The NZ media were ‘In like Flynn’ attacking the US Ambassador for ‘refusing’ self-isolation at the border on his return home from his recent US trip. Stuff headline: “Scott Brown dodges managed isolation“.
Massive shortfalls in border testing, revealed by trusty Newshub journalists (note, never TVNZ) have gone largely ignored by the MSM with US Ambassador, Scott Brown taking a hammering by NZ media on Friday for self-isolating following a US trip where he tested negative before returning.
Turns out, Brown, who has diplomatic immunity, had every step of his U.S. funded return trip well planned, had consulted with officials here and will receive his two tests in New Zealand inside his well-guarded residence (surrounded by high walls)
Meanwhile, our media prefers to ignore the real news which is more cock-ups at the border which the government have successfully hidden until now.
Further border testing revelations indicate Mr Brown (and his wife) have more chance of getting the two tests self-isolated in his ambassadorial residence than in our mismanaged isolation facilities.
Newshub reports of the just over 7200 who came back between August 1 – 20th, 7043 or (97.5%) have received at least one test, but only 5055 have received both,
While 179 people have not been tested at all! Unbelievable! And Chris Hipkins is invisible the following day, along with Bloomfield.
Chris Hipkins said on Wednesday, testing was not mandatory for everyone on day 3, and young children were not tested on Day 3. Despite the public being advised to the contrary on several occasions by the PM.
Now we find 2,145 people only received one test during managed isolation during that 3-week period.
This comes after National’s Dr Shane Reti questioned Chris Hipkins in the House on Wednesday on government inefficiencies around day 3 testing. Hipkins maintains day 12 testing is most important and they are not so worried about forcing Day 3 testing, (or any testing for some it seems).
Then Reti did an impressive speech during the Debate focusing on this aspect of their regime. One point he made is that those found positive in Day 3 can be removed to quarantine, thus not infecting other returnees.
General Debate – Video 6 from New Zealand Parliament on Vimeo.
To prove his point, on Thursday the one positive test in managed isolation was from Day 3, and of the 7 positive tests on Friday, 3 were on Day 3.
No sign of Ardern, Bloomfield or Hipkins at Friday’s briefing. And no questions from reporters of Robertson and MoH official on Newshub’s findings. If this were a National government, Key or English (or the Health Minister) would have been there to take the medicine. If not all hell would break loose from the media.
With numbers from the Mt Roskill church cluster growing (and no source of either cluster infection in sight). Ardern, still pushing the immaculate infection line, seems unfazed about returning to level 2 on Monday. She is throwing caution to the wind and with political expediency in front of mind, she is going for the publicly popular choice.
With the support of a mainly compliant media, it has become an accepted fact that Ardern does not front for the bad stuff and the media does not pursue this. Apparently, she is untouchable and will continue to have massive support despite growing revelations of her government’s increasing mismanagement of the border and testing and few successes from her first term in power.
Really?
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