Poll: With Auckland back in alert level 3 lockdown, are you becoming more complacent when it comes to following the rules?
Kiwis may become complacent and start to ignore government guidance if lockdowns become more frequent, according to experts.
Auckland moved back into a week-long level 3 lockdown on Sunday after two fresh community cases of Covid-19 were discovered.
But University of Auckland associate professor Susanna Trnka says if people no longer feel a sense of urgency they will be less compelled to follow the rules.
"During the first lockdown it was understood that extraordinary times require extraordinary measures,” the social anthropologist said.
"But as it becomes lockdown two, three and four, the sense of the urgency has shifted and isn't so palpable."
Senior lecturer Sarah Cowie, who is an expert on psychology and behaviour, said it was "certainly a possibility" that people could become more complacent during recurring lockdowns.
“There's evidence from places overseas that have been flung in and out of lockdown that people do become a little bit more complacent the more you have,” she said.
“If we are doing things in line with level 3 and not seeing the benefits of that, it might feel discouraging."
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18% Yes
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31.3% No
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50.7% I'm adhering strictly to government guidance.
Poll: If we want to reduce speeding, what do you think actually changes driver behaviour? 🛻🚨🚓
In the Post's article on speeding penalties, the question is asked whether speeding fines are truly about road safety, or are they just a way to boost revenue for the Crown?
What do you think? Should speeding motorists receive speeding fines or demerit points?
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36.5% The sting of a fine (Money talks!)
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63.5% The threat of demerit points (Nobody wants to lose their license!)
Some Choice News!
DOC is rolling out a new tool to help figure out what to tackle first when it comes to protecting our threatened species and the things putting them at risk.
Why does this matter? As Nikki Macdonald from The Post points out, we’re a country with around 4,400 threatened species. With limited time and funding, conservation has always meant making tough calls about what gets attention first.
For the first time, DOC has put real numbers around what it would take to do everything needed to properly safeguard our unique natural environment. The new BioInvest tool shows the scale of the challenge: 310,177 actions across 28,007 sites.
Now that we can see the full picture, it brings the big question into focus: how much do we, as Kiwis, truly value protecting nature — and what are we prepared to invest to make it happen?
We hope this brings a smile!
Poll: Is Auckland’s economy improving?
The latest reporting from The Post suggests a wave of optimism for 2026. With interest rates finally heading south, businesses are feeling more positive. But for many on the ground, the real-world recovery feels a bit like a slow-moving commute on Auckland's motorways.
We want to know: Are you seeing signs of Auckland's economy improving in your industry or neighbourhood? Whether it's busier shops, new projects kicking off, or just a shift in the mood ...
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17.2% Yes
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66.1% No
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16.7% A little
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