“Jacinda Ardern has tied herself in knots trying to explain in Parliament when we might move to the traffic light system,” says ACT Leader David Seymour.

“Asked three times, she could not answer the most basic question: At what level of vaccination is the traffic light system safer than the current alert level system? It’s implausible that the Prime Minister does not have a number.

“Jacinda said earlier this week ‘There is a strong view coming through from the Ministry of Health that we should consider moving to the protection framework (traffic light system) earlier because it provides greater protection for New Zealanders than we even see with the current alert level system.’

“Today in Parliament, she couldn’t say what rate of vaccination is needed to have that greater protection.

“At one point, Jacinda also said “the COVID protection framework cannot operate unless you have COVID vaccinated individuals in the community.” Every community has COVID vaccinated individuals, some have already reached 90 per cent vaccinated.

“The third time she was asked, Jacinda resorted to saying the target is 90 per cent. That’s contradictory.

“Jacinda has previously said that she won’t put a specific number on it, then it was 90 per cent, then she said that she’ll decide on 29 November.

“The inescapable conclusion is that the Prime Minister is playing for time because neither the vaccine pass, nor the laws behind it, are ready. The traffic light system is not being held up by Aucklanders’ or most regions’ vaccination rates. Once again the real problem is that the Government was not ready for Delta.”

© Scoop Media