Covid19 Different political parties views.

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BDFL - Memuneh
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#2456211 6-Apr-2020 23:33

"Maybe I have a dirty mind, but if the Leader of the Opposition believes he needs to drive a 1,000 km round trip to attend an online meeting, then my question is: who is she, and does Mrs Bridges know?"

Brilliant. People get all up because a Minister drove two kilometres (yes, it was wrong too) but not many supporters point out driving 1000 kms - because the "broadband is not good at home".

ROFL.

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Handle9

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#2456222 7-Apr-2020 06:34

OMG. The Tax Payers Union is claiming the wage subsidy.

The irony abounds.

https://thespinoff.co.nz/society/07-04-2020/covid-19-live-updates-april-7-public-database-shows-where-the-5-3bn-in-wage-subsidies-has-gone/

ROFL

freitasm

BDFL - Memuneh
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#2456258 7-Apr-2020 08:14

For me, David Clark could just walked through the door into the sunset - and his voters should not vote him again.

The same applies to Simon Bridges. He drove 500 km each way with the lame excuse of "Internet bad. Wellington good".

In any case, here is a statement from the Prime Minister this morning. Note that her words are strong indication he's an useful idiot:

“Yesterday evening the Health Minister advised me of his trip to a beach during the lockdown and offered his resignation,” Jacinda Ardern said.

“Under normal conditions I would sack the Minister of Health. What he did was wrong, and there are no excuses.

“But right now, my priority is our collective fight against COVID-19. We cannot afford massive disruption in the health sector or to our response. For that reason, and that reason alone, Dr Clark will maintain his role.

“But he does need to pay a price. He broke the rules.

“While he maintains his Health portfolio, I am stripping him of his role as Associate Finance Minister and demoting him to the bottom of our Cabinet rankings.

“I expect better, and so does New Zealand,” Jacinda Ardern said.

Statement from David Clark:

Last night as part of my preparation for the Epidemic Response Committee, I provided the Prime Minister with a complete picture of my activity outside my home during Alert Level 4.

That included the fact that on the first weekend of the Alert Level 4 lockdown I drove my family approximately 20 kilometres from our house in Dunedin to Doctor’s Point Beach for a walk.

This trip was a clear breach of the lockdown principles of staying local and not driving long distances to reach recreation spots.

As the Health Minister it’s my responsibly to not only follow the rules but set an example to other New Zealanders.

At a time when we are asking New Zealanders to make historic sacrifices I’ve let the team down. I’ve been an idiot, and I understand why people will be angry with me.

I’ve apologised to the Prime Minister for my lack of judgement and offered her my resignation.

In the interest of full disclosure, since the lockdown began I have also driven my family to a walking track approximately 2 kilometres from our house for a walk and gone for occasional runs, all of which were local and within the rules, and one bike ride which is already in the public domain.

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GV27

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#2456265 7-Apr-2020 08:42

freitasm:

Brilliant. People get all up because a Minister drove two kilometres (yes, it was wrong too) but not many supporters point out driving 1000 kms - because the "broadband is not good at home".

ROFL.

Some people here are very quick to claim whataboutism when people attack their favourite party's actions, but there's a not-inconsequential difference between an MP heading a committee going to parliament and an invisible health minister flouting lock-down rules during an epidemic for recreation.

Twice.

And only making any sort of statement after realising he was going to have to front to said committee about it and coming clean to the PM about his repeated breaches, instead of just the one he was caught out on social media doing and refusing to comment and turning down media interviews.

E: Clarifying here, people using the fact Bridges unsurprisingly did a Bridges (read: moronic) thing and was relaxed about it doesn't change the fact Clark faces higher expectations as health minister during a pandemic and basically tried to run away from what he'd done until he couldn't.

tdgeek

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#2456274 7-Apr-2020 08:51

GV27:

Some people here are very quick to claim whataboutism when people attack their favourite party's actions, but there's a not-inconsequential difference between an MP heading a committee going to parliament and an invisible health minister flouting lock-down rules during an epidemic for recreation.

Twice.

And only making any sort of statement after realising he was going to have to front to said committee about it and coming clean to the PM about his repeated breaches, instead of just the one he was caught out on social media doing and refusing to comment and turning down media interviews.

E: Clarifying here, people using the fact Bridges unsurprisingly did a Bridges (read: moronic) thing and was relaxed about it doesn't change the fact Clark faces higher expectations as health minister during a pandemic and basically tried to run away from what he'd done until he couldn't.

Arent you doing the same? Justifying its ok for Bridges but not for Clark? Do you need to drive 500km to use Zoom, or 2km to the fibre equiped electorate office? Id say its up to the No.1 ranked National Party leader, aka potential PM, to set an example. Its obvious he had other errands ro run so went the extra 498km to Wellington

freitasm

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#2456278 7-Apr-2020 08:58

GV27:

Some people here are very quick to claim whataboutism when people attack their favourite party's actions, but there's a not-inconsequential difference between an MP heading a committee going to parliament and an invisible health minister flouting lock-down rules during an epidemic for recreation.

Twice.

And only making any sort of statement after realising he was going to have to front to said committee about it and coming clean to the PM about his repeated breaches, instead of just the one he was caught out on social media doing and refusing to comment and turning down media interviews.

E: Clarifying here, people using the fact Bridges unsurprisingly did a Bridges (read: moronic) thing and was relaxed about it doesn't change the fact Clark faces higher expectations as health minister during a pandemic and basically tried to run away from what he'd done until he couldn't.

And Clark's acts have consequences. He lost all his portfolios, except one - and even so he's now a puppet.

Shouting "whataboutism" as a way to get a out-of-jail card for your preferred party is not cool.

Both were wrong, it doesn't matter if 20 km (Clark) or 1000 km (Bridges).

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Mahon

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#2456290 7-Apr-2020 09:21

freitasm:

GV27:

Some people here are very quick to claim whataboutism when people attack their favourite party's actions, but there's a not-inconsequential difference between an MP heading a committee going to parliament and an invisible health minister flouting lock-down rules during an epidemic for recreation.

Twice.

And only making any sort of statement after realising he was going to have to front to said committee about it and coming clean to the PM about his repeated breaches, instead of just the one he was caught out on social media doing and refusing to comment and turning down media interviews.

E: Clarifying here, people using the fact Bridges unsurprisingly did a Bridges (read: moronic) thing and was relaxed about it doesn't change the fact Clark faces higher expectations as health minister during a pandemic and basically tried to run away from what he'd done until he couldn't.

And Clark's acts have consequences. He lost all his portfolios, except one - and even so he's now a puppet.

Shouting "whataboutism" as a way to get a out-of-jail card for your preferred party is not cool.

Both were wrong, it doesn't matter if 20 km (Clark) or 1000 km (Bridges).

If Clark was a decent human being he would resign. If Adern was a true leader she would have sacked him. This is the guy who leads the Ministry of Health and all our DHB's at this precarious time. How can any of the thousands of staff trust what he says or does. The demotion without losing his portfolio is a joke.

As for Bridges...I havnt see the full facts yet or his reasoning. I assume its fine for the Health Minister to fly between Dunedin and Wellington as necessary, but driving that distance isnt an option? What other "serious: options did Bridges have considering that he is an essential employee?

freitasm

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#2456293 7-Apr-2020 09:23

Mahon:

If Clark was a decent human being he would resign. If Adern was a true leader she would have sacked him. This is the guy who leads the Ministry of Health and all our DHB's at this precarious time. How can any of the thousands of staff trust what he says or does. The demotion without losing his portfolio is a joke.

As for Bridges...I havnt see the full facts yet or his reasoning. I assume its fine for the Health Minister to fly between Dunedin and Wellington as necessary, but driving that distance isnt an option? What other "serious: options did Bridges have considering that he is an essential employee?

He tried. Jacinda, as a true leader, stripped him of everything else and made him an example - read the release posted. As a leader she saw that changing the head of MoH at this moment would impact negatively on what's being done. He's needed there to sign whatever he's told to sign. Just a puppet now. But she doesn't need distractions on trying to find a new MoH head during a crisis of this size.

Bridges said he drove to Wellington because his work required him to run Zoom meetings but the broadband at his home wasn't good enough - but he could as easily go to his electoral office, which is connected to fibre, from searching the address.

So, I'd say stop playing this whataboutism game folks. Both did wrong. The PM did a good job of making it clear Clark is a useful idiot now.

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dejadeadnz

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#2456300 7-Apr-2020 09:42

gchiu:

Really? You have been the leader of the opposition and know what the job entails?

And you have, presumably, not been the Director-General of Health.

There is absolutely zero reason for Bridges to drive 1000kms return -- on TV1 last night it was quoted that he said internet at his house was bad. Sorry but if he actually has any ideas around contingency planning and was as serious about his job as he claims, he would have sorted his internet situation out long before there was a crisis. That's basic contingency planning for any person with half-a-brain and above average income in the 21st century who is doing important work.

gchiu

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#2456333 7-Apr-2020 10:24

freitasm:

He tried. Jacinda, as a true leader, stripped him of everything else and made him an example - read the release posted. As a leader she saw that changing the head of MoH at this moment would impact negatively on what's being done. He's needed there to sign whatever he's told to sign. Just a puppet now. But she doesn't need distractions on trying to find a new MoH head during a crisis of this size.

Bridges said he drove to Wellington because his work required him to run Zoom meetings but the broadband at his home wasn't good enough - but he could as easily go to his electoral office, which is connected to fibre, from searching the address.

So, I'd say stop playing this whataboutism game folks. Both did wrong. JAcinda did a good job of making it clear Clark is a useful idiot now.

Dr Clark hasn't been useful for sometime, the PM has taken over.

I've done Google Meeting with a few people based in Wellington where I am and it has often been crap even though people have fibre.

What's the policy again? Use a politician's full name or their title. Here you say it's Bridges, then it's Jacinda, and then it's Clark. I'd say you have an inconsistency policy.

Simon Bridges at least is travelling to work and back twice a week. I can't see the fuss. He doesn't want to move his family, or his family doesn't want to move. So, he makes the best of a pig's ear. All this criticism of a guy trying to do the best he can, which includes chairing the committee that is providing oversight of the Govt's action, is pretty pathetic.

freitasm

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#2456337 7-Apr-2020 10:28

gchiu:

What's the policy again? Use a politician's full name or their title. Here you say it's Bridges, then it's Jacinda, and then it's Clark. I'd say you have an inconsistency policy.

Are you really coming up with this flimsy argument instead of debating the issue? I call people by surname (Bridges, Clark), full name or title. Not by the first name. If you raise "policy" against me one more time, I am afraid your account will be locked out.

gchiu:

Simon Bridges at least is travelling to work and back twice a week. I can't see the fuss. He doesn't want to move his family, or his family doesn't want to move. So, he makes the best of a pig's ear. All this criticism of a guy trying to do the best he can, which includes chairing the committee that is providing oversight of the Govt's action, is pretty pathetic.

The fuss is about driving 1,000 km to chair a meeting. If you can't see the fuss, I recommend you rethink your views and perspectives deeply.

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#2456341 7-Apr-2020 10:33

We are in the midst of a national emergency in which people are facing sickness and death and mass unemployment and financial ruin and his family doesn't want to be inconvenienced. I guess that makes it all right, then.

Plesse igmore amd axxept applogies in adbance fir anu typos

dejadeadnz

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#2456348 7-Apr-2020 10:49

gchiu:

Simon Bridges at least is travelling to work and back twice a week. I can't see the fuss. He doesn't want to move his family, or his family doesn't want to move. So, he makes the best of a pig's ear. All this criticism of a guy trying to do the best he can, which includes chairing the committee that is providing oversight of the Govt's action, is pretty pathetic.

Your political biases are absolutely colouring your every post on this and it's getting tiresome. The fuss is over the fact that the vast majority of people are abiding by a sensible and lawful direction to minimise unnecessary travel and a so called "leader" isn't.

You had a video conference that went badly and it somehow justifies what Bridges did? Come on, this isn't kindergarten.

tdgeek

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#2456354 7-Apr-2020 11:01

Ill give a bouquet to Simon Bridges. The committee that is on live right now, asked D Clark to explain. he did, they moved on. I was expecting a 30 minute tirade from all. Plus while he keeps asking and re asking, the same hard questions he's doing that well, totally non partisan. Well done. It about the big points, not point scoring. Good stuff

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#2456388 7-Apr-2020 11:46

I think this weeks muppet of the week award is a dead heat. Both Clark and Bridges essentially raised their middle to all New Zealanders and especially the tens of thousands that are suffering real hardship and those who will suffering for many years to come. Clark can think himself lucky that the last thing we need right now is instability at the top of the Health sector but I am sure if there is another "cough" mistake he will be gone. As for Bridges if the National party wants to show the people of New Zealand that they have a modicum of empathy for what they are going through or and ounce of integrity they would dump Bridges now.

Here is a crazy notion, lets give peace a chance.

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