Thirteen days ago both Grant Robertson and Dr Ashley Bloomfield stood at the ‘Podium of Truth’ and excused away the rule-breaking actions of Dr. Siouxsie Wiles and Dr. Nicola Gaston.
Bloomfield went on to say during questioning that “I don’t think that the person, that went to the water, that what they did could be described as a swim” despite admitting to not even watching the video.
I wrote to Dr. Bloomfield that afternoon:
Dr Bloomfield,
At today’s briefing you made the comment that from what Dr Wiles had told you, “I don’t think that the person, that went to the water, that what they did could be described as a swim”.
You also stated that you hadn’t seen the video.
This is the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FwWs14QBQU
Dr. Nicola Gaston is clearly swimming and even comments in the video that the water gets deep.
Do you wish to stand by your original comment in light of the video evidence?
If you wish to walk back your comment, what comment would you now have on the evidence presented?
Should Dr.Gaston be prosecuted for a clear and obvious breach of level four rules?
If not, would it change your mind that Dr. Gaston told everyone else via Twitter on Monday after her dip in the ocean to keep the rules?
Do you now feel that Ms Wiles misled you as to what has actually occurred?
Thank you for your time in responding to these important questions.
Email to Dr. Bloomfield
The only responses I got were out of office replies from the Ministry of Health media people to tell me that they were away from the office, all five of them.
So, being the persistent journalist that I am, I emailed for a response on Tuesday. Again all I have received are out of office automated replies from the media team.
It is now 13 days since I first requested some answers to my rather simple, but important questions.
In the meantime, I have OIA’d for all the communications and advice regarding the actions of Siouxsie Wiles and Nicola Gaston and communications between Wiles and Bloomfield. They can’t ignore an OIA.
Dear Ministry of Health,
1. I seek the messaging and phone records of calls and messages (txt, Signal, Whatsapp, Facebook messenger, or whatever means is used to communicate) between Dr. Ashley Bloomfield and Dr. Siouxsie Wiles between 3 September 2021 and 11 September 2021.
2. I seek any memoranda, notes, emails and phone and message records between Dr. Ashley Bloomfield and ANY Government minister or staff member, especially between him and the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister and/or their staff regarding the level four breaches of Dr.Siouxsie Wiles and Dr. Nicola Gaston.
3. I seek any internal communications regarding the same incident, including internal advice regarding the public relations implications regarding this same incident.
I have also OIA’d communications between Wiles and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.
Dear Jacinda Ardern,
Under the Official Information Act please provide documentation, emails, memoranda, transcripts of discussions, messaging including txts, Facebook messenger, Whatsapp, Signal , Snapchat or any other means of communication between Jacinda Ardern and/or any staff member and Dr. Siouxsie Wiles between 3 September 2021 and 11 September 2021.
Please also include any and all communications between Jacinda Ardern and Dr. Ashley Bloomfield regarding the same incident involving Dr. Siuoxsie Wiles and Dr. Nicola Gaston.
While the Director-General of Health thinks he can ignore legitimate questions from media he will find that he cannot ignore the /Official Information Act.
Meanwhile, Siouxsie Wiles is back on television telling everyone to stay at home and follow the rules…rules that now have massive fines attached to them for breaching them.
She clearly has no shame, nor any self-awareness. Mind you it was on 1News, the same outlet who spiked the story in the first place. I wonder how long before Dr Gaston gets a summons from Police or a fine of $12,000 like others can expect? My pick is that she is protected by the Siouxsie Wiles shield of sanctimony.
We now await the response from the Official Information Act requests. I’d bet they pull a swifty and delay responding because that’s what these guys do these days. The clock is ticking, and now they know that everyone else also knows about the requests.
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