Politics
1News

Emergency Covid-19 alert interrupts Judith Collins at Parliament

June 23, 2021

Wellington will enter Alert Level 2 at 6pm. (Source: Other)

An emergency Covid-19 alert interrupted Judith Collins while she was preparing to deliver her address in Parliament this afternoon.

Speaker Trevor Mallard first noticed the loud buzzing noise emanating from MPs' phones, asking "what's that do we know?"

Once it became clear it was the alert announcing Wellington would enter into Alert Level 2 restrictions at 6pm, Collins asked if she could start her time again.

"We'll just wait for that damn noise," Mallard replied before joking. "First we will wait for David Seymour to tuck his shirt in."

Once the noise stopped Collins began again and normal service resumed.

Wellington's Alert Level 2 restrictions will extend through to 11.59pm Sunday. The rest of New Zealand remains at Alert Level 1.

New ZealandPoliticsCoronavirus Pandemic

SHARE ME

More Stories

Winston Peters

Winston Peters' advice to anyone thinking of rolling a PM

Peters made the comments in a sit-down interview with RNZ, reflecting on the past year and looking ahead to the 2026 election campaign.

Saturday 5:01pm

A new bill introduced to Parliament this month is looking to give the public greater powers to make a citizens arrest. 

'Complete anarchy': Concerns raised over new citizen's arrest bill

It would allow citizen's to forcibly arrest anyone committing an offence under the Crimes Act by boosting citizen’s arrest powers.

Fri, Dec 19

2:24

The Post national affairs editor Andrea Vance pictured in 2022.

'You can have it all... ': 2025's quote of the year revealed

The winning quote was written by The Post's national affairs editor Andrea Vance in a Sunday Star Times column in May.

Thu, Dec 18

0:43

Ballot boxes (file image).

Electoral Amendment Bill passes its third reading in Parliament

The Bill ends same-day voter enrolment, bans prisoners from voting, allows for larger anonymous political donations, and clarifies the ban on giving out food at voting places.

Wed, Dec 17

The hotline, which was set up in June to report excessive use of road cones, was initially meant to run for 12 months. File photo.

'Road cone hotline' to close early after six months of operation

Labour said the hotline was officially one of the Government's "most absurd wastes of public money".

Wed, Dec 17

Michael Pannett has been appointed as a statutory Deputy Commissioner of Police.

New statutory Deputy Commissioner of Police appointed

Mike Pannett has served in the police for more than 40 years, and is 2010 was appointed as a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM).

Wed, Dec 17

1:30

Latest

Popular

25 mins ago

Timeline: Epstein investigation and the fight to make files public

This redacted photo released by the U.S. Department of Justice shows a framed photograph of Jeffrey Epstein with a person on his lap, documented on Aug. 12, 2019, during a search of his home on Little St. James island in the U.S. Virgin Islands

3:19pm

US army to stop shooting pigs and goats as way to train medics

The seal is seen on a podium at the Pentagon, Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025

2:32pm

Harry and Meghan share new holiday photo with their children

In the photo shared to Instagram, Prince Archie can be seen hugging his father Prince Harry while Meghan holds hands with Princess Lilibet.

2:12pm

Fake cop tries to pull over real police while over the limit

Police in an unmarked car say they were "perplexed" when a man tried to pull them over.

1:55pm

Woman arrested after person stabbed in abdomen at Wellington bar

Ace of Spades bar in Wellington.

SPONSORED

How to stay online on an overseas holiday without blowing the budget

Sponsored by Yesim

How to stay online on an overseas holiday without blowing the budget
1
2
3
4
5
6

More from Entertainment

Run-D.M.C.'s Jason Mizell, Jam-Master Jay, poses with teenagers gathered at New York's Madison Square Garden in 1986.

Judge nixes conviction man found guilty of killing Run-DMC star

The reversal, which came as the judge upheld the other man's conviction, marked another confounding turn in one of the hip-hop world’s most elusive cases.

Saturday 12:30pm

Oona Chaplin as Varang in Avatar: Fire And Ash. (Source: Supplied / 20th Century Studios)

Avatar: Fire and Ash – A visual spectacle, but does it earn its runtime?

More than 700 people waited in anticipation for the Australasian premiere of the latest instalment in Wellington on Saturday.

Thu, Dec 18

Gil Gerard.

Buck Rogers star Gil Gerard dies at 82

Thu, Dec 18

Victoria Beckham posted the stockings to her Instagram multiple times throughout the years.

Meet the woman behind the Beckhams' Christmas stockings

Wed, Dec 17

Rob Reiner, from left, Michele Singer Reiner, Romy Reiner, Nick Reiner, Maria Gilfillan, and Jake Reiner arrive at the premiere of Spinal Tap II: The End Continues

Killings of Rob and Michele Reiner shatter family's gentle legacy

Tue, Dec 16