Tagged: Auckland

Auckland’s rapid lockdown has given New Zealand a better chance of eliminating coronavirus – again - COVID-19

Guest Author • Aug 31, 2020 •

• Auckland,
• coronavirus,
• COVID-19,
• lockdown,
• Pandemic

Michael Plank, University of Canterbury; Alex James, University of Canterbury; Nicholas Steyn, and Shaun Hendy As Auckland relaxes restrictions today, contact-tracing data show the rapid decision to place New Zealand’s largest city under alert level 3 lockdown has undoubtedly prevented an explosive outbreak of COVID-19. Our model of COVID-19 spread in New Zealand shows the extension by an extra … Read More

Don’t panic. We can do this. Together - Infectious Thoughts

Siouxsie Wiles • Aug 12, 2020 •

• Auckland,
• coronavirus,
• COVID-19,
• masks,
• Pandemic

Aotearoa surpassed 100 days without a case of community transmission of Covid-19. Last night that virus-free streak ended and we’re moving back up the alert levels.  For months now, we’ve been intercepting cases of Covid-19 at the border. But just as has happened in many other countries, somehow the sneaky bastard has got in. At a late press conference last … Read More

Auckland’s possible futures – the simplistic version - Ariadne

Robert Hickson • Aug 01, 2018 •

• Auckland,
• future,
• New Zealand future

Auckland Council’s long term spatial plan to 2050 is out. There seems to be lots of good data released with it that is worth exploring. But the thing getting the most attention at the moment is one of five scenarios in the brief Possible futures part that was released along with the plan. The “Two speed … Read More

Regressivity, petrol taxes, and ministerial PR - The Dismal Science

Michael Reddell • Jun 28, 2018 •

• Auckland,
• fuel tax,
• petrol,
• regressive tax,
• transport

Someone around home mentioned this morning that there was a confused article on the Herald website about the progressivity (or otherwise) of the fuel tax increase. I didn’t pay much attention until I read the paper over lunch, when I was a bit staggered by what I found. This was the centrepiece chart The line of argument from opponents has … Read More

Our secret urban wildlife: Giant centipedes - Chthonic Wildlife Ramblings

Brendan Moyle • Jun 12, 2018 •

• Auckland,
• citizen conservation,
• citizen science,
• community conservation,
• giant centipede,
• insect conservation,
• pest control,
• urban forestry

One thing I like about returning to NZ from places like China, is being around nature again. We live in one of the few parts of the world, and certainly the developed world, where wildlife is sometimes not just at our doorsteps, but also inside as well. Urban Forests Some of this is down to our urban forests. Our urban … Read More

Opinion: Give Postgraduates a Student Allowance Too - Guest Work

Jean Balchin • Apr 26, 2018 •

• Auckland,
• New Zealand,
• Otago,
• postgraduate,
• research,
• study,
• universities

I’m in the exceedingly fortunate position of not worrying about my postgraduate education costs; I have a scholarship that pays my fees and accomodation over the next few years. I won’t have to worry about feeding myself, scraping together my dollars to cover power bills, or shivering in my bedroom because I can’t afford an electric blanket. But … Read More

Why we can’t catch up with the mumps outbreak - Guest Work

Guest Author • Feb 12, 2018 •

• antivax,
• antivaxxer,
• Auckland,
• Infectious Diseases,
• Ministry of Health,
• MMR,
• mumps,
• New Zealand,
• New Zealand Medical Journal,
• preventable diseases,
• public health,
• University of Iowa,
• vaccination,
• vaccination campaign

Ayesha Verrall New Zealand is in the grip of its worst mumps outbreak in decades. The outbreak started in Auckland early last year and was initially focused on five schools in the West of the city. Since then there have been over 1000 cases with some spreading to other centres around the country. Mumps causes a fever, headache, muscle … Read More

Land use regulations matter - The Dismal Science

Michael Reddell • Jan 25, 2018 •

• Auckland,
• government,
• land price,
• New Zealand,
• Population growth

Most local councils don’t employ economists –  or at least not ones we hear of.  The Auckland Council does have an economics unit, and the previous incumbent did some interesting and stimulating work. But yesterday on interest.co.nz there appeared an article by two of the Auckland Council’s economists which argued, so the headline proclaimed, that “evidence from across NZ … Read More

Stuck in Traffic - Mind Matters

Michael Corballis • Jul 25, 2017 •

• Auckland,
• Dunedin,
• highway,
• Pollution,
• Traffic

I am stuck in traffic somewhere in the grey western suburbs of Auckland, listening on radio to a discussion of being stuck in traffic in Auckland. It’s much better in Dunedin, they say. There you can get to any destination within minutes. The radio chatters on. I learn a bit about disposable shopping bags, and the problem of … Read More

An evening at Bayswater - Chthonic Wildlife Ramblings

Brendan Moyle • May 26, 2017 •

• Auckland,
• Auckland photos,
• Bayswater,
• explore nz,
• long exposure,
• NZ photos,
• Panorama,
• seascape,
• skytower,
• Waitemata Harbour

Introduction Photography has been an intermittent activity of late.  It’s also been tricky this time of the year with writing tests, exams and grading, to get away with the camera.  I’ve been more inclined to go just for a run or bike ride to clear the head. Nonetheless, Monday gave me the opportunity to do some photography around Devonport.  One … Read More