Category Archives: Jacinda Ardern

Given her job you would expect Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to know about many things, but she is still capable of springing a surprise.For example, while in Dunedin on Thursday she garnered a host of exclamations from onlookers when telling Predator Free Dunedin that having grown up on an orchard, her advice was that peanut butter laced with almond essence would be the best bait for its possum traps.

All successful politicians have to master the art of personal engagement and making a connection with voters, but Ms Ardern is expert at it.

After a turbulent month of politics with narrowing polls, rogue MPs, taxation missteps and division over Three Waters, spending a day with the prime minister is a salient reminder that she by far and away remains the Labour Partys strongest asset and the best and the way things are going at the moment possibly the only hope of it winning next years election.

The Predator Free Dunedin gathering, the first official appointment of a busy swing down south, involved her inspecting the trapping efforts of the organisation and its volunteers, and demonstrating a sure sense of footing on the undulating fairways of the Otago Golf Club.

Clad in a jacket Dunedin MP Dr David Clark had had to rapidly rustle up from somewhere to guard her against a chilly Dunedin morning, Ms Ardern cheerfully crashed through the undergrowth to look at traps and nesting boxes and learn how scarce birds such as the rifleman were returning to the city.

Later Ms Ardern gratefully received a collection of bird stickers she expected her daughter to plaster over the Premier House furniture in short order, and various books, including a copy of Dunedin student Oscar Thomas bookBirds of New Zealand the copy the author had given her on a previous trip had ended up being regifted to English comedian Bill Bailey.

It seldom takes long for the schedule for a prime ministerial visit to fall behind, but nowhere in her offices advisory timetable for Thursdays trip was written 20 minutes for photos and selfies even of past experience has taught that it probably should.

Ms Arderns second stop was Otago Polytechnic, for a tour around the building site of what will eventually become He Toki Kai Te Rika, the new trades training centre.

A couple of years ago at the same venue, then National leader Simon Bridges had to actively look for students to meet and greet ... Ms Arderns problem was when to try to put the visit back on track without leaving people disappointed.

Later she mentioned just how many of those students had been nursing students, and said she had urged every one of them to study hard as New Zealands hospitals, medical centres and GP clinics needed them.

The building site tour had been long planned fog had defeated a previous attempt to show it to Ms Ardern but few things on a prime ministerial schedule are there for no reason: the previous day Ms Ardern had made an announcement about the Apprenticeship Boost programme, and she made a point of singling out apprentices working on the Naylor Love site.

After a quick break for a bite and for briefings came the centrepiece of Ms Arderns visit, theOtago Daily TimesClass Act award ceremony.

Every prime minister has taken part in the ceremony since the awards began, and Ms Ardern had given particular thought to what she wanted to say this year.

It sounded personal and Ms Ardern later confirmed that it was: she had taken her speech writing teams draft and added her own emphasis about the significance of the past two years as she saw it for young people.

After another round of selfies and portraits taken with the award winners and their families, it was off to the airport for Ms Ardern after a busy day.

But the nature of the job is that despite all the planning in the world events still happen ... just a few hours later Ms Ardern was awoken to the news that New Zealand had a new Head of State and her planned trip to the United States next week would have to be reorganised.

Happily, no-one is above the law in New Zealand, as Taieri Labour MP Ingrid Leary found out when her oversized van was ticketed outside Otago Polytechnic on Thursday.

It was not all doom for Ms Leary this week though: she has just been appointed the deputy chairwoman of what is arguably Parliaments most important select committee, finance and expenditure.

Unlike some MPs, Dr David Clark has not taken advantage of the Speakers relaxation of Parliaments dress code and still wears a tie in the debating chamber.

The particularly eagle-eyed may have noticed that he has been wearing a new and special tie at each stage so far of the Plant Variety Rights Bill: a gift from Federated Farmers, it fittingly features a variety of seeds.

mike.houlahan@odt.co.nz

Read more:

Strengths on show in PM's visit to South - Otago Daily Times

The Prime Minister has spoken highly of New Zealand's new head of state.

King Charles The Third has now taken over Sovereignty, following the death of Queen Elizabeth The Second earlier today.

Her Majesty passed away aged 96 at Balmoral Castle, surrounded by family.

Jacinda Ardern told Heather du Plessis-Allan like his mother, King Charles has a real affinity with New Zealand.

She says during the times she spoke with the Royals, it was during things like lockdown, during royal visits and in the aftermath of March 15.

Officials are looking at options for a moment of silence.

The Prime Minister says they want to ensure it's a time when people can pose and take part nationally - and details will likely be put out in the next 24 to 48 hours.

LISTEN ABOVE

More here:

Prime Minister remembers meeting with the Queen, speaks highly of King Charles - Newstalk ZB

Most New Zealanders have never witnessed a change of monarch in their lifetimes, and the ascension of a new head of state has prompted questions about how the country will mourn Queen Elizabeth II and what will change under King Charles III.

The country has entered a period of mourning that is likely to last for a fortnight, says the governor-general, Dame Cindy Kiro, who is the crowns representative in New Zealand. But it will not be marked by business closures, canceled events or a public holiday.

A national memorial service is at least 10 days away, and will follow the Queens funeral in the UK. Flags at government buildings will fly at half-mast until the period of mourning is over.

The exception will be on Sunday, when flags will fly at full-mast during a proclamation day for the King that will be marked by a ceremony in the capital, Wellington.

By law, Charles became King of New Zealand immediately upon Queen Elizabeths death; the formalities on Sunday will simply acknowledge his ascension.

Kiro and Jacinda Ardern, New Zealands prime minister, are expected to travel to London next week for the Queens funeral on 18 September.

New Zealand is among a minority of Commonwealth nations 15 of 54 to still have the British monarch as its head of state. On Friday, the governor general emphasised a list of what would not change under a new king; oaths taken by officials were still valid, and the same flag, passports, emblem, anthem, and governance arrangements would remain, Kiros website said.

The biggest shift for many New Zealanders will be the change in name of the public holiday they have marked since 1953 from Queens Birthday to Kings Birthday.

The date wont alter; Kings Birthday will still be marked on the Monday after the first weekend in June, according to the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.

And the countrys Reserve Bank said Queen Elizabeths face would remain on the countrys notes and coins for years.

It will be several years before we need to introduce coins featuring King Charles the Third, and longer until stocks of $20 notes are exhausted, the central bank said in a statement, referring to the currency items that bear the Queens face.

During the mourning period, New Zealanders can pay their respects at condolence books laid out at locations throughout the country, or leave flowers at parliament. A gun salute will mark the Queens death in Wellington on Friday evening.

The 16th Field Regiment will fire 96 rounds one round for every year of Her Majestys life.

View original post here:

New Zealands period of mourning for the Queen, and what comes next - The Guardian

Leaders around the world have paid tribute to the Queen, with Joe Biden saying she was more than a monarch - "she defined an era".

As they did so, landmarks across the globe shone in red, white and blue or went dark as a mark of respect, and flowers and wreaths were laid at UK embassies where flags flew at half-mast.

The Queen's death was felt keenly around the world, but especially so in the 14 other realms where she was head of state.

Those nations, including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Jamaica and other Caribbean nations, Tuvalu, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea, now have Charles as their King.

In Washington DC, where the American flag was lowered to half-mast on public buildings, the US president said "in a world of constant change, she was a steadying presence and a source of comfort and pride for generations of Britons".

Mr Biden said she was a "stateswoman of unmatched dignity and constancy" who "helped make our relationship special".

In his statement, the president said the Queen "charmed us with her wit, moved us with her kindness, and generously shared with us her wisdom" when he and the first lady visited last year.

"Her legacy will loom large in the pages of British history, and in the story of our world," he added.

In New York, billboards in Times Square displayed the Queen's portrait, flowers were laid outside the British Consulate General, the Empire State Building was bathed in purple light and at Tea & Sympathy, a restaurant selling classic British favourites, people came for a cup of tea as a way of paying their respects.

"It's like your mum died, because we've grown up with her, and her family," Nicky Perry, the restaurant's owner, said. "I've had so many people turn up here today in floods of tears. Men. Americans."

At the US Open tennis tournament, fans and players held a moment's silence before the start of the women's semi-final.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted: "It was with the heaviest of hearts that we learned of the passing of Canada's longest-reigning Sovereign, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

"She was a constant presence in our lives - and her service to Canadians will forever remain an important part of ourcountry's history."

Speaking to reporters, he added that the Queen was "one of my favourite people in the world".

"I will miss her so," he said.

More on the Queen:A 'selfless monarch' who made Britain proudSix moments that defined the Queen's reignThe Queen's most memorable quotesA life of service in pictures

In Australia, plans were announced to illuminate the sails of the Sydney Opera House, but the Queen's passing also revived a longstanding debate among republicans on ending the country's association with the 1,000-year-old instution.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese paid tribute to the Queen's "historic reign and a long life devoted to duty, family, faith and service".

"This is a loss we all feel, for few have known a world without Queen Elizabeth II. In her seven remarkable decades on the throne, Her Majesty was a rare and reassuring constant amidst rapid change," he said on Twitter.

"Through the noise and tumult of the years, she embodied an exhibited a timeless decency and an enduring calm."

Adam Brandt, the leader of the Greens Party in Australia and a prominent republican, was accused of being disrespectful, even by some fellow republicans, after he said: "Our thoughts are with her family and all who loved her. Now Australia must move forward."

In New Zealand, a performance of the Haka by a group of young people at the Auckland War Memorial was one of many tributes paid.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said she was woken up in the early hours of the morning by a police officer shining a torch into her bedroom to tell her that the Queen had died.

"When that torch light came into my room I knew immediately what it meant," Ms Ardern said.

She said that like many other people, she was feeling not only deep sadness but also deep gratitude.

Ms Ardern said: "The last days of the Queen's life captures who she was in so many ways - working until the very end on behalf of the people she loved."

Bermuda premier David Burt noted that her reign "has spanned decades of such immense change for the United Kingdom and the world".

Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness said that since the Queen was crowned in 1953, she had visited the island every decade until 2002.

He added that the Jamaican flag will be flown at half-mast on all public buildings for 12 days in tribute.

Papua New Guinea's prime minister, James Marape, said she was fondly known as "Mama Queen because she was the matriarch of our country".

Tuvalu's acting prime minister, Simon Kofe, said: "We were fortunate to have the Queen visit us... and we recognise her incredible commitment to service."

Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin said: "Her state visit to Ireland in 2011 marked a crucial step in the normalisation of relations with our nearest neighbour. That visit was a great success, largely because of the many gracious gestures and warm remarks made by the Queen."

In Paris, the Eiffel Tower went dark at the stroke of midnight and President Emmanuel Macron posted on social media: "Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II embodied the British nation's continuity and unity for over 70 years.

"I remember her as a friend of France, a kind-hearted queen who has left a lasting impression on her country and her century."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy tweeted: "On behalf of the Ukrainian people we extend sincere condolences to the @RoyalFamily, the entire United Kingdom and the Commonwealth over this irreparable loss. Our thoughts and prayers are with you."

In Berlin, flowers and candles were laid outside the British embassy and Chancellor Olaf Scholz said: "We mourn Queen Elizabeth II. She was a role model and inspiration for millions, including here in Germany.

"Her commitment to German-British reconciliation after the horrors of World War II will not be forgotten. She will be missed, not least her wonderful sense of humour."

Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, whose 50-year reign is now the longest in Europe, called the Queen "a towering figure among European monarchs and a great inspiration to us all".

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said that "as the United Kingdom's longest-lived and longest-reigning head of state, Queen Elizabeth II was widely admired for her grace, dignity, and dedication around the world".

He added that she had been "a reassuring presence throughout decades of sweeping change, including the decolonization of Africa and Asia and the evolution of the Commonwealth".

Russian President Vladimir Putin said he extended his condolences to Britain for the "irreparable loss" of the Queen.

Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed his condolences to the Royal Family, noting that the Queen was the first UK monarch to visit China, in 1986, and added: "Her death is a great loss to the British people."

Pope Francis said he was deeply saddened by the Queen's death and offered his condolences to her family, including her successor, King Charles.

The pontiff said in a telegram to the King: "I willingly join all who mourn her loss in praying for the late Queen's eternal rest, and in paying tribute to her life of unstinting service to the good of the Nation and the Commonwealth."

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said: "Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will be remembered as a stalwart of our times.

"She provided inspiring leadership to her nation and people. She personified dignity and decency in public life.

"Pained by her demise. My thoughts are with her family and people of UK in this sad hour."

Pakistani Prime Minister Shebaz Sharif said he was "deeply grieved at the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Pakistan joins the UK & other Commonwealth nations in mourning her death. My heartfelt condolences to the royal family, people & government of the UK."

Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo said: "The Ghanaian people have very fond memories of the two visits she made to Ghana during her reign, and, on both occasions, we remember the friendliness, elegance, style and sheer joy she brought to the performance of her duties."

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa paid tribute, saying: "Her Majesty was an extraordinary and world-renowned public figure who lived a remarkable life. Her life and legacy will be fondly remembered by many around the world. The Queen's commitment and dedication during her 70 years on the throne remains a noble and virtuous example to the entire world."

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari said: "The story of modern Nigeria will never be complete without a chapter on Queen Elizabeth ll, a towering global personality and an outstanding leader. She dedicated her life to making her nation, the Commonwealth and the entire world a better place."

On European Union buildings around Europe, EU flags were lowered to half-mast.

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said on Twitter that the Queen had "witnessed war and reconciliation in Europe and beyond, and deep transformations of our planet and societies".

"She was a beacon of continuity throughout these changes, never ceasing to display a calmness and dedication that gave strength to many. May she rest in peace."

And European Council President Charles Michel said "she never failed to show us the importance of lasting values in a modern world with her service and commitment."

In Venice, "God Save the Queen" was played outside the Italian city's Festival Buildings.

In Brazil, the giant statue of Christ the Redeemer overlooking Rio de Janeiro was lit up in the red, blue and white as the country announced three days of national mourning "as a sign of sorrow".

Former US presidents Barack Obama, Donald Trump, Bill Clinton and George W Bush were also among those who released statements.

Mr Obama said: "Time and again, we were struck by her warmth, the way she put people at ease, and how she brought her considerable humour and charm to moments of great pomp and circumstance.

"Like so many, Michelle and I are grateful to have witnessed Her Majesty's dedicated leadership, and we are awed by her legacy of tireless, dignified public service."

Mr Trump said: "She will always be remembered for her faithfulness to her country and her unwavering devotion to her fellow countrymen and women."

See the rest here:

'She defined an era': Leaders including Biden, Putin and Macron pay tribute to the Queen - Sky News

Just hours after electing Jacinda Ardern leader in 2017, an extremely bruised Labour caucus stood onstage trying to assure media the party was united enough to govern.

The party had cycled through four leaders since Helen Clark had last led them to government in 2008. It was riven with factionalism, leaks, and the detritus of huge egos stabbing each other in the back. It had now elected a fifth opposition leader, just six weeks out from the election.

Senior Labour MP Stuart Nash had said the day before that changing leaders at this point would be a disaster that would see Labour implode. (Well never really know if this was just an innocent mistake or a calculated shot at the forces who were that day working to install Ardern.)

On that stage, Nash was asked whether he stood by the view but before he could speak, Ardern stepped in to answer for him, saying he had already acknowledged to me that he was wrong.

This was our first glimpse of Arderns new Labour party, one where any suggestion of disunity could be immediately batted away by a one-liner delivered through a smile. In the years that followed, Labour enjoyed an incredible streak of unity, with anything that Ardern said publicly treated as gospel by her MPs, even when she was making huge policy climbdowns or refusing to use her power to further progressive causes.

Political journalists, myself included, had to make do on scraps such as a radio comment from a new MP that slightly differed from the party line, or tiny leaks from the Mori caucus that revealed little.

This year that strong facade of unity is cracking. Now there is a feast.

First out of the gates was Louisa Wall, a veteran MP who had been frozen out by Ardern and deselected from a safe seat in the 2020 election in a deft bit of political manoeuvring that never really made headlines. Wall had been on the opposite side of Ardern in factional disputes during the bad years, but by most insider accounts her greater sin was just not being much of a team player.

Wall let rip in her valedictory speech and a series of long interviews on her way out, accusing the party of acting in a corrupt and reprehensible way.

But these fireworks would pale in comparison to the saga that has unfolded in the last week at the hands of backbench MP Gaurav Sharma.

Sharma, elected in the huge red tide of 2020, was not a recognisable name before this episode. The whole thing reportedly started when Sharma was told he would not be allowed to hire any new staff, thanks to complaints from the staff that he had. Sharma wrote a vague column in the NZ Herald accusing the party of rampant bullying and soon went to Facebook to make a more concrete list of allegations, including one about misuse of taxpayer funds that was swiftly batted away as incorrect by Parliamentary Service.

Labour moved swiftly to suspend Sharma from its caucus, but in doing so gave him more ammunition. On Friday he completed an extraordinary media round of interviews accusing Ardern of lying over the nature of his exit, talking up a secret 55-minute tape of a conversation he had with a senior Labour MP about the terms of his exit, and saying there was far more discontent in the party but that a culture of fear would stop others from speaking out. Hes not so much airing Labours dirty laundry as plastering it to a plane and flying it around the country.

Sharma himself is not an existential threat to Arderns hegemony over Labour. Any allies he had in caucus would have shrunk away the moment they realised he might secretly tape their conversation, or release screenshots in which they said they didnt feel like going to work. His disagreement with the party is not ideological but personal, and his wider list of allegations of wrongdoing largely includes normal political processes, such as media training that instructs new MPs to keep their mouths shut and internal party business out of the public domain. Some news stories are already referring to Sharma as an embattled MP never a good sign for career longevity.

Yet Sharma and Wall before him will not be the only Labour MPs disgruntled with Arderns absolute rule over the party. Labour won so big in 2020 that even if it retains government at the 2023 election it will be losing at least a dozen MPs (including Sharma). Those MPs facing political oblivion will be looking for ways to make their mark and maybe secure a higher list placing, or at least a media gig after politics. Some of them might have actual ideological differences with Ardern and the ability to articulate them well. Others probably should have never been elected MPs at all, and wouldnt have been had the party not wildly outperformed its expectations.

Now, New Zealand politics could use a little more ill-discipline. In many countries a backbench MP criticising his or her own party happens regularly and is a sign of normal democracy. New Zealands parties expect far more rigorous discipline, with every MP expected to support their party on every single vote in parliament, save for the most contentious social issues.

This is a factor of very small parties and a proportional electoral system. If you are elected not in a geographic constituency but from a party list, as 40% of our current MPs are, then it becomes harder to argue that you dont owe that party your discipline. Proportional representation has also led to MPs who are sick of their own parties just resigning to start their own, instead of sticking around to sow discord from within.

But this kind of wholesale change to our political culture will not happen overnight, and it will hopefully come from MPs with vision, rather than axes to grind. For now, Ardern faces a crisis that shows no sign of going away soon.

Read the original:

Jacinda Arderns iron grip on New Zealands Labour party is slipping and that means trouble - The Guardian

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was given a tour of New Zealand's first Costco today as the members-only megastore prepares to announce an opening date. Video / Carson Bluck

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was given a tour of New Zealand's first Costco today as the members-only megastore prepares to announce an opening date.

The world's second-largest retailer after Walmart has set up shop at the Westgate shopping centre but has been offering petrol to its members at a site next door since April.

Ardern was flanked by Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs David Clark for the tour where she met with Costco vendors and employees.

Exactly when the megastore will open to the public remains unknown - however Costco managing director for Australia and New Zealand Patrick Noone said an announcement of the opening date was expected in the next couple of weeks.

"We're still working through our building approvals and completion of the construction.

"We should have our approvals by the third week of September so we will see what happens after that."

Customers must buy a $60 membership card to shop at the store.

Previously, the Herald reported that the retailer was slated to open on August 27 but the labour crisis and ongoing construction delays caused by the Covid-19 pandemic stymied the plan.

Noone told RNZ last week Costco had faced "numerous delays", including due to wet weather, Covid and materials coming in late offshore.

Costco's imminent opening follows a report by the Commerce Commission on supermarkets in April that concluded competition was not "working well" in the $22 billion sector.

Clark referenced the report while speaking briefly to reporters at the entrance of Costco today.

"Here we have a company that is really interested in coming in and providing some competition in the market."

Yesterday, Clark announced "an unprecedented shake-up" of the sector including requiring supermarket companies, like Foodstuffs and Woolworths, to provide wholesale goods to competitors at a fair price.

The idea is to give smaller retailers and new market entrants a leg up by helping them source and sell a wider range of groceries at better prices.

During the tour, Ardern was offered a spread of muffins, lolly cake and blueberries as she met with the vendors at the Kirkland Bakery within the store. Before she left, Ardern took a group photo with the store employees and wished them "good luck" before leaving.

Read the original here:

Costco: Prime Minister tours West Auckland megastore, opening date to be announced in coming weeks - New Zealand Herald

The Kngitanga koroneihana ceremony is the movement's biggest event of the year, and celebrates the organisation's head.

Addressing the koroneihana ceremony for Kngi Theitia, Ardern said the government was doing what it could to uphold commitments.

Using a bridge as an analogy for partnership, Ardern said it was up to political leaders to take people along.

"It is key that as leaders we demonstrate what it is to finally - as Mori have always done - cross over the bridge too.

"That means that we need to stop telling people that the bridge is on fire, crossing that bridge is not something to fear, it is something to embrace. But for that, there is work to do."

Ardern said she was most proud of introducing the compulsory teaching of New Zealand history in schools and the new Matariki public holiday.

Meanwhile, the National Party leader said he wanted to work closely with iwi and that involved some devolution.

Christopher Luxon was also in Ngruawhia this morning, and he was challenged on the atea by some Mori leaders over the National Party's opposition to co-governance arrangements.

But Luxon said National had worked well with Mori in the past and he was keen to talk.

RNZ

More here:

Jacinda Ardern says co-governance is key to upholding Treaty of Waitangi obligations - Newshub

People are less likely to wear masks. Photo / Michael Craig

New Zealanders are complying less with Covid-19 rules as people's attention shifts to issues like the cost of living, according to research from the Government's own Covid survey.

The survey shows a significant drop off in the willingness of people to trust the Prime Minister as the main source of truth about the pandemic.

People remain confident in their ability to identify misinformation, and twice as many people use mainstream media for Covid information as use social media.

At least every eight weeks, the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet receives a survey of how New Zealanders feel about Covid-19. It looks at how much people are willing to comply with health rules and whether they trust health messaging on the virus, along with broader health messaging.

The May survey has just been released and shows significant declines in a willingness to comply with Covid rules, although compliance levels were quite high to begin with. Between March and May of this year, the number of people willing to use a face mask when required dropped to 67 per cent, down 11 points.

The number of people willing to isolate if feeling sick or unwell fell 12 points to 47 per cent. The number of people who would get a rapid antigen test (RAT) if required fell to 44 per cent, down three points.

Only 35 per cent of people want to wash their hands with soap for at least 20 seconds, down six points, and only 36 per cent of people cough or sneeze into their elbows.

Just 27 per cent of people will officially record the result of a Covid-19 RAT, including if they get a negative result.

The biggest worry for New Zealanders is no longer Covid-19, but the cost of living, which 77 per cent of respondents said was one of their biggest concerns - Covid came second with 44 per cent.

The story of New Zealanders' Covid compliance is not one of a straight drop-off as they got used to living with the virus. Compliance tends to wax and wane with various waves of the pandemic.

In September 2021, when New Zealand was in lockdown, willingness to use facemasks soared 31 points to 78 per cent. Willingness to get a Covid-19 test rose to 48 per cent, up 17 points. Before that, willingness to use facemasks was lower than it is now - partly explained by the different rules at the time.

Covid-19 Response Minister Dr Ayesha Verrall said public health messaging, which this research was designed to inform, had "helped stop the spread of the virus during the initial outbreak, and slowed the spread of Delta, when it arrived, enabling New Zealand to be one of the few countries that had a highly vaccinated population before Delta was widespread in the community".

She said the Covid response was informed by expert advice, "including research into public sentiment".

"Social licence is one of the factors we consider when deciding on Covid-19 Protection Framework settings.

"This research is also used to identify gaps in the provision of public information around Covid-19 and ensure those gaps are addressed," she said.

The survey also asked whose opinion people sought out and listened to on Covid-19.

It found 42 per cent of people sought out then-director general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield, down 6 points from March. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern polled just 33 per cent, down 7 points since March and well down on her score from January, when she polled 48 per cent.

Commentators like Dr Siouxsie Wiles and Dr Michael Baker scored 18 per cent and 17 per cent respectively.

Overall, New Zealanders' feelings about the pandemic have settled. In November, nearly 35 per cent felt sad and just under 25 per cent felt angry about the pandemic.

Now, just 15 per cent feel sad, and 10 per cent feel angry. They're outnumbered by 17 per cent who feel joyful.

Far more Kiwis - 45 per cent - feel "neutral" about the pandemic. The number who feel "neutral" has fluctuated between 40 and 45 per cent since May last year.

One area that's had a significant reset in sentiment is people's feelings about whether the country is going in the right or wrong direction with its management of the pandemic.

In September 2021, 70 per cent of people felt New Zealand was on the right track. This plunged to 41 per cent in November before rising to 53 per cent in December.

The May survey had "right direction" at 47 per cent, up three points on March.

Twenty-six per cent of people think the country is heading in the wrong direction, down 30 per cent from March, but up from the low of 15 per cent registered in July last year.

An overwhelming majority of New Zealanders, 78 per cent, said they felt they could identify Covid-19 misinformation.

Exactly half of New Zealanders got their Covid information from the mainstream media.

Just 23 per cent used social media and 20 per cent searched for Covid information on the internet.

The Ministry of Health and Covid-19 websites were sources of information for 35 and 34 per cent of people respectively.

When asked what their main barrier to isolating was, 61 per cent of people said they could not take time off work - this was unchanged from March.

Exactly half of those surveyed said they could not "be bothered", up 2 points.

One significant change was the number of people who could no longer understand why they needed to isolate. This increased 13 points to 35 per cent.

The survey ran from May 16 to 26 and interviewed a representative sample of 818 New Zealanders. It has a margin of error of 3.4 per cent.

Visit link:

People less willing to comply with Covid-19 rules, or listen to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern according to Government survey - New Zealand Herald

What a thoughtful, enlightened piece by Jacinda Ardern (The world stands on a nuclear precipice we must avoid catastrophe, 25 August), in such contrast to the words of our wannabe prime minister Liz Truss, who said this week that she would be ready to use nuclear weapons even though it would mean global annihilation (cue applause from Tory party members).Michael Clayton Emneth, Norfolk

Squeezing tax from the poorest citizens by means of a bicycle licence is an old colonial idea (Grant Shapps bike licence plates proposal a strange and pointless idea, 17 August). When I went to Zambia shortly after independence, I found a little copper bicycle number plate among some roadside rubbish.John BoucherWestwood, Nottinghamshire

The Welsh governments Seren Network is a worthy initiative, but it should not be diverting the most academically able students away from Welsh universities (A-level joy for sixth formers in Wales after difficult few years, 18 August).Rev Judith Phillips (MA Swansea)Rev Dr Peter Phillips (PhD Cardiff)Swansea

The water companies tell us that they are working hard to reduce the release of raw sewage into our seas, but in reality we know that they are just going through the motions (Roll up, roll up and meet the watery overlords pumping sewage on to Britains shores this summer, 23 August).Rob NuttingLondon

Giving the plot away for Marriage (Letters, 24 August)? Personally, I struggled to discern a plot in it.Tony Rimmer Lytham St Annes, Lancashire

Have an opinion on anything youve read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication.

The rest is here:

Three Tory cheers for the apocalypse after Liz Trusss nuclear pledge - The Guardian

Chris McKeen/Stuff

Countdown owner says year just closed was undoubtedly one of the most challenging for its business in recent memory.

Countdown owner Woolworth NZ says its operating profit has fallen 12.5% to $316 million, but the company and Consumer NZ are drawing different conclusions about what that says about competition.

The operating profit drop is despite the Governments concerns about the profitability of the supermarket sector and consumer concerns over rising food prices.

Woolworths NZ said its sales in the year to June 26 rose by 5.8% to $7.6b, but its earnings before interest charges and tax (Ebit) were down by $45m, from $361m the previous year.

Its net profit after tax amounted to 1.8% of each dollar spent in its stores, it said.

READ MORE:* Take five: Will the price of food fall if supermarkets have to sell to rivals?* Ardern says supermarket move will 'unlock stockroom doors' for rivals* Countdown prices increase by 3.6% on a year ago * Ten things we're told are wrong with New Zealand supermarkets

Figures supplied by Woolworths NZ suggest its net profit fell from about $205m last year to about $137m this year, but it said it could not confirm this years exact figure yet.

Managing director Spencer Sonn said price competition across the retail food sector was robust and it remained committed to delivering the best value possible.

But Consumer NZ chief executive Jon Duffy said it did not believe robust competition was behind the drop in the supermarket groups operating profit.

Instead, he believed it was an early effect of moves to tighten the regulation of the industry.

The Commerce Commission had found that competition in the sector is lack lustre and not working well for consumers, Duffy said.

We think the increased focus supermarket profitability has been under following the Commerce Commissions report and moves from the Government to regulate the sector to protect consumers is more likely behind the decline.

Suppliers may be feeling more able to pass through cost increases than previously, when, as we have heard, the duopoly could force them to absorb those, Duffy said.

The increased focus on consumer prices at the tills was also likely to have tempered the duopolys willingness to be seen to be passing significant price increases on to consumers, he said.

Evidence of this can be seen in the price rollbacks and prices freezes the supermarket giants have rolled out since May.

STUFF / Connor Scott

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Commerce Minister David Clark discuss supermarket reforms.

Sonn denied such considerations were behind its profit drop, saying that was certainly not the case.

It is a function of competition, he said.

The Commerce Commission used different metrics to assess the profitability of the supermarket industry earlier this year.

It concluded that Woolworths NZ and Foodstuffs were between them making excess returns over their cost of capital of about $430m a year and that their prices appeared relatively high by international standards.

But Sonn said the financial year just closed was undoubtedly one of the most challenging for its business in recent memory.

The company is ultimately owned by Woolworths in Australia.

Rises in the prices it paid suppliers for dairy products and key imported food lines were a common theme across the year, Woolworths NZ said in a statement.

The price the supermarket firm paid for butter and margarine rose 11%, cheese was up 15% and frozen fruit up 30%, it said.

The cost of sourcing toilet rolls and tissues rose 24% and price at which it could buy pet food was up 9% and flour costs up 19%, it said.

When we look ahead to the next financial year, the outlook is still very challenging, Sonn said.

We know that our customers are facing higher cost-of-living pressures from all parts of the economy, not just groceries, and likewise New Zealand suppliers, and growers and farmers in particular, are feeling the impact of unpredictable weather, higher input costs and labour shortages, he said.

Were deeply committed to all our communities across New Zealand ... and we also want to do the right thing for our team in terms of increased wages, he said.

The companys trading statement which flowed from the annual results reported by its parent in Australia comes a day after the Government ratcheted up pressure on Countdown and Woolworths to deliver better value by announcing it would press ahead with a wholesale backstop.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said that would ensure their stockroom doors were opened up to rival retailers.

Read the original:

Countdown profit falls, but company and Consumer NZ at odds over 'why' - Stuff