Podcast appearances and mentions of tony blakely

I am glad the Covid report has been released. Why wouldn't it be? It's ours, we lived it and are living through it. It says a lot of stuff you thought it would say; compulsory mandates were one of the most controversial measures. No kidding. The country was not prepared for border closures or MIQ. Really? They run the line that we had fewer infections and therefore fewer deaths than other countries. I note Chris Hipkins yesterday was still rejecting the idea that vaccine mandates were a mistake. And in that is the problem. Incompetent Governments lead to incompetent responses. Arrogance leads to an inability to do things differently, which is I think in part, the point of the report, to give us a blueprint for next time. The blueprint says mandates were a mistake. Hipkins, who could be Prime Minister as soon as 2026, seems to think he is more right than the inquiry. So are we any further ahead? You need to also factor in that phase one, despite what Tony Blakely told us yesterday, is not the full picture. It's a comprehensive picture within the guidelines he was given. The guidelines he wasn't given are why we are having phase two. I still argue it would have been better if we had taken the British route, the adversarial approach. Put Ardern and Hipkins and Bloomfield on the stand and ask some penetrating questions. It doesn't have to be a court to illicit material this report hasn't found. The really important part for me is not what we did then, but what the outworking of what we did then produced what we have now. What we are still living through and why, because what we have now is so badly damaged. We must learn not to do what we did last time. The kids not at school, the behaviour of so many that has been out of control, the moral fatigue, the social decline and the malaise. That is not measured totally in statistics. But the overarching feeling is this country is a shadow of what it once was. That's the real story of Covid. But I still maintain that you can write all the reports you want and inquire until you are blue in the face, but a pandemic is luck. If the Government that's in on the day the pandemic arrives is good, you will be OK. If it's Labour 2017-23, well, you don't need the report. Just look at us. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

‘If you think I'm a Jacinda Ardern puppet, you're going to get a huge surprise'. Who's saying that, do you think? It's Professor Tony Blakely – the epidemiologist and public health expert who has chaired the first phase of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into New Zealand's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. And I'm feeling the same way he's feeling about the COVID vaccination mandates. I don't know if you can call it “buyer's remorse” but, like Tony Blakely, I would feel very differently about forcing people to get vaccinated next time around. So his report on the first phase of the inquiry is being handed over to the Government today, which means his work is done and a new person is taking over to run Phase Two. You'll remember there was a bit of political furore over Blakely running the inquiry when he was among the cast of thousands of health experts who were in the news day-after-day during the pandemic. But it seems any concerns about him not being independent enough to do a proper or thorough investigation —without fear or favour— it seems they might not have been justified. That's going by what he's been saying in the last 24 hours. We won't know for sure how critical his report is until the Government releases it. At this stage, that's not going to happen until at least next year. The reason the Government's giving for that is that it wants Phase Two of the Inquiry to be well under way before we get to see this report. Professor Blakely says his view on vaccine mandates has evolved. He thinks we went over-the-top with the vaccine mandates. And that's where I'm at too. And yes, I was one of those people who talked about ‘no jab, no job', I'll admit that. But that was me then, and this is me now. Because, for me, I'd never experienced a pandemic before. Or more to the point, I'd never experienced such an intense public vaccination programme before. Whether I can be accused of drinking the Kool Aid, I'm not sure. I don't know, but what I do know is that if there's ever something like this again, you won't hear me banging the drum in favour of vaccine mandates. If you think that makes me a hypocrite, you're welcome to think that. But, as Tony Blakely seems to have done as well, my thinking has shifted. That's something he reckons the people in charge of our COVID should have done a bit more of at the time, as well. Now you might say that hindsight is a great thing, and I'd agree with you. But it doesn't mean you can't change your mind, which is why I now think forcing people to get vaccinated was a big mistake. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The outgoing head of the Covid inquiry has found vaccine mandates caused huge pain to a "substantial minority” during the pandemic. Tony Blakely says the Government should look at whether their benefits outweighed the harm they caused. Blakely will deliver the report from the first phase of the Royal Commission of Inquiry to Internal Affairs Minister Brook van Velden today, but the Government may not release it until next year. He says New Zealand did well, although mistakes were made. Blakely describes the response as a game of two halves, with New Zealand doing well in the first year, and less so after that – which isn't surprising given the length of the pandemic. He says there's still work to be done after their comprehensive investigations. Blakely told Mike Hosking they've done about 80% of the work, with incoming Chair Grant Illingworth's team coming in to do the next 20%. He says they may uncover new findings on topics they look at more in depth, such as mandates and vaccine harm. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 28th of November, we get reaction from the Reserve Bank and Steven Joyce after our last OCR cut of the year. Phase 1 of the Covid inquiry is complete, and inquiry chair Professor Tony Blakely has some surprising comments about vaccine mandates and lockdowns. Mike couldn't believe Mitch James was quitting music, so had to get a friend of the show on for one last time as a musician. Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government has announced new details for the second phase of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Covid-19 response. Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says Phase 2 of the Inquiry will cover vaccine efficacy and safety, and look at the impact of extended lockdowns in Auckland and Northland. Phase 1 of the Inquiry has so far met with thousands of people throughout the country, and received over 13,000 public submissions. Chair Professor Tony Blakely will step down from his role in November once Phase 1 wraps up. He spoke with Corin Dann.

This might be because I'm still recovering from the Bird Flu/Man Flu combo that had me stuck in bed last week. Or maybe, on this occasion, Winston Peters is actually making sense.  Either way, I agree with him that it's Mickey Mouse that we have an epidemiologist who was involved in our COVID response, leading the inquiry into it. The Royal Commission.  Which, by the way, I think is critical. I know it would be very easy to decide that we are all over this COVID thing and what good is a royal commission going to do? And who says that when another pandemic happens we're going to even bother using what we've learned this time around?  They are all risks. But, as far as I'm concerned, they are not reasons not to have an official inquiry.   But back to Tony Blakeley. He was one of those people along with the likes of Michael Baker etc who were on TV night-and-day talking about all the modelling and how sick we were going to get blah blah blah blah blah.  And being humans, we all had our favourites, didn't we? And there were others, of course, that some of us couldn't stand. And when it comes to my personal favourites, Tony Blakely was one of mine.  He's a kiwi but he's based in Melbourne and he always seemed to do his TV interviews in front of one of those glass block walls that were the in-thing back in the 80s. And I could never work out whether he was in some 80s-throwback hospital or whether he had some funky 80s-inspired apartment.  And I'll admit that I probably got so distracted by the glass block wall thing that I probably missed a lot of what he actually had to say. Either way, I liked him. I thought he was a good guy who seemed to know what he was on about.  But, as well as being one of the media's COVID rent-a-mouths, he also had the ear of the Labour-led government - which asked him for his advice on how New Zealand should be responding to the COVID pandemic.  And, when you think about it, it does seem crazy that he's now the guy in charge of  running a fine tooth comb through New Zealand's COVID response so that we can learn some lessons and do a better job next time around. Because, if there's one thing we can all agree on, there will be a “next time around”.  So Winston has never been happy that one of Labour's COVID mates has had the job of leading the COVID-19 Inquiry. And he's not happy that Tony Blakely is going to stay in charge, either.  Which is why he's pulling out the “agree-to-disagree” clause in his party's coalition agreement with National.  Which is somewhat academic. Because what the Government has done is split the inquiry into two phases. So Phase 1 is what we've had up until now and which will continue until November - with Tony Blakely in charge.  And then, in November, Phase 2 will begin. Which will look into things such as the vaccines and vaccine safety; the extended lockdowns in Auckland and Northland; and the extent of disruption to people's lives and businesses.  And it's not going to be an overnight thing. Phase 2 of the Inquiry will begin in November and final recommendations are expected to be delivered in February 2026. About 20 months from now. Just shy of two years.  And I'm happy with that. Because I think it is critical that this work is done. It would be a wasted opportunity if we didn't put a spotlight on how New Zealand handled the COVID pandemic and commit ourselves to learning from the cock-ups. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We have our first agree to disagree clause of this new coalition.  First point to make - what a mature look it is.  New Zealand First has invoked the clause, which is probably not the surprise.  The surprise is that in previous coalitions this would be described as a crack. "Coalition cracks forming" was the headline from Newshub. Yet in 2024 if it is as it seems, it's a clause, that's life and we move on.  That is to the credit of Christopher Luxon, who stitched this thing together with the view of it holding long term. So far, so good.  As regards who is right, it is to do with the ACT-led decision that the Covid inquiry will now be in two parts. Part one is the bit that's on now, headed by Tony Blakely. They will finish their work and report in November.  Then we get part two with a new chair, new commissioners and wider terms of reference.  Now, if Brooke van Velden argues it's worth keeping the current inquiry because they are underway and stopping it would be wasteful, then I have an element of sympathy.  Although it was a jack up from Labour, it will elicit some things that are of value.  As much sympathy as I have for the wastage argument, I have more sympathy for New Zealand First, who on this question, are more right than ACT is.  Blakely should never have been appointed and the terms of reference are a joke. It was classic Labour - stack the deck and pretend it's a proper game.  The stuff we desperately want investigated isn't part of the inquiry; vaccine procurement and efficacy and all the wider economic and social issues that we are still wading through.  Personally, I'd like to see people called and compelled to turn up, but that is wishful thinking.  The other bit is the second part won't report back until 2026, which is election year. Covid started in 2019 and the report is due seven years later? That's not pace or progress.  Act will have their reasons, but on this Winston Peters has read the mood better and I think ultimately is on the right side of it.  But the fact he can invoke a clause and not spit the dummy is massive progress in the collegiality of a multi-party arrangement running the country.  And the success of that is not to be underestimated. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Epidemiologist from the University of Melbourne, professor Tony Blakely joins Drive to discuss the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines, their impact on mortality rates, and considerations for booster shots.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's now an opportunity to tell the Royal Commission of Inquiry about your Covid pandemic experiences, and the lessons you want to leave for the next pandemic.  A website launches today for public submissions.  It's running alongside a process where people can provide feedback on how they'd like the inquiry's terms of reference to be tweaked.  Inquiry Chair Professor Tony Blakely told Mike Hosking that it could be useful to have some clarification of the terms.  He says one example is that at the moment they're not talking about vaccine efficacy, but you need to consider that to know whether vaccine mandates are a good idea.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand's inquiry into how we handled the pandemic has already spoken to hundreds of people of all persuasions, but the work is definitely taking the hush-hush approach.

The Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Covid response is entering its next phase. Work has been underway since February to collate lessons learned from the pandemic to improve future preparedness. Commissioners have so far been identifying, sourcing and reviewing publicly available information. Chair, epidemiologist Tony Blakely says they're now talking with those involved in influencing and delivering the policies. He says they're busy speaking to key policy institutions in Wellington and will soon get out around the country, starting with Auckland. The report is due next June. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"The wicked flee though no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion." Proverbs 28:1 (NIV)Law enforcement is tough. Doing law enforcement in Memphis, especially right now, is tougher. On the first interview in over 1.5 years, Tony covers Tik Tok, fentanyl, and some policing stories in his almost four years as an officer. To all of our military and first responders out there, thank you!

New Zealand has become the first country to legislate a generational end-game for smoking, with sale of tobacco products banned for those born in 2009 beginning next year. What lessons can Malaysia draw from the Kiwi experience? We speak to Tony Blakely, Professor of Epidemiology at the University of Melbourne for insights.Image credit: Shutterstock

New Zealand has become the first country to legislate a generational end-game for smoking, with sale of tobacco products banned for those born in 2009 beginning next year. What lessons can Malaysia draw from the Kiwi experience? We speak to Tony Blakely, Professor of Epidemiology at the University of Melbourne for insights.Image credit: Shutterstock

A business leader doubts the Royal Commission of Inquiry into our Covid response has the right scope. It kicks off February and will look at vaccine mandates, border closures, quarantine and community care. A report is due mid-2024. Australian-based epidemiologist Tony Blakely will chair it, alongside former National party minister Hekia Parata and former Treasury secretary John Whitehead. Business NZ Chief Executive Kirk Hope told Mike Hosking no one from business was talked to about the scope. He says the exclusion of operations into the private sector from the scope of inquiry is disappointing. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The man tasked with heading the Royal Commission of Inquiry into our Covid response says they'll be doing their best to deliver an independent report. It kicks off February and will look at vaccine mandates, border closures, quarantine and community care - among other matters. A report is due mid-2024. Australian-based epidemiologist Tony Blakely will chair it, alongside former National party minister Hekia Parata and former Treasury secretary John Whitehead. Blakely says he's happy with the terms of reference - particularly the forward looking nature of it. He says their job isn't to find blame about individual past decisions, but project forward. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The speed and accessibility of the Covid-19 test and vaccine roll-out will be investigated in an independent review. The Prime Minister has announced a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Government's Covid-19 response. It will cover the period from February 2020 and October this year, and be chaired by Melbourne-based epidemiologist Tony Blakely. Covid Response Minister Dr Ayesha Verrall says the availability of RAT tests and jabs will be looked at, as well as the speed of the roll-out. "We want a really broad review because we want to learn the lessons from the Covid-19 response to make sure we're better prepared for a pandemic in the future." LISTEN ABOVE    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tom Elliott said it would mark the end of COVID being treated as a pandemic in Australia, should it happen. But epidemiologist Tony Blakely said Tom was probably looking for a black and white answer that didn't exist.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An Australian-based Kiwi epidemiologist believes it's better to have more Omicron cases sooner rather than later.We have 209 community cases of Covid-19 today and 64 at the border.Melbourne University epidemiologist Tony Blakely told Heather du Plessis-Allan our risk-averse response means we are just stretching the timeline out of having to deal with it.“The stamping out phase, which we're in at the moment, that's worth doing for at least another couple of weeks while we get more RAT tests and masks, but if you haven't seen Omicron taken off by then, you'd probably want to loosen off and let the thing wash through society.”LISTEN ABOVE

An Australian expert says New Zealand can't avoid an Omicron outbreak, and there's no need to panic about it. A music event in Hamilton last weekend - SoundSplash - is under the spotlight as a possible super-spreader, with one case of Omicron confirmed and other results awaited. Melbourne-based epidemiologist Tony Blakely says Omicron will arrive, but it won't be too bad if it's managed well. He predicts that on the worst day of the outbreak there'll be no more than 1000 to 1200 people in hospital diagnosed with Covid-19. He spoke to Corin Dann.

A leading Australia-based epidemiologist says New Zealand's plan to slow the spread of Omicron is sensible and should help to reduce the peak of the outbreak. The country is under the red traffic light setting after a group who travelled from the Tasman region to Auckland and back were confirmed to have the new variant. University of Melbourne epidemiologist professor Tony Blakely spoke to Susie Ferguson.

New South Wales' daily Covid-19 count is breaking records. The state reported more than 2500 cases yesterday. Health officials believe the majority of the cases are Omicron. Melbourne University professor of epidemiology Tony Blakely spoke to Corin Dann.

New South Wales' daily Covid-19 count is breaking records. The state reported more than 2500 cases yesterday. Health officials believe the majority of the cases are Omicron. Melbourne University professor of epidemiology Tony Blakely spoke to Corin Dann.

How to deal with Omicron? Yesterday four more cases of the new variant were found in MIQ, bringing New Zealand's total to 8 cases at the border. It is spreading like lightening through cities around the globe. Melbourne University epidemiologist Professor Tony Blakely is about to publish his thoughts on how to react and deal with Omicron. Tony Blakely joined Francesca Rudkin. LISTEN ABOVE 

New Zealanders overseas now know when they can come home without going through the stress of the MIQ lottery system. On Wednesday the Government announced fully vaccinated New Zealanders can travel from Australia without staying in MIQ from 16 January, and from other countries from 13 Februrary. But the National party has accused Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern of grinch-like tactics - stealing Christmas from New Zealanders in Australia. Melbourne University epidemiologist Tony Blakely is one of those who offer advice to the Ministry of Health. He spoke to Susie Ferguson.

New Zealanders overseas now know when they can come home without going through the stress of the MIQ lottery system. On Wednesday the Government announced fully vaccinated New Zealanders can travel from Australia without staying in MIQ from 16 January, and from other countries from 13 Februrary. But the National party has accused Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern of grinch-like tactics - stealing Christmas from New Zealanders in Australia. Melbourne University epidemiologist Tony Blakely is one of those who offer advice to the Ministry of Health. He spoke to Susie Ferguson.

An Australian epidemiologist says the best time to move Auckland out of lockdown could be right now - based on how New South Wales and Victoria have negotiated the lifting of restrictions. The gradual loosening of Auckland continues at midnight tonight when it eases into level 3.2, while the government is firming up its plans to introduce a Covid-19 traffic light system and have holiday-makers exit the city's boundary before Christmas. Melbourne University Professor Tony Blakely says the high number of New Zealanders with at least one jab should encourage health officials to consider quicker action, while the recent nature of our vaccination rollout is another reason for confidence. Professor Blakely spoke to Corin Dann.

Professor Tony Blakely joins Jesse from Melbourne to talk about the "new playbook" for Aotearoa.

As Victoria continues on its path out of lockdown, it's set a new grim record number of COVID-19 cases. The Premier Dan Andrews says it won't deter the state from its roadmap.

New Zealand needs to vaccinate five-year-olds and up against Covid-19 if there's any chance of returning to situation normal, that's according to a leading epidemiologist. Professor Tony Blakely from the University of Melbourne has completed modelling on the State of Victoria to see how much of 2022 could be spent in lockdown depending on various vaccination rates. And he says the numbers would be pretty comparable for New Zealand. Professor Blakely explains what that would mean in terms of lockdowns.  

The elimination strategy is looking less and less viable.There were 14 new cases in the community today, one not yet linked.Experts agree the decision to ease restrictions in Auckland was a line call and fear numbers will track back upwards.Melbourne Epidemiologist Tony Blakely says New Zealand is echoing events in Melbourne and New South Wales.LISTEN ABOVE

Fully vaccinated Australians living in New South Wales can expect to enjoy renewed freedoms to visit hotels, restaurants, stadiums, and live music venues from as soon as next month. New South Wales premier Gladys Berejiklian announced the roadmap out of lockdown yesterday, which will begin from the first Monday after the state hits 70 percent double-dose vaccination. The state recorded 1,405 new Covid-19 infections yesterday. It is expected to hit its 70 percent target in the first two weeks of October. University of Melbourne professor of epidemiology Tony Blakely spoke to Morning Report.

Covid-19 could be a firm part of our future.Health officials are watching other countries for an idea on how to re-open New Zealand once vaccine rates are high.The Prime Minister's confirmed it's still the Government plan to slowly lower border restrictions next year.A Melbourne epidemiologist says the most likely approach is to aim for low cases - rather than elimination.Tony Blakely says vaccines still don't offer perfect herd immunity.He says we would need light restrictions - including keeping hospitality venues half full and using rapid testing.LISTEN ABOVE

New South Wales has recorded 38 new community cases of Covid-19 overnight. The source of infection for 12 of those cases remains under investigation.It is the highest number of new community cases recorded in a single day in more than 14 months and takes Sydney's outbreak to a total of 395.NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said "those numbers are too high" and pleaded with people to stop visiting extended family."When we talk about providing care or compassion, we are talking about one person visiting someone who might be isolated, dropping off essential services or goods," she said. "We are not talking about visiting extended family members, we're not talking visiting friends. Data over the last few days shows this is how the virus is spreading."Berejiklian said the "saddest message out of all of that is that people with the virus are passing it on to those they love the most" like grandparents."We need to be stern about this. We need less movement to get those number of exposures down. We don't want to prolong the lockdown, we don't want to see Sydney or NSW going in and out of lockdown until we have the vast majority of our population vaccinated."She added: "It is up to all of us to step up, as difficult as it is."In NSW there are currently 40 Covid-19 cases admitted to hospital, with 11 people in intensive care, three of whom require ventilation.Berejiklian said that while NSW had "always been bold and courageous in terms of our attitude and how we deal with Covid-19", people had to accept that the "Delta [variant] is very different to everything we have seen before".Asked whether the outbreak's trajectory might mean the state "won't necessarily come out of lockdown" as planned next Friday, Berejiklian was non-committal."What is important is all the experts have said if every single person does the right thing, that we can get to where we need to go at the end of the three-week [lockdown] period," she said."That is a big ask because we know that unfortunately, unintentionally at times, people don't do the right thing, so it's really important for all of us to have equal responsibility."Dire warnings of wider outbreakAustralian infectious disease experts are warning the country "could end up with a situation like India" if the Delta variant is allowed to run rampant throughout the Sydney community.It comes after New South Wales Health Minister Brad Hazzard suggested on Wednesday that the state might never control its current outbreak, and be forced to accept community spread of the virus "for good".The Greater Sydney lockdown was extended by a week after case numbers on Wednesday were "higher than anticipated".Hazzard said if people don't do the right thing over the coming days, "then at some point we're going to move to a stage where we're going to have to accept that the virus has a life which will continue in the community".Speaking to ABC Breakfast on Thursday, Raina Macintyre from the Kirby Institute said letting the virus continue to spread would be "really risky"."I think for Australia, for NSW, that's a different proposition to countries that have high vaccination rates and high levels of disease. We've got virtually no immunity in the community because very few people have been fully vaccinated, and very few people have been infected," she said."So we are absolutely susceptible. If we let it spread in Sydney, it could impact the whole country and we could end up with a situation like we saw in India in March and April."We can't afford to relax until we've got the vaccination rates high."Expert wants longer lockdownUniversity of Melbourne epidemiologist Tony Blakely has slammed NSW's lockdown as "ridiculous", saying it isn't harsh enough."If you want to get your lockdown over soon, do it properly," he told Seven's Sunrise."If you muck around, this will just keep on going. You can't just do a half-hearted one and expect it to last a week, you have to do it properly, otherwise you'll be do...

The number of Covid-19 cases in Melbourne is rising. Yesterday another four community infections were recorded, bringing the total number detected in Melbourne's northern suburbs over the past two days to nine. Melbourne University epidemiologist Tony Blakely spoke to Corin Dann.

Professorial Fellow in epidemiology at Melbourne University, Tony Blakely, says the COVID-19 situation in Victoria has "really escalated to become quite concerning" in the past 24 hours. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Melbourne-based epidemiologist think's New Zealand acting too harsh on pausing travel with Victoria.Quarantine-free flights will paused for 72 hours, beginning at 8pm, between the Australian state and New Zealand after five community cases in Melbourne city.University of Melbourne professor Tony Blakely says there's a low probability someone will make it to New Zealand.He told Heather du Plessis-Allan that's what Australia's learnt about interstate travel."If you issue warnings and requirements of people to declare whether they have been in the contact area, the chances of someone coming in is quite low." LISTEN ABOVE

A new raft of restrictions are in place in Melbourne, where a COVID-19 cluster in the city's northern suburbs stands at nine confirmed cases. The virus circulating in Melbourne is the Indian variant, which is twice as infectious as the original variant, and experts say this is cause for concern.

Victoria has recorded another four Covid-19 infections bringing the Melbourne cluster to nine. The government here has suspended the quarantine travel bubble with Victoria for at least 72 hours. Melbourne is also bringing back some restrictions - including mandatory face masks and limits to gatherings. The four new cases confirmed this afternoon are all family contacts of the most recent case - a man in his 60s. University of Melbourne epidemiologist Tony Blakely joins Lisa Owen with the latest.

The number of Covid-19 cases in Melbourne is rising. Yesterday another four community infections were recorded, bringing the total number detected in Melbourne's northern suburbs over the past two days to nine. Melbourne University epidemiologist Tony Blakely spoke to Corin Dann.

Professorial Fellow in Epidemiology at Melbourne University, Tony Blakely, says an "evolution" in Australia's vaccine plan is coming. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sydneysiders can fly into New Zealand this morning after a flight ban was lifted at midnight last night. Flights were temporarily suspended from New South Wales to New Zealand after a Sydney resident and his wife tested positive for Covid-19. But with restrictions in New South Wales extended by another week and the source of the infection not yet known, are we out of the woods? Tony Blakely is a Melbourne-based epidemologist.

Sydneysiders can fly into New Zealand this morning after a flight ban was lifted at midnight last night. Flights were temporarily suspended from New South Wales to New Zealand after a Sydney resident and his wife tested positive for Covid-19. But with restrictions in New South Wales extended by another week and the source of the infection not yet known, are we out of the woods? Tony Blakely is a Melbourne-based epidemologist.

New Zealand's still getting comfortable with the chaotic dance being played with Australian states over Covid-19.There are no new community cases in Sydney today -- after two people tested positive for the virus earlier this week.New South Wales' state premier says our Government's decision to pause the trans-Tasman bubble until midnight Saturday was an over-reaction.Melbourne epidemiologist Tony Blakely told Heather du Plessis-Allan no state knows what the best response is, but New Zealand's is the most extreme."New Zealand is just learning how to interact with the crazy eight-state territory system here as a extra player and being risk-averse initially while being too risk averse, New Zealand will find its feet in this arrangement."LISTEN ABOVE

Flights from New South Wales to New Zealand will be paused from midnight tonight for 48 hours in the wake of a case of Covid-19 in Sydney with no yet-known source. Professor Tony Blakely talks to Lisa Owen about the situation. [embed] https://players.brightcove.net/6093072280001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6252833641001

Immigration officials are scrambling to explain how a man was able to fly from lockdown in Perth to Auckland via Sydney, without being stopped. The man arrived in Auckland on Monday and continued on to Northland, where he was spoken to by health officials and is now self-isolating. Whether any action will be taken over the breach remains unclear. Tony Blakely, an epidemiologist at Melbourne University, spoke to Corin Dann.

Immigration officials are scrambling to explain how a man was able to fly from lockdown in Perth to Auckland via Sydney, without being stopped. The man arrived in Auckland on Monday and continued on to Northland, where he was spoken to by health officials and is now self-isolating. Whether any action will be taken over the breach remains unclear. Tony Blakely, an epidemiologist at Melbourne University, spoke to Corin Dann.

Australian states are incredibly nervous about the latest Covid-19 outbreak in New South Wales.Sydney's northern beaches cluster has grown to 83 cases.All states and territories are putting up restrictions against travellers from the greater Sydney area, with dozens of flights cancelled.  Melbourne epidemiologist Tony Blakely told Tim Dower there are concerns there are cases outside of the city."It seems almost certain that there are some cases outside the northern suburbs in that greater Sydney area, which is what we are watching closely."LISTEN ABOVE

New Zealand could now open up quarantine-free travel with several Australian states, a leading epidemiologist in Melbourne says."It is safe for New Zealand to have quarantine-free arrivals from most of Australia," Professor Tony Blakely, a public health medicine specialist at Melbourne University, told the Herald."In fact, it has moved beyond that and New Zealand is now dragging the chain, compared to many states in Australia allowing quarantine-free arrival of Kiwis."But Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern made no apologies for having a lower tolerance for cases than Australia, nor was she satisfied about the threshold for shutting down inter-regional travel in Australia.There were only eight cases in Australia in the past 24 hours, most of them imported quarantine cases, while "Covid hotspot" status is set to be lifted tomorrow in Victoria and New South Wales.Blakely said Victoria and New South Wales had already met the elimination criteria of no community cases from an unknown source for 28 days, while Queensland, Tasmania, Western Australia, Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory had long achieved it.As of tomorrow, all states and territories were allowing quarantine-free travel other than South Australia (WA has risk-based home quarantine rules)."South Australia will – I strongly suspect – regain elimination status soon," Blakely said."States that have delayed [quarantine-free travel] have been playing politics, not science. New Zealand is now in that camp, in my view, and has no reason to not join a travel bubble with all states and territories in Australia other than SA, for now."The bubble would not only provide an injection for tourism and the economy in general, but it would also free up about 40 per cent of the beds in New Zealand managed isolation and quarantine facilities.Blakely said any new mystery cases in the community would see a state or country drop out of the transtasman bubble until Covid is stamped out again.Professor Tony Blakely, a public health medicine specialist at Melbourne University, says New Zealand is dragging the chain on the transtasman bubble. Photo / SuppliedBut Ardern said there needed to be stricter rules around restricting travel from a "Covid hotspot" because of the risk of a Covid-carrier travelling to a Covid-free state and then flying to New Zealand.The hotspot criteria was previously 30 cases in three days, but Ardern said that was too many."You might get into a place where we're free of community transmission, but actually it's as important for us to recognise what will happen if and when cases arise, because they will and they do."She agreed that the ball was in New Zealand's court, as Kiwis could already travel to NSW, ACT, NT and Victoria without having to quarantine."They've already opened up, so from their perspective, it's already done and dusted. We're the easy partner in this. We have a lower tolerance for cases."A bubble should have domestic borders acting as a buffer, and operate in a way that didn't leave travellers stranded, she added."We don't want to yo-yo in and out of travel with Australian states."Asked if a bubble might still be out of reach if Australia was Covid-free but those hotspot rules were still too loose, she said: "That's a hypothetical we're not in yet."She added that traces of the virus were found at a Melbourne wastewater facility 10 days ago.Blakely also suggested allowing fewer days in quarantine for overseas arrivals from countries with low levels of infection.A similar approach has also been suggested by public health experts in New Zealand - dubbed a risk-based "traffic-light" border system - which includes a pre-departure negative test and quarantine period for travellers from high-risk countries.But Ardern has repeatedly said Kiwis need to be able to exercise their right to come home.

A New Zealand epidemiologist working in Australia says we're not doing enough to protect our Covid-free status.Four people have escaped from managed isolation facilities in the past week, with the most recent case yesterday seeing a man break a window to get out from a hotel in Auckland. Melbourne University Professor Tony Blakely told Francesca Rudkin he doesn't know why we tolerate people leaving quarantine.He says moving to New Zealand is a privilege and its something we should be guarding it closely."And two weeks of really strict, enforced quarantine should be just the norm. "These escapes from quarantine are perplexing to watch from afar."New Zealand is a "poster child" for elimination, and the country cannot risk losing that status, Blakely says. He says that our status is very different from Melbourne, which has just locked down for six weeks after a massive spike in cases. Blakely says he is amongst the health experts advocating that Victoria adopt a method of elimination. "New Zealand's done it, Taiwan's done it, so it is possible."