NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / New Zealand

Alleged 'influencer party' infuriates locked-down Aucklanders, police receive multiple complaints

NZ Herald
17 Oct, 2021 04:30 PM6 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Video posted to Instagram shows a wild party on Auckland's North Shore under alert level 3. Video / Supplied

A large house party that took place at a North Shore property on Saturday despite lockdown restrictions has "all the makings of a super spreader event", says aerosol chemist Dr Joel Rindelaub.

The University of Auckland research fellow says it only takes fleeting contact to transmit Delta.

"When you are in an indoor environment like that there is far less ventilation meaning people are going to be exchanging breath, exchanging aerosols, these are the exact types of particles that the virus will latch on to."

His comments follow footage being uploaded to social media showing at least 50 young people partying till the early hours of this morning at a rural North Shore house.

The footage - which shows partygoers drinking alcohol and gyrating with each other on a table - has been condemned by Aucklanders adhering to strict level 3 Covid-19 lockdown rules.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Rindelaub referenced a case earlier this year at an MIQ facility, when two doors open across the hallway for less than 30 seconds resulted in transmission.

"Dry humping is not a Covid-friendly activity outside your bubble. I can say that with some certainty.

"This has all the makings of a super spreader event, so we just hope there weren't any positive cases at this little shindig," Rindelaub said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The Herald understands the party took place at a large rental property in Redvale, a rural area north of Albany.

A couple who lives next door say the noise started about 7pm on Saturday, and neighbours are "livid".

"It carried on till about 4 in the morning. It was extremely, extremely upsetting and just inconsiderate," they said.

They can only see the back of the party house from where they are, but were told by another neighbour there were about 50 cars in the driveway.

Discover more

New Zealand

Auckland lawyer investigated after attending Hawke's Bay races

03 Oct 06:18 AM
Sport|rugby

'Young and dumb': Rugby star breaks silence after lockdown breach

30 Sep 12:00 AM
New Zealand|crime

Man caught crossing Auckland checkpoint with woman hiding in car

25 Sep 11:04 PM
New Zealand

Two Aucklanders arrested after fleeing to Taupō; lockdown warning as sun shines

18 Sep 03:39 AM

This is the fifth or sixth big party they've heard at this property in the past year or so, since the tenants moved in.

"From what we know it's five youngsters who rent it," they said.

"They had a big party one time when we came home from a movie, there must have been about 500 people there, and about seven police cars down the road, just out of hand."

The couple phoned both noise control and police about 12.45am but say the noise continued.

Police have confirmed receiving multiple reports about videos of the gathering which are currently being assessed.

The videos posted to Instagram, some of which have subsequently been deleted, are believed to show an apartment packed with young adults drinking, dancing and kissing as the captions acknowledged how "packed" the party was.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

It was screen recorded and has been posted widely on social media, with people furious at the lack of distancing.

One of those posting videos from the party is a social media influencer and "fitness model" with tens of thousands of followers.

Auckland mayor Phil Goff has labelled attendees "selfish people choosing to behave like idiots".

Auckland is currently under Covid-19 alert level 3, which means no indoor gatherings.

In a statement, Goff told the Herald anyone attending a party in level 3 was undermining the hard work of Aucklanders to suppress the virus and putting themselves and the wider community at risk.

"After a fantastic Super Saturday that saw record numbers of Aucklanders doing the right thing, it's a shame to see a small minority of selfish people choosing to behave like idiots.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"Parties are exactly the sorts of activities that can lead to a super spreader event.

"But this does not reflect the vast majority of Aucklanders who are continuing to follow the health rules to protect their families and community."

The footage has been condemned on social media.

"These people are reckless and are only thinking of themselves. Not thinking of their parents or grandparents," said one person on Facebook.

"Nah because Auckland hasn't had one of the strictest lockdowns just so some entitled, drunk rich people could dry hump each other."

"What a slap in the face to everyone doing their part, and those just trying to get home. I hate people."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

A police spokesperson told the Herald they have received multiple reports through the non-emergency line but would not confirm if they were investigating the reports, as it was too early to know.

"At this stage it appears they are in the 'reporting' phase of the process- as they are only just coming in to us ... which is why I suggested ... Check in with us in the coming days and we can see if we can provide an update."

It is alleged one of the guests at the party used an essential worker exemption to travel from outside of Auckland.

Meanwhile, police have also warned they will take prosecution action against organisers of two anti-lockdown protests "in the coming days".

On Saturday about 2000 people congregated at the Auckland Domain and about 1000 at Kensington Park in Whangārei. No arrests have been made at this time.

"While those in attendance generally conducted themselves in a calm manner and adhered to rules around mask wearing and distancing between smaller separate bubbles, the gathering was by its very nature a significant breach of Covid-19 alert level 3 requirements," Superintendent Shanan Gray said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"Police confirm that they will be taking prosecution action against a number of individual organisers in the coming days."

New Zealand recorded 51 cases of Covid-19 on Sunday, 47 in Auckland and four in the Waikato.

As of 9am Sunday, 28 of the cases had been linked - 18 of those were household contacts, the Ministry of Health said in its 1pm update.

Another 23 cases are unlinked, with investigations continuing to help find their source.

The four new Waikato cases include two that are known contacts of existing cases - one in Hamilton and one in Raglan. One of these people was already in managed isolation.

The Herald has contacted the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment for further comment.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save

    Share this article

Latest from New Zealand

New Zealand

Missing Phillips children's harsh winter: Fourth birthday on the run

18 Jun 03:13 AM
New Zealand

Melatonin to be available over the counter at NZ pharmacies

New Zealand

Afternoon quiz: Who wrote the epic poem Paradise Lost?

18 Jun 03:00 AM

Jono and Ben brew up a tea-fuelled adventure in Sri Lanka

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from New Zealand

Missing Phillips children's harsh winter: Fourth birthday on the run

Missing Phillips children's harsh winter: Fourth birthday on the run

18 Jun 03:13 AM

The King Country bush is cold and wet, making conditions very harsh.

Melatonin to be available over the counter at NZ pharmacies

Melatonin to be available over the counter at NZ pharmacies

Afternoon quiz: Who wrote the epic poem Paradise Lost?

Afternoon quiz: Who wrote the epic poem Paradise Lost?

18 Jun 03:00 AM
Exclusive: Top police officer approved lowering of recruits' fitness standards

Exclusive: Top police officer approved lowering of recruits' fitness standards

Help for those helping hardest-hit
sponsored

Help for those helping hardest-hit

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP