On the 1st December 2019 New Zealand’s Civil Emergency  department was transformed into the National Emergency Management Response – NEMA for short.  A week later, White Island erupted on December 9th.

Some Australians are praising New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern for her classy response to the White Island volcano disaster.  Oh, it’s a class act all right.  

I wonder what they’d think if they learned that after the volcano erupted, the emergency services were told not to respond.  The first responders were ordinary New Zealanders – real heroes.  They’re the ones who acted.  The NZ Government had nothing to do with it – although they’ve taken the credit.

After Whakaari/White Island, it’s up to us to save ourselves

Whakaari/White Island and, inset, helicopter pilot Mark Law, who flew to the island to help as soon as he heard of the eruption.

OPINION: “The tragedy at Whakaari/White Island last week…