Todd Muller says Government's 'everyday glitches' putting recovery back after Auckland isolation breaches

July 8, 2020

National’s leader says his party will keep critiquing the Covid-19 response despite one of his own MPs leaking patient details.

Todd Muller says the Government’s "everyday glitches" around its Covid-19 border management is putting the country's recovery back.

His comments come after two Auckland isolation breaches in the space of a week, with the latest seeing a man escape isolation to visit a supermarket last night.

He then tested positive for Covid-19 this morning.

National’s leader says his party will keep critiquing the Covid-19 response despite one of his own MPs Covid-19 leaking patient details to the media.

"The Government continues to demonstrate by the day that its border management is still not at the expectation that New Zealanders have in terms of keeping us safe," he said at a media stand-up in Ashburton this afternoon.

"Today I understand there was a potential breach in terms of someone going to a supermarket.

"These things the Government call 'glitches' are everyday glitches and they’re putting our capacity to recover as a country, and to give New Zealanders confidence we are going to have an economic recovery underpinned by safe borders back everyday by their incompetence.

So we will keep critiquing them."

Mr Muller says the patient detail leak scandal involving National MP Hamish Walker shouldn't affect his party's ability to hold the Government to account.

"One MP make a serious error and has paid the ultimate price in terms of his political career. I think that talks to a party that does have high standards when people breach them, there are consequences."

The man returned to isolation and tested positive for Covid-19 this morning.

Mr Muller's comments come as a 32-year-old man, who had arrived in New Zealand on July 3 from New Delhi, India, briefly escaped isolation at the Stamford Plaza hotel last night and visited a supermarket.

The supermarket he visited was a Countdown on Victoria Street West in the city's CBD. It has now been closed as a precaution.

Air Commodore Darryn Webb confirmed that the man is now facing criminal charges.

Mr Hipkins said public health services have conducted a thorough interview with the man, as well as reviewed CCTV footage of his movements, and concluded that the risk of him having passed the virus to anyone is low, as there was no close contact with any customers or staff.

The man climbed a fence about 6.50pm while outside smoking, as a section of fencing was being replaced.

Security staff tried to follow him, but couldn't catch up, and police were called.

He then returned to the facility and was interviewed by police.

It comes after a 43-year-old woman absconded from Auckland's Pullman Hotel on foot shortly before 6.20pm on Saturday.

She has been charged for breaching isolation rules and officials say extra fencing and resources will help manage risk at the facility.

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