“News of a likely infectious Australian traveller in Wellington over the weekend will test the Government’s COVID Response,” says ACT Leader David Seymour.

“The traveller was here over the weekend and the infection was detected in Australia, now the clock is ticking on the New Zealand Government’s response.

“Wellingtonians who have been at those locations have also been in circulation, someone who was exposed on the weekend will be infectious now. Any of 400,000 people could be infectious but nobody knows who they are.

“Was the traveller using the COVID-19 Tracer App? If they were, why has the Government not released the list of locations to which they travelled over the weekend? It should be digital and instantaneous.

“Will the Government roll out mass rapid testing, using saliva testing that was approved months ago? Where is the delivery on that contract?

“The next 48 hours will be critical, we will either be lucky, locked down, or able to say the Government’s response has actually improved. Wellingtonians and all New Zealanders will be desperately hoping for the latter.

“ACT has been saying for nearly a year now, we need a much more sophisticated, tech-enabled response to COVID, the effectiveness of its testing and tracing will show if it has listened.”

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