from theconversation.com
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced details of the next stage of lockdown, but New Zealanders won’t know until Monday when the country moves out of strict level 4 conditions.
Once in level 3, people will have to remain within their household bubble, but can expand it to include close family or caregivers. Workers will have to continue working from home if they can, and only businesses that operate within social distancing measures will be allowed to reopen.
Ardern has described level 3 as a “waiting room”, with significant restrictions remaining in place.
We have to wait and see if what we have done has worked. After a while, if we don’t show further signs of illness, we can go back to life that is a bit more normal. If we deteriorate, then it’s back to lockdown at level 4.
Regardless of when the current lockdown rules change, New Zealand’s government and authorities will retain exceptional powers over people’s lives until the country is no longer in a state of emergency. These powers – from telling people to stay home to potentially making vaccinations or testing mandatory – can infringe on several rights and liberties.
The intrusions has been relatively limited so far, but since emergency powers could continue beyond the level 4 lockdown, it’s worth knowing how that affects your rights now.
Read more: As NZ goes into lockdown, authorities have new powers to make sure people obey the rules
Freedoms of assembly and movement
New Zealand’s state of emergency was extended on Tuesday this week for a further seven days. Beyond the level 4 lockdown, which will continue at least until next Thursday, the state of emergency can either continue nationwide (in seven-day blocks) or be broken into local emergencies if a national level is no longer justified.
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Environmental Health Watch NZ 
There is no evidence of any need to call a “state of emergency”. This extreme measure appears to be based on dire predictions made in the northern hemisphere, which have not eventuated there, far less here.
Jacinda and her government should be called on for complete transparency, as to the source of the call for panic stations. Nevertheless, i’m quite sure we will be hit with further shocks very soon, one after the other, which will be convenient for maintaining tyrannical measures
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Steve … we’re on the slippery slope to tyranny alright
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Funny thing, supermarkets can’t operate within the guidelines for “social distancing”. In general, hardware outlets and other retailers can. If Winston was in charge, the hardwares would have stayed open. At this stage, Jacinda should lift the state of emergency, and go to level 2. Right now. And apologise for having gone too far. The emotion-laden cries of “it could have been far worse”, were entirely predicted and just as valid as the proverbial “tiger repellant”.
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Ah well steve we’ve all been sent the important message which most seem to have gotten … to get in line & stay there. Ready for phase 2. And re the supermarkets, not even the police are maintaining the distance rules. Hard case.
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Excellent letter Peter Drew. Anyone sent it to Simon Bridges?. A big kiwi wake up is surely needed. Shared it with all my contacts.
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That’s great. Thanks Kathy.
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