NZ's Ardern says many restrictions to be kept in place when lockdown ends

This is a concern in the United States as well. The government continuing to take away freedom of movement beyond the time the citizens of that government feel is necessary and also not setting any measurable end point.

I wonder how NZ citizens will react to this. At some point they have to open back up for tourism, no? Once that happens and you cant control who enters your country anymore, do you still restrict your citizenry while letting tourists go anywhere they please?

RecklessToday 02:43 pm JST

This person sounds a bit dangerous. Didn't she take everyone's guns as well last year?

Yup she sure is.

Hard looney left, much loved by many on here though unfortunately.

The government continuing to take away freedom of movement beyond the time the citizens of that government feel is necessary and also not setting any measurable end point.

That some citizens feel it is necessary. Let’s have a modicum if accuracy instead of throwing our blanket statements.

Yep, until the first tourist sets foot in your country. or if enough people get tired of your overly restrictive shutdowns and begin to disobey. there is a happy middle that world leaders have to consider.

"We have an opportunity to do something no other country has achieved, eliminating the virus," Ardern said at a news conference.

Hard looney left

NZ’s leader has dealt with this emergency far better than certain other leaders.

Other looneys were shaking hands and talking about magical virus vanishing acts in April. If she is a looney, these 2 idiots need to be in isolation wards.

Didn't she take everyone's guns as well last year?

No. Details are important.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/globalnews.ca/news/6322563/new-zealand-semi-automatic-weapons-ban/amp/

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is certifiably intelligent, and she listens to and is guided by actual experts, and she doesn't have a ridiculous ego, and most importantly, Prime Minister Ardern is empathetic: she really cares about her fellow citizens, and knows the meaning of the term "public servant".

CrazyJoe,

She has handled the virus so well.

I agree with your comments entirely.

I both most other countries wish they had a leader of her caliber.

Adern is intelligent, articulate, pragmatic and compassionate and is widely admired by both New Zealanders and Australians. Has done a stunning job so far in managing this crisis.

Meanwhile, watching what is happening in the US is like watching a train wreck in slow motion driven by an outpatient who has had an absolute skin full. It's awful to behold.

The New World order. However, maybe not so bad. She cannot go anywhere either.

Terrible days for retirement.

I come in at the middle on this; agreeing with some of the comments of what seems to be "both sides.

Yes, she handled this well and there are metrics to show she did so.

On the other hand people do need to remain vigilant of government power grabs (for example Americans are still living with the Patriot Act; some of the provisions were not meant to be permanent).

If she is in fact talking about a gradual removal of restrictions, Level by Level (i.e. Level 4 to Level 3, etc.) this would be considered reasonable, I hope there is a Level 2, Level 1, and then normal......

On the other hand it is wise to ensure that liberties or privacy are not permanently removed. My country of citizenship, the U.S., is a good example of this.

@ Tokyo-Engr

"If she is in fact talking about a gradual removal of restrictions, Level by Level (i.e. Level 4 to Level 3, etc.) this would be considered reasonable, I hope there is a Level 2, Level 1, and then normal......"

yes, this is precisely what is being proposed

“When a man is denied the right to live the life he believes in,he has no choice but to become an outlaw.”

i think this quote applies in this situation. We have to consider both government -And- citizens.

Results speak for themselves. Facts. Australia with a fantasy based leader, much slower response and 7x number of deaths. USA, now the epicenter as Trump said the virus was over and there was nothing to worry about. That it is was a hoax. 28,554 are dead now and no signs of improvement yet in the USA. Reality has a well know liberal bias as a wise man once said.

And why the whining about personal freedoms? You are not free when you are dead. 28,554 Americans are not free now. If the government did nothing at all, which is what some of you Ayn Rand delinquents would prefer, the number would be 280,000 not free dead people. Simply delusional.

“When a man is denied the right to live the life he believes in,he has no choice but to become an outlaw.” 

i think this quote applies in this situation. 

No.

Ardern is a far left Marxist and seems intent on destroying the NZ economy. Level 3 is basically level 4 with one or two small changes, but for many of us there will be no change. Businesses go under when the threat of COVID-19 has more or less been extinguished. Thankfully there is an election in September and I look forward to the Communist Ardern being deposed, and Simon Bridges being the new Prime Minister in a National led government.

The real reason NZ does not suffer so much as other countries is because of a small population . Most people live out in the suburbs in houses with space around and not concentrated in apartments. Car use is greater than the use of public transport as well.

"We have an opportunity to do something no other country has achieved, eliminating the virus,"

I wonder whether it'll be sustainable, without turning New Zealand into a total hermit state (it already is isolated to its benefit here).

It's hard to imagine eliminating the virus for good, while allowing any form of international travel. I'm not sure this would be the absolute best approach.

Ardern is a far left Marxist 

I was not aware that she subscribed to Marxist opinions. And if she is, she seems to be in the wrong party, as a member of a centre left party.

She used to belong to a conservative religious cult, but left due to its opposition to homosexuality.

Infection rate per population is high , because this marxist communist let so many back in from the infected area knowingly, She handled it well you say? You have to be kidding yourselves. Look at facts dont be blinded by her BS

Their are more people per population infected in NZ than just about any where else do some research.

She knowingly let infected people in, then forcibly locked the place down to impose her hard leftist agenda on the place , it beggars belief.

Their are more people per population infected in NZ than just about any where else do some research.

No, there aren’t. Not even close.

Didn't she take everyone's guns as well last year?

nope like Australia she has implemented bans on fully and semi automatic weapons, people in both countries can still own shot guns rifles and hand guns as long as they dont have clips that hold more than 6 rounds not semi or fully auto. Australia hasn't had a mass shooting in the past 24 yrs since these new gun laws were implemented. So the facts once again prove the assumptions of the ill informed wrong again

Their are more people per population infected in NZ than just about any where else do some research.

do the math again your wrong, NZ has a very small infected per capita compared to US UK and many other EU countries

The real reason NZ does not suffer so much as other countries is because of a small population .

Singapore has a very high population density and yet they are doing better than the majority of countries,

why because they quarantined early. Nearly every country in the world that acted early have relatively low infection rates compare to those that didn't. Yet there will still be those that think its just a coincidence

And Adern took a 20% pay cut to show solidarity with others who are struggling. I noticed that Japanese lawmakers also did the same, announced on the 14th, following her lead. Not surprising.

Also noticed Japan finally getting serious about this crisis. Deciding to finally expand testing options and to declare nationwide emergency.

Finally woken up to the fact that the only way to tackle this successfully is to test, trace and isolate as implemented by NZ, Singpaore, Denmark, Norway, S. Korea and others, eh? The only issue is that it is going to take a lot more to stop the runaway train now, which means a prolonged period of hardship for Japan.

Finally woken up to the fact that the only way to tackle this successfully is to test, trace and isolate as implemented by NZ, Singpaore, Denmark, Norway, S. Korea and others, eh?

It's far from over. Unless herd immunity takes form at home through vaccine programmes or mass (mild) infections to recovery, those "successful" countries are likely to face spikes in the future, especially when they re-open borders. Considering their relatively smaller size economies and more dependence on international trade, their exit strategy should be carefully implemented.

I live in New Zealand. At this this time we are at Level 4, the highest level.

Hopefully next week, after 1 month at level 4 we can drop to level 3.

Level 3 is still quite restrictive, but is all depends on us. If we mess up, level 4 (total lockdown) will be enforced.

So it is totally up to us.

Our Prime Minister has led FROM THE FRONT. Honest and in your face facts. Jacinda speaks in "people speak". not polit speak, so , we get it.

Jacinda displays empathy, displays sympathy, displays courage, no suck up here.

Stay safe Japan. Like us here, do what you need to do to be safe, and BE KIND.

Domo Arigato Japan.

Ardern was late to grasp the extent of the crisis and eventually moved as public and expert advice glamouring for action forced her hand. The media here (and abroad) have painted her as some kind of messiah figure but the truth is that she little more than a mouthpiece for the technocracy that actually runs NZ.

The OECD now state that NZ's economy will be the hardest hit in the developed world. Had the borders been closed earlier and the lockdown begun a week prior things may have been different. Luckily NZ is isolated and small and those are the main reasons NZ has not had a huge outbreak.

The cost will be vast though - both to our civil liberties (which have already suffered greatly under socialist Ardern's 'stewardship' and also to our economy.

When this minority coalition was formed (against the prevalent will of the country in 2017) - it was clear that Ardern and her cabinet were not ready or equipped to lead. Multiple failures in enacting policy and an unstable cabinet, at the mercy of the tiny NZ First party who have carte blanche to act despite only enjoying 3% support nationwide, had actually had Ardern sliding towards defeat in this year's general election. Crisis polls have approval ratings quite high, but they drop in the months following the lockdown. Given the pending devastation of the NZ economy...one can only hope this woman is thrown out of office sooner rather than later.

A power grab would imply acting much more quickly on the situation. The only one grabbing at power is Simon Bridges.

Well, NZ has so far doing well to reduce the spread of this Coronavirus. If Jacinda Ardern was going to reduce the spread of this virus further, I will support her all the way. Everyone in NZ is taking every possible measures to follow them strictly without any failure! Our borders will continue to be checked at all times, not letting those infected foreigners coming to our land. If you are infected with this virus, put this in your head - YOU ARE NOT WELCOME TO NEW ZEALAND!

NZ Total cases per 1m people 291

Japan Total cases per 1m people 73

Understand most people in NZ have much more space to live then in Japan.

People in rural area ( farmers ) can be alone on their land with no human contact very easily. many small communities that are by nature isolated who would not come in contact with the outside world often at all.

NZ tests per 1 million - 15,429

Japan tests per 1 million - 796

and having a higher number of cases per population than 1 country is not even close to having a higher number of cases per population than “just about any where else”

those "successful" countries are likely to face spikes in the future, especially when they re-open border

Exactly, how can Jacinda think she can eradicate the virus, and keep THE UNWELCOME FOREIGNERS INFECTED WITH CORONAVIRUS out of the country?

I think a serious, credible strategy will have a bit more nuance to it than simple eradication once and for good.

It's a power grab. Too bad they took away the people's guns. Hopefully the kiwis can get their freedoms back.

Funny how some only ever interpret freedom as the freedom to own lethal weapons.

She is being sued by a few people too now in NZ for this over reaching behavour for political gain.

Hope they win !

Yeah reading about it I doubt they have a chance. They’ll be lucky not to be charged with vexatious litigation.

Too bad they took away the people's guns. 

No, they didn’t.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/globalnews.ca/news/6322563/new-zealand-semi-automatic-weapons-ban/amp/

As usual, you are exaggerating what occurred. Cursory research will go a long way on saving you from continuing to post falsehoods.