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As the country wakes up to life at Alert Level 2, there is concern about the legal framework that has been established to implement it.
Jacinda Ardern
Source: Getty
The Covid-19 Public Health Response Act was passed urgently last night, giving the government and police broad powers to implement Level 2 restrictions.
Among other things, the new law allows police to enter homes without a court order to close large gatherings.
Both National and ACT voted against the legislation, while the Human Rights Commission says it is “deeply concerned” about the bill.
Chief Human Rights Commissioner Paul Hunt says the government has not allowed enough time “for careful public and democratic consideration of this Level 2 legislation.” He says there are also concerns about disproportionate powers.
Meanwhile, Maori communities are concerned that the police may search for marae without a court order.
After the backlash from Maori leaders, the government removed a reference to marae from the legislation.
However, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says the reference was to ensure that Marae had the same protection as private homes.
Attorney General David Parker says that despite critics’ claims, police powers will be more limited than they have been for the past seven weeks.
The Law will automatically expire in 90 days unless Parliament agrees to extend it.
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Many companies that have struggled through the blockade can finally open their doors again today, and hope to garner more government support when they release their budget this afternoon.
In her pre-Budget speech yesterday, Prime Minister Ardern said the focus now is on jobs and incomes for companies and New Zealanders.
Ardern says Budget 2020 will be delivered within “the most challenging economic conditions any government has faced since the Great Depression,” but says the economy can move quickly again “if we make the right decisions.”
Some hope that those options include long-term sustainability.
Given that the global blockade has a positive impact on the climate, there are more and more calls for the Government to not only deal with the crisis in question, but also try to maintain those environmental gains.
And economist Cameron Bagrie told the Covid-19 selection committee that the budget numbers “are going to be absolutely terrible.”
He says that means tough decisions, including raising the retirement age at some point.
Today a 1 NEWS special will be broadcast on TVNZ 1 starting at 2 p.m. with all the details of the budget.
Meanwhile, the Reserve Bank is pressing more levers to try to keep the economy stable.
He is nearly doubling his bond scheme, injecting billions of dollars into the economy, and says that very low interest rates are blocked.
Government backs down at funerals
Public outcry over restrictions on funerals and tangihanga has seen the government increase the number of people who can attend those meetings from 10 to 50.
Health Minister David Clark announced the change of heart yesterday afternoon, just hours after the government revealed that no new cases of Covid-19 were recorded again.
Funeral services will still have to comply with strict public health measures, including physical distancing and the absence of congregations for food and drink afterward.
National Party leader Simon Bridges says he is pleased to see some progress on the funeral issue, but says the government is backing down “smells of incoherent and inconsistent politics in the hull.”
Three nurses at Waitākere Hospital probably contracted Covid-19 on a stressful day when one patient died and others were sick and confused, Waitematā DHB says.
A report has been released after an urgent review of the three nurses who contracted the disease while caring for patients in the hospital nursing home.
The review describes very stressful nursing conditions and poorly adjusted PPE. DHB apologized to the nurses, saying that better systems were needed.
The government has announced changes in secondary ratings due to the blockade. These include year-end exam delays and extended portfolio submission dates.
Education Minister Chris Hipkins says the changes are to alleviate disruption to students’ learning after being away from school for five weeks.
There are likely to be more changes once the education sector has discussed its problems.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education says there is no space on school buses for physical distancing and that services will resume at Level 2 again. The shortage of drivers and buses is blamed.
High-profile meeting ‘not a party’
The owner of an Auckland bar is responding to criticism for throwing a party for 100 people, denying it is a party.
HeadQuarters’ Leo Molloy has been in the news about reported plans to host a high-profile party this weekend, but told 1 NEWS in a heated interview that “he has done nothing wrong.”
Molloy insists that the gathering of about 85 guests is a dinner party, not a party.
He also lashed out at the Prime Minister for “changing the rules” at the meetings, calling them “bulls.”
Other important news this morning:
The Government is accelerating changes in foreign investor rules as the economy recovers from the aftermath of Covid-19.
Air New Zealand will begin flying its 787-9 Dreamliner between Christchurch and Auckland today to help transport cargo from the South Island.
Samoa has scrapped the idea of a Pacific travel bubble because New Zealand refuses to pre-evaluate passengers.
A Hamilton-based Lotto player celebrates this morning after taking home $ 10.3 million in the draw the night before.
Today marks the 25th anniversary of the New Zealand team that lifts the Copa América for the first time.
And dog friends will be allowed to meet their friends at Level 2 today, but the Director-General for Health says they must follow the same rules as humans.
The contestants of the TVNZ Survive The 80s program.
Source: Seven Sharp
Filmed just before closing, Survive The 80s is a new television show that sends a bunch of Kiwi in their 20s to Muldoon’s days and landlines to see if they can handle life at a time that taste forgot.
Seven Sharp’s Jeremy Wells goes behind the scenes to speak to the contestants and creators of the show, and ends up revealing that he still knows all the words for the song on the theme Gloss.
