The Prime Minister today told Parliament that New Zealand does not need to "roll the dice" in lifting alert levels, after questioning by the Opposition Leader.
"We do not need to risk all of the gains that we have only just begun to make," Jacinda Ardern said.
"We need steady, predictable progress, because that will provide the best groundwork for an economic recovery that we possibly can."
Earlier today, Simon Bridges told media the lockdown had gone on too long. He cited " social harms, health issues and the need to get New Zealand working again".
"These are very real health harms that come from the lockdown and restrictions.
"They shouldn't be underplayed, whether it’s cancer treatment, in terms of births and psychological effects of the restrictions, through to the economic effects."
In Parliament, he asked Ms Ardern if she accepted that having a low number of cases "isn't success if you've got exponentially rising unemployment?"
Two new cases of Covid-19 were announced today, as well as one death, after no new cases the prior two days.
One person has died and two new cases have been added today. (Source: Other)
Documents leaked to RNZ show the Ministry of Social Development is preparing for an additional 300,000 benefit applications due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Ms Ardern responded, saying that "what will make unemployment worse is yo-yoing back and forth in your response [to Covid-19], because that loses the predictability that the business community wants and needs".
"I will not roll the dice and risk losing the gains New Zealanders have only just made.
"We need to make predictable, balanced progress, and that is what we are focused on as a Government."
ANZ CEO Antonia Watson told TVNZ1's Q+A this week the worst move for the economy would be if "we stuff it up and we end up back in Level 4" as the hit would impact business confidence.
In Parliament today, Mr Bridges asked the Prime Minister: "Does she accept that every day we remain in lockdown, more businesses will collapse and more people will lose their jobs?"
She replied: "Even more businesses will collapse and even more businesses will lose their jobs if we roll the dice and take risks against gains that we have only just made.
"The mere suggestion from that member that we are not mindful of people's lives and livelihoods is just wrong; everything we do factors in the impact of our decision on them.
"But I will not gamble their jobs by taking risky, knee-jerk decisions that don't protect their long-term futures."
Suspended screening services saw 30 per cent fewer cases diagnosed at Alert Level 4. (Source: Other)
At today's select committee, MPs were told by Cancer Society medical director Christopher Jackson that if delays in cancer-related treatment were not remedied, "we will have non-Covid cancer casualties".
Dr Jackson said there was a 30 per cent reduction in cancer diagnoses.
"There are people at the moment in the community who have symptoms who would have otherwise been diagnosed.
"We owe it to them that we make sure we can do those diagnoses, which can only be done with additional capacity. Because the health system sure as heck wasn’t sitting on its hands prior to the Covid epidemic."
The Prime Minister will be outlining conditions of the Level 2 rules tomorrow, before a review on Level 3 on May 11.
SHARE ME