While it’s always been an important event, the annual World Health Assembly is one that usually flies under most people’s radars. But not in the age of Covid-19.
Nearly 200 health leaders, including New Zealand’s Dr Ashley Bloomfield, have joined a videoconference overnight to discuss treatments, testing and cooperation on a vaccine for the virus.
Calls are also increasing for an independent inquiry into the source of the coronavirus, with more than 120 countries, including New Zealand, backing the move.
China’s president, Xi Jinping, has told the Assembly his country would welcome a “comprehensive review” into the origins of Covid-19 and its spread, but only once the outbreak is under control. He’s also pledged $3.3 billion to back the global fight against the virus.
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Labour reaches giddy poll heights
New Zealand’s response to the Covid-19 outbreak has seen support for Labour and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern surge in a new political poll.
The latest Newshub-Reid Research poll shows Labour’s support has jumped 14 points to 56.5 per cent, meaning it could govern alone .
While the Green Party is still above the five per cent threshold on 5.5 per cent support, New Zealand First is sitting at 2.7 per cent.
Meanwhile, support for National has dropped 12.7 points to 30.6 per cent in the poll.
As preferred Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern’s support is up 20.8 percentage points to 59.5 per cent, the highest score for any Prime Minister in the Reid Research poll’s history.
National leader Simon Bridges’ score has dropped to just 4.5 per cent.
Not surprisingly, renewed questions about Mr Bridges’ leadership began almost immediately last night, with the Herald asking if he can “tough it out” and Stuff saying the poll has him “near the death spiral”.
Kiwi kids and Covid-19
With many students heading back to school after nearly two months at home yesterday, 1 NEWS has been looking at how Covid-19 has been affecting New Zealand’s children.
Kiwi kids have largely been spared during the country’s outbreak, however health authorities remain cautious.
The Ministry of Health confirms four children have been hospitalised with the virus since it arrived in New Zealand, two of them under four years old.
Almost all of the child cases have been linked to overseas travel or traced back to an existing case. There’s only one case of Covid-19 in a child where authorities are unsure how they contracted it.
Meanwhile, health authorities are also keeping alert for the mysterious Paediatric Multi-system Inflammatory Syndrome (PMIS) spotted in children linked to Covid-19 overseas, but they say it's unlikely to cause serious issues in New Zealand.
Another funding boost for ECE
The Government is putting an extra $278 million into early childhood education (ECE) to fund a higher rate of fully qualified and registered teachers.
The money will go to pre-school facilities with 100 per cent qualified teachers .
Kindergartens and other ECE centres are welcoming the restored funding, with Education Minister Chris Hipkins saying it will help them hang on to staff at a time when they may be struggling.
However, National says the money will only help an elite group of ECE centres and does nothing to assist parents struggling to pay fees.
This latest funding announcement comes after early childhood education received $321 million last week to bring the minimum pay for ECE teachers in line with kindergarten teachers.
Crunch coming for manufacturing?
There are predictions up to 30 per cent of New Zealand’s manufacturing businesses could wind up permanently closing their doors.
The grim estimate comes as building material manufacturer James Hardie confirms it’s shutting down its Auckland plant .
And as the manufacturing industry struggles in the wake of Covid-19, retailers are also still finding the road through Alert Level 2 a bumpy one.
Retail New Zealand says the chopping and changing of government guidelines for shops and malls has put many businesses on the back foot.
Meanwhile, furniture and appliance retailer Smiths City has been sold to an investment fund for $60 million, with seven of its shops set to be closed.
Smiths City chairperson Alistair Kerr says the sale offered the best opportunity for the company to survive long-term.
Dispelling the 5G myth
A technology expert has dismissed 5G myths after a spate of arson attacks on cell phone towers around the country.
Three attacks on towers over the weekend mean there’s now been 17 suspected attacks across New Zealand in the past two months.
Paul Brislen of Brislen Communications is the latest expert to say there’s nothing to fear from 5G technology.
He’s told Seven Sharp 5G runs on the same principles as 4G and television and radio waves that have been transmitting safely for many years.
Meanwhile, David Farrier has delved into the 5G issue over at The Spinoff , saying theories over 5G and Covid-19 have created “a toxic conspiracy cocktail”.
Other news of note this morning:
Councils are under pressure around the country as residents and businesses push back on potential rates increases .
The Government's delayed contact tracing app is due to be released tomorrow.
Air New Zealand has agreed to pay out customers transiting through the US whose flights were cancelled due to Covid-19. It comes after Consumer NZ made a formal complaint to the Commerce Commission.
RNZ reports a West Coast councillor as saying the Hokitika township must start planning a move back from the coast.
And video has emerged of a rare sighting of dolphins in the Piako River near Ngatea.
And finally...
Weeks on end without access to a hairdresser have given rise to the mullet around the country.
Now National MP Chris Bishop has taken the famous “business at the front, party at the back” style for a spin around Parliament, courtesy of some luxurious hair extensions .
This “abomination of a ‘do” (as described by fellow National MP Brett Hudson) is sticking around until Mr Bishop reaches a charity fundraising goal - so Kiwis should expect a touch of bogan in the House for a little while yet.
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