NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / New Zealand

Steve Braunias: In level 4 Covid lockdown again, New Zealand clings to luck

NZ Herald
24 Aug, 2021 02:27 AM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

    Reminder, this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read.

People and vehicles queued at the Covid-19 testing station on Taranaki Street in Wellington. Photo / Mark Mitchell

People and vehicles queued at the Covid-19 testing station on Taranaki Street in Wellington. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Opinion

OPINION:

Good luck to everyone as lockdown seems set in concrete, a bad idea whose time has come, the new black. It's a very black kind of black.

Good luck to the jerks who took their vino and pitted olives from Auckland to their holiday homes in Northland. Lockdown with beach access! There are very good reasons not to have done that but you can only do what you think is right for the people you love.

Good luck to the sneaks and peepers ratting on breakers of rules. We must crack down on those whose actions threaten to extend lockdown! People will laugh at you and scorn you as curtain-twitching busybodies but you can only do what you think is right for the good of society.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Good luck to the party animals and freedom fighters who are gathering in defiance of level 4. You can't not have fun, sometime! The possibility that your actions will have serious consequences is a real possibility but you can only do what you think feels right at the time.

Good luck to the anti-vaxxers and their creepy unvaccinated flesh. Live long and prosper, Brian and Hannah Tamaki! Who's to say you are going about things the wrong way other than health professionals but you can only do what you think is right according to your insane beliefs.

Good luck to the pious left who gather on Twitter to mock and scorn all critics of the precious Labour Government. Leave Jacinda alone! You drive everyone else up the wall with your we-know-better ways but you can only do what you think the collective think is right.

Good luck to Mike and Kate and Heather and all the various assorted affiliates and non-affiliates of Newstalk ZB who are critics of the apparently hopeless Labour Government. To hell with Jacinda! You greatly distress the left and for that we should be grateful but apart from that you raise a lot of good points and you can only do what you think is right-wing.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Good luck to the swabbers, the vaccinators, the close contact representatives, the Healthline phone operators and all health professionals involved in the Delta fight. Thank you! You are doing what's right.

Good luck to the police who still have to go about their business in the deserted streets where crime never quite sleeps. See above.

Discover more

Retail

Explainer: Hospitality and retail workers' rights in level 4 lockdown

24 Aug 05:20 AM
New Zealand

No guests left at Crown Plaza MIQ facility where Covid is suspected to have entered community

24 Aug 02:51 AM
New Zealand

Covid-19: 'Rescue flight' for health workers stranded in Queenstown

24 Aug 02:33 AM
Lifestyle

Arguing with your partner during lockdown? It could make your relationship happier

24 Aug 02:08 AM

Good luck to those who have tested positive. Good luck to the close contacts and the casual contacts told to self-isolate. Good luck to those about to be told they've tested positive, and those about to be told they need to self-isolate. God almighty. You can only do what you're told to do and think that everything is going to be all right.

Good luck to everyone. Level 4 in 2021 isn't as vivid as level 4 in 2020 – the first time was a moment in history, really quite exciting, what a thing to experience and witness, but this time it's a bad repeat on the Delta channel, Groundhog Day starring the team of 5 million as groundhogs, stuck in our burrows, again.

Again with the lockdown fandango, again with the turn of the screw. Again with the bad news, the daily lottery, the 1pm vibe. Again with the sleepiness, the queues, the desolate walks, the left and right going at it just for something to do. But we have to place our faith in good systems, in good science, in good curves.

One day lockdown is going to end; in the meantime, all you can do is cling to good luck.

Save

    Share this article

    Reminder, this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read.

Latest from New Zealand

Premium
New ZealandUpdated

Has Tory Whanau's experience put women off running for mayor?

18 Jun 07:26 AM
Premium
New Zealand

Magic man: Meet the one psychiatrist approved to prescribe magic mushrooms

18 Jun 07:09 AM
New Zealand

Police use drone in search for missing woman in Christchurch

18 Jun 07:00 AM

Jono and Ben brew up a tea-fuelled adventure in Sri Lanka

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from New Zealand

Premium
Has Tory Whanau's experience put women off running for mayor?

Has Tory Whanau's experience put women off running for mayor?

18 Jun 07:26 AM

There are no female candidates in Wellington's mayoral race this year.

Premium
Magic man: Meet the one psychiatrist approved to prescribe magic mushrooms

Magic man: Meet the one psychiatrist approved to prescribe magic mushrooms

18 Jun 07:09 AM
Police use drone in search for missing woman in Christchurch

Police use drone in search for missing woman in Christchurch

18 Jun 07:00 AM
'Angel of a fireman': 87kg St Bernard saved by sandwich in house fire tragedy

'Angel of a fireman': 87kg St Bernard saved by sandwich in house fire tragedy

18 Jun 07:00 AM
Help for those helping hardest-hit
sponsored

Help for those helping hardest-hit

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP