Thursday, July 20, 2023

Auckland CBD shooting

When RNZ announced a serious incident was happening in Auckland, I didn't think much of it. I never thought it would be revealed as a shooting with 3 dead, including the shooter (who I will not name) and injuries, including police officers.

RNZ's live blog foreshadowed the gravity of the shooting in a manner of speaking.

When you think about it, the Eagle helicopter, the NZ police and the Armed Defenders responded fucking fast and in full force. They showed competence and efficiency. You cannot fault them.

I've never been in that situation and my job does not involve me risking my life, (or being at risk of harm or death as a consequence of my job, such as being a lawyer and targeted because of my client), but I doubt some of the police officers and Armed Defenders thought or even had time to think they could be harmed and/or killed.

They also don't have much real-life experience as, for example, the US and as far as I can tell, did everything possible to look after and protect those immediately caught up in it. The photo of an Armed Defender on the roof with construction workers hit home to me.

To put some context around the shooting, the Women's Football World Cup starts/started today with the first match at 7 pm at Eden Park. The films 'Barbie' and 'Oppenheimer' are released today, which is relevant not just as films, but SAG-AFTRA have joined WGA to protest for fair wages, and the use of AI so films, TV series and chat shows have stopped in Hollywood and that will impact beyond the US. Lauren Dickason's trial is ongoing (the mother who killed her three children in Timaru in September 2021) and the American soldier who crossed the DMZ.

This against the backdrop of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, inflation and covid, which have taken a backseat, but are still sitting firmly behind us, backseat driving.

The shooting did make news in other countries/newspapers. If my timing is right the BBC took a while to pick it up and the Guardian was timely enough.

No shooter motivation has been announced at time of writing, nor if he died from a bullet shot at him or suicide. But the shooter did have history with the law in March 2023.

One quick note: Mayor Wayne Brown seemed to communicate compassionately in the aftermath of the shooting.

Auckland, since 2020, you have dealt with a lot, being an international gateway to New Zealand and so subject to lockdowns caused by covid more than anywhere else in the country, the terrorist attack in September 2021, the flooding at the end of January 2023 and Cyclone Gabrielle, Parker Posie, ram raids.

Being PM, you have to deal with a lot of issues and in variety, most of all the responsibility is the heaviest to carry. It's the job description. Chris Hipkins is in the 6th month of leading the country, but I don't think anyone could characterize it as consistently dealing with how to run the country or diplomacy, it's been unprecedented ups and downs. He's had to deal with conduct from four ministers too, if my calculation is correct, in addition to the aforementioned. He also accidentally made a mistake in announcing offending for youngsters and whilst he took responsibility, there's consequences.

To the NZ Police, Eagle Helicopter, Armed Defenders, First Aiders and all the other Emergency Responders, thank you. Thank you for doing your job. The death toll and casualties may have been higher if it weren't for you. You are the people who are passionate and you must be to do the jobs you do. Especially having to be the frontline against covid, you are still living with its impacts and may do for a long time. Many of you are overworked, underpaid and underappreciated. But you are the ones that are there when it is needed. There is no choice, it is "yes, we are on our way to help and protect you", not "no".

The loss and the pain from this shooting in the Auckland CBD on 20 July 2023 is felt and will continue to be. It may never truly leave you.

The only words that feel relevant and truthful to me to say is it's ok to feel emotional for a while, take care of yourself, indulge in that extra glass of wine, slice of cake, chocolate, sleep in a bit later, stay up a bit later.

I haven't done much with my day since I realized what had happened. It's one day. It's ok. My system is processing it. Above all, it proves I'm human.

Aroha.

-A.M.

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Thursday, February 16, 2023

Cyclone Gabrielle: Hawke's Bay Civil Defence gives media briefing

I was listening to the briefing and it kind of hit home how bad the situation is. I've been following Cyclone Gabrielle's impact on NZ, but after that (and not listening to the question/answer part really), my brain is having trouble processing it.

So far, there are five dead as a result of Cyclone Gabrielle. Add that to four lives from the January flooding in Auckland, and that is nine.

I know how it sounds, but five deaths so far with flooding as it is is extremely lucky. Nine deaths so far since January 27th, is great. It could be so much more. However, that child will never have the opportunity to have a job, feel romantic love, have children if they want, be independant, buy their own car and/or house and many more experiences. Each death, which would not have happened if the floods never happened, is a loss and in that sense, premature. However, no one can go back in time, no one can change the past, you live with the death. 

From being in Christchurch on the 22nd of February 2011 and individually being extremely lucky, Christchurch was lucky it had only 185 deaths as a direct or indirect result of the earthquake. The severity, the time of day and many other factors.

Perspective, not a comparison: the earthquake aftermath in Syria and Turkey has a death toll of over 35 000. Contributing factors are not comparable to the Christchurch Earthquake and that's why you cannot compare the earthquakes, I just realized, but the consequences also highlight, for example, that 185 is extremely low and lucky. And the number of deaths so far since the 27th of January due to flooding is also something to be thankful for so far.

However, practically, the damage to vegetables, fruit, which are what feeds people, is immense. The damage to roads and power lines and water infrastructure, is huge. The forestry industry, what I'm talking about is logs, has taken a hit. You cannot grow vegetables and fruit overnight. Grapes, for wine, are the same, but to be honest, alcohol is not a necessity to live, but still.

Possibly most of all, the firefighters, police, Civil Defence, NEMA, power lines crews, USAR, truckers, supermarket employees, helicopter pilots, NZ Defence personnel, you are the ones pulling the long shifts, you are the ones whose lives are on hold, you go out to work, you shower, eat, sleep and do it over again for the next weeks, months, a year, or more? And your house might be flooded but livable, you may have been evacuated and need to file an insurance claim, you may have been evacuated and also not know if your loved one/s is/are ok.

Thank you so much for doing everything you can, you are the lifeline when life gets whittled down to the basics or nothing, you are the people who are out there keeping us safe (and happy) and also having to manage the emotional impact on yourself. Yes, it's part of the job, but you're human.

On a parallel, being a nurse, doctor, paramedic, and to a lesser extent police, a supermarket employee, etc is a job, but when covid-19 made you see everyday the sick and dying and effects of covid like people grabbing bread, milk, rice, pasta, toilet paper off the shelf or the rise in crime and its consequences, it takes its toll. Not a steady stream, hundreds, thousands all at once. You have loved ones too and with covid, there is no definite end in sight.

It's so hard for the wider population to remember it can take time to reconnect power, let alone the internet (is Netflix or YouTube really necessary?), water, re-stock the supermarket shelves and that you are humans too. You need to eat, shower and sleep. The bare minimum.

I realized cyclone Gabrielle is worse than the flooding in Auckland at the end of January because the aftermath is more widespread. One location or region is ok to deal with, but when it's larger then that means more affected and more help needed, down to exactly how many people are affected and how many people are needed to fix a road for example. That's also why evacuation centres are good, it groups everyone together instead of them being spread out so to speak.

When you're the one affected, it can be hard to understand what the extent is and what to do. The best thing can be to stay in your own bubble and wait for the authorities and by this I mean NEMA, Civil Defence, the Council etc. to sort it out. Stay at home, the power and water will come back at some point. Again, like covid, knowing the "end" is what you want. I likely know more about what's going on than hundreds of the affected people in the Hawke's Bay region because I have power, a safe place and internet and water. I'm not living in Hawke's Bay. Also, your brain is processing what you have just been through.

In Christchurch, we had the TV and every hour for a long time, there was no news and my brain was 'mushed', it was processing, or trying to process what had happened. On the ground is good for outsiders ie those not affected to know, but Christchurch was still trying to understand what was going on and figuring out the extent of the damage and deploying people to get the basics back up and running. We just sat, feeling the aftershocks. And there's bureaucracy that's not even public, behind the scenes, government, police, ambulances, firefighters trying to get resources to where they need to go and sometimes, it need authorisation so that person has to sign off on it. Supermarkets trying to figure out if they can open and if they can structurally, do they have enough people?

I feel for you Napier, I feel for you Hawke's Bay, and Auckland, I feel for all those affected by the flooding. The people Cyclone Gabrielle directly impacted and the frontline/essential workers. I know words do not help, you need action and it should be coming, the NZDF are adding to those already working to get the necessities back online and other regions are sending people out to you.

For those who may be impacted again in the coming days; and those who may be affected for the first time such as the Lower North Island, and maybe even the top of the South Island, be as prepared as you can.

My heart is with you New Zealand. Mon coeur est avec toi, Aotearoa.

-A.M.

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Tuesday, February 14, 2023

Cyclone Gabrielle: New Zealand is in a National State of Emergency

At 8.47 am NZT (New Zealand time) on 14 February 2023, the NZ government declared a National State of Emergency. The media release is below. Cyclone Gabrielle made landfall over the weekend and is making her way across the North Island. Auckland, Napier(, Taupō, Rotorua), you are special to me and I feel for you.

February, coincidentally, seems to be a month of significance.

Waitangi Day on 6th, 1840
Valentine's Day on 14th
The Christchurch Earthquake on 22nd, 2011
Covid-19 was in NZ, 2020

On the basis of 2011, the All Blacks won the Rugby World Cup; and then again in 2015. New Zealand needed that win in 2011. Well done, you did it with the eyes and the pressure of a whole country. At Eden Park. Against les Bleus.

Auckland's anniversary was on 29th January. The flooding started on the 27th. The Elton John concerts were cancelled (this is his last ever tour I think; he had to stop a show in Auckland before, because he was sick).

Now Cyclone Gabrielle is exacerbating the damage already caused. She's causing new damage to areas that weren't previously affected.

On a lesser scale, Ed Sheeran's February 10th and 11th Eden Park concerts went ahead. All I will say is 1. I'm sure resources could have been better used elsewhere. 2. How about the people who had to deal with damage left by the January flooding but had planned to go to his concert? 3. Yes, it's a nice way to get away from reality with someone who has not just one but two talents, playing guitar and singing simultaneously, and it was then or likely never, but there is an appropriate time and place.

Humans will never be able to control Mother Nature, a volcano will erupt, an earthquake will happen, it will snow, there will be a tsunami. We can only try to prepare/plan and deal with the aftermath. The aftermath may or will likely be even harder. The long-term physical and emotional damage. The NZ Government does not have the money other countries like the USA, England etc do and they are not members of an entity like the EU. They pretty much have themselves and they are considered a developed country so a lot of support/aid/relief won't be offered, if at all, like has been done for the Philippines, Pakistan, Iraq etc in previous years for difficult aftermaths. This is not a criticism and/or judgement, it's the truth.

In NZ history, this National State of Emergency is the third one.

Previously, the Christchurch Earthquake on 22nd February 2011 warranted one, from 23 February at 10.30 a.m. until 30 April 2011 at 12:00 a.m.

The second one was on 25 March 2020 at 12.21 pm, triggered by Covid-19. It was extended seven times before ending at 12.21 p.m. on 13 May 2020.

Less than three years later, the NZ Government signed and declared the country is in a National State of Emergency and the general population's psyche is there. 

To all those affected, those directly impacted by the cyclone, those who are not (families, friends, pets of the frontline and essential workers etc), I hope you and your life get better. Recovery does not necessarily have an end. Mother Nature can't be controlled nor predicted down to the final detail either. Some of you in the Thames-Coromandel are going through your fifth weather event.

Auckland, I love you. Down to my core. I think I'd still live there if I could. But each of those affected, the impact will be long-term. On a city-level, it will be too. Similar, but not the same as Christchurch, after February 22nd 2011.

You have been through a fucking lot. Covid lockdowns, more and for longer than other places in NZ; the New Lynn Terror Attack in early September 2021; the January 2023 flooding and now Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023. Maybe we could add the rise in crime there too.

I have awesome memories in Auckland, you have everything I could possibly want and need there, I have spent hundreds, maybe even thousands, of Kiwi dollars that were well worth it. Your zoo is fucking top-notch. 

I am thinking of you Tāmaki Makaurau and cannot wait to visit you again.

Many, many of you have the strength to deal with the shit the cyclone will leave behind. This I know for sure.

-A.M.

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The New Zealand Government has this morning declared a National State of Emergency, to assist in the response to Cyclone Gabrielle.

The Minister for Emergency Management, Kieran McAnulty, signed the declaration at 8.43am.

Prior to signing the declaration he advised the Prime Minister, and the Opposition spokesperson for emergency management, who were both supportive of the declaration.

The declaration will apply to the six regions that have already declared a local State of Emergency: Northland, Auckland, Tairāwhiti, Bay of Plenty, Waikato, and Hawkes Bay.

This is only the third time in New Zealand history that a National State of Emergency has been declared.

“This is an unprecedented weather event that is having major impacts across much of the North Island,” Kieran McAnulty said.

“Since Sunday, NEMA have been in close contact with local civil defence emergency management (CDEM) teams of affected areas to assess the need of a declaration of a state of National Emergency.

“NEMA has been giving advice to myself and the Prime Minister on the need of a national State of Emergency based on the assessments of the local teams, and until now the advice has been that it was not necessary.

“NEMA met with the affected CDEM groups. Based on feedback from the groups and NEMA

I consider that the criteria have now been met and a National State of Emergency would be beneficial.

“The local leadership, CDEM groups, and emergency responders in all of the affected areas have been doing an outstanding job, but the widespread damage caused by this cyclone means we need a National declaration to support them.

“This declaration will enable the Government to support the affected regions, provide additional resources as they are needed, and help set the priorities across the country for the response.

“A National State of Emergency gives the National Controller legal authority to apply resources across the country in support of a national level response.

“This declaration gives us the ability to coordination further resources for affected regions. I want to emphasise that the Government has already been surging support and resources to the regions for some days.”


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Michel Barnier: French PM