Dave Dunlay, one of The Breeze's hosts in Canterbury, has been sacked after his employer says he breached the Level 4 lockdown restrictions.
In a statement today, the radio station's owners MediaWorks said it was "incredibly disappointed" to learn Mr Dunlay had travelled from his home to another location.
Mr Dunlay says it was his understanding the travel was classed as essential and allowed under the Level 4 rules.
In his own post on social media, Mr Dunlay said he had been delivering medicine and food supplies to his wife and daughter, who were isolating themselves at their lifestyle property on Banks Peninsula.
"My daughter has just returned from overseas and initially spent time alone in order to self-isolate," he said.
"When it became safe, my wife went to join her to take her food supplies, but she forgot to take essential medicine for our 14-year-old dog Squeaky, which she ordered online after lockdown."
Mr Dunlay says his vet told him the travel would be fine, classified as essential, and even offered him a form saying as much in case he was stopped by police.
"My family bubble was not broken in any way – I did not meet anyone else and travelled alone. Our bubble is still secure," he says.
"MediaWorks decided their interpretation of the Covid-19 lockdown guidelines meant my reasons to travel were not good enough and terminated my contract because my actions could risk damage to their reputation."
The Ministry for Primary Industries says travel to care for animals is considered essential and allowed under the Level 4 rules.
"This includes providing your animals with food, water and any other aspect that you need to provide to meet your responsibilities under the Animal Welfare Act and relevant codes of welfare," its website says.
In his 40-year career in media, Mr Dunlay says this is his only discipline issue.
He criticises the move as "extremely heavy-handed", instead suggesting a two-week stand-down without pay would've been more fair.
"I appreciate that some people reading this will think fair enough, you’re an idiot for breaking the guidelines put in place for the well-being of all New Zealanders, and the loss of my job is justified," he says.
"What is disappointing is that my two colleagues, who had concerns about my breach, did not mention any concerns to me."
A spokesperson for MediaWorks told 1 NEWS that Mr Dunlay went on a "prearranged trip" to his holiday house over Easter and stayed there for several nights.
"While we were in Alert Level 4 lockdown, Government direction was very clear that no one was to travel over Easter," the spokesperson says.
"We consider what Dave did, to be both legally and ethically wrong and therefore we terminated his contract."
It was made clear to staff that they needed to follow the same instructions and restrictions being broadcast to the public, the spokesperson says.
Mr Dunlay rejected that it was a "prearranged trip", telling 1 NEWS that while he originally planned to go there for an Easter holiday, that was scrapped under the lockdown rules.
"I mentioned going again after lockdown, and as you do as a breakfast host, I made some silly comments about heading over – which I realise now were inappropriate," he says.
"I did not go into the real reasons I was heading over during lockdown as they were family matters: to support my daughter, and deliver the dog medicine.
"I thought my reason for travel was OK – maybe it wasn’t – I lost my job."
Mr Dunlay says he stayed at the property for one night before being stood down the next day, "but at no times did I break my bubble".
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