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NZ First leader Winston Peters has defended the timing of his public criticism of the government’s Covid-19 response in a heated question-and-answer exchange this morning, saying any earlier comments would not have been helpful so far from an election. .
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The NZ First frontman appeared on Q + A while campaigning in Christchurch. Source: Q + A
On Wednesday, Peters raised concerns about the overall response to the virus and was reportedly critical of the virus testing rate, surveillance, and the fact that masks were not worn.
In a heated interview with Q + A host Jack Tame this morning, Mr. Peters was asked why he didn’t publicly raise the issues he had with the answer months earlier.
Peters said he had raised the issues before, in a Cabinet circumstance, “where it did matter.”
“It hardly helps this far from an election to speak publicly about some kind of coalition dispute.
“The reality was that we arrived until August 6, where we approved 190 laws in which we demonstrated that we could cooperate and when the house was raised we entered an electoral period and that is why I can speak freely. Now.
“I said that before we went into lockdown we needed the army, and I said we needed masks, and I said we needed much stricter controls on what was happening in the quarantine areas.”
When Tame asked him again about the timing of his criticism, Peters held back.
“Don’t try to be a Philadelphia attorney with me. I’ve been working for a long time. I spoke where it mattered.”
He says that staying at current alert levels until September 16 is “the cabinet’s decision and that is a majority decision.”
“So it’s not about whether I support him or not. It’s important that we move forward with a team effort.”
Peters says that “when you are winning”, as New Zealand did in the fight against coronavirus, is when you have to be “very careful.”
“I think, to be honest with the people of this country and sadly, we let our guard down.”
Labor leader Jacinda Ardern was asked about Peters’ comments on Wednesday and said it is “a disservice” to say that New Zealand has not performed well in the fight against Covid-19.
“I think we have to take into account, relative to other countries, how well New Zealanders have done and the results that have been generated.”
Peters then declined to answer any other questions posed by Q + A this morning.
