The New Zealand health minister, who was twice caught violating the coronavirus blocking rules, resigned after calling himself “an idiot” for showing bad judgment, according to reports.
David Clark had already been demoted after riding a mountain bike and taking his family on a beach excursion about 15 miles from his home in Dunedin, the UK Guardian reported.
He apologized for both incidents and told Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern that he was an “idiot” for the judgment ruling.
In response, Ardern downgraded Clark in the cabinet ranking, but refrained from rejecting him, saying his experience was necessary during the public health crisis.
But in the weeks after Clark’s degradation, public aversion to him has increased despite widespread praise for the country’s coronavirus response under the leadership of Dr. Ashley Bloomfield, chief health officer, the media outlet reported. .
Last week, Clark refused to take responsibility for multiple failures, including people who were released from quarantine without being tested for the virus.
“I take full responsibility for the decisions made and made during my time as health minister,” he said, according to the BBC.
Ardern accepted Clark’s resignation and said it was “essential that our health leadership have the trust of the New Zealand public.”
“David has concluded that his presence in office is creating a useless distraction from the government’s continued response to COVID-19 and broader health reforms,” he said.
Education Minister Chris Hipkins will take over the reins of the Health Department until the country’s elections in September.
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