Carlton Supporters Club

I've been reading Jacinta Ardern's (NZ Prime Minister) claims of social and fiscal inequality for the outbreaks of measles in NZ. While I have lauded her in the past for some efforts following the Christchurch murders, I'm going to call this one bogus socialist bullcrap. Just like here in OZ, immunisation is free in NZ, it is a country with a small population that is very well covered by district nursing services across all groups including the Pakeha, Maori and Moriori communities.

The biggest cause of loss of herd immunity are inner-city left wing anti-vaxers and well-to-do's. The middle class elite who think their status, high mobility and wealth will see them through any crisis, they think their 10th floor penthouse apartment or 3m walled inner city garden can keep them safe. The irony being this group is frequently populated by health professionals and new age influencers, they are highly mobile, so they "spread the cause" fast and free, surrounded by an air of education and even more opportunity, but it seems very little intelligence!

These are people who should know better, but seem to be obsessed with the very low probability risks. They'll cut ties with friends and family rather than get a whooping cough inoculation!

These are the hypocritical people that point at the struggling or down-trodden and say, "It's their fault!"

Ardern should know better, but she can't help return to her privileged roots!

I'm surprised she didn't blame us.

But his New Zealand counterpart, who has promised a ­carbon-neutral economy by 2050, yesterday declared that every ­nation needed to “do its bit” to fight worsening global warming, despite New Zealand providing $300m less than Australia in ­direct climate assistance for the Pacific over 10 years to 2025.

To achieve her carbon-neutral pledge, Ms Ardern has excluded agriculture and methane, which contribute about half of New ­Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions.

There is a proven link between healthcare self-management and socio-economic status.  The reality is you can make anything free, and some people (especially those with limited education) will not take it up - regardless of how good it may be for them.  The just simply don't know enough to make a smart call.

Have a look at how many in this country throw their bowel cancer screening kits straight into the rubbish bin.

I'm not necessarily backing Jacinta Ardern's claim, but if you work in healthcare, you know that the biggest challenges generally come from the most poorly educated population, not from the latte-sippers.

I think that is a very fair statement coming from your health worker perspective.

But is that perception because you don't see the café-latté set coming to free healthcare like Bulk Billing or Emergency? I think they are more likely to go to a weekend day spa in Daylesford, Portsea or Byron Bay for remediation therapy, a kombucha colonic or a good old salmon slapping than walk into the emergency at Cranbourne looking for prescription opiates!

It really is amazing how there will always be those that are easily led up the garden path. Religion are the masters of it, but the Media and politicians have caught up. That’ll never change. What is interesting is the role of the media and the revenues generated from emotive “journalism”. The quality of long form content is stuffed. That’s why I like listening to long podcasts with interesting guests. Can be quite insightful. Plus you can stuff around the house or garden while listening.

I liked this quote, credited to Denzel Washington (unless he nicked it from someone)

“If you don't read the newspaper, you're uninformed, if you do read it, you're misinformed."

You're right, Woodstock, but the biggest enemy in the mis- and dis-information stakes is not the press (they are bad enough), but more our wonderful friend the internet.  People can publish any unsubstantiated rubbish with no filters or review processes to check their 'facts' - and if the website looks fancy enough, it can instantly become the 'real truth'.  And when these 'facts' are questioned, it becomes part of a big conspiracy.

After all, look at most of the rubbish we post on this chat site 

It really is amazing how there will always be those that are easily led up the garden path. Religion are the masters of it, but the Media and politicians have caught up. That’ll never change. What is interesting is the role of the media and the revenues generated from emotive “journalism”. The quality of long form content is stuffed. That’s why I like listening to long podcasts with interesting guests. Can be quite insightful. Plus you can stuff around the house or garden while listening.

I liked this quote, credited to Denzel Washington (unless he nicked it from someone)

“If you don't read the newspaper, you're uninformed, if you do read it, you're misinformed."