ACT leader David Seymour today delivered his State of the Nation Address, criticising the Government on its Covid Response and putting forward what it should have declared as a crisis.
"Covid has been a game of two halves," Seymour said, calling it a "massive success" by business and community who he said carried the day.
"Massive failure by Government and politicians. Nearly everything they did was a bad idea, badly executed."
He gave the example of PPE supply chain issues, called the website that reported people breaking rules during lockdown a "snitching website" and said the Government "made a mess" of securing the vaccine.
New Zealand's Medsafe has just approved one of the four Covid vaccines bought in advance by the Government, with it likely to arrive next month to start immunising border workers.
"We need honest conversations about the real crises that are building up under this Government," Seymour said.
"If there’s a climate crisis, then there is also a crisis in education, a crisis in public order, with productivity growth, housing and Oranga Tamariki."
Today at Waitangi, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said her Government “will always be the first to put our hand up and say we need to do more”.
Ardern told media she did not feel as though the Government should have to “paper over our imperfections”.
“We will only improve if we acknowledge where we need to.”
She said Waitangi Day gave an opportunity to reflect on the last year.
“How we’re progressing, our partnership, our relationship, but also constantly looking forward with hope, there are things that we need to do better at, that I do absolutely believe that you get a real sense here of optimism about what can be achieved.
“One of our strengths going forward is our ability to be open, to be frank, to be honest about where we are in our partnership, where we’ve fallen down and where we need to do better and Waitangi serves as a place we can do that.”
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