Act Party Leader David Seymour. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Act Party Leader David Seymour. Photo / Mark Mitchell
New Zealand may be a team of 5 million, but when it comes to tackling Covid-19, the Government should take its cue from another Kiwi team, David Seymour says.
"If you've ever watched the America's Cup sailing, when Team New Zealand decides to tack – they tack," the Act PartyLeader told The Country's Jamie Mackay.
"They say, we're reaching the layline and if we don't tack now we might miss the mark, we're going to port - and they just do it in perfect unison."
However, the Government was less cohesive in its approach, Seymour said.
"You've got old Chippy [Chris Hipkins] up the mast looking around not sure, Ashley's up on the bow saying – I don't know, if we get to 90 per cent maybe – Robbo's offering some ballast somewhere in the middle and Jacinda, I don't know what she's up to but in fairness to her – she did say that elimination has been a good strategy, so I think even she knows it's a has-been - as she's literally said it."
Elimination was not a valid option anymore, even though was successful last year, Seymour said.
"Three times we had short, sharp lockdowns and got our freedom back – this time it hasn't worked."
Seymour was also critical of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's Covid-19 roadmap, which he called "hastily rushed together" because she didn't "have an alternative".
"What the Government should have been doing is saying, look, this strategy of eradication has been pretty good to us – but what's Plan B? They don't have one and now that's why everyone's in a huge muddle."
Lockdowns were "strangling" Auckland, and Seymour felt for businesses in particular.
"It's bad enough that they've done two months already but what's really killing them is the total lack of certainty due to a lack of planning from the Government – it's disgraceful."
Seymour was equally dismissive of the Government relaxing rules around picnics and hunting.
"If you didn't laugh you'd cry".
Meanwhile, Police Commissioner Andrew Coster's handling of Bishop Brian Tamaki's anti-lockdown protest was disappointing, Seymour said.
Coster should have been tougher on Tamaki and his wife for "breaking the laws of New Zealand", Seymour said.
He even suggested police should have arrested the Tamakis in a dawn raid.
"They should have been there 5am Monday morning, saying Mr and Mrs Tamaki, time to get up, come with us please."
