Leaders disparage NZ Covid response while their citizens die

World leaders disparage New Zealand Covid response while their citizens die

By Mark Rais

It takes a special kind of public figure to openly and repeatedly condemn New Zealand’s response to the COVID pandemic, while ongoing outbreaks kill off their own citizens.

Moreover, for nearly one year, as most of the world struggled with both the social and economic decay caused by the pandemic, New Zealand’s populace lived a relatively stable pandemic free life with a growing economy.

Conversations with overseas friends, family and colleagues gives remarkable insight to how badly the pandemic has impacted lives world-wide, while Kiwis continued relatively normal life.

Even as recent as last month, as students went to school, large gatherings and events were held, and the economy was booming fierce enough to draw the ire of the Reserve Bank, the rest of the world struggled with renewed lock-downs, testing, mask mandates, and the bitter loss of loved ones from a new wave of COVID.

In this light, with the reality of New Zealand having gone through a year relatively unscathed, arise critics from nations that are seeing significant rises in deaths, overloaded hospitals, closing of schools and institutions and the re-return to draconian laws to attempt to curb further spread.

The hypocrisy of such leaders calling out New Zealand’s response is evidenced by the fact that these same figures shrug off the death of their own citizens. Moreover, the implication that New Zealand should follow their lead into the darkness is odd at best.

The economy of New Zealand held strong amid an unprecedented global crumbling of supply chain, health systems and economic drivers.

The employment levels remained at all-time highs, while key institutions saw dramatic rises in investment capital from overseas. It is reasonable to conclude that New Zealand’s approach to the COVID pandemic is at least as effective as other nations, and moreover a better fit for the context of this island nation.

Furthermore, having some leaders disparage New Zealand’s approach, calling it a failure and demanding it change to mimic their own futile responses is laughable.

It demonstrably signifies that many of these leaders are potentially corporate shills, puppets of wealth who conceivably have placed monetary principals ahead of the good of their citizenry.

In the case of New Zealand, the policies, albeit potentially flawed, retain the humanity and civility essential for caring for the many Kiwis during a global pandemic.

It would be far more useful for these global leaders to focus on their own institutional failings and loss of lives, rather than wag their fingers at other nations and mock methodology.

When this pandemic finally ends, through the remarkable efforts of vaccination, social cooperation and government policies, few countries will have any footing to stand and condemn the path New Zealand took. At that time, our relatively empty ICUs and thankfully limited death tolls shall speak for themselves.

Other Scoop articles by Mark Rais:

· Oil Rules the World

· Clash of Super Powers in an Age of Global Conflict

· War for the Hearts & Minds of Our Children

Mark Rais is the creator of the think tank Trend Analysis Network, writer for the technology and science industry and volunteer senior editor for an on-line magazine. He has published several books and written numerous articles on the topics of macro-economics, technology and society.

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