spinofflive
blog final sept 21

PoliticsSeptember 21, 2021

Live updates, September 21: Hipkins accuses Bishop of ‘spreading misinformation’ in heated question time

blog final sept 21

Welcome to The Spinoff’s live updates for September 21, by Stewart Sowman-Lund. Say hello at stewart@thespinoff.co.nz.


Today’s numbers

  • There are 14 new community cases of Covid-19.
  • Of these, 13 are in Auckland one is a household contact in upper Hauraki.
  • 10 cases remain epidemiologically unlinked (including one case from today).
  • More than 50,000 vaccine doses were given out nationwide yesterday.
  • Auckland will move to alert level three at 11.59pm tonight.

6.30pm: Level three move riskier for Māori – Henare

Associate health minister Peeni Henare says he accepts that moving Auckland to level three tonight is putting Māori there at greater risk. 

In an interview with Lisa Owen on Checkpoint, Henare said he was OK with cabinet’s decision to move Auckland out of full lockdown at 11.59pm tonight, but accepted that on account of their lower vaccination rates, Māori were at greater risk than the wider population. 

Henare said currently, around 25.4% of Māori are fully vaccinated, compared to 39% of the general population. “I’m not happy with the numbers,” he said. “We know that the rates are lagging behind, but we’re encouraged that the numbers are picking up and we’ll do everything we can to make sure they continue to rise.” 

He said the health ministry had worked with Māori health providers to change its approach, referencing Manurewa marae, which early in the rollout opened a vaccination clinic but found the majority of people who came in to be vaccinated were not Māori. The marae is now operating one of the vaccination buses that goes into communities to deliver the vaccine.

Read more: New Zealand cannot abandon its Covid elimination strategy while Māori and Pasifika vaccination rates are too low

4.20pm: Man arrested after refusing to wear mask at supermarket, punching fellow shopper

Police have arrested a man who was allegedly abusive and threatening towards staff and customers after being asked to wear a mask at a Pukekohe supermarket on Sunday.

He is alleged to have punched a 70-year-old male customer inside the store and threatened staff. The 20-year-old man left the supermarket before police arrived but was located and arrested, and was due to appear in Pukekohe District Court today charged with a number of offences. The victim did not require medical treatment but was shaken, as were other customers and staff, say police. 

Meanwhile, people are still trying to cross the Auckland boundary into alert level two without permission, say police. In the early hours of this morning a vehicle was stopped at the Mercer checkpoint trying to travel south. “The driver claimed he was transiting through Auckland to the Waikato region, however after police spoke to him it was found not to be the case,” according to a police statement. “While at the checkpoint, another man was found hiding in the car’s boot.” Both men, aged 25 and 26, were issued with infringement notices. 

Police are also reminding travellers of speed restrictions in place at the checkpoints, after issuing a man with several infringement notices despite the fact he had the appropriate documentation after he “accelerated aggressively” and drove at over 90km/h as he left a northern checkpoint.

3.40pm: Confusion over Shaw’s trip to Glasgow

Earlier today we reported comments made by climate change minister James Shaw to media about his upcoming trip to the COP26 conference in Glasgow.

He said: “At the moment I’m waiting to find out if I’ve got a spot [in MIQ] and if I don’t have a spot I won’t be going.” Clarifying that he was roughly 15,000th in the queue, that implied Shaw would be joining the public and trying his best to get a spot in a managed isolation facility.

Since then, the PM Jacinda Ardern has made the waters slightly murkier. At today’s 1pm presser, she implied Shaw and the nine officials travelling with him would be given special treatment on their return – and that’s angered the opposition.

“The prime minister should step in and tell minister Shaw not to travel to COP26 at all or, at the very least, significantly reduce the size of his entourage,” said National’s climate change spokesperson Stuart Smith.

3.25pm: Covid spokespeople go head to head over pace of vaccine rollout

National’s Covid-19 response spokesperson Chris Bishop has taken aim at the speed of the government’s rollout again at question time in parliament today, resulting in a heated exchange with Covid-19 response minister Chris Hipkins.

Hipkins accused Bishop of undermining the vaccine campaign and spreading misinformation after the National MP asked if the current lockdown could have been shortened had a higher proportion of people been vaccinated earlier. Bishop pointed to modelling by Shaun Hendy of Te Pūnaha Matatini from June that suggested lockdown length could be halved if 50% of the population was vaccinated compared to 30%.

In August, only 19% of New Zealand’s eligible population was fully vaccinated, said Bishop.

Hipkins responded that Covid-19 “hunts out those parts of the community that are unvaccinated”, which tends to be those in lower socioeconomic areas who are often more susceptible to adverse health outcomes from Covid-19. “Setting an arbitrary target isn’t actually the ultimate answer here.”

When Bishop asked if he accepted New Zealand would be in a better position had we not been the slowest to roll out the vaccine in the OECD, Hipkins said he “utterly rejected” that assertion. Referencing earlier suggestions that New Zealand was running out of vaccines, Hipkins said of Bishop, “Instead of undermining the vaccine campaign, perhaps he should get behind it.”

When Bishop asked if Hipkins thought Aucklanders in lockdown would now be reflecting negatively on statements made in the past by ministers to the effect of “it doesn’t matter how fast our vaccine rollout is because other countries need it more”, the minister reacted angrily, saying no such things had been said.

Hipkins said Bishop should “stop spreading misinformation”, and that New Zealanders should “think twice about any of the statements he makes because they don’t stack up”.

3.15pm: Canada’s Trudeau likely to remain prime minister

Political editor and actual Canadian Justin Giovannetti writes:

A quarter of polls are in and prime minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberals seem likely to hold onto power in Canada, according to CBC.

Early results show his party losing a few seats, while the main Conservative opposition and left-wing New Democrats have picked up support. Trudeau has run a minority government since 2019, which means he has to strike a deal with opposition parties to win every vote in parliament.

He called an election last month, years ahead of schedule, when his party was high in the polls and firmly in majority territory. His support bled off during a campaign marked by anti-vaccination protests and a fourth wave of Covid-19. Trudeau’s gamble seems to have failed and many voters made it clear during his time on the hustings that they didn’t appreciate the early election.

While the composition of parliament is unlikely to change, Trudeau will return to Ottawa weakened by the result.

An election ending in a minority government that hangs on every vote in parliament might seem unusual to New Zealanders, who are used to parties forming stable coalitions in the MMP era. Canadians and their politicians have concluded, for better or worse, that coalitions are somehow anti-democratic and they’ve been largely anathema outside of wartime.

Jacinda Ardern and Canadian PM Justin Trudeau at the ASEAN summit in Manila. (Photo: Twitter)

3.00pm: Collins pushes Ardern on elimination strategy as question time returns

Parliament’s back and with it question time.

National’s Judith Collins took the opportunity to question whether or not the government’s elimination strategy for Covid-19 was still in play with Auckland set to move to level three overnight. Earlier today, Collins claimed the government had moved to a “suppression strategy”.

In response, prime minister Jacinda Ardern said the goal was still very much elimination. “We continue to take a zero tolerance approach” to Covid, she said.

However, the PM would still not answer whether or not another level four lockdown was possible. Ardern has faced questions at the 1pm press conference, on morning media and now in the House about whether she would consider using level four again and has refused to give a definitive answer, calling it hypothetical. “We now have vaccinations available and we are working incredibly hard to make sure everyone who is eligible is vaccinated,” she said.

Collins then asked why we were only now using vaccinations to prevent lockdowns, when just 20% of the eligible population had received their jab at the start of the delta outbreak. “We long signalled that the arrival of our largest orders of doses would be in the latter half of 2021,” said Ardern, to jeers from the opposition.

The debate then descended into some minor chaos over microphone usage which I will not transcribe for you (watch it all unfold here if mic banter is your thing) with even the PM getting a telling off from Trevor Mallard.

2.15pm: Man who breached security to sneak into North Shore Hospital tests positive; staff stood down

Director general of health Ashley Bloomfield confirmed that a number of North Shore Hospital staff have been stood down and are being tested after coming into contact with a man who evaded security to get into the hospital, and later tested positive for Covid-19.

An email to Waitematā DHB staff said the man bypassed the front-of-house screening process while staff were assisting another person, then hid from security staff before running into a lift and briefly visiting ward seven and the assessment and diagnostics unit on Thursday last week.

He was confronted by security staff and escorted from the building after spending just under 30 minutes there. He had no direct contact with patients so the risk to them is believed to be very low.

The hospital found out yesterday that the man had tested positive for Covid-19. Bloomfield said CCTV footage was being reviewed to see if processes could be improved.

Up to 20 people may have come into contact with the man, according to the Herald.

1.55pm: How the outbreak looks on the last day of level four

From tomorrow, thousands of Aucklanders will return to work at the city moves to alert level three for an initial two week period. Here’s how the community delta outbreak looks, in chart form.

For more informative charts like this, visit The Spinoff’s Covid Tracker page here.

1.30pm: PM wants rules tightened after man on remand tests positive

Genome sequencing has linked the man on remand who tested positive in Mt Eden prison to what Ardern “broadly defined” as a workplace.

She confirmed health officials had identified the person who passed the virus onto the man, and the date this occurred, but refused to reveal who they were. “We are going to continue working through this… with the health concerns being our major priority,” she said. “We’ll follow through on the rule-breaking as we go.”

It was revealed this morning that the man had visited four locations between leaving prison and arriving at his bail address, despite being required to travel straight there. “Regardless of whether the person was infected by someone in the car or not, we need a set of tight rules that keep the person Covid free until they reach their final destination.”

Ardern has asked the ministers of justice and corrections to work on a set of new rules for this.

1.20pm: Fines for breaching Covid orders to increase

Maximum infringement fees for breaches of Covid orders will rise from $300 to $4000 for individuals and to $12,000 for companies, said Jacinda Ardern.

When imposed by the courts, the maximum will move from $1000 to $12,000 for individuals and up to $15,000 for companies.

Ministers have been working on this change for some time following several people absconding from MIQ, said Ardern, to take into account the social and economic impact of a Covid case getting into the community and as an incentive to play by the rules.

The changes will be in place as early as November, subject to the passing of an amendment bill.

1.00pm: 14 new community Covid-19 cases, including one out of Auckland

Updated

There are 14 new community cases of Covid-19, including one in the upper Hauraki region. In good news, just one of today’s cases has not yet been epidemiologically linked to the wider outbreak.

Today’s new cases mark a drop in numbers from the past few days and come on Auckland’s final day in level four.

The fourth Whakatīwai case is a household contact of the three cases already announced. All four were household contacts of a Covid-positive remand prisoner who travelled across the Auckland boundary.

There are now 1,085 cases associated with the outbreak, although 790 have now recovered.

From the past fortnight, 10 cases remain unlinked to the outbreak.

Of yesterday’s 22 cases, nine were infectious in the community while the remaining 11 were already in self-isolation. Four of yesterday’s five unlinked cases have “strong geographical” connections to one another, said Ashley Bloomfield, with the fifth case still under investigation.

There are now 15 people in hospital with Covid-19, including 10 at Middlemore Hospital. Four people remain in intensive care.

Most of today’s cases are household contacts and several others are known close contacts, said Bloomfield. Today’s numbers are encouraging but another 50-60 cases from close contacts are expected over the coming week or two, he said. Nearly 500 swabs were taken at Whakatīwai yesterday, with about 400 negative so far.

On the testing front, more than 8500 tests were taken in Auckland alone yesterday. “It is pleasing to see a lift in testing across Auckland but it’s critical we keep it up,” said Ardern.

Everyone in the Clover Park neighbourhood is being asked to be tested today at a new testing site at the Manukau Sports Bowl.

And with vaccinations, more than 50,000 were given out nationwide yesterday. The PM issued a challenge to Aucklanders while the city is in alert level three. “Let’s see if we can get to 90% [vaccinated in Auckland] by the time cabinet considers those alert level settings in two weeks,” said Ardern. So far, 79% of eligible Aucklanders have had their first dose.

Anyone who was returning to work in Auckland tomorrow should go and get their vaccination this afternoon, said Ardern.

Funeral exemptions to be available at level three 

At level three, people will be able to leave Auckland to go to funerals in very limited cases, said Bloomfield. It will require an exemption from the Ministry of Health and will be immediate family only, and will require a negative Covid test.

Meanwhile, Bloomfield said the early results of a trial of using the Pfizer vaccine in children was “promising news”. The trial was focused on children aged 5-11. At the moment, all children over 12 are able to be vaccinated in New Zealand.

12.50pm: Ardern to reveal latest delta cases on Auckland’s last day of level four

Jacinda Ardern and Ashley Bloomfield are back for today’s 1pm show. It’s Auckland’s last day in alert level four so we’ll be keeping a close eye on the number of new – and mystery – cases announced. Plus: another batch of test results from northern Hauraki will reveal whether there has been any Covid-19 spread outside of Auckland.

Keep this page nice and refreshed for all the latest from 1pm or follow along with the livestream below.

12.25pm: Auckland man breaches lockdown to pick up caravan

Another day, another alleged lockdown breach from Auckland.

Stuff is reporting a man broke Covid-19 restrictions by travelling to Christchurch to pick up a caravan. He managed to bypass the police checkpoint by using a work exemption, but was arrested in Wellington last night as he was leaving the ferry terminal.

He was reportedly driving back to Auckland with the caravan in tow when picked up by police, but it’s unclear how authorities were made aware of the man’s actions. He has been ordered to return home and will appear in court.

12.05pm: Presented with no context

11.45am: Bunnings ‘lowest prices’ guarantee is fine, says the court

A challenge to Bunnings’ “lowest prices” guarantee has been thrown out by the court.

The Commerce Commission’s case claimed that Bunnings was making “misleading representations” that it offered the lowest prices in the market. The commission alleged that Bunnings’ claim – made in-store and on a well known advertising campaign – was untrue.

The Auckland District Court did not buy into that argument. “Consumers would … consider the [lowest price guarantee] alerted them to the possibility that not every item in Bunnings may be the lowest price but provided a remedy to achieve that,” said judge BA Gibson. Namely, Bunnings provides customers with a 15% discount on any item stocked for a cheaper price elsewhere.

However, Gibson said that businesses must consider how a consumer would interpret advertising “in light of… general knowledge and experience in worldly affairs” and not rely on literal interpretations.

11.10am: Shaw yet to book MIQ spot for his overseas trip, is 15,000th in the queue

The climate change minister admits he’s not comfortable travelling to an overseas conference during the pandemic – and hasn’t yet secured an MIQ spot for his return.

James Shaw, who is also co-leader of the Greens, is due to attend the COP26 climate change conference in Glasgow later this year. He’s set to lead a 14-person delegation but, as Newshub revealed, just one has so far got their managed isolation spot booked in.

“There is a delegation with a number of different categories. It depends how many MIQ spots we’re able to secure. So far only one of the diplomats has got a place,” Shaw said. “At the moment I’m waiting to find out if I’ve got a spot and if I don’t have a spot I won’t be going,” he said.

Shaw said he’s at about 15,000th in the MIQ “virtual lobby” – that’s the new booking system that went live yesterday.

On the criticism of his decision to travel overseas, Shaw admitted it wasn’t his ideal move either. “My preference would be not to go at all, but we weren’t given an option of doing this online,” he said.

“You’d have to ask [trade minister] Damien O’Connor whether it was OK for him to travel to do trade negotiations; you’d have to ask the prime minister whether it’s OK for her to travel to conduct the business of the country as well.”

Earlier today, Act’s David Seymour labelled Shaw “Captain Planet” in a press release scathing of his proposed travel plans.

Green party co-leader and climate change minister James Shaw (Radio NZ, Rebekah Parsons-King)

10.50am: Wharekawa marae springs into action

Leonie Hayden writes:

Yesterday saw a huge turn out for testing in Kaiaua, a small coastal settlement on the Hauraki Plains, after three members of a household tested positive for Covid-19.

At the close of day, Māori health provider Te Korowai Hauora o Hauraki had processed 477 tests at Wharekawa Marae, a Ngāti Pāoa and Ngāti Whanaunga marae at the northern end of Kaiaua. The population of the town is estimated at under 800 people.

In early September, Te Korowai Hauora o Hauraki held a clinic at Wharekawa Marae where it vaccinated 80 members of the community. Today, Covid swabbing continues and a mobile vaccination clinic run by Waikato DHB will operate out of Ecoquest across the road from Wharekawa marae. The iwi is encouraging everyone to come along and get vaccinated.

A section 70 notice has been issued by the director-general of health for residents around the Mangatangi area in Waikato – a “bespoke level four” that will require anyone who lives or works in the area, or has visited there since September 8, to stay home until this Friday.

As of this morning, 200 tests had been returned – all were negative.

Te Korowai Hauora Wharekawa Clinic
Te Korowai Hauora Wharekawa Clinic (Image / Supplied)

10.20am: I will never resign, says Collins as parliament returns

Parliament resumes today, with MPs from level two areas returning to Wellington. Question time is at 2pm, followed by the second reading of the Counter-Terrorism Legislation Bill. That’s being accelerated through the house under urgency following the Lynn Mall terrorist attack at the start of the month, with the government pledging to get it enacted by the end of the month.

Media attention so far this morning has focused on the National Party, with Judith Collins hosting a press conference. “What is absolutely clear is the government has given up on its elimination approach,” she argued in her opening remarks. Jacinda Ardern was now “scrambling to find new answers”, she said. “The government must admit its elimination plan has failed.”

Questions gravitated, however, towards her own leadership, which has come under considerable pressure in recent weeks. A poll last week published by the Taxpayers Union and conducted by Curia, the company run by longstanding National pollster David Farrar, put National on just 21.3%. “Polls go up and down,” said Collins, “and most pollsters would refuse to poll during a level four lockdown.”

A short transcript from the press conference …

Jason Walls: Will you resign as leader if National goes under 20% in the polls?

Judith Collins: No.

Tova O’Brien: Will you resign ever?

Judith Collins: No.

Simon Bridges, who has arrived at parliament from Tauranga, told reporters that he had “no intention” of challenging Judith Collins for the leadership.

Another Bay of Plenty National MP returning to Wellington is former leader Todd Muller. He’s not returning to caucus, though, having fallen out badly with the current leader over leaks. “It’s happened. I certainly don’t intend to spend the rest of my life seething over what occurred,” he told the Herald. On Collins’ leadership, he said: “I don’t bear her any ill will, but I think it’s pretty clear to everyone that the relationship between her and I has disintegrated. So it serves no purpose me wading in on that issue.”

9.50am: Movements of remand prisoner confirmed – along with how he was infected with Covid-19

More information is now known about the movements of a remand prisoner who was able to leave locked down Auckland to a bail address in level two Waikato.

According to Stuff, the Covid-positive prisoner made four stops on his way to the bail address after being released from the Mount Eden Corrections Facility. Two of these stops were at “private addresses” in Mount Albert and Māngere – both hinted at by the director of public health at a weekend press conference – while another was to a supermarket at Pokeno, and on the road near his bail address in Kaiaua.

A statement from Corrections provided further clarity: “[The prisoner] arrived at the house at 12.28pm, two hours and 19 minutes after leaving the prison. He remained within the boundary of the bail address until 12.47pm on 16 September, when he visited a car park about 250 metres away from the address, and then presented himself to police because his address had become unavailable and the court had revoked his bail and issued a warrant for his arrest. He was then in police custody overnight, before being transported to Mount Eden Corrections Facility on Friday 17 September, arriving at 6.45pm.”

This morning, prime minister Jacinda Ardern confirmed that health officials now know who infected the prisoner and investigations were under way to determine whether any rules were broken during his transfer out of Auckland.

9.00am: No new cases linked to remand prisoner after 200 tests

There are so far no new positive cases of Covid-19 linked to the northern Hauraki region, after a remand prisoner and three of their household contacts caught the delta variant over the weekend.

About 200 test results came back overnight – all negative – after those in the area flocked to get tested for Covid-19. Until at least Friday, “bespoke level four” rules are to be in place requiring people who live or work in or have visited the area around Mangatangi to stay at home.

Speaking to RNZ, prime minister Jacinda Ardern said moving Auckland to level three was unrelated to the new lockdown requirements in Mangatangi. “It’s a bespoke lockdown of sorts to make sure that no matter where those people are they are required to isolate,” she said.

8.00am: Bloomfield denies ‘spinning’ for the government as elimination strategy questioned

A tense face-off between Mike Hosking and Ashley Bloomfield on Newstalk ZB this morning saw the director general of health push back at an assertion he was more a politician than a health expert.

Bloomfield, along with the government, is facing criticism that the decision to move Auckland down to alert level three while daily new case numbers are in the 20s could be a mistake. The director general admitted he did “lose a bit of sleep” over each alert level decision, but was comfortable with this week’s move – generally. “It would have been nice if those numbers were a bit lower but most of them are contacts of known cases,” he said.

People only needed to look across the Tasman to see that for a delta outbreak, after five weeks of lockdown, the daily case numbers are actually very low, said Bloomfield. “That’s how it’s working. In both Victoria and New South Wales they’ve both got really significant restrictions and they’ve got numbers in the hundreds or thousands,” he said.

“You sound like you’re doing the government’s bidding,” said Hosking. “You’ve changed your mind on the way it was working because it doesn’t work and now you’re spinning their line.”

“I’m not actually spinning anything,” replied Bloomfield.

The director general admitted that not all his health advice has been taken by the government, suggesting he had pushed to go further with level two restrictions outside of Auckland. He would not, however, disclose exactly what advice had not been followed. “There are aspects of the advice I gave yesterday around the level two settings that weren’t taken at face value,” he said. “My advice is not always taken and that’s fine. It’s like a marriage: you might disagree behind closed doors but you don’t do it in public.”

Pushed on whether elimination was still a viable strategy given the case numbers have not dropped into single digits such as with previous hard lockdowns, Bloomfield said level four had achieved its goal. “With delta we would be in the thousands now if we hadn’t gone to that alert level four,” he said. “We’ve done it from [level] three before – it wasn’t delta – but this time we have vaccination on our side… that’s incredibly helpful.”

Of the five mystery cases announced yesterday, Bloomfield said three were from the same household and geographically close to existing cases which gave him confidence they would soon all be linked to the outbreak. Asked about whether Auckland could spend more than two weeks in level three if case numbers didn’t drop, Bloomfield said “lets cross that bridge when we come to it”.

7.30am: In today’s Bulletin

A prisoner at the centre of the Covid outbreak in Waikato appears to have breached multiple bail conditions. Newshub reports that GPS records from the man’s travel from prison to home show he stopped at private homes and a supermarket. He had to wear a tracker and was picked up from prison by three people. That seems to conflict with a judge’s order that he go straight home without unnecessary stops and with a family member. The man was allowed to travel across the Auckland boundary because his time in prison, where there was no Covid-19, was seen as the equivalent of a stint in border isolation. Health officials say he didn’t have Covid-19 when he left prison and stayed home once he got there, so he likely picked it up on his trip.


The Covid numbers: 22 new community cases were reported yesterday and 25% (6) of the previous day’s cases were active in the community while infectious. 19 of the cases were in Auckland and 3 were in Whakatīwai. 1071 cases have now been detected in the delta outbreak and 694 have recovered. 26,673 people were vaccinated on Saturday.

The Spinoff’s Covid data tracker has the latest figures.


The first test of the new MIQ booking system has left few happy. A family in Melbourne has called the system a “joke” after they were randomly put in 17,865th place in a waiting room for about 3000 spots, according to Stuff. The head of the MIQ system has called it a “technical success” after over 30,000 people entered the queue yesterday. According to the prime minister, most of the interest was in rooms around the Christmas period. While it didn’t work out for the Melbourne family, the waiting room seems a minor improvement over spending days clicking refresh on a browser.


New Zealand’s mandatory vaccine orders face a court challenge. RNZ reports a customs worker dismissed from her job for refusing the jab has gone to the High Court to argue that a vaccine order under the Covid-19 act goes beyond the expected scope of the law. While ministers and health officials were given broad powers under the act, the worker’s lawyer says the vaccine order is exceptional. The Wellington court will hear the case again today. While no announcement is expected this week, cabinet is considering introducing wider vaccine mandates in the coming months.

This is part of The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s must-read daily news wrap. To sign up for free, simply enter your email address below

A summary of the alert level decision

  • Auckland will move to alert level three at 11.59pm tonight.
  • This will be for an initial period of two weeks and be reviewed by cabinet on October 4.
  • Bespoke level four” restrictions are in place in a small area around Mangatangi, from the road boundary to the east of Maramarua to the southeast of Miranda on the Firth of Thames.
  • The rest of NZ will stay at alert level two while Auckland is in level three, but the maximum gathering number will increase to 100.
blog sept 20

PoliticsSeptember 20, 2021

Live updates, September 20: Auckland to spend two weeks in level three; Ardern denies end to elimination strategy

blog sept 20

Welcome to The Spinoff’s live updates for September 20, by Stewart Sowman-Lund. Say hello at stewart@thespinoff.co.nz.


A summary of the alert level decision

  • Auckland will move to alert level three at 11.59pm tomorrow night.
  • This will be for an initial period of two weeks and be reviewed by cabinet on October 4.
  • Bespoke level four” restrictions are in place in a small area around Mangatangi, from the road boundary to the east of Maramarua to the southeast of Miranda on the Firth of Thames.
  • The rest of NZ will stay at alert level two while Auckland is in level three, but the maximum gathering number will increase to 100.

6.45pm: MIQ boss deems new booking system a success, says new facilities in the works

“The release today went smoothly, technically,” said Megan Main, deputy CEO of the MIQ system, on the new “lobby” system for booking places in the managed isolated system that went online this morning (see 9.40am).  She told RNZ that 5,300 people from 117 countries scored vouchers for 3,200 rooms. “I know it was good for those people, but I also know there are thousands of people who missed out in today’s release. I really want to reassure people that we’ve still got several thousand vouchers to release through to the end of the year.”

There was likely to be a “smaller, more targeted release towards the end of the week” reallocating vouchers among those who didn’t confirm the spots, while a further release of 2,000 vouchers was planned for early next week, she said. The system as a whole “did what we hoped it would so it does mean we can keep using it in the future”. There were 25,000 people in the lobby just before 9am. At its peak, 31,800 people were in the online vestibule.

“We want as many people as possible to get back to New Zealand, but there isn’t an unlimited number of MIQ rooms. And it’s not just the hotels,” she said. “We are looking at the feasibility of standing up two or three facilities in the near term. But it’s not just finding hotels that are suitable, with suitable ventilation. It’s the workforce, the health workforce, the security workforce, the defence workforce. And also, importantly, it’s access to heath system capacity, if the need is there.” Main was unable to put a timeframe on those new facilities, nor specify which they might be. Ohakea air base was “not on my shortlist”, she said.

6.15pm: Experts on the risks of moving to level three

The delta outbreak in Auckland “is clearly not fully under control as seen with the recent spread into the north Waikato and also persisting mystery cases”, so the decision to progress with the decision to move to level three is a “relatively brave move”. That’s the assessment from public health expert Nick Wilson of the University of Otago. “Hopefully the government will also shortly move to intensify a range of control measures that will increase the chances of eliminating this outbreak. These include mandatory universal use of masks indoors – including in schools in alert levels two and three,” he said, in comments via the Science Media Centre.

Michael Plank, a modelling expert for Te Pūnaha Matatini and the University of Canterbury calls the decision a “calculated risk”. While most of the subclusters are under control, “we are still seeing some stubborn spread between households that is proving difficult to stamp out. There is a danger that the increased number of people out in the community and the workplace at level three will add fuel to a smouldering fire and lead to an increase in cases.”

He added: “Contact tracers are finding that most new cases are not being infected in essential workplaces or services, but via extended family or friends. This means that some increase in the number of workplaces and services operating at level three may a relatively low-risk way to relax the lockdown, provided they carefully follow the appropriate procedures.” But, he said, “If the outbreak starts to gather steam, it may yet be necessary to tighten restrictions again. An uncontrolled outbreak still has the potential to rapidly overwhelm our health system. Once vaccination rates are higher this threat will start to recede, but we are still months away from getting everyone fully vaccinated. In the meantime, please enjoy the additional freedoms of Level 3 responsibly and most importantly stick to your bubble.”

4.45pm: Prisoner thought to have been infected by one of people who transported him to bail address

The man who was remanded on bail from Mt Eden prison to an address in Whakatīwai in the northern Waikato was transported there from Auckland by three people, the prime minister has revealed, one of whom is thought to have infected him.

In this afternoon’s press conference, Ardern initially said “a small number of people” had been involved in the drop-off. “There was a specified person who was meant to take them back to their bail address. We’re just working through whether or not bail conditions mean that should be an exclusive arrangement or not.”

Genome sequencing isn’t back yet, but it is likely the prisoner was infected by one of the people he was in the car with, said director general of health Ashley Bloomfield.

After questioning, Ardern said three people were involved in the drop-off, and at least one of them – possibly the one who passed on the virus – then stayed on at the address. “We believe the person who infected him was in that car. We’re establishing the length of time that that person then resided with that individual.”

Ardern said every stop and movement the man made on the way to Whakatīwai was known because of GPS monitoring. His bail conditions stipulated that he had to be transported by a specified person and “more or less” needed to take a direct route.

“What we’re trying to ascertain is whether or not that person who was directed to take them there did follow through all the way to the bail address,” said Ardern.

4.20pm: Auckland to move to level three for two weeks

Updated

Auckland will move to alert level three from 11.59pm tomorrow night, as planned, after roughly five weeks in total lockdown.

This will initially be for a period of at least two weeks, on the advice of Ashley Bloomfield. Cabinet will review these settings on October 4.

“In terms of what level three means for Auckland, I can sum it up with one word: caution,” said prime minister Jacinda Ardern.

However: “We are satisfied there is no significant undetected transmission [but] delta has a long, hard tail.”

Ardern said, for the most part, we haven’t had widespread issues with workplaces. “Where we have had cases at work sites, these have generally been close contacts of existing clusters who have gone on to infect workmates,” she said. “Workplaces for the most part have strict protocols and have acted quickly. This approach remains really important going forward.”

No known cases have resulted from people accessing essential services, said Ardern.

Also as previously indicated, the rest of New Zealand will remain at delta at level two while Auckland is at a higher alert level. However, gathering limits will be increased to 100 – up from the current max of 50.

A recap of the level three rules

“We are not stepping out of level four because the job is done, but nor are we moving because we don’t think we can achieve the goal of stamping out Covid-19,” said Ardern, reiterating the rules for level three in Auckland. “We are moving because level three still provides a cautious approach while we continue to stamp out Covid-19.”

It’s been a while, so here are some of the rules from the PM:

  • Your bubbles remain. You are not allowed to visit friends or neighbours at level three: “I know this is strict and it is hard but it’s there for a reason.”
  • You are allowed to make very minor extensions to your bubble to bring in vulnerable family members or carers for children: “These are very tightly controlled extensions – your bubbles must stay small and exclusive.”
  • More businesses can open, but with strict rules: “Look out for your staff – if any of your workers show up with cold and flu symptoms, please send them to get a Covid test and support them to stay at home until they are well.”
  • Keep children and young people at home where you can. They can only go to school if their parents must work and there is no other options.
  • Cabinet has agreed to make face coverings mandatory for level three high schools in indoor settings – but it will very rare that anyone will be attendance at these schools.
  • For those over 65, level three advice is to stay at home if you have not yet been vaccinated (about 23,000 people).

Read more: How are the alert level rules different from level four?

Questioned whether the move down to level three while case numbers were escalating meant the elimination strategy was over, both Ardern and Bloomfield said no. An important distinction, said Bloomfield, is this will be “level three with high and increasing levels of vaccination”.

“Three is a continuation of stamp it out, not a cutting loose of those restrictions,” said Ardern.

4.15pm: No more Covid cases linked to remand prisoner – so far

From the Ministry of Health:

The final household member of the northern Hauraki house where the remand prisoner stayed has now been tested and results are pending.

An investigation into the epidemiological link (exact route of infection) is ongoing – our working hypothesis being that the individual was infected in Auckland after leaving prison, rather than by someone in the local community where he was staying.

Further tests, including whole genome sequencing of the first close contacts, are due tomorrow.

The ongoing investigation from Auckland Regional Public Health is looking to establish epidemiological links to the wider Auckland outbreak, guided by the whole genome sequencing results as they become available.

The five further household members isolating at home returned negative results yesterday, giving us confidence that they have not been infectious in the community.

All three positive cases, and an accompanying adult caregiver, have been moved to a quarantine facility.

To date negative results have been returned from testing of close contacts among prison staff, other prisoners, police and court staff.

A pop-up testing centre in the northern Hauraki town of Wharekawa marae in Whakatīwai has been busy today testing locals. Waikato DHB reports 340 tests have been taken as of 2pm today.

4.10pm: ‘Bespoke level four’ for those near Mangatangi

A section 70 notice has been introduced for residents around the Mangatangi area in Waikato.

This will be in effect from the road boundary to the east of Maramarua and the southeast of Miranda on the firth of Thames.

As part of this, Ashley Bloomfield said anyone who lives or works in the area, or has visited there since September 8, should stay home until this Friday. “Some may be asked to be tested as we find more locations of interest,” said Bloomfield.

The order amounts to “a bespoke level four lockdown requirement”, said Jacinda Ardern. “We do want to make sure we are keeping the community safe.”

The reason both a boundary approach and a section 70 has been used is to cover people who don’t live within that area but may have been there to work.

3.50pm: Watch live – Ardern to reveal alert level decision

Aucklanders are holding their breath as we await yet another big alert level decision from the PM and Ashley Bloomfield. This time, Waikato has been thrown into the mix after a Covid scare over the weekend saw three household contacts of a known case catch the virus, including two students who have been at a school.

As always, you can tune into the presser below or follow along with our live coverage from 4pm.

3.45pm: While we wait for the big news… the Emmys!

I’ve spent the day flicking between crushing Covid-19 news and the mindless joy of watching celebrities do celebrity stuff at the Emmy Awards. Has anyone in the whole world watched Halston? No? Well at least Ted Lasso and The Crown won big.

Here’s a recap of what you missed, from The Spinoff’s Sam Brooks:

The 2021 Primetime Emmys were awarded this afternoon, with Ted Lasso scooping up four big prizes (Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series and Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series) and The Crown sweeping up five big prizes, in what I like to call a Schitt’s Sweep (Outstanding Drama Series, Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series and Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series).

Other notable winners include The Queen’s Gambit for Outstanding Limited Series, Kate Winslet in Mare of Easttown for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series and Ewan McGregor in Halston for Outstanding Actor in a Limited Series. In a pretty sore spot, one of the very few POC to win an award in the televised ceremony was Michaela Coel for Best Writing for a Limited Series, Movie or Dramatic Special for her exemplary work on I May Destroy You.

Most notably for us back in New Zealand: Jessica Hobbs, a Christchurch-born director who has worked on Broadchurch, The Slap and Rake, won the award for Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series for the final episode of the fourth season of The Crown, “War”. She was previously nominated for her work directing the season finale of the third season, “Cri de Coeur”.

3.25pm: Pair arrested for trying to get into Auckland with KFC, $100k cash

A pair of gang associates have been arrested trying to get into Auckland with over $100,000 in cash and a boot full of KFC.

The 23 and 30-year-old were picked up by police during a patrol of back roads near the south Auckland boundary. “Officers noticed a suspicious looking vehicle travelling on a gravel road and upon seeing the police car, the vehicle did a u-turn and sped off trying to evade police,” said a statement.

“The vehicle eventually pulled over and police established they had been travelling from Hamilton trying to get into Auckland.”

Police then found the cash, takeaways and empty ounce bags.

The pair will appear in court for breaching the Covid-19 health order with further charges likely.

3.10pm: How the outbreak is tracking before the alert level decision

Here’s how the outbreak looks after another 22 cases were announced this afternoon.

We’ll bring you the latest from 4pm when Jacinda Ardern and Ashley Bloomfield speak from the Beehive.

2.05pm: Is the elimination strategy over?

The government is being pushed to admit whether or not it still believes in an elimination strategy.

With new cases numbers sitting around the 20 mark each day, and a new delta scare in Waikato, some experts have asked whether a move to level three for Auckland is wise.

Act’s David Seymour said taking Auckland out of level four would demonstrate the government had given up on elimination.

“During the first lockdown, the government kept New Zealanders in level four based on the four-day average of 10 cases of the less contagious strain. If it now moved to level three on a four-day average of 20 cases of delta, and persistent unlinked cases each day, then surely the elimination strategy is over?” he asked.

“The government needs to tell us what the strategy is and what it’s done to support any new strategy. Does it think Covid-19 can be eliminated at level three and how long will it take?”

Asked a similar question on Newstalk ZB this morning, deputy PM Grant Robertson said Covid could be eliminated during level three and that the risk of spread to Waikato did not prevent a shift down. “You can still eliminate in a level three framework. Level three still has quite significant restrictions,” he said.

1.50pm: MIQ worker test result a ‘false positive’; genome sequencing links truckie to outbreak

A couple of other interesting tidbits from today’s Ministry of Health update.

Firstly, a recent positive result for an MIQ worker in Auckland has been reclassified as a false positive. The So Hotel worker tested positive last week, but follow-up tests confirmed they do not have the virus.

The individual has been notified and will be able to be released from the quarantine facility today, said today’s statement.

Meanwhile, whole genome sequencing has linked both a Covid-positive truck driver and a couple who went to Middlemore Hospital with Covid symptoms to the main outbreak cluster.

1.10pm: 22 new Covid-19 cases ahead of alert level decision

Updated

There are 22 new cases of Covid-19 in the community. It’s the final set of case information that will be considered by cabinet ahead of this afternoon’s announcement on whether Auckland can move down to alert level three.

Last week, prime minister Jacinda Ardern said an “in principle” decision had been made to shift the supercity out of lockdown at 11.59pm tomorrow night, pending the outbreak growing out of control.

All of today’s cases are categorised as in Auckland, but the number does include the three detected in Whakatīwai in Waikato yesterday. Those three cases “fall within the Counties Manukau DHB catchment”, said the Ministry of Health.

The outbreak now totals 1071, although 694 people have recovered.

Of today’s cases, five have not yet been epidemiologically linked to the wider outbreak, with 12 unlinked cases in total. This is one of the key pieces of information that cabinet will be looking at when determining the alert level. Three of today’s five unlinked cases are from one household, while the other two are being interviewed.

Six of the 24 cases announced yesterday were infectious while in the community, with the remaining 18 already in self-isolation when returning a positive result.

The number of people in hospital with Covid-19 is now 16: one on the North Shore, five in Auckland Hospital and the remaining 10 in Middlemore. Four people remain in intensive care.

On the testing front, 8084 were given out nationwide yesterday. Just under 4000 of these were in Auckland with the ministry saying testing remained high in the seven suburbs of interest. In addition: “Today we are asking in particular for anyone living in Clover Park, on the south east side of Papatoetoe, to please get tested,” said the ministry.

Yesterday saw 26,673 vaccines administered. While that number is fairly low, vaccination rates always drop on a Sunday. Almost 3.1 million people have now received their first dose, with 1.6 million people fully vaccinated. As noted by Stuff’s Henry Cooke, yesterday’s vaccine numbers were the lowest since August 15 (which was also a Sunday).


Our coverage of the Covid response depends on members’ contributions. Click here to learn more.


1.05pm: While we wait…

A brief reprieve from Covid news: a male godwit/kuaka migrating back to the Firth of Thames took a drastic u-turn while over the Pacific Ocean, travelling all the way to its take-off point in Alaska.

According to the Department of Conservation, the bird – which was fitted with a transmitter in 2019 – took off from tidal flats in Alaska’s Yukon-Kuskokwim delta on September  11 before encountering strong winds 2000 kilometres into his journey across the Pacific. After flying for 33 hours, the bird turned around and landed back in Alaska 57 hours after first leaving.

Named 4BRWB because of the bands on his legs, the bird has experienced similar difficulties before. “Last year, he also had difficult winds – strong easterlies – and he stopped in New Caledonia for a month, before eventually coming back here,” said zoologist Phil Battley. “It’s been hit by a problem two years in a row, I think you can call it unlucky!”

12.55pm: Nervous wait for Auckland, Waikato as latest delta cases to be revealed

The Ministry of Health will be sending out a press release around 1pm with all the latest delta case details from the past 24 hours.

It’s crucial information for Aucklanders as this is the last set of health data that will be considered by cabinet ahead of this afternoon’s alert level announcement. There is also the Waikato factor, with three people so far testing positive in the region after a remand prisoner crossed the border on bail.

I’ll have all the info as soon as it lands in my inbox so keep this page open and refreshed!

12.30pm: Opposition questions why prisoner was moved out of level four

The opposition is asking for more detail on how a remand prisoner was able to move from level four Auckland into a level two area while on electronic monitoring.

The prisoner was announced as a confirmed Covid-19 case yesterday, with three of their household contacts later testing positive as well.

In a statement, Act’s David Seymour said Aucklanders who haven’t been unable to leave during lockdown will feel let down by the government. “Most of us thought if you crossed the border illegally, you’d get arrested. Who knew that if you get arrested first, you can cross the border legally?” he said.

“This isn’t the court’s fault. They play by the rules parliament sets. The government just didn’t set any.”

National’s Simeon Brown and Chris Bishop have also raised objections, sharing almost identical Facebook posts about the issue.

“[Corrections minister] Kelvin Davis needs to explain why a remand prisoner was released on electronic monitoring from a level four area to a level two area,” said Brown. “People can’t get exemptions to leave Auckland to visit dying loved ones.”

12.10pm: Extremely Online – Welcome to the Game of Love

With the evolution of the internet and the emergence of dating apps, it seems that love really is a game. Learn all about how we’ve gamified love in the latest episode of Extremely Online, from the team at Shit You Should Care About.

11.25am: Locals flock to pop-up testing site in Waikato town

A pop-up Covid testing site has opened in Whakatīwai, the town now facing a potential delta Covid-19 outbreak.

The town has been linked to three new cases – two students and an adult – connected to a remand prisoner moved from Auckland.

The testing centre has been set up at the Wharewaka Marae and anyone with symptoms is asked to get tested. According to the Herald, about 40 cars are in the queue for the drive-through testing station with the line now snaking out onto the main road.

Among those waiting to get a test are people from the Mangatangi School community after one of the confirmed cases attended on two days last week.

10.20am: Waikato school officially linked to new Covid cases

A Waikato school linked to a case of Covid-19 has now been confirmed as a location of interest on two days last week.

A Covid-positive student visited Mangatangi School on both Wednesday and Thursday last week. It’s understood they were symptomatic on the Thursday.

Two students and one adult have now been linked to a remand prisoner moved to Waikato from locked down Auckland.

View the full locations of interest list here or check out The Spinoff’s interactive map

10.00am: Pop superstar announces NZ show… 14 months away

Chris Schulz reports:

Signs of life seem to be returning to New Zealand’s international touring scene with confirmation Dua Lipa will perform here next year.

The 26-year-old British pop star, who released one of last year’s most popular records in Future Nostalgia, will play Auckland’s Spark Arena on November 2, 2022. Yes, you read that right: next year. That’s 14 months away.

That might seem a long time to wait but Lipa’s announcement shows confidence is returning to the live international touring market in the face of lockdowns to curb the spread of the Delta variant of Covid-19.

Other tours confirmed for next year include London Grammar and Backstreet Boys in March, Rod Stewart in April and Tyler, the Creator in July. Promoters will be hoping that closed borders, MIQ stays and virus concerns are a thing of the past when it’s time for Lipa’s tour.Overseas, vaccination passports have become mandatory for many music festivals and large scale concerts.

In a statement, Lipa said: “I am beyond excited to be bringing my world tour to New Zealand, it’s been way too long, but I promise, we are going to have one heck of a party.”

Her hit songs include Don’t Start Now, Levitate and Break My Heart. Tickets for Lipa’s show go on sale on Thursday at 2pm. Pre-sales begin on Wednesday at 1pm.

9.40am: Huge demand for MIQ rooms as ‘virtual lobby’ opens

The revamped managed isolation booking system has gone online this morning, with a “virtual lobby” opening at 8am.

Everyone who visits the MIQ website between 8am and 9am this morning NZT will be randomly assigned a place in the lobby. Then, from 9am, the doors will open and 3000 booking slots will be up for grabs.

It’s much like the system used for booking tickets to high demand concerts or events, except instead of missing out on a premium seat to Harry Potter and the Cursed Child you might not be able to travel home.

According to Twitter reports, at least 26,000 people made it to the virtual lobby ahead of the rooms being made available.

9.30am: Māori health group calls for Waikato to join Auckland in level four

A Māori health group is urging caution for today’s alert level decision.

The National Māori Pandemic Group told RNZ that Auckland should stay in alert level four – and be joined by Waikato.

Group co-leader Sue Crengle said Māori communities were more at risk from Covid. “At the moment we don’t know the extent of the outbreak in the Waikato – that will only become apparent in the next few days, couple of weeks – and there are many Māori communities in the upper North Island and we want to make sure they are protected as much as possible,” she said.

“We’ve got grave concerns that the upper North Island might be on the brink of a new wave of Covid-19, which if it was allowed to spread would seriously impact Māori communities in the region.”

8.40am: Auckland lockdown decision up in the air after Waikato Covid cases confirmed

While the deputy PM remained fairly coy this morning when asked whether Auckland will still leave level four this week, health experts have been quicker to admit the new Waikato cases are a major spanner in the works.

Epidemiologist Michael Baker told Stuff that cabinet now has another serious consideration when making their decision today. “There’s a lot of detail that has to come out about this case, but the big question is, how did he [the prisoner] get it?” he said. “The cautious approach would be to keep Auckland in lockdown for a little longer.”

It all came down to how infectious the children were while they were at school, he said.

“The trouble is that there’s been this resistance to use of masks in schools, and even school buses. And we’ve argued that all these indoor environments should be covered if you want alert level two to really work,” Baker said.

Immunologist Dianne Sika-Paotonu told TVNZ’s Breakfast that she now expected Auckland to stay in level four. “Sadly, this isn’t good news and it’s looking unlikely that Auckland may move out of alert level three easily,”she said. “In terms of extending the boundary out beyond Auckland at this time is also looking likely.”

8.00am: ‘Totally irresponsible’ to bail Auckland prisoner to Waikato, says mayor

The Waikato district mayor has hit out at the decision to bail an Auckland prisoner to an address outside of the level four lockdown.

All three of the new cases are household contacts of a Covid-positive prisoner who was moved from Auckland to the region. Two of the new cases are children who attended Mangatangi School – at least one while symptomatic – and the third is an adult.

Speaking to RNZ, Allan Sanson said the decision to transfer the prisoner out of Auckland was “totally irresponsible”.

“I think there are some serious questions to be answered … You don’t just move people across the border because it’s convenient to put them in an address to bail them to … This person has been in the community for well over a week. Not acceptable.”

Sanson said he would have expected someone who had been in Auckland to be bailed to somewhere within the region. “Why weren’t precautions taken in making sure he wasn’t carrying Covid with him,” he said. “Nobody else can come out of Auckland unless you’re an essential worker without being tests – so why wasn’t this man tested?”

7.45am: Alert level decision to be revealed as Covid confirmed in Waikato

The shock discovery of three new Covid-19 cases in Waikato may not prevent Auckland moving out of alert level four this afternoon.

Right now, everywhere outside of Auckland is in “delta level two” while those in the supercity remain in total lockdown until at least midnight tomorrow. The new cases are household contacts of a Covid-positive prisoner who tested positive on Friday night.

Asked on RNZ if the new cases outside level four would impact today’s call on whether to confirm the “in principle decision” to move to level three on Wednesday, Grant Robertson, deputy prime minister, said “not necessarily”, and that indications remained that there is “no widespread transmission”. Of the Waikato cases he said: “Preliminary indications are that there may be an epidemiological link to one of the clusters.”

On Newstalk ZB, Robertson said more information will emerge today on the new Waikato cases that will help inform cabinet’s decision. A move to alert level three while new cases were still appearing was not an admission the elimination strategy had failed. “You can still eliminate in a level three framework. Level three still has quite significant restrictions,” he said.

7.30am: From The Bulletin

Three test positive for Covid-19 in Waikato. The health ministry announced late last night that three people in the area around Kaiaua and Whakatīwai have tested positive, Stuff reports. They are the household members of a remand prisoner who left Mount Eden two weeks ago and was sent to the level two area. The prisoner tested positive on Friday on their return to Mount Eden. Two of the people in the household attended school last week. Experts warned RNZ that Auckland’s level four should be extended with Waikato now added.


Auckland’s alert level will be at the centre of attention today. Cabinet agreed last week that the city should move to level three on Wednesday, assuming the situation allows for it. That decisions will be reviewed today. Caroline McElnay, the director of public health, said she was “optimistic” at yesterday’s Beehive press conference, according to RNZ. It’s unclear how the new cases might change that.

The long tail of the outbreak continues to be an issue, with a stubbornly high number of cases reported daily. Since September 4, that daily case number has bounced between a dozen and two dozen new infections, with the exception of a big spike last Monday.


The Covid numbers: 24 new community cases were reported yesterday and 30% (6) of the previous day’s cases were active in the community while infectious. All the cases were in Auckland. 1050 cases have now been detected in the delta outbreak and 688 have recovered. 53,386 people were vaccinated on Saturday.

The Spinoff’s Covid data tracker has the latest figures.


Auckland’s long lockdown is starting to fray nerves. Stuff reports that since August 2020 the country’s biggest city has been placed in a cycle of restrictions that have put a heavy burden on Aucklanders. Some are starting to crack. Police warned that locals were breaking level four rules and took to the city’s beaches over the weekend, while more people were charged after heading south. Along with people intercepted trying to drive through paddocks around checkpoints, two different couples were arrested after travelling illegally to Taupō and Wellington over the weekend.

This is part of The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s must-read daily news wrap. To sign up for free, simply enter your email address below