Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says it was "never his intent" when asked about the Health Minister pinning Covid-19 border issues solely on Dr Ashley Bloomfield while both men were standing next to each other this week.
The incident happened outside a select committee at Parliament on Wednesday, 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 a press conference in Queenstown this afternoon Ms Ardern was asked by a reporter about Dr Clark "throwing Ashley Bloomfield under the bus".
"One of the things that has become very clear to me knowing Dr Bloomfield as I do, and also knowing Dr Clark is that actually they have the same perspective on what's happened in recent weeks.
David Clark continues to be questioned about issues with quarantine testing, but he has passed responsibility to other officials. (Source: Other)
"There is no one individual who carries responsibility here, but we all have responsibility to fix the issues we've seen and we are," Ms Ardern said.
She went on to say from conversations she has had with Dr Clark it was "never his intent" to blame Dr Bloomfield for all the recent border issues arising from Covid-19 quarantine system failures.
Yesterday, Dr Bloomfield himself said his relationship with Dr Clark is "very good".
"I continue to work really closely with and support the Minister of Health and his work.," he said.
SHARE ME