Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern today insisted the Government "fronts up every day" on Covid-19, after National leader Judith Collins appeared to question her accountability.
The exchange came after Ms Ardern on Sunday said she was "incredibly angry" after learning of a Facebook post from Unite Against Covid-19 asking people in West and South Auckland to be tested for the virus, even if they didn’t have symptoms.
The post on the Unite Against Covid-19 Facebook page, shared on Saturday and labelled an "important message", urged people in West and South Auckland to get tested when possible.
However, it was later revealed the messaging was incorrect and it has since been corrected to say anyone with symptoms in these areas should seek a test.
In Parliament's question time this afternoon, Ms Collins repeatedly asked why Ms Ardern didn’t address the incorrect messaging on Auckland testing until asked by journalists at the 1pm briefing on Sunday.
"The suggestion somehow that we weren’t willing to acknowledge the incorrect posting of information, we are constantly available every day to answer questions about our Covid response, we’re here to be accountable on our Covid response, we never shy away from that duty," Ms Ardern said.
"If the member is somehow under assumption that I wanted to share correct information in my stand up as opposed to incorrect information that is for the member's own interpretation, but I simply do not accept that we would ever put ourselves in a position to not front up because we do it every day."
Ms Ardern said she wanted to use the first 15 minutes of the briefing to put out the correct information rather than address the incorrect messaging.
When pressed by Ms Collins, the Prime Minister said she knew journalists would asks about the incorrect messaging and she would have a chance to address it then.
At the briefing on Sunday, Ms Ardern said she was "incredibly angry" the wrong advice had gone out on an official channel around Covid-19 testing in West and South Auckland.
The PM said the request was oversimplified and emphasised that blanket testing isn’t necessary. (Source: Other)
"We have to be very clear in our communication, we have to be very direct in our asks and you’ll see that in a very dynamic environment, by and large, we are able to be very, very consistent," she said.
SHARE ME