New Zealand delays general election by a month amid Auckland Covid-19 outbreak

New Zealand delays general election by a month amid Auckland Covid-...


The prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, announces vote will move from 19 September to 17 October
Eleanor Ainge Roy Queenstown
Sun 16 Aug 2020 22.42 EDTFirst published on Sun 16 Aug 2020 19.06 EDT
Shares
37

Jacinda Ardern
 Jacinda Ardern had faced growing calls from opposition parties for the election to be moved. Photograph: Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images


New Zealand is to delay its general election by a month due to the outbreak of Covid-19 in Auckland, the country’s prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, has said.
Calls had been growing from opposition parties for the election to be moved, with opposition leaders saying it wasn’t “just and fair” to hold an election while an outbreak was underway and level 3 restrictions were in place in the country’s largest city, prohibiting campaigning.


Ardern said after consulting with every political party in parliament, as well as the electoral commission, she had decided to move the general election from 19 September to 17 October.
She said her first suggestion of moving it by two weeks had been rejected by the Electoral Commission as not enough time to prepare logistics such as venues.
“The Electoral Commission, via the Ministry of Justice, has advised me that a safe and accessible election is achievable on this date,” Ardern said. “Moving the date by four weeks also gives all parties a fair shot to campaign and delivers New Zealanders certainty without unnecessarily long delays.”
Ardern said Covid-19 would be with the world “for some time to come” and repeatedly pushing the election date would not lessen the risk of disruption to voters and parties.
“This is why the Electoral Commission has planned for the possibility of holding an election where the country is at level 2, and with some parts at level 3. I will not change the election date again.”
New Zealand is in the midst of its first outbreak since eliminating the disease in June, with dozens of people infected and held in quarantine in Auckland, a city of 1.5 million.
On Monday nine news cases of Covid-19 were reported, bringing the total number of cases related to the south Auckland cluster to 58. Māori and Pasifika people have been disproportionately infected by the latest outbreak.
Five people were in hospital being treated for the disease, and the source of the outbreak remained a mystery, the ministry of health said.
“We still don’t have any particular clues as to the origin of the outbreak,” director-general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said.
“Our first focus is on the mapping the extent of it and managing the outbreak, once we have the complete picture we are much more likely to then go back and trace the origin of it.”
“We may find some clues as to where, but we may still not quite answer the question of how it was transmitted.”
Testing numbers remained at “unprecedented levels” he said.


The leader of the National party, Judith Collins, said holding an election in September would disadvantage opposition parties, and she had pushed for the election to be moved to November or next year.
“We acknowledge the new date,” Collins says.
“It was always National’s view that to have a fair, democratic election we needed to deal with this second wave of Covid-19 so politicians from all parties had a reasonable chance to present their policies, and the public felt comfortable engaging with the campaign without putting their health at risk.”
The New Zealand First leader, Winston Peters, who is also deputy prime minister and foreign minister, welcomed the new date. “New Zealand First is pleased that common sense has prevailed. We were concerned that the Covid outbreak had the effect of limiting campaigns to an unacceptably short period,” Peters said in a statement.
“Voters are sovereign. Holding an election during a Covid outbreak has the risk of serious interference in our democracy. Voters would be expected to exercise their electoral rights with a dearth of information and that is unacceptable. With a delay parties can now prepare to begin campaigning again, confident that they have the time and resources to engage in a free and fair election.”
Parliament would reconvene on Monday and then dissolve on 6 September. Advance voting would open on 3 October.
As well as voting on a new government, two referendum questions will also be on the ballot papers: whether to legalise marijuana use and whether to legalise euthanasia.

America is at a crossroads ...

... and its direction in the coming months will define the country for a generation. These are perilous times. Over the last three years, much of what the Guardian holds dear has been threatened – democracy, civility, truth.
The country is at a crossroads. Science is in a battle with conjecture and instinct to determine policy in the middle of a pandemic. At the same time, the US is reckoning with centuries of racial injustice – as the White House stokes division along racial lines. At a time like this, an independent news organisation that fights for truth and holds power to account is not just optional. It is essential.
Like many news organizations, the Guardian has been significantly impacted by the pandemic. We rely to an ever greater extent on our readers, both for the moral force to continue doing journalism at a time like this and for the financial strength to facilitate that reporting.
We believe every one of us deserves equal access to fact-based news and analysis. We’ve decided to keep Guardian journalism free for all readers, regardless of where they live or what they can afford to pay. This is made possible thanks to the support we receive from readers across America in all 50 states.
As our business model comes under even greater pressure, we’d love your help so that we can carry on our essential work

Views: 40

Comment

You need to be a member of 12160 Social Network to add comments!

Join 12160 Social Network

Comment by cheeki kea on August 18, 2020 at 10:23am

Well, this is a blessing in disguise, with people now fully focused on the Govts total and utter covid response disaster, that even the President of America called out by name, all and any reports with lies of Success can be firmly laid to rest. The chickens have now come home to roost and crapped all over any limelight left. This now allows people to refocus and concentrate on the other non-covid dark and evil motivations that will come to haunt us. Small parties are mounting up billboards and replacing election hoardings previously damaged by labour workers. Some are making horrendous statements on their posters that shockingly get verified as true. Very disturbing to many people still enveloped in the false 'kindness, wellbeing and compassion' mantra. The ugly truth really hurts people deeply when they suddenly realise all is not as it seems. eg.  That many!  - What evil individual would want to see a living breathing Baby die.  Who are they !! because we have a right to know. https://thebfd.co.nz/2020/03/23/legalising-abortion-which-mps-voted...  We have a right to know Everything prior to an election. (to make a fully informed decision on where our votes are to go) 

"Destroying the New World Order"

TOP CONTENT THIS WEEK

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE SITE!

mobile page

12160.info/m

12160 Administrators

 

Latest Activity

Burbia commented on Burbia's video
Thumbnail

CHARLIE KIRK WAS CNP! JOSH REEVES 9-11-25

"I don't follow as much with Josh Reeves than I use to. He seems to be a documentary producing…"
10 hours ago
Burbia posted a video

CHARLIE KIRK WAS CNP! JOSH REEVES 9-11-25

DONATE-paypal-dayglow76@yahoo.comCashapp-reevesradioVenmo-Josh-Reeves-61FILMS AND AUDIOBOOKS DOWNLOAD STORE-https://store.payloadz.com/results/242828-josh-re...
10 hours ago
Doc Vega posted blog posts
13 hours ago
tjdavis posted a video

CHARLIE KIRK VIDEO THAT KEEPS GETTING REMOVED OFF OF SEVERAL PLATFORMS

I had not planned to share this publicly, but I believe Advar, who spoke with Charlie Kirk while I was very ill, would have wanted me to. After my interview ...
yesterday
pohonemas33 team commented on Chris of the family Masters's photo
Thumbnail

Gold-Coast-Message

"untuk bermain slot, kamu cukup kunjungi situs kacang99 pasti langsung gacor"
yesterday
Doc Vega posted blog posts
yesterday
Burbia posted a blog post

Former President Trump?

When was this article written? It is attributed to Victor Davis Hanson. He is a Fellow at Hoover…See More
Tuesday
Doc Vega posted a blog post

Don’t Go Hunting For Bigfoot

It is October 19, 2019 at 5:46 AM. This will be the last time any visual evidence of Mark is seen…See More
Monday
tjdavis posted a video

Most Corrupt Series: Elizabeth Warren | Forgotten History

Elizabeth Warren has built her reputation as a "reformer", but her political career has also drawn sharp criticism. Questions have been raised about her fina...
Sep 19
Doc Vega commented on Doc Vega's blog post Ashrams and Moonies Perfect Case for Mind Control
"less prone, Thanks for your support Buddy! "
Sep 18
Doc Vega posted a photo

main-thumb-ti-6724328-100-cnsgqkrgkrhyeyyerazynmuwoplecnbx

When will they put Trump on Mt. Rushmore?
Sep 18
Doc Vega's 4 blog posts were featured
Sep 18
Burbia's blog post was featured

Charlie Kirk Assassination

September 10th 2025 in Utah Turning Point USA CEO has been assassinated. Coincidentally,  answering…See More
Sep 18
Charles Magus's blog post was featured

FURTHER PROOF OF WALK-INS! Prisoners of the Dulce Base by Sherry Shriner

There is a real connection between the Cabal and what is happening at this Undergroung…See More
Sep 18
Less Prone favorited Doc Vega's blog post Ashrams and Moonies Perfect Case for Mind Control
Sep 18
Less Prone commented on tjdavis's blog post Sentient World Simulation
"Cannot open the link"
Sep 18
Tina Sullivan is now a member of 12160 Social Network
Sep 18
Doc Vega posted blog posts
Sep 17
Sandy posted a video

We’re cooked

We’re cooked
Sep 17
Sandy posted a photo
Sep 17

© 2025   Created by truth.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service

content and site copyright 12160.info 2007-2019 - all rights reserved. unless otherwise noted