Pre-departure tests are under scrutiny after a spate of Covid cases, the ship blocking the Suez Canal is finally freed, and one of NZ's most notorious cold cases comes to a close.
Pre-departure Covid-19 tests are in the spotlight after 10 people arriving on the same flight into New Zealand returned positive results in routine Day 0 testing this week.
Figures released to 1 NEWS show of the 137 Covid-19 cases detected in Day 0 or Day 1 testing since the pre-departure test rules began, nearly half have come from India. The next highest on the list is the US with 14 cases.
Otago University epidemiologist Professor Michael Baker says there are some concerns people could be falsifying lab test results. University of Auckland microbiologist Dr Siouxsie Wiles says she’s also been made aware of somebody being offered a fake pre-departure test certificate for a fee.
Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins told RNZ there tends to be a higher number of cases from the India-UAE flight, “so we’re having a good close look at whether there’s anything else going on there”.
However, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says the Government hasn’t seen any evidence of fraud. She adds people can still be exposed to Covid-19 after their pre-departure test.
Meanwhile, Kiwis who have received a Covid-19 vaccine overseas have been told they will still need to go through two weeks in managed isolation if they return to New Zealand – for now .
The Government says it’s waiting on more international research about the extent to which vaccines help prevent Covid’s spread.
And work continues on the country’s two proposed travel bubbles. Ardern says this week’s snap lockdown in Brisbane , triggered by new Covid-19 cases in the community, won’t affect the Government’s plan to announce a start date for the trans-Tasman bubble.
But she says the Brisbane situation does highlight “why it's important we get the settings right and the planning right”.
Ardern says there’s also still a lot of work to be done before the Cook Islands is ready for a two-way travel bubble.
She says the Cooks need to be prepared for a “worst case scenario” outbreak , which includes being able to carry out PCR testing there instead of sending tests overseas.
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Suez ship finally freed
Salvage teams have managed to free the container ship that has blocked the Suez Canal for the past week.
A flotilla of tugboats pulled the bow of the Ever Given from the canal’s bank during the peak of high tide and are moving the ship to the Great Bitter Lake, where it will be inspected.
The hundreds of vessels that have queued up on either side of the Suez can now begin to pass through the canal.
RNZ reports one of New Zealand's most frequently used shipping companies, Maersk, has had 27 ships caught up in the situation, which has raised some concerns for our supply chains .
Commission investigates timber issues
The country's wood sector is claiming New Zealand’s domestic timber supply chain remains strong.
That’s despite concerns over a timber shortage after major supplier Carter Holt Harvey decided to stop providing structural timber to leading retailers .
The New Zealand Forest and Wood Sector Forum insists this is an internal issue at Carter Holt Harvey, rather than a supply problem within the industry itself.
The Commerce Commission says it’s making enquiries to understand the nature of the issue .
Prison guards furious at Davis
Prison guards considered holding a symbolic vote of no confidence in Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis last week after accusing him of putting prisoners’ interests ahead of their own.
A Corrections Association NZ newsletter obtained by 1 NEWS says the union has repeatedly raised concerns about rising violence against staff in prisons but has been “ignored”.
The Corrections Association eventually decided against the no confidence vote as they still want to work with Davis to bring about change.
In a written statement, Davis says keeping staff and prisoners safe are his top priorities. Jacinda Ardern has also defended his work in the Corrections portfolio.
But the National Party’s Corrections spokesperson Simeon Brown told 1 NEWS Davis clearly isn’t doing enough to keep staff safe.
Meanwhile, it’s been revealed frontline police officers are increasingly fearful of being attacked on the job with some refusing to go to high-risk callouts .
As a result, most frontline constables will get an extra week of training this year to help them cope with the increasing risks.
It comes as Napier’s mayor fears police in her city are “stretched to the limit” . Kirsten Wise says she’s written to Police Minister Poto Williams to ask for more support.
Cold case comes to close
Two men have been found guilty of the infamous 1987 Red Fox Tavern murder, ending one of New Zealand’s longest-running cold cases .
A jury yesterday found Mark Hoggart and another man who has name suppression guilty of murdering publican Chris Bush. The 43-year-old was shot dead at the Maramarua pub during a robbery.
The guilty pair are due to be sentenced in May.
All eyes on Chauvin trial
Opening statements have begun in the murder trial for the former police officer charged with the killing of George Floyd .
Floyd’s death sparked waves of protests around the world last year after video emerged of Derek Chauvin kneeling on his neck for nine minutes.
Floyd’s family members and other supporters knelt outside the courthouse before the trial began this morning.
Chauvin has denied murder and manslaughter charges. His defence team is expected to argue underlying medical conditions and drugs were to blame for Floyd's death.
Other news of note this morning:
- One of New Zealand’s biggest manufacturers of supermarket pizzas has gone up in smoke after a large fire broke out at its Christchurch premises overnight.
- Submissions have closed on the Climate Change Commission's first package of advice to the Government – and RNZ reports it’s been criticised by all sides .
- England’s stay-at-home order has come to an end, with two households or groups of up to six people now allowed to meet outside .
- Rocket Lab has been called out for “corporate grandstanding” after releasing a statement claiming it gave an iwi trust “funds for food” during the Covid-19 lockdown.
- A rapid rise in fruit-picking injuries has caught the attention of WorkSafe , with the horticulture industry urged to make worker safety a priority.
- Tall Black Alex Pledger has been diagnosed with cancer .
- Former US president Donald Trump has been filmed using a speech at a wedding reception to continue making claims that November’s presidential election was rigged.
- And Fair Go has again found if it’s too good to be true, it probably is, as a Gisborne woman is stung with steep return costs from an online shop.
And finally...
For many men, finding the right pair of undies can be tricky.
With that in mind, some childhood mates, including former All Black Jerome Kaino, have launched an underwear company that accommodates the many different shapes and sizes of Kiwi blokes.
So, Seven Sharp’s Jeremy Wells decided to put the undies through their paces - including the sniff test (why though?) – which you can watch here .
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