All Access. All in one subscription. From $2 per week
Subscribe now

All Access Weekly

From $2 per week
Pay just
$15.75
$2
per week ongoing
Subscribe now
BEST VALUE

All Access Annual

Pay just
$449
$49
per year ongoing
Subscribe now
Learn more
30
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 Delta outbreak: National predicts 'summer of chaos' in traffic light, Auckland border system

John Weekes
By John Weekes
Senior Business Reporter·NZ Herald·
17 Nov, 2021 02:02 AM2 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

The Delta variant explained
The Delta variant is a highly contagious Sars-CoV-2 virus strain. Video / Paul Slater ...
Video Player is loading.
Current Time 0:00
/
Duration 0:00
Loaded: 0%
0:00
Stream Type LIVE
Remaining Time -0:00
 
1x
    • Chapters
    • descriptions off, selected
    • captions settings, opens captions settings dialog
    • captions off, selected

      This is a modal window.

      Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.

      Text
      Text Background
      Caption Area Background
      Font Size
      Text Edge Style
      Font Family

      End of dialog window.

      This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button.

      Autoplay in
      4
      Disable Autoplay
      Cancel Video
      The Delta variant is a highly contagious Sars-CoV-2 virus strain. Video / Paul Slater
      NOW PLAYING • The Delta variant explained
      The Delta variant is a highly contagious Sars-CoV-2 virus strain. Video / Paul Slater ...

      The National Party has accused the Government of contriving a "summer of chaos" with today's Auckland boundary and traffic light announcement.

      National leader Judith Collins pooh-poohed the proposed traffic light announcement, which Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said would follow a November 29 Cabinet meeting.

      National Party leader Judith Collins says the latest version of the Government's pandemic response is incoherent and will trigger chaos. Photo / Mark Mitchell
      National Party leader Judith Collins says the latest version of the Government's pandemic response is incoherent and will trigger chaos. Photo / Mark Mitchell

      "This is an announcement that in two weeks' time there will be an announcement on what the Cabinet will decide."

      Collins said Aucklanders were chafing under current lockdown restrictions and wanted clearer public health advice.

      All Access. All in one subscription. From $2 per week
      Subscribe now

      All Access Weekly

      From $2 per week
      Pay just
      $15.75
      $2
      per week ongoing
      Subscribe now
      BEST VALUE

      All Access Annual

      Pay just
      $449
      $49
      per year ongoing
      Subscribe now
      Learn more
      30
      Advertisement
      Advertise with NZME.
      Advertisement
      Advertise with NZME.

      "Today's bizarre and incomprehensible 'plan' will create a summer of chaos for all New Zealanders," Collins added.

      Auckland's boundary will change 10 days before Christmas, and everyone vaccinated or returning a negative Covid-19 test result will be able to leave the city.

      All of New Zealand will usher in the next pandemic response era sooner, with the traffic light system to be activated late this month or early December.

      The three-colour system replaces the four-step alert level regime which was introduced more than 18 months ago.

      Advertisement
      Advertise with NZME.

      "Every week that goes by, Kiwis are being flooded with new, confused and contradictory messaging," Collins said this afternoon.

      She said once 85 per cent of eligible adults were double-vaccinated, or on December 1, whichever came first, regional borders must end.

      National MPs this afternoon also attacked specific aspects of the Government's pandemic response.

      Defence spokesman Chris Penk called for an overhaul to MIQ and the "endless and thankless" tasks Defence Force staff were assigned to in isolation hotels.

      Discover more

      New Zealand|politics

      Claire Trevett: Simon Bridges' road back to National leadership hits pothole

      17 Nov 04:00 PM
      Construction

      500 evacuated from Auckland high rise after water main bursts

      17 Nov 08:20 PM

      "It's bad enough that qualified personnel are understood to be leaving in droves, largely due to endless and thankless duties watching hotel doors."

      National's Covid-19 response spokesman Chris Bishop said the Government had dithered this year and had relied too heavily on an outmoded plan.

      "It's now clear that the Government assumed elimination would work in 2021 but had no backup plan in case it failed," he said this afternoon.

      "New Zealand started 2021 in a good position, but the opportunities provided by New Zealanders' hard work in 2020 have been squandered."

      Covid
      Save

        Share this article

      Latest from New Zealand

      New Zealand

      Kea Kids News: It’s a town filled with wild horses!

      New Zealand|crime

      'I will forever hate you': Victims' torment after 'friend' sexually abused them as boys

      15 Jun 08:00 AM
      Crime

      Coconuts and meth: The story behind NZ's largest pseudoephedrine prosecution

      15 Jun 06:00 AM

      The woman behind NZ’s first PAK’nSAVE

      sponsored
      Advertisement
      Advertise with NZME.
      Recommended for you
      How one volunteer makes people feel seen
      Sponsored Stories

      How one volunteer makes people feel seen

      15 Jun 12:00 PM
      UK boosts fighter jet presence in Middle East amid Israel-Iran tensions
      World

      UK boosts fighter jet presence in Middle East amid Israel-Iran tensions

      15 Jun 09:31 AM
      'Crossed a new red line': Iran condemns Israeli nuclear site attacks
      World

      'Crossed a new red line': Iran condemns Israeli nuclear site attacks

      15 Jun 08:34 AM
      'I will forever hate you': Victims' torment after 'friend' sexually abused them as boys
      New Zealand

      'I will forever hate you': Victims' torment after 'friend' sexually abused them as boys

      15 Jun 08:00 AM
      Disney Insider: A go to guide to the ultimate Disneyland holiday
      Travel

      Disney Insider: A go to guide to the ultimate Disneyland holiday

      15 Jun 07:00 AM

      Latest from New Zealand

      Kea Kids News: It’s a town filled with wild horses!

      Kea Kids News: It’s a town filled with wild horses!

      Reporter Martha and friends are in Minginui introducing us to their favourite four-legged neighbours, wild but friendly horses that have had free reign of the place since 1870.

      'I will forever hate you': Victims' torment after 'friend' sexually abused them as boys

      'I will forever hate you': Victims' torment after 'friend' sexually abused them as boys

      15 Jun 08:00 AM
      Coconuts and meth: The story behind NZ's largest pseudoephedrine prosecution

      Coconuts and meth: The story behind NZ's largest pseudoephedrine prosecution

      15 Jun 06:00 AM
      Police seek witnesses to Rotorua hit-and-run

      Police seek witnesses to Rotorua hit-and-run

      15 Jun 04:24 AM
      How one volunteer makes people feel seen
      sponsored

      How one volunteer makes people feel seen

      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
      All Access. All in one subscription. From $2 per week
      Subscribe now

      All Access Weekly

      From $2 per week
      Pay just
      $15.75
      $2
      per week ongoing
      Subscribe now
      BEST VALUE

      All Access Annual

      Pay just
      $449
      $49
      per year ongoing
      Subscribe now
      Learn more
      30
      TOP
      search by queryly Advanced Search