bit over). They said there would be a review on November 29, so the vaccine targets could be lowered then. So there is a lot still unclear, but it does look like more freedom is coming and it will be done responsibly. Meanwhile, cases are still increasing, with a record 102 cases yesterday, but that's still pretty low and overall our health outcomes are very good.

[SnowLabrador]

Not even Trump losing an election he should have won - given incumbency and the economic boom - cheered you up? I suppose some people are hard to please.

Trump should have lost like Herbert Hoover, his failures were at least as egregious. Instead he lost like Gerald Ford, and got a higher percentage of the vote than he did in 2016. It wasn't the broad rejection of fascism we needed.

[CumbrianLefty]

Hoover had an epoch making economic crash on his watch, Trump didn't. Not much else to say tbh.

[SnowLabrador]

Hoover had an epoch making economic crash on his watch, Trump didn't. Not much else to say tbh.

Thanks to him over 733k Americans and counting are dead, and the economy did crash. I'd say that's worse than the Great Depression.

[Pericles]

The Waikato will move into 'step 2' of level 3 from Wednesday, and Auckland is set to do the same next Wednesday. This means retail and public facilities can open, while outdoor gatherings can increase to 25 people. It looks like indoor gatherings remain banned. This is quite complicated, especially since it's stepping down somewhere between existing alert levels but is also about moving to the new traffic light system. There were 162 new cases today, but still no deaths, and the government's modelling now suggests daily cases will peak at 200 sometime this month. The Auckland DHBs may just be on track to make the 90% double-dose target, but the rest of the country are unlikely to make it this month.

Meanwhile, Lord Ashcroft from the UK ran a big poll of New Zealand voters that has lots of detailed data about public opinion here. If you're interested, here is the link. One data point that stood out to me was this, I don't think you'd see this in the US or the UK.

[Secretary of State Liberal Hack]

SNIP

I think this poll reinforces my impression of New Zealand labour being a fundamentally conservative party with good spin. Popular among the established populace as well as their disenchanted children by attractive rethoric regarding social spending, home prices and projecting empathy while  unwilling to make the fundamental reforms required for the country to thrive for everyone.

[CumbrianLefty]

Rather like New Labour back in the day, then? Thing is, that gets found out eventually.

(though it may also be relevant that Ardern's party is still distinctly to the left of the 80s version)

[Secretary of State Liberal Hack]

Rather like New Labour back in the day, then? Thing is, that gets found out eventually.

(though it may also be relevant that Ardern's party is still distinctly to the left of the 80s version)

I mean Arden Literary worked in the new labour government, which I find kiwi and Australian complaints about foreign intervention in their elections kinda hilarious.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/96123508/jacinda-ardern-i-didnt-want-to-work-for-tony-blair

[CumbrianLefty]

Well yes, that is fairly well known. Also that she places herself to the left of him.

[Secretary of State Liberal Hack]

I'm wondering if there will be any constituency for an Auckland localist party, given the disparity between it's lockdown and the rest of the country.

[Pericles]

I'm wondering if there will be any constituency for an Auckland localist party, given the disparity between it's lockdown and the rest of the country.

I doubt it, that won't really be something that someone can run on in 2023. Maybe Auckland swings a bit further to the right than the rest of the country.

Related to that, from midnight tomorrow, Auckland will indeed be going to step 2 of the roadmap. 'Upper Northland' has also been in lockdown for the last few days and again goes back to level 2 on Thursday. The Auckland DHBs have all hit 90% first dose, so they'll soon move to the traffic light system, but it's unclear when the entire country does.

[NewYorkExpress]

Jacinda Ardern's three year old daughter, Neve interrupted a national address on COVID-19

Working from home can be tricky for parents, even when you're the prime minister of New Zealand.

On Monday night, Jacinda Ardern was giving the nation a live update on changing Covid restrictions when she was interrupted by off-screen calls for “mummy.”

"You're meant to be in bed, darling," Ardern told daughter, Neve, 3.

"Pop back to bed, I'll come and see you in a second."

“Sorry, everybody,” Ardern said as she turned back to her national audience. She laughed off the interruption, following up with, "Well, that was a bedtime fail, wasn't it?"



Ardern, who has been praised for her clear and frequent communication with the public throughout the coronavirus pandemic, joked that she thought she had found a safe time to broadcast.

“Does anyone else have kids escape like three, four times after bedtime?” she asked, noting that fortunately, her mother was there to help.

Toward the end of the eight-minute livestream, Neve could be heard again, wondering what the hold-up was.

“I'm sorry darling it is taking so long,” Ardern said before cutting the livestream short to give bedtime another try.

[SnowLabrador]

Jacinda Ardern's three year old daughter, Neve interrupted a national address on COVID-19

Working from home can be tricky for parents, even when you're the prime minister of New Zealand.

On Monday night, Jacinda Ardern was giving the nation a live update on changing Covid restrictions when she was interrupted by off-screen calls for “mummy.”

"You're meant to be in bed, darling," Ardern told daughter, Neve, 3.

"Pop back to bed, I'll come and see you in a second."

“Sorry, everybody,” Ardern said as she turned back to her national audience. She laughed off the interruption, following up with, "Well, that was a bedtime fail, wasn't it?"



Ardern, who has been praised for her clear and frequent communication with the public throughout the coronavirus pandemic, joked that she thought she had found a safe time to broadcast.

“Does anyone else have kids escape like three, four times after bedtime?” she asked, noting that fortunately, her mother was there to help.

Toward the end of the eight-minute livestream, Neve could be heard again, wondering what the hold-up was.

“I'm sorry darling it is taking so long,” Ardern said before cutting the livestream short to give bedtime another try.

Awww, that's cute. On a more serious note, I heard that Ardern has personally called the families of all 32 New Zealanders who have died from COVID. Is that true?

[Pericles]

Jacinda Ardern's three year old daughter, Neve interrupted a national address on COVID-19

Working from home can be tricky for parents, even when you're the prime minister of New Zealand.

On Monday night, Jacinda Ardern was giving the nation a live update on changing Covid restrictions when she was interrupted by off-screen calls for “mummy.”

"You're meant to be in bed, darling," Ardern told daughter, Neve, 3.

"Pop back to bed, I'll come and see you in a second."

“Sorry, everybody,” Ardern said as she turned back to her national audience. She laughed off the interruption, following up with, "Well, that was a bedtime fail, wasn't it?"



Ardern, who has been praised for her clear and frequent communication with the public throughout the coronavirus pandemic, joked that she thought she had found a safe time to broadcast.

“Does anyone else have kids escape like three, four times after bedtime?” she asked, noting that fortunately, her mother was there to help.

Toward the end of the eight-minute livestream, Neve could be heard again, wondering what the hold-up was.

“I'm sorry darling it is taking so long,” Ardern said before cutting the livestream short to give bedtime another try.

Awww, that's cute. On a more serious note, I heard that Ardern has personally called the families of all 32 New Zealanders who have died from COVID. Is that true?

I wouldn't be surprised, but I haven't actually heard of that one before or found a source for it.

[Pericles]

A new Colmar Brunton poll has an unsurprising result.
Labour-41% (- 2% on last poll, - 9% on 2020)
National-28% (+2%, +2%)
ACT-14% (_, +6%)
Green-9% (+1%, +1%)
Maori Party-1% (-1%, _)

Jacinda is on 39% as preferred Prime Minister (down 5%), with ACT leader David Seymour as the clear second place on 11%, and Judith Collins on just 5%. Collins' net approval rating is -31%.

In some surprising good news, the Waikato has left lockdown after 6 weeks, going to alert level 2. The government claims the cases there are now all linked and under control. Jacinda has also been signalling in recent days that the traffic light system might come into effect before the 90% double dose target is reached, perhaps when Auckland leaves lockdown on November 29. The government also announced that the booster dose program will start on the same date, and everyone in the 18+ age group who is six months or more from their second dose will be eligible.

[Secretary of State Liberal Hack]

A new Colmar Brunton poll has an unsurprising result.
Labour-41% (- 2% on last poll, - 9% on 2020)
National-28% (+2%, +2%)
ACT-14% (_, +6%)
Green-9% (+1%, +1%)
Maori Party-1% (-1%, _)

Jacinda is on 39% as preferred Prime Minister (down 5%), with ACT leader David Seymour as the clear second place on 11%, and Judith Collins on just 5%. Collins' net approval rating is -31%.

In some surprising good news, the Waikato has left lockdown after 6 weeks, going to alert level 2. The government claims the cases there are now all linked and under control. Jacinda has also been signalling in recent days that the traffic light system might come into effect before the 90% double dose target is reached, perhaps when Auckland leaves lockdown on November 29. The government also announced that the booster dose program will start on the same date, and everyone in the 18+ age group who is six months or more from their second dose will be eligible.

These aren't good results for the left. Given that the national party is still in shambles it looks clear that the left parties are barely clinging onto a majority of seats. If Collins goes I think the National party has a real shot of winning the next election if they time the change of leadership just right with the new election.

[CumbrianLefty]

The continuing lockdown has probably hit government popularity a bit. Plus the Nationals are hardly brimming with talent - Collins took over because there was basically no one else!