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

Covid 19 coronavirus: Councillor Daniel Newman slams testing station chaos, traffic woes

Vaimoana Tapaleao
By Vaimoana Tapaleao
Pasifika Editor·NZ Herald·
12 Aug, 2020 08:57 PM5 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

Auckland University Professor Shaun Hendy on Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive. Video / Newstalk ZB

A South Auckland councillor has slammed the traffic chaos at testing stations around the city - particularly in his neighbourhood, where community transmission of the deadly disease would be worst.

Manurewa-Papakura ward councillor Daniel Newman called the heavy congestion seen at testing stations from the North Shore, West Auckland and South Auckland yesterday a "damn disgrace".

The criticism comes as there are again reports of long queues - and people being turned away - from a testing centre in Auckland's Eden Terrace this morning.

Adding to the traffic buildup in Eden Terrace, trucks from a nearby construction site are trying to squeeze past the rows of waiting vehicles.
Adding to the traffic buildup in Eden Terrace, trucks from a nearby construction site are trying to squeeze past the rows of waiting vehicles.

Those who arrived at the Eden Terrace testing centre in New North Rd mere minutes after the 8am opening were turned away due to the already long queues.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

More than 80 cars were lined up in both directions, waiting to turn into a side street for their tests.

Adding to the traffic buildup, trucks from a nearby construction site are trying to squeeze past the rows of waiting vehicles.

By 8.30am, no more walk-ins were being accepted at the site and only about 40 people already waiting in line would be tested, reported Newstalk ZB's Khalia Strong.

Yesterday there were reports of a woman and her two young children who waited seven hours at the testing post at Northcote.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Councillor: Traffic chaos around testing stations 'atrocious'

Speaking to Newstalk ZB's Kate Hawkesby this morning, Newman acknowledged that was simply not good enough and that better - and quicker access - was needed.

READ MORE:
• Covid 19 coronavirus: No roadblocks, no cops, as man escapes from Auckland
• Covid 19 coronavirus: Jacinda Ardern, Ashley Bloomfield announce four more 'probables' linked to yesterday's community cases
• New Covid 19 coronavirus outbreak: Expert says 'five to six dozen' cases likely in community
• Covid 19 coronavirus: 'We need all hands on deck': Pasifika communities warned to prepare for Covid outbreak

"South Auckland is the worst place to have community transmission of Covid-19 and what we saw at Wiri yesterday and at other community testing stations around Auckland was a damn disgrace.

Traffic chaos on the streets around the Covid-19 Testing Station on College Road in Northcote, Auckland, as hundreds of people seek to be tested yesterday. Photo / Brett Phibbs
Traffic chaos on the streets around the Covid-19 Testing Station on College Road in Northcote, Auckland, as hundreds of people seek to be tested yesterday. Photo / Brett Phibbs

"My constituents need to have ready access to a test. They couldn't get that. The traffic chaos around the testing stations was atrocious and this can't be allowed to continue."

Discover more

New Zealand|politics

Analysis | If NZ can shop online we can vote online too

12 Aug 08:56 PM
Lifestyle

'Stop spreading utter crap': Kiwi influencer slammed for Covid rant

13 Aug 12:30 AM
New Zealand

Watch: Auckland Mayor Phil Goff on lockdown extension: 'Do not panic buy'

14 Aug 06:43 AM

His call comes after four people from a family in South Auckland tested positive for Covid-19; resulting in Auckland being put into alert level 3 lockdown and the rest of the country at level 2 at lunch time yesterday.

South Auckland is home to the country's largest Pasifika population and public health authorities and Pasifika leaders have put out a strong call to the community to get tested.

TO READ THE HERALD'S FULL CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE CLICK HERE

However, right now, the official advice is that people who are only showing Covid-19 or flu-like symptoms should get tested.

Newman said symptomatic or not, anyone - particularly in South Auckland right now - should be able to get tested quickly and readily.

"My constituents need to access to a test and the criteria needs to accommodate them whether they are symptomatic or whether they are asymptomatic because we have to track down Covid-19 before this community transmission really takes off."

Heavy congestio at the Covid-19 testing station at the corner of Edsel St and Catherine St in Henderson, West Auckland, yesterday. Photo / Alex Burton
Heavy congestio at the Covid-19 testing station at the corner of Edsel St and Catherine St in Henderson, West Auckland, yesterday. Photo / Alex Burton

He said he had discussed this very point with Auckland mayor Phil Goff some weeks back.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"His advocacy to the Government was actually - what we need to do in places like South Auckland is to expand the criteria so that everyone can get tested if they consider that they need it, if they want it.

"Because you could argue that before you had Covid-19 and that you were symptomatic, there was a period when you're asymptomatic but you're still at risk of transmitting it to other people."

Newman said to turn away people who are asymptomatic but could be at risk was a real "blind spot" that needed to be fixed.

"Anybody that wants a test should be able to get it. They shouldn't be turned away and obviously we need to have an orderly process of testing them," he said.

Anyone who was unsure should call their local doctor or Healthline on 0800 611 116.

Community testing centre locations:

• Northcote Community Testing Centre
• Eden Terrace Community Testing Centre
• Whanau House, Waipareira Trust, Henderson
• Whānau Ora Medical Clinic, Wiri

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Community testing centre pop-up locations:

• Coast to Coast Wellsford Medical Centre
• Coast to Coast Warkworth
• Eventfinda Stadium/North Shore Events Centre
• White Cross St Lukes Accident and Medical
• Health New Lynn
• Botany Road Community Testing Centre
• Takanini Urgent Care
• Ōtara Community Testing Centre
• Waiheke Medical Centre

Urgent care clinic locations:

• Shorecare Smales Farm
• Shorecare Northcross
• White Cross Henderson
• White Cross New Lynn
• East Tamaki Healthcare (ETHC) - Glen Innes
• White Cross Urgent Care & GP - Ascot 24/7
• White Cross Urgent Care & GP - Lunn Ave
• White Cross Accident & Urgent Medical - Ōtāhuhu
• Mt Roskill Medical & Surgical Centre
• White Cross Accident & Urgent Medical - St Lukes
• White Cross Accident & Urgent Medical - Ponsonby
• East Care, Golflands
• Local Doctors Dawson, Flat Bush
• East Tamaki Healthcare Māngere Town Centre
• Local Doctors Weymouth
• Local Doctors Ōtara
• Takanini Urgent Care
• Counties Urgent Care, Papakura
• Urgent Care Franklin

Covid-19 in NZ — 18th December
Active cases
Confirmed & Probable
51
⬆︎8
All active cases are imported
2110
⬆︎10
Total cases
0
In Hospital
0
In ICU
2034
⬆︎2
Recovered
25
Deaths
427
⬆︎10
Border cases
Daily cases020406080
Last updated: Fri 18th December at 12:17 am
Go here to see all our Covid-19 data
Save

    Share this article

Latest from New Zealand

New ZealandUpdated

Missing teen found safe and well after vanishing from Auckland mall six days ago

29 Jun 10:47 PM
New Zealand

'Really good thing': PM backs 110km/h speed limit for Pūhoi motorway

29 Jun 10:34 PM
New Zealand

Last paper machine shuts at Kinleith, 150 jobs lost in major transition

29 Jun 10:09 PM

Engage and explore one of the most remote places on Earth in comfort and style

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Recommended for you
'Really good thing': PM backs 110km/h speed limit for Pūhoi motorway
New Zealand

'Really good thing': PM backs 110km/h speed limit for Pūhoi motorway

29 Jun 10:34 PM
British doctor sells sick notes online for holidays, pet care
World

British doctor sells sick notes online for holidays, pet care

29 Jun 10:25 PM
Missing teen found safe and well after vanishing from Auckland mall six days ago
New Zealand

Missing teen found safe and well after vanishing from Auckland mall six days ago

29 Jun 10:20 PM
Last paper machine shuts at Kinleith, 150 jobs lost in major transition
New Zealand

Last paper machine shuts at Kinleith, 150 jobs lost in major transition

29 Jun 10:09 PM
Cyclist hospitalised after car crash at busy Tauranga roundabout
Bay of Plenty Times

Cyclist hospitalised after car crash at busy Tauranga roundabout

29 Jun 10:05 PM

Latest from New Zealand

'Really good thing': PM backs 110km/h speed limit for Pūhoi motorway

'Really good thing': PM backs 110km/h speed limit for Pūhoi motorway

29 Jun 10:34 PM

More than 7900 submissions supported the new speed limit, with 94% in favour.

Missing teen found safe and well after vanishing from Auckland mall six days ago

Missing teen found safe and well after vanishing from Auckland mall six days ago

29 Jun 10:20 PM
Last paper machine shuts at Kinleith, 150 jobs lost in major transition

Last paper machine shuts at Kinleith, 150 jobs lost in major transition

29 Jun 10:09 PM
‘Causing incalculable harm’: Why experts say NZ must recognise femicide as a national crisis

‘Causing incalculable harm’: Why experts say NZ must recognise femicide as a national crisis

29 Jun 09:33 PM
There’s more to Hawai‘i than beaches and buffets – here’s how to see it differently
sponsored

There’s more to Hawai‘i than beaches and buffets – here’s how to see it differently

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
search by queryly Advanced Search