Well, are we getting there at last? 

Dare I suggest, one of the more useful one o'clock sessions came yesterday from the pulpit of whatever you think the pulpit represents these days? There seems a concerted message from the Government that a 90 percent jab rate is where we are headed, or need to be, to get a whole bunch of stuff. 

Firstly, Auckland to Level 2. The 90 percent was one jab, not two. Their argument and a sensible one, is that once you have one, it's not like you're not going back for your second, so they have confidence. That's a fairly significant move for a group as conservative as them.   

And Level 2 for Auckland is most likely Level 1 for the rest of the country. 

They also said watch this space on home isolation. About time. Watch this space isn't a date or time and this Government is famous for noise not action. But I was pleasantly surprised at the bullishness of the comment. 

They are looking at mandating jabs for health care workers. Good. They need to take a lead on this stuff, that’s what governments are for. 

They still seemed to trip over each other a bit on zero cases and elimination. Chris Hipkins is adamant elimination is still the aim, which is different to actually doing it. Aiming is not doing, but Ashley Bloomfield, I think, has let the cat out of the bag. 

He doesn’t seem convinced any more zero is where we are headed. And yesterday's numbers, once again, reminded us that for in excess of 5 weeks now, they have got nowhere near close to zero. 

Here is the sense I get of this, there is genuine light at the end of the tunnel. 

The jab programme is still an issue. The rollout is slowing badly and 90 percent for everyone might be a bridge too far. That’s a debate we'll need to have if it doesn’t look real. 

Case numbers in Auckland these next two weeks might scuttle stuff as well. But there is more hope now, than not. It is such a shame given this could have been us back in May, if only they pulled finger and got some vaccines into the country. 

But a target is better than what we've had, a watch this space on home isolation I will take, and a semi-confession that elimination is over is better than nothing. 

Of all the one o'clocks I've endured, this was actually one to remember, or at least be a bit uplifted by.