New Zealand - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.

[patches]

Im very much over the C-19 discussions but Im also interested in what NZ's plans are around it.

Its all well and good that there are no new infections with borders being closed up, but how long can it stay like that?

Surely as soon as those borders open again the infections will go through the roof with so few of the population having developed immunity?

 

Or am I missing something?

 

The idea NZ has is to create "travel bubbles" with countries that are also winning the Covid battle. Australia is the main one in discussion at the moment.

 

Whilst they haven't quite achieved the zero active cases that NZ had (up until yesterday  ), only 5% of their total cases are still active, and their testing has been pretty thorough (over 3x that of SA and almost on par with the US and Italy, despite not having uncontrollable outbreaks like the aforementioned). Their curve has effectively been flattened.

 

Yes, Australia is only 1 country, and there aren't many more in the same position to join a safe travel bubble, especially considering that travel to NZ often involves transiting through the US or Asia. But just that 1 country will have a great impact on both economies.

 

Many Kiwis have friends and family in Aus. Many Aussies travel to places like Queenstown to ski etc. I heard a report that said Aussies make up something like 30% of Queenstown's winter tourism.

 

And I think Australia realises we're also the most likely international tourists in the near future, so we're seeing ads on TV promoting tourism to places like South Australia (where case numbers are really low).

 

I think the key will be when Australia feels confident enough with interstate travel. States like Victoria and New South Wales are their own biggest threat at the moment, and others like Queensland are not even keen to receive domestic travellers from those states, just yet. Once that opens up, then I think the likelihood of a trans-tasman bubble is pretty high.

 

As for the rest of the world... I guess we'll have to wait and see! Either way, Covid era life here is pretty good, even with border closures. And when looking at the rest of the world, what country doesn't have closed borders and has managed to control the spread of the virus?

Edited June 16, 2020 by patches

[patches]

I see NZ has new infections now. Allowed 2 people in and allowed them to bypass quarantine rules because they were going to a funeral. Turns out they were infected...

 

Amazing how much religious gatherings and funerals have globally contributed to spreading infections. Talk about irony..

 

Yeah, the people here aren't happy about this.

 

Last night I saw an interview with a professor of epidemiology and he was appalled at the way the officials handled it. Letting these 2 women out of managed isolation after 5 days and no testing.

 

When asked if kiwis had become complacent and dropped the ball, he said no and that the population had done well, it's the officials that had dropped the ball and let everyone down.

[davetapson]

From Scott Pape - based in Aus, but NZ not to dissimilar.  Most of what he has to say is pretty sensible, so if he says this, I'm inclined not to dismiss it.  We started using his money management plan (look for Barefoot Investor) and it's been a game-changer for us.

"In early March, as we prepared for lockdown on the farm, the first of our fluffy little lambs was born.

There are always one or two who are rejected by their mother and need to be bottle-fed multiple times a day.

Liz puts the lambs in cute little knitted coats, and the kids feed them colostrum formula with baby bottles.

Instagram: #sooocute #farmlife #furbabies!

It takes a few goes for the lambs to get used to the bottle, but when they get a taste for it they’re hooked.

Soon they’re so excited to get the bottle that they literally knock the kids over. Terrified, the kids hold out the bottle and brace for impact. The lambs charge at them, suck it down as fast as they can, and then wander around ‘milk drunk’.

There’s a time limit to how long we’ll trudge up to the yards twice a day in the dead of winter, of course.

Yet the lambs don’t know that.

Can you see where I’m going with this?

I’m really talking about JobKeeper, the boosted JobSeeker, your caring bank who’s let you pause your mortgage payments (but not your interest and charges), and the landlord who’s discounted your rent.

You’re sucking on that milk. Tasty, ain’t it?

Well, don’t get too comfortable.

Soon September will roll around on our farm.

The season will change, the flowers will begin to bloom, the air will start to get warm.

And our cute, fat, hand-raised lambs will be … hanging out with the butcher.

One day they’re frollicking in the warm glow of sunlight, the next they’re simmering in a roadside BP bain-marie.

At this point my editor stopped reading and wisely advised me to spike this column: “You will get hate mail.”

Well, I’m trying to make a point.

See, I’ve lived through natural disasters and seen the outpouring of emotion and generous offers of support.

And I’ve also seen just how quickly people move on — banks, politicians, the media, the general public.

They always do, and quicker than you think.

Case in point: the banks have painted themselves as the ‘financial doctors’ of this pandemic, pausing repayments (but, again, not the interest) on $220 billion worth of loans.

And having won praise for giving customers ‘up to’ six-month payment holds, the NAB has already begun ringing its COVID-affected customers just to check in (“How you doin’, lil buddy? You got some money for us?”).

Similarly, politicians have bestowed on renters a six-month ‘eviction ban’ and, in many cases, the option of negotiating reduced rent, i.e. landlords cop it in the neck. Yet, with 1.3 million landlords negatively gearing (aka losing money), this can’t last forever.

And, while the Government has unveiled the biggest welfare response in history (though slightly revised down!), they’re now under pressure to restart the economy and begin cutting back the gravy.

The bottom line?

Right now we’re in the early stages of reopening the economy, and we’re riding a wave of optimism after being locked down for so long.

But just remember that for many people things will change in September. That’s when the economic season changes and we’ll find ourselves smack bang in the deepest recession in living memory."

[davetapson]

May as well paste the rest...

"What does that mean for you?

It means you have 90 days (at the most).

You need to cobble together a plan that gets you on the front foot. It’s time to reinvent yourself. It’s time to radically cut your costs. It’s time to have a hard conversation with your bank. It’s time to sell something, or many things. Do whatever it takes.

The time to act is right now, while the milk of human kindness is still flowing."

[intern]

May as well paste the rest...

 

"What does that mean for you?

 

It means you have 90 days (at the most).

You need to cobble together a plan that gets you on the front foot. It’s time to reinvent yourself. It’s time to radically cut your costs. It’s time to have a hard conversation with your bank. It’s time to sell something, or many things. Do whatever it takes.

The time to act is right now, while the milk of human kindness is still flowing."

 

Right on the money. My house is sold, my boat might be this weekend. When that milk of human kindness, or more accurately when government largesse, runs out, that's when we really find out about Covid-19's impact. We can pat ourselves on the back as much as we like, but the current government has had luck, timing and isolation as essential factors in its 'success'. Winter is settling in. And the government's staggering incompetence is being laid bare.

Doesn't hep, though, that the new Nats leader and his deputy are absolute political car crashes. I mean, Ngati Goldsmith WTF and then the upside down tino rangatirotanga flag...yeesh. Thank goodness for David Seymour, that's all I'm gonna say about that!

[intern]

And read this, even if you find it insulting or as if something bit me on the as (more like, I don't drink Kool Aid, but anyway).

https://theemperorsrobes.blogspot.com/2020/06/both-of-new-zealands-futures-are-bad.html

[patches]

Speaking of selling things... that's one of the bads here in NZ...

 

TradeMe success fees! No free rides like Gumtree (Aus and SA).

 

I recently had what I thought was a pretty smart idea. I wanted to expand my AEG powertool collection. The individual costs of the items I was looking at (Circular saw, jigsaw, impact driver, batteries) was huge.

 

So I did the most logical thing... I spent $2000 on a massive 9 piece set, 60% of which I didn't need 

 

But there was a plan. I sold off all the items I didn't need, at 35 - 50% below RRP. Brand new. Unused. Still in plastic. The buyers got a bargain, and whilst I probably could have milked it for more, I managed to sell all except the charger within 1 week.

 

But the aim was never to make a profit. Rather to subsidise the tools I wanted to keep.

 

The downside... TradeMe success (and Ping) fees! they really milk it with their 7.9% fee (on top of any ad fees one may have paid).

 

Anyway, the end result, I paid about $680 for what would cost me over $1700 worth of tools, if I bought them individually. Not too bad for a week's worth of "work"

Edited June 17, 2020 by patches

[intern]

Speaking of selling things... that's one of the bads here in NZ...

 

TradeMe success fees! No free rides like Gumtree (Aus and SA).

 

I recently had what I thought was a pretty smart idea. I wanted to expand my AEG powertool collection. The individual costs of the items I was looking at (Circular saw, jigsaw, impact driver, batteries) was huge.

 

So I did the most logical thing... I spent $2000 on a massive 9 piece set, 60% of which I didn't need 

 

But there was a plan. I sold off all the items I didn't need, at 35 - 50% below RRP. Brand new. Unused. Still in plastic. The buyers got a bargain, and whilst I probably could have milked it for more, I managed to sell all except the charger within 1 week.

 

But the aim was never to make a profit. Rather to subsidise the tools I wanted to keep.

 

The downside... TradeMe success (and Ping) fees! they really milk it with their 7.9% fee (on top of any ad fees one may have paid).

 

Anyway, the end result, I paid about $680 for what would cost me over $1700 worth of tools, if I bought them individually. Not too bad for a week's worth of "work"

Facebook Marketplace brosef...that is all! Also, you shoulda posted the items right here, people like me with AEG power tool collections may well have saved you some dosh...

[intern]

Anyways lads, I've just finished writing a looong boring whitepaper, so I am off to hit the local trails...on my Yamaha. This sort of thing, you can't buy for a dollar.

[patches]

Anyways lads, I've just finished writing a looong boring whitepaper, so I am off to hit the local trails...on my Yamaha. This sort of thing, you can't buy for a dollar.

 

Nice!

 

Glad you're enjoying the WR!

 

I've just put my rego on hold for 3 months to wait out the rainy season. Looks like it's bicycle only for me!

[intern]

Nice!

 

Glad you're enjoying the WR!

 

I've just put my rego on hold for 3 months to wait out the rainy season. Looks like it's bicycle only for me!

 

Not gonna wait out the rainy season, when it rains the sandy/beach trails we have here are even better; though I quite like the sand squidging around under the bike, rain keeps everyone off the beach! We probably going to head down to Santoft Forest early July to watch the second round of the Enduro Nationals - I'm fairly tempted to show up as a complete noob and have a go...

[Steven Knoetze (sk27)]

I see NZ has new infections now. Allowed 2 people in and allowed them to bypass quarantine rules because they were going to a funeral. Turns out they were infected...

 

Amazing how much religious gatherings and funerals have globally contributed to spreading infections. Talk about irony..

 

This makes me so mad, it is so negligent of the officials.

The government is overriding INZ and issuing them instructions, just look at the Avatar debacle.

 

The problem is that they are talking about ways of managed opening of borders but they are doing it by creating an elitist class. If you earn double the median wage ($106k pa), essential to government projects, etc. Meanwhile they are looking at expanding on quarantine, with a user pay model which all are happy to do. Problem is they say it will cost $6k per person for the 2 week quarantine. Do the math for a family of 4 or 5.........

In the meantime they expidite entry for film crew, yacht crews, etc.

INZ has gone mute, they just either don't answer enquiries from agents or individuals or when they do answer there is just no plan. 100's of visa entry dates have expired. People, like myself, with legimtimate jobs that are still viable, with employers begging them to let us in, and still nothing. My job is in the essential services as we do air cleanliness testing and equipment in hospitals, labs, etc, yet it is not "essential" enough. Exception requests sometimes being declined within 10 mins of submission with a nice letter saying its declined with no recourse for why or escalation.

 

Cases I have seen for example of families split up for over 12 months and they still won't let the spouse enter under humanitarian reasons.

 

A person who has been onshore with a working visa for 5yrs goes abroad for a 2week holiday and gets stuck. Now stuck in Brazil/India/South Africa, still having to pay rent, car payments, etc. in New Zealand and yet gets exception to travel declined. It's like they are trying to force this individual to be made redundant. It really boggles the mind.......

 

I personally have a 2yr old and 3yr old, everytime we put a jacket on them to go walk around they block, they jump up and down because we are going to New Zealand. Our 8yr old just mopes around, all exacerbated by the fact that they can't really do anything as we are on lockdown. No school, no friends, cooped up in a 1st floor apartment because our house is already sold. Living out of hand luggage because all our possessions, toys and bicycles included, are sitting in a warehouse to be sent across for us. Even this is on hold as we have no forwarding address as yet.......

 

Yes, this is a very personal post but it is very frustrating, and I do understand having to tighten the border, but New Zealand has always toted themselves as a compassionate state, where is the compassion.

[davetapson]

Speaking of selling things... that's one of the bads here in NZ...

 

TradeMe success fees! No free rides like Gumtree (Aus and SA).

 

I recently had what I thought was a pretty smart idea. I wanted to expand my AEG powertool collection. The individual costs of the items I was looking at (Circular saw, jigsaw, impact driver, batteries) was huge.

 

So I did the most logical thing... I spent $2000 on a massive 9 piece set, 60% of which I didn't need [emoji38]

 

But there was a plan. I sold off all the items I didn't need, at 35 - 50% below RRP. Brand new. Unused. Still in plastic. The buyers got a bargain, and whilst I probably could have milked it for more, I managed to sell all except the charger within 1 week.

 

But the aim was never to make a profit. Rather to subsidise the tools I wanted to keep.

 

The downside... TradeMe success (and Ping) fees! they really milk it with their 7.9% fee (on top of any ad fees one may have paid).

 

Anyway, the end result, I paid about $680 for what would cost me over $1700 worth of tools, if I bought them individually. Not too bad for a week's worth of "work" [emoji38]

Damn, that's smart.

[davetapson]

This makes me so mad, it is so negligent of the officials.

The government is overriding INZ and issuing them instructions, just look at the Avatar debacle.

 

The problem is that they are talking about ways of managed opening of borders but they are doing it by creating an elitist class. If you earn double the median wage ($106k pa), essential to government projects, etc. Meanwhile they are looking at expanding on quarantine, with a user pay model which all are happy to do. Problem is they say it will cost $6k per person for the 2 week quarantine. Do the math for a family of 4 or 5.........

In the meantime they expidite entry for film crew, yacht crews, etc.

INZ has gone mute, they just either don't answer enquiries from agents or individuals or when they do answer there is just no plan. 100's of visa entry dates have expired. People, like myself, with legimtimate jobs that are still viable, with employers begging them to let us in, and still nothing. My job is in the essential services as we do air cleanliness testing and equipment in hospitals, labs, etc, yet it is not "essential" enough. Exception requests sometimes being declined within 10 mins of submission with a nice letter saying its declined with no recourse for why or escalation.

 

Cases I have seen for example of families split up for over 12 months and they still won't let the spouse enter under humanitarian reasons.

 

A person who has been onshore with a working visa for 5yrs goes abroad for a 2week holiday and gets stuck. Now stuck in Brazil/India/South Africa, still having to pay rent, car payments, etc. in New Zealand and yet gets exception to travel declined. It's like they are trying to force this individual to be made redundant. It really boggles the mind.......

 

I personally have a 2yr old and 3yr old, everytime we put a jacket on them to go walk around they block, they jump up and down because we are going to New Zealand. Our 8yr old just mopes around, all exacerbated by the fact that they can't really do anything as we are on lockdown. No school, no friends, cooped up in a 1st floor apartment because our house is already sold. Living out of hand luggage because all our possessions, toys and bicycles included, are sitting in a warehouse to be sent across for us. Even this is on hold as we have no forwarding address as yet.......

 

Yes, this is a very personal post but it is very frustrating, and I do understand having to tighten the border, but New Zealand has always toted themselves as a compassionate state, where is the compassion.

When it comes to foreigners, INZ ain't compassionate.

[patham]

This makes me so mad, it is so negligent of the officials.

The government is overriding INZ and issuing them instructions, just look at the Avatar debacle.

 

The problem is that they are talking about ways of managed opening of borders but they are doing it by creating an elitist class. If you earn double the median wage ($106k pa), essential to government projects, etc. Meanwhile they are looking at expanding on quarantine, with a user pay model which all are happy to do. Problem is they say it will cost $6k per person for the 2 week quarantine. Do the math for a family of 4 or 5.........

In the meantime they expidite entry for film crew, yacht crews, etc.

INZ has gone mute, they just either don't answer enquiries from agents or individuals or when they do answer there is just no plan. 100's of visa entry dates have expired. People, like myself, with legimtimate jobs that are still viable, with employers begging them to let us in, and still nothing. My job is in the essential services as we do air cleanliness testing and equipment in hospitals, labs, etc, yet it is not "essential" enough. Exception requests sometimes being declined within 10 mins of submission with a nice letter saying its declined with no recourse for why or escalation.

 

Cases I have seen for example of families split up for over 12 months and they still won't let the spouse enter under humanitarian reasons.

 

A person who has been onshore with a working visa for 5yrs goes abroad for a 2week holiday and gets stuck. Now stuck in Brazil/India/South Africa, still having to pay rent, car payments, etc. in New Zealand and yet gets exception to travel declined. It's like they are trying to force this individual to be made redundant. It really boggles the mind.......

 

I personally have a 2yr old and 3yr old, everytime we put a jacket on them to go walk around they block, they jump up and down because we are going to New Zealand. Our 8yr old just mopes around, all exacerbated by the fact that they can't really do anything as we are on lockdown. No school, no friends, cooped up in a 1st floor apartment because our house is already sold. Living out of hand luggage because all our possessions, toys and bicycles included, are sitting in a warehouse to be sent across for us. Even this is on hold as we have no forwarding address as yet.......

 

Yes, this is a very personal post but it is very frustrating, and I do understand having to tighten the border, but New Zealand has always toted themselves as a compassionate state, where is the compassion.

 

I really feel for you. I remember our own transition time of living out of luggage for a month or two in a 2 bed flat in S.A. whilst our stuff was shipped ahead. That was bad, can't imagine how that must feel when your life and future gets put on indefinite hold, and all you get is government bureaucracy.   

[davetapson]

Facebook Marketplace brosef...that is all! Also, you shoulda posted the items right here, people like me with AEG power tool collections may well have saved you some dosh...

Speaking of which, I bought my first Festool couple of weeks ago. Random Orbital Sander.

 

Everyone I spoke to said although it costs the same as a whole collection of tools by everyone else, I'd not regret it. And to my surprise, I haven't. It's already saved me much pain.

 

The problem now is to wonder what I'm missing by not having other Festools...