Dr Ashley Bloomfield says he still has a "very good" relationship with Health Minister David Clark despite being blamed by him for the recent Covid-19 related border bungles.
Outside a select committee at Parliament yesterday, where both Dr Clark and Dr Bloomfield appeared, Dr Clark was asked if he took responsibility for the failures.
"The Director-General has accepted that protocols weren't being followed. He has accepted responsibility for that and has set about putting it right," Dr Clark said, as the senior public servant stood behind him.
He was repeatedly asked why he didn't take any responsibility, to which he replied: "The Director-General has already acknowledged that the system didn't deliver here."
At today's 1pm press conference, Dr Bloomfield was asked about the incident and his feelings towards the Minister of Health.
After first saying "no comment", Dr Bloomfield went on to say, "I continue to work really closely with and support the Minister of Health and his work."
When asked what his relationship is like with Dr Clark, he simply answered "very good."
Earlier, National Party leader Todd Muller labelled the Health Minister "the very definition of a non-essential worker".
The Health Minister continues to be questioned about issues with quarantine testing, but he is passing responsibility to his officials. (Source: Other)
Mr Muller said the treatment of Dr Bloomfield was "a disgrace".
"He humiliated a man we have grown to respect and trust during lockdown."
Mr Muller also said that Dr Clark should not avoid taking "responsibility for the furore".
"For [Jacinda] Ardern, when things go wrong, the buck stops with the frontline workers, never her ministers, never herself."
Last week, Prime Minister Ardern called the border blunder an "unacceptable failure" of the system and brought in the military to oversee isolation and quarantine.
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