Tourism recovery – without stepping on the gas – NZIER Insight 95 livenews.co.nz - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from livenews.co.nz Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
By Peter Wilson
Analysis - The week began with the prime minister saying lockdown rule-breakers were facing the full judgment of the entire nation and ended with uncertainty about whether they were clearly told the rules in the first place.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins say communications to Case L s family were clear. (File image)
Photo: RNZ /Dom Thomas
At her widely reported post-cabinet press conference on Monday, Jacinda Ardern said some recent Covid-19 cases had committed intolerable breaches and let down the team of five million.
Her unusually strong comments followed the discovery that there had been a previously unknown contact between two mothers. The first was from a family that was meant to be isolating, and they went for a walk together.
Dairy farmers were both shocked and delighted by the latest large price spike. Southland dairy farm owner Brent McKenzie – who has farm interests in both Otama and Morton Mains – said it was a “very positive” result for not only farmers but the economy in general. When prices were good for farmers it often flowed through to buying more machinery and other spending in the wider community, McKenzie said. “Everyone gets a bit of it. It’s the old story; when farming is going well [New Zealand] is going well.” New Zealand Institute of Economic Research data shows dairy sector spending accounted for more than 10 percent of Southland’s GDP. The dairy industry is also Southland’s largest employer.