Judge overrules lockdown and allows son to visit dying dad, PM orders review of refusals
Oliver Christiansen's dad lay dying and asking: "Where is my boy? Where is my boy?" But Christiansen couldn't see him - he was subject to the Government's mandatory 14-day isolation period after arriving in New Zealand on April 23 on a flight from the United Kingdom. Christiansen spoke today about his "eight days of battling and about 36 hours to spare" before his father Anthony Christiansen, who had brain cancer, passed away. The case has led Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to order a review into all 24 cases whereby a request to see a dying relative during lockdown was refused by health officials. When he left his family in London, Christiansen thought he had time to sit out the quarantine in New Zealand before spending his father's last days with him. "Things were still looking okay. We thought we had plenty of time to see out the 14 days," he said. But his father's condition deteriorated rapidly. Doctors gave Anthony, a retired associate High Court judge, only a few days to live and suddenly it was a race against the clock. Christiansen, who had no symptoms of coronavirus, applied to the Ministry of Health to allow him to see his dying father on compassionate grounds. The ministry, after first mistaking what Christiansen was asking for, repeatedly refused. An email reply to Christiansen read: "...there is just nothing we can change at this time. 14 days isolation in managed facilities is a mandated requirement in force in New Zealand". Christiansen then directly emailed Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield and the Minister of Health David Clark. Bloomfield responded within an hour and a half saying he will refer the letter to the managed isolation team to "carefully consider the information". But again he was denied for a third time. Christiansen also asked for a Covid-19 test - but was refused because he had no symptoms. Today, he said the unwillingness of authorities to test him for Covid-19 was extremely frustrating, as it seemed a "logical step". So Christiansen went to court to challenge Bloomfield and the ministry's refusal to allow him to cut short his quarantine period. "It just seemed like continual automatic rejection which fortunately meant the courts were a last avenue for a final roll of the dice," he said. Meanwhile, his father's health kept going downhill rapidly. His family was "increasingly desperate" for him to get home so he could farewell his father – and vice versa. From his quarantine hotel, he could almost see his family's Auckland home just 5–6km away.
The courts recognised how precious time was, he said, and pushed through his case. At a hearing on Friday in the High Court at Auckland, Justice Tracey Walker said the ministry got it wrong. She said it was "difficult to envisage more compassionate grounds than those presented here". Christiansen told he was able to spend just over a day with his father before he passed away. When he finally got to see his father, it was an emotional time. "It was a massive relief to be able to join the family in time," he said. "There was a lot of emotion, a lot of release – anguish, grief, everything rolled into one. "It makes you realise, in hindsight, just how critical it is that you're there at that time." Justice Walker said in her ruling, released today, there was "a very strong argument" to allow Christiansen to visit his dying father after it was "not considered on the correct legal grounds and did not take account of relevant mandatory considerations". "It had the hallmarks of automatic rejection based on circumscribed criteria rather than a proper exercise of discretion required by the Health Act (Managed Air Arrivals) Order," she said. The judge said the Ministry of Health's decisions to decline permission were, on their face, "legally flawed on more than [one] basis".
"Had the correct approach been followed, Mr Christiansen's application may have successfully come within the compassionate grounds (with low risk of transmission) or exceptional circumstances categories," Justice Walker said. The judge said, in her assessment, overall justice "demands an effective and swift response". She ordered the ministry to permit Christiansen to leave managed isolation to visit his father. But he could only do so if he traveled unaccompanied by car to his dad's home and remained there until his father died. Christiansen was also told to maintain physical separation from other family members at the home and to return on his own within 24-hours of his father's passing in the same car to the isolation facility for the remainder of the 14-day period. Justice Walker further told him to ensure any necessary cleaning and/or quarantining of that private car is carried out, to wear personal protective equipment, including gloves and a face-mask, to comply with any monitoring requirements by police or officials, and to comply with any other reasonable conditions directed by the Ministry to reduce any risk of transmission. The judge also considered the question of "the appropriate deference to the expertise of the decision makers in a time of unprecedented public crisis". "No matter how necessary or demonstrably justified the Covid-19 response, decisions must have a clear and certain basis," she said.
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The Gospel’s Relevance Today**
The Gospel, meaning ‘good news’, is the cornerstone of the message contained in the Bible’s first four books—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. While these records were written approximately 2,000 years ago, a natural question arises: why is this Gospel still relevant and vital for us today? This analysis seeks to explore what the Bible itself defines as the Gospel and to understand its enduring significance.
**Defining the Gospel: Core Biblical References**
The Gospel is not a vague concept; Scripture provides clear descriptions of its content and focus.
* **The Gospel of the Kingdom:** In Matthew 4:23, as Jesus begins his ministry, he is described as “preaching the gospel of the kingdom.” This immediately establishes that the good news is centrally about a kingdom—the Kingdom of God. His accompanying miracles served to validate the authority of this message.
* **The Gospel of Jesus Christ:** Mark 1:1 opens with, “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” Here, “Christ” is a title meaning ‘anointed one’. Thus, the good news is intrinsically about Jesus: his identity as the Anointed One and his unique status as the Son of God.
* **The Gospel of God’s Grace:** In Acts 20:24, the Apostle Paul speaks of his mission to “testify the gospel of the grace of God.” Grace signifies an undeserved gift. This reveals that the Gospel involves a gift from God, offered not because it is merited, but out of His benevolence.
* **The Gospel of Salvation and Peace:** Romans 1:16 declares the Gospel is “the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes,” breaking down barriers between Jew and Gentile (Greek). Furthermore, Romans 10:15 calls it the “gospel of peace,” pointing to a future state of peace brought about by this message.
* **The Gospel Summarised:** 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 provides a foundational summary. Paul reminds believers of the gospel he preached, “by which also you are saved.” He then states its core historical facts: “that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.” The Gospel is therefore rooted in the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus.
In synthesis, the Gospel is the good news of **salvation and future peace in the Kingdom of God**, made possible by **the grace of God** and **the obedient sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ**, and offered to all who believe.
**Old Testament Foundations: The Gospel Preached to Abraham**
A crucial question is whether the Gospel is confined to the New Testament. Scripture shows its foundations were laid much earlier. Galatians 3:8 states explicitly that “the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, ‘In you all the nations shall be blessed.’”
This reference points back to Genesis 12:1-3, where God made profound promises to Abraham: to make him a great nation, to bless those who blessed him, and that “in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” These promises—later reaffirmed to Isaac and Jacob—form the bedrock of the Gospel hope. The good news of salvation through Christ is the fulfillment of how **all nations** would be blessed through Abraham’s “seed.”
**The Gospel’s Personal Relevance: Good News for You Today**
How does this ancient message become “good news for you” today? The application is clearly outlined in Galatians 3.
* **Access through Faith in Christ:** Galatians 3:26 declares, “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.” The promise made to Abraham is now extended to anyone with faith in Jesus.
* **The Role of Baptism:** Verse 27 explains, “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” Baptism is the God-appointed act of faith that identifies a believer with Christ’s death and resurrection.
* **Unity and Inheritance:** Verses 28-29 reveal the glorious outcome: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Through the Gospel, all barriers are removed; believers become spiritual descendants of Abraham and heirs to the promises of the Kingdom.
This Gospel was once a mystery hidden in God’s purpose (Ephesians 3:3-9). Now, it has been revealed: the unsearchable riches of Christ, offering salvation to all who heed the call, believe the message, and are baptised into him.
**Conclusion: An Enduring and Open Invitation**
The Gospel is far more than a historical account; it is the living, powerful good news of God’s plan for salvation. It is rooted in promises to Abraham, accomplished through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and open to all people without distinction. It offers a tangible hope—the hope of resurrection, peace, and an inheritance in the coming Kingdom of God. This is why the Gospel remains profoundly relevant. It is an invitation to listen, believe, and stand firm in this hope, linking our lives today to the eternal purpose of God.
Poll: 🤖 What skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
The Reserve Bank has shared some pretty blunt advice: there’s no such thing as a “safe” job anymore 🛟😑
Robots are stepping into repetitive roles in factories, plants and warehouses. AI is taking care of the admin tasks that once filled many mid-level office jobs.
We want to know: As the world evolves, what skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
Want to read more? The Press has you covered!
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53.9% Human-centred experience and communication
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14.4% Critical thinking
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29.1% Resilience and adaptability
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2.6% Other - I will share below!
Poll: Should complete designs be shared with the public, or should the community help shape the designs from the start?
The Post recently shared an opinion piece on the Harbour Crossing and why a more democratic approach might be needed 🚗🚲👟
While most decisions sit within the political arena, many organisations—like NZTA—manage long-term projects that go beyond party lines. Politics can sometimes disrupt progress, and the next Harbour Crossing is a big decision that will affect all Aucklanders.
We’d love your thoughts: Should near-complete, shovel-ready designs be shared with the public, or should the community have a hand in shaping the designs from the start?
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80.8% Community feedback and transparency is needed.
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19.2% No. This would be impossible in practice.
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