Professor Robert MacCulloch: The Royal Commission on Covid-19 Report....

The Royal Commission on Covid-19 Report is a Repugnant, Unstructured Mishmash of Disinformation, Dressed up as a Single Source of Truth.

How can Professor Blakely, who is co-author of NZ's Royal Commission Report into Covid, write a report critiquing our government's approach to Covid when he was the intellectual architect of that approach? He co-authored the British Medical Journal article with Professor Michael Baker called, "Elimination could be the optimal response strategy for covid-19". That paper falsely claimed, "A goal of eliminating community transmission of the pandemic virus causing covid-19 is achievable and sustainable". It was not sustainable. That paper asserted elimination "will be facilitated by the introduction of effective vaccines". Bollocks.

Robert MacCulloch: Holding the experts to account: How has Prof. Michael Baker's British Medical Journal Paper "aged"?

In academic life, we refer to whether our papers have "aged well". That is, have their claims stood the test of time? On that note, here is the "key message", both in the conclusion & abstract, of Professor Baker's (of Otago Medical School) article in the British Medical Journal, "Elimination could be the optimal response strategy for Covid-19".

Peter Dunne: Labour's arrogance

The government’s decision to retain existing Covid19 settings for at least the next couple of months continues the same streak of stubborn arrogance that has detracted from the rest of its otherwise balanced and comprehensive approach to the pandemic since its outbreak over three years ago.

Inexplicably, throughout the pandemic response the government consistently ignored or overlooked overseas advice or experience in reaching decisions, preferring instead to re-invent the wheel for itself.

Jodie Bruning: No more mask mandates, please

New Zealand epidemiologist Michael Baker has just called for the government to reintroduce widespread mask mandates as Covid cases rise in an interview with Newshub journalist Rebecca Wright.

But, where is the evidence that mass indoor community masking works?

Mike Butler: Landlords and smoke sensors

Four deaths in two house fires two weeks ago got tongues wagging about smoke sensors, landlords, and property warrants of fitness, but the war of words raged in a largely fact-free environment.

The Fire Service’s investigation manager Peter Wilding demanded compulsory smoke alarms in rental properties after three young people died in a house fire in Hamilton -- even though it was not known whether there were smoke detectors in that dwelling and what caused that fire.

Wilding’s call brought further demands from the crack-down-on-landlords brigade that not only should landlords install smoke sensors, they should ensure that sensors continue to function and be responsible for replacing batteries.