Muller hits out at NZ border issue

Todd Muller says it would not be safe to open the border tomorrow, next week or even next month. File photo/SunLive.

Bay of Plenty MP and Opposition leader Todd Muller is calling on the Prime Minister to 'stop misrepresenting the border issue”.

He wants the country's leader to tell New Zealanders what her strategy is to protect the economy long-term.

On Monday, Jacinda Ardern reminded people that there is no evidence of community transmission of COVID-19 in the community.

Her comments following a review into managed isolation in New Zealand.

The review found the managed isolation and quarantine system to be under "extreme stress" and unable to respond to the increasing demands being placed on it as more New Zealanders returned home.

"Here we are at the bottom of the world as this pandemic is surging -10 million cases ... the reason we are seeing these extra cases at our border is because the pandemic is growing not slowing, and New Zealand has been on a different trajectory to the rest of the world,” the PM told RNZ's Morning Report.

"What you are asking is, is it possible to keep it that way? That is what we are putting all of our effort into... it is a very difficult task though."

She says New Zealanders should have confidence in the government's response because it had "adjusted our settings every step of the way based on what we've learnt, based on what we know is working and based on what needs to be done. So while there is no playbook, we have been very agile”.

Muller has released a statement this morning calling the government's management of New Zealand's quarantine procedures 'clumsy and incompetent”.

He believes the way the Government has handled the quarantine procedures means it's impossible for New Zealand's border to open tomorrow, next week or even next month.

'That simply would not be safe.

'However, New Zealanders also need to know how and when the border will progressively be reopened, because not doing that is untenable,” says Muller.

'New Zealanders deserve the highest standards to protect them from getting Covid-19, both at the border and when it comes to tracking and tracing in the event of cases in the community.

'We need to know when those standards will be in place so that New Zealanders have confidence to progressively and safely open the border and grow the economy.

'Locking down what's left of the economy and waiting for a vaccine isn't an option.”

Ardern says the government is working as rapidly as possible to fix managed isolation, but says the basic elements of the system needed to be dealt with before provisions first.

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9 comments

Please Mr Muller

Posted on 30-06-2020 11:39 | By dave4u

Instead of criticizing. Tell us exactly what you would do if you were the Govt in power NOW.


So what would National do

Posted on 30-06-2020 12:11 | By Philsl

So there has been a lot of knocking what the Government is doing at present but I have seen nothing constructive from the opposition on what they would do if they were in Government. The best thing for the country is for ALL the parties to put aside their pettiness and work together at this time to bring us through.


Please National

Posted on 30-06-2020 12:21 | By Merlin

Please National show us what you would have done and your alternative plan for handling the pandemic which by the way arrived suddenly.So far I have not seen anything put up.In fact you wanted to open the borders in level 2.Detail is lacking on this and other matters.To much spin.


Todd Muller

Posted on 30-06-2020 14:11 | By mlangdon

Mr Muller, you are continually telling us what the Government is and has done wrong, they have recognized their mistakes and have/are fixing the Boarder issues, it is not helpful hearing you (and others) telling us what WAS wrong, how about telling us what you would do, in my opinion Political parties should be putting aside their differences and working together over COVID 19, it SHOULD NOT be politicized, opening the boarder at this point would be a bad move until such time as Countries like Australia can guarantee anyone coming here is completely negative , it should be their responsibility to make intended travelers to us self isolate and prove through being tested they are virus free BEFORE they leave to travel here.


Open your eyes Mr Muller

Posted on 30-06-2020 15:34 | By 2up

The situation is deteriorating around the world and you want a plan to open our boarders. Prudent planing would surely be the way forward, read the data and listen to the medical experts and adjust thinking as things evolve. Hang on that sounds like what the government is doing. Maybe a few mistakes along the way, but as long as we learn and improve.


Dangerous Muller

Posted on 30-06-2020 16:43 | By BazzaJ

Jacinda and her party are doing a great job. If Make America great again Muller had his way we would be in the same dire straights as the United States. Jacinda has saved thousands of lives which is more important than the mighty dollar. I don't think Todd will be leader for long after the the defeat at the election.


Read The Article

Posted on 01-07-2020 07:59 | By beefhooked

I'm quite confident that National would of had rigid systems in place to test people coming into NZ before letting them mingle in our communities untested. This failure to do so has of course, attracted deserved criticism. Mr Muller is, like a lot of other Kiwis asking "what is Labours plan for our economy moving forward"? A perfectly sensible question I would of thought as is essential for business's confidence in the rebuilding of our country.


@mlangdon

Posted on 01-07-2020 12:27 | By morepork

While it is part of Todd Muller's job to criticize the Government (that is the Parliamentary system we live under; it is adversarial), I agree that it would be more positive for him to say what National would do if they become the Government. The borders are hard to control but I have been saying for some weeks now that testing should be done BEFORE people are allowed to embark. It would dramatically reduce the costs here and it could be administered through the Airlines, who want people to travel. Pleased to see you have the same thought; I thought I was the only one who thinks this.


Some people..

Posted on 02-07-2020 17:36 | By Slim Shady

..Seem to get really confused and think a more open border means tourists coming in. NO. We need to stop this ridiculous enforcement and allow Kiwi citizens and residents to leave and/or come through whilst maintaining some controls to limit the risk. We had “self isolation at home” and it was fine. It’s fine for other countries. Some have no restrictions. The risk is negligible and can be handled by self isolation and our gold standard track and trace.


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