Aucklanders are due to shift down to Alert Level 2 from Monday morning but will find it looks a little different this time around.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern yesterday revealed the two key differences as she detailed when Auckland would leave lockdown .
Firstly, gatherings in New Zealand’s biggest city will still be limited to 10 people, although funerals and tangihanga will be allowed up to 50 people.
And secondly, masks will become mandatory on public transport, planes, taxis and Ubers at Level 2 across the whole country.
The four-day extension to Auckland’s current Alert Level came as eight new cases of Covid-19 were confirmed in the community yesterday.
The Auckland cluster is now the biggest the country has seen, and Ms Ardern warns people should expect to see the tail end of that cluster last for some time .
National’s Judith Collins says yesterday’s Alert Level decision is “a bitter pill” but says people should trust the Prime Minister has made the right decision based on the information to hand. She also welcomed the mandating of masks, saying it’s “a no-brainer”.
Meanwhile, Auckland Mayor Phil Goff says extending Level 3 in Auckland for four more days is “disappointing” , but cites Melbourne as an example of how an outbreak can easily spiral out of control if restrictions are relaxed too soon.
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Why masks and why now?
The Prime Minister says the decision to make masks mandatory on all public transport from Monday wasn’t taken lightly.
It follows two Covid-19 cases being linked to Auckland bus trips, a situation that has given health officials “pause for thought” .
Ms Ardern says they now know masks protect people and those around them, “and we now have a real-life example of that”.
The type of mask used won’t be enforced and people can choose what type of face covering they wear. Children from the age of 10 will likely need to wear masks but Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield says this is still being looked at.
Air New Zealand says it’s supportive of the move to mandating masks on flights at Level 2.
However, at least one public health expert says wearing masks on public transport doesn’t go far enough .
Otago University’s Professor Nick Wilson says the mandating of masks should also extend to indoor spaces like malls, supermarkets, bars, restaurants and workplaces.
Another blow for business
Auckland Business Chamber CEO Michael Barnett says businesses are bearing the brunt of the Government's decision to extend Level 3 by four more days. He says the prolonged lockdown “will have a harsh impact across the country”.
Hospitality New Zealand also says the extension will put the sector in a “state of carnage”, while the Restaurant Association says already beleaguered establishments are disappointed to miss out on another weekend of sales .
Emotional scenes at sentencing
The first day of the Christchurch terrorist’s sentencing revealed chilling new details about the hate-fuelled attack he unleashed last year.
Crown prosecutor Barnaby Hawes read the summary of facts to the court , detailing how Brenton Tarrant planned the assault on the mosques and how he had been on his way to a third mosque when he was caught by police.
The summary of facts also revealed the heroic actions of Naeem Rashid who ran directly at Tarrant during the attack, creating a distraction that allowed several other worshippers to escape.
Many of Tarrant’s victims read statements in court yesterday, including a mother who chose to publicly forgive Tarrant for murdering her son.
Janna Ezat told Tarrant, “I don’t have hate. I don’t have revenge.”
RNZ reports Tarrant nodded as she spoke, before blinking and wiping one of his eyes in his only show of emotion during the day.
His sentencing continues.
Sir Ed photos up for auction
An extraordinary collection of photos chronicling the life of Sir Edmund Hillary is set to go under the hammer at an Auckland auction house.
American art dealer Daniel Miller purchased the photos for several million dollars and is now selling some of the images back to Kiwi collectors.
The auction can be viewed online and finishes tonight.
Other news of note this morning:
Hong Kong scientists have reported the first case of Covid-19 reinfection , with genome sequencing showing a man in his 30s has now tested positive for two different strains of the virus.
The Victorian government wants to extend its state of emergency by at least 12 months to combat the ongoing coronavirus crisis.
National is pledging $200 million to fix the state highway between Napier and Taupo , a road that’s been labelled a "death trap".
Researchers are urging the Government to stop funding low-level tertiary courses that put young Māori into debt with no benefit to their future earnings.
Record high gold prices have prompted hobby prospectors to head to South Island rivers in the hope of striking it lucky.
And Fair Go looks at the system that let a stranger stake a claim to a Canterbury woman's vehicle without her knowledge .
And finally...
Feeling overwhelmed by the never-ending stream of Covid-related headlines?
Well, Seven Sharp’s Laura Daniel’s done her best to find some news that’s unrelated to the pandemic . There’s Taco Bell. There’s The Batman. There’s a potato bearing the likeness of Jesus Christ. And there’s a... Jack Tame lookalike?
But, as Laura discovers, it’s much harder than it looks to steer clear of Covid-19 references...
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