National Party leader Simon Bridges and Ashley Bloomfield have come face-to-face in a tense Zoom exchange with a frustrated Bridges accusing the health boss of wanting to control the "information flow" to New Zealanders.
Bloomfield was appearing before the Epidemic Response Committee on Wednesday, following emotional testimony and tears as members of the public shared their heartbreaking stories of suffering during lockdown.
Bloomfield felt the heat from Bridges, the committee chairman, over the way he had handled the release of information during the crisis.
MPs heard from a new mother, who had given birth at during alert level 4 who was not able to have her partner with her during a "traumatic" birth.
They were also told about a family whose lasting memory of their son, after a suspected suicide, was his body being removed from their home – he was not given a funeral due to the lockdown restrictions.
Although Bloomfield did not hear all of the stories of the people who had submitted to the committee earlier on Wednesday, he expressed sympathy for their situations when he appeared before the MPs.
But during the meeting, Bridges lashed out at Bloomfield over communications from his ministry.
"Here's the point, the Government suspended the OIA [Official Information Act] and we've been waiting over two weeks for your department to answer written questions," Bridges said.
"Why don't you answer simple health questions to the one parliamentary committee on this remarkably significant issue?
"I'll be quite frank with you, I don't think it's a resourcing issue.
"I think it comes down to one simple thing. You don't want to answer because you want to control the information flow and do this in a time and a way convenient to you and the Government," Bridges said.
Bloomfield rejected Bridges' comments.
"Part of my role as a public servant, and I've been one for many years, is to ensure there is good information and right from the start of this response we've been very open and communicating very regularly with the public.
"However, if there is an issue I will personally take that up with the clerk of the committee, with what is the questions still outstanding and I will work with my team to get those responses as soon as possible.
"Communications with the public have been absolutely fundamental and I made myself available on almost a daily basis to media because I felt that was an incredibly important part of ensuring all New Zealanders knew what was going on."
The tragedy of the death, a suspected suicide, was just one case touched on by Funeral Directors of New Zealand executive director David Moger when he appeared during the committee this morning.
Moger said that the last memory the parents had of their son was him being taken away from the home, and not sending him off properly at a funeral.
Moger said more than 2000 people died during the lockdown.
And because of the level 4 and 3 restrictions, the families of those 2000 people have not been able to properly grieve.
He called on the Government to organise a national minute's silence to acknowledge those who have died in lockdown.
"We know that families need a meaningful farewell as part of that grieving process." National leader Simon Bridges agreed, and said he would support Moger's calls for the national one minute silence.
She has made formal complaints to officials – "I believe I should be compensated", she said, given she had to pay for the surgery out of her own pocket.
'She was given a box of tissues and left alone
Bjorn Reymer told the story of his wife's pregnancy under alert level 3. His wife was told she needed a scan at hospital – but he wasn't allowed to be with her during the ultrasound.
Reymer said he had to wait in the hospital's car park while she had the scan.
Inside, his wife was told that her baby had no heartbeat – and she had to deal with the trauma by herself.
Reymer said he did not understand why he could be with his wife during such a traumatic time and he was not aware of some of the rules around compassionate visitations.
He said the medical staff were not wearing PPE as they did not deem his wife a Covid-19 risk.
As he was in her bubble, Reymer does not understand why he couldn't be in the room with her.
He did not blame the hospital staff but was critical of how confusing the system was. He said he had heard from others who were in similar circumstances who had different experiences.
"The process could have been more transparent. I should have been allowed in at level 3."
But he said the follow-up from the Auckland hospital and the midwife was good and helped them to deal with the trauma.
The committee is today focusing on the health impacts of Covid-19, and will hear from experts in various parts of the health sector.
Health system 'must catch up'
Cancer Society medical director Chris Jackson earlier told the committee that the level 4 lockdown has resulted in a 30 per cent reduction in cancer diagnoses.
"The health system must now catch up… or lives will be lost."
But Jackson said if the post-lockdown health response was done right, diagnoses can "catch up" and there would be a lot fewer deaths.
He said a three-month delay in screening would result in 400 lives being lost. "We owe it to them to make sure we make those diagnoses."
He said more funding was needed for the health sector to prevent this from happening. "If we don't do… these scans, lives will be lost."
Although the wage subsidy has helped, Hospice NZ is facing significant financial difficulties – Shumacher estimates the loss in revenue, as a result of the lockdown, will be almost $20m.
"This is a real issue for us moving forward."
But she said her organisation was prepared for the pandemic.
Despite this, she said it has still been tough for staff and the people they care for during the lockdown.
These include limitations of visiting and lack of funerals and tangi.
She said that going into level 2, bereavement support is going to be "essential".
If you are worried about your or someone else's mental health, the best place to get help is your GP or local mental health provider. However, if you or someone else is in danger or endangering others, call police immediately on 111.