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NEW ZEALAND PRIME Minister Jacinda Ardern has said her nation is “ready to welcome the world back”, with most tourists allowed to return by May as the government continues to ease its coronavirus restrictions.
The announcement bought forward the date that tourists from countries including the US, Canada, Britain and much of Europe can visit from the previously announced date of October.
International tourism used to account for about 20% of New Zealand’s foreign income and more than 5% of GDP.
But when the pandemic began, New Zealand enacted some of the world’s strictest border controls and tourism evaporated. The measures were initially credited with saving thousands of lives and allowed New Zealand to eliminate or contain several outbreaks.
With the Omicron variant now spreading throughout the country, the border restrictions have become largely irrelevant.
Ardern said the move would boost the economy.
“Closing our border was one of the first actions we took to stop Covid-19 over two years ago, and its reopening will spur our economic recovery throughout the remainder of the year,” she said.
Vaccination requirement
Under the new timeline, tourists from Australia will be able to visit from April 12 and tourists from other visa-waiver countries can visit from 1 May. Tourists from non-waiver countries — including India and China — will need to wait longer, unless they already have valid visitor visas.
Tourists must be vaccinated and test negative for the virus before leaving their home country and again after arriving in New Zealand.
“I know from visiting tourism operators, and talking to their staff, how tough these past two years have been,” Ardern said. “And not only because of the massive loss of tourism revenue, but because we lost something we derived so much of our identity from.”
New Zealand is renowned for its beautiful scenery and adrenaline-inducing adventure tourism. The announcement comes as a timely boost to ski fields trying to plan for the upcoming Southern Hemisphere winter.
“Tourism operators finally have confirmation they can get back to business,” said Ann-Marie Johnson, a spokesperson for Tourism Industry Aotearoa.
Tourism was the first industry to be affected by the pandemic and will be the last to recover. Tourism operators both large and small have made huge sacrifices but can now focus on rebuilding their businesses.
Over the past couple of weeks, New Zealand has been reporting about 20,000 new virus cases each day, its biggest outbreak since the pandemic began. The nation’s Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins is the latest high-profile person to test positive.
But experts expect the Omicron outbreak to fade quickly from its peak, as it has in many other countries.
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Michael Martins words yesterday were, to be polite, unhelpful and extremely hurtful. To blame society, without acknowledging that our society was under the jackboot of the Catholic church, was unforgivable.
@The Risen: Well said.
@The Risen: completely correct. A good example of humanity in action is from people I completely disagree with (I.e. PBP and others), but who eloquently showed empathy. Both FF and FG last night seem to think be half print forward the “society was equally responsible”, and in the back of their minds are Catholic votes. They still want us to believe that there is a “good” part of this organisation that we should be grateful for. Absolutely horrific – this does they should not have any part in our society : politicians, get over your Stockholm syndrome.
@The Risen: “jackboot of the Catholic church”
There’s no doubt that the Church held the levers of power in this country for many years but to use a phrase such as the above would suggest that the Church was operating a police state which they certainly were not. Their power depended on the acquiescence of so many who could have spoken out but chose not to.
Part of the reason the Church got away with it for so long was due to the spinelessness of so many both in government and in society in general. People could have spoken out about what they knew was going on but chose not too to avoid going against the grain and/or being denounced from the pulpit.
@Will: it was not acquiesce of society it was the subjugation of society by the church and political parties in collusion. We had the system of being ‘ read from the alter’ of anyone who attempted to resist the Will of the church, often the will of just the parish priest. This had the effect and perceived affect of people being completely ostracised within their communities with repercussions on employment, education opportunities etc not only for themselves but family members.
Pretty oppressive ‘jackboot’ behaviour in most people’s book.
@M Bowe: “subjugation of society by the church and political parties in collusion.”
A society that is subjugated in a manner that does not require force of arms is a society that needs to take a long hard look at itself.
The fact is, most Irish people were far removed from these Mother and Baby homes and therefore thought nothing of them. And for those in the know, it wasn’t fear that kept so many quiet, it was apathy.
@Will: the vast majority of Irish society were surviving on a meagre hand to mouth existence in this period. When you then have powerful institutions of church and state combining to enforce their conservative dictates and Will on such a society by holding power over that meagre existence it is nothing short of subjugation.
Historian? She may well be but titles like; ‘Renowned Human Rights Activist’ and ‘Hero’ are more appropriate when referring to this incredible woman.
@Shane McGrath: And she is so measured while getting her point across, she’s a joy to listen to.
Martin and Varadkar are trying to slither out of their responsibility.
Society may have enabled the murder and torture and theft of thousands of women and children, but Fianna Fail and Fine Gael were in power – it is time to name and shame the collaborators.
Church assets – land, money etc need to be seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau to fund compensation claims.
By the way the manner in which Varadkar re-instated the party whip to the 3 Fine Gael Golfgate senators shows his sociopathic nature – take advantage of this opportunity to reward three unelected senators.
@Cookie: they should name and shame, it was wrong for FG to reinstate the 3 senators but other parties have done it recently. But the church and state to offer a redress scheme to the survivors. Society must also accept a portion of the blame.
@Cookie: The day they choose to give the whip back to their covidiots just shows what they thought of yesterday, very little. Used it to try get some political dirty linen out, really really poor but unsurprising..
@Cookie: Shinner supporter trying to score political points off the back of the mother and baby home tragedy. Very low.
While all of society was not responsible, certainly Church, local government (yes the councils sending women to laundries and their babies to Tuam), national govt, health services, police and judiciary were all complicit. The general public turned a blind eye for the most part and for this a portion of blame can perhaps be attributed but the Ireland of over a half century ago was God fearing. Not many would have piped up to save young women having babies out of wedlock.
@GrumpyAulFella: Perhaps since the foundation of this State FG/ F.F. have been in power . Yes it merits a political point. Both these parties in collaboration with the Catholic church kept this country in the dark ages for decades. A conservative cobalt that sought to preserve a conservative status quo. Martin stated it was socitey that was to blame for these crimes, conveniently failing to mention it was the political agenda fully supported by the Church that created a society the had the fear of Church and State driven into it. The Catholic church was the S.S. wing of these governments.
@Donal Desmond: I actually think it was the other way around. The Church held all of the power, the politicians rowed in. But the problem and responsibility stretched beyond both which I think is the point that Martin was trying to make. But Shinners attempting to make modern day political capital from a dark episode, over a half century ago, in our nation’s history is disgusting.
@GrumpyAulFella: Well the government’s of the day ensured the nation’s history was disgusting. These crimes were carried on into the 90s. I am sure you will recall Dev going to see McQuaid when the constitution was being written for his approval. That is making politics of these crimes.
@Patrick O Connell: I don’t agree. Society was ruled with an iron fist by an oppressive regime afraid to speak out for what might happen them or their families. It’s a total cop out on Michéal Martins part.
This apology from the Bon Secours nuns is forced. Cruel, unchristian shower who aided and abetted this horrendous wrong to so many. I am so sad for all those women and children.
The Churches need to start paying up, there’s still large anounts owing for the previous scandals.
disgraceful that this hasn’t been done.
@DJ François: 14% of redress paid. 86% unpaid. They are playing the long game.
The journal won’t allow me to post what I have said on Twitter. So the sanitized version
Did 9,000 die, all 9,000?
Or were some of them spirited out of Ireland by the dogs & penguins
Stolen & sold as if cattle in a mart
Are there still living breathing (or their descendants) persons unknowing of their heritage overseas?
Women kidnapped in foreign jurisdictions & brought back – we call that rendition these days – in a church run, state sanctioned scheme to ensure power, privilege & of course money. Always money with these expletives.
It was not society as me hole insinuated. It was church & state hand in hand ALL THE WAY
Reparations mean excising church from the public square, remove charitable status, remove from schools & education & the hospitals.
CAB do your job.
@1/20/2021 Cannot come quick enough: I said yesterday the church and government were shameful the journal wouldn’t print it
No one has mentioned chasing the fathers, must be a lot of them still around…..
If you are running an article about this amazing woman, you owe it to her to not misrepresent her story. “Claims that up to 800 babies were interred in an unmarked mass grave” is a common misconception and not what she said at all, see below.
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/tuam-mother-and-baby-home-the-trouble-with-the-septic-tank-story-1.1823393
@Ned Gerblansky: you might want to scroll down on that article, it would appear that the journalist mis-quoted/mis-represented what she said. One of the areas that it is alleged is mis-repesented is her statements as to how many children were buried there. Perhaps an alternative source would be better, as it’s now left me more confused as to what she stated.
Regardless, there are 800 babies buried somewhere, and those graves need to be recognised, marked and respected.
The fact that Church and state were to the neck in it has Martin running to say Sorry, Dev had a son up to his neck in baby trafficing, another Rugby here doctor to his neck . Remember there were pillars of society involved innthis trafficing, Gardai Judiciary Clergy Nurses doctors and yes the ordonary Joe soap were not blemish free, ordinary workers, maintenance gardners cooks etc whom I like to think were in fear of their paymasters rather than taking tainted money, Judas come to mind excepr they betrayed the most vunerable. Today again we have the eliete in our society reaping the rewards, new head of the Dept of Health to earn nearly €300000 @year
Blaming “society”, which was ruled over by the church and the political and judicial elite, and not by the vast membership of society, and especially not the women and girls that were abused and traumatised by the same people who were supposed to be taking care of them is putting the blame on the victims as they too were supposed to be a part of the Irish society.
Not putting the blame squarely on those that are responsible and then saying that they could not be forced to compensate their victim is a double slap to the face for those who have already gone through hell and the hand of these sick and twisted individuals and institutions.
Enough is enough and it is time to grow a pair and put an end to the protection and secrecy that has shielded so many of these sick, twisted and evil people and institutions for so long.
As I have mentioned previously, the victims too were members of society, are they too being blamed and tarred by the same brush by this government that too is covering the crimes of the past?
It was interesting how this was reported by the Irish TV news.
Almost as if it had been controlled by the state.
Sky news was much more truthful.
@billy bound: That’s why they get the big bucks.
Can anyone explain the veil of secrecy over the identity of the fathers? In this horrific story we are only getting a filtered version. On the birth certificates who was named as the father, or are all certs featuring only one name? Why is it that no commentator ever asks the question “Who is the father”, not even Joe Duffy. There have been some claims of rape and incest and the perpetrators should be exposed and brought to answer for their crimes. This is one horrific shame in our history and those who masqueraded as religious should be condemned out of hand.
The way these poor women were treated in these homes was not the Christian way. However we need to know the full story.
@Pat Campbell: I think the general view back then was that men could not be expected to control their base urges. Couple this with a medieval attitude towards rape and you get a society that blames women for unwanted pregnancies (viewed as scandalous) no matter what the circumstances.
Then you have the Catholic Churches ridiculous views on sex outside of marriage and not only is the woman blamed, she must also be punished.
Can’t believe an apology was made. I feel so much better. It was only people being murdered and the remains being abandoned in septic tanks. “God” forbid the heathens made a sketch on a tellybox, then I would definitely show some outrage #catholicchurch
Where is the mention of the denisl of father’s rights in all this???? Not even on the agenda. Shameful.
Women’s Shame
As long as women repeat the phrase “I fell pregnant” or “I found myself pregnant” instead of ‘I had a consenting/non consenting intimate relationship with a man and became pregnant by him’, they hide behind their own shame and contribute to the secretive repressive attitude toward what should be a joyous occasion to be celebrated and declared from on high.
A tip to the author.. Reduce your toxic filter a bit..My post was removed after me taking the time to comment.. And nothing vile in it.
Disgusting listening to Michael Martin seeking to blame everyone else. Fianna Fail were in power for the vast majority of the time. We need to rid ourselves of these charlatans once and for all at the next election.
Church and state colluded to destroy lives. Should be held accountable
What an appalling legacy for the church in Ireland. Their oppressiveness, righteousness and pure evil knew no bounds. It was a cult not a “religious sect” acting with the ambivalence or on occasions the support of the state.
Those inflicted should be given support in whatever form is needed. The Catholic Church should hang its head in shame and be ostracized from community events/activities.
Who are today’s abusers of Irish children in FULL VIEW.
3000 children, like Polly, evicted every year. No affordable homes. Locked out Generation. Rent Traps.
Pse http://www.changeDOTorg/p/irish-referendum-on-family-home-special-status
This woman is one Good Example To others to speak up &expose all this &she was intimadated by so Called Christians They are a Disgrace to Any Religion.Catherine Deserves all the Support we Can give her.in one one Way or another.ie the Media.
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