Defence force Hercules takes off, Ruapehu in its most active state in roughly 15-years and borders open to Australians, all in the latest New Zealand Herald headlines. Video / NZ Herald
The Prime Minister was exposed to Covid-19 when she personally thanked police officers during the Parliament protests in February, internal emails have revealed.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern publicly distanced herself from the operational matters of police activity throughout the Parliament protest, which came to a fiery end last month after a 23-day occupation.
Emails provided to the Herald under the Official Information Act state that a group of police officers were visited by the Prime Minister in their allocated "muster" room in Parliament, while she was "doing the rounds of Police contingents to thank them for their work."
The information was provided to public health officials because five of the police officers later tested positive for Covid-19, and had been infectious on February 16 when they were visited by the Prime Minister.
The exposure was later deemed to be a "casual contact".
A police spokesperson confirmed 92 police staff involved in work relating to the protest tested positive for Covid-19 during this period, although it is not possible to determine exactly where they contracted the virus.
An email on behalf of the Covid-IMT response manager on February 20 said Ardern was in the muster room with the infectious police officers for around 15 minutes, and "the extent of her interaction with the cases is being confirmed."
He also stressed the need for "keeping an air of calm about this event, especially re the nature of the contact with the PM".
The email read that positive test results were returned on February 19 for five police staff, with a sixth awaiting PCR results after a positive RAT.
The officers were part of a contingent that had flown from Auckland to Wellington to assist with the protest on February 14.
12 Apr, 2022 09:33 PMQuick Read
12 Apr, 2022 05:00 PMQuick Read
12 Apr, 2022 06:35 PMQuick Read
12 Apr, 2022 07:01 PMQuick Read
Inquiries had indicated three of the staff were infectious prior to departing Auckland and two others had likely been infected by their colleagues.
The email also stated "the group interacted with crowds at the protest during their infectious period."
A earlier email from Regional Public Health Response manager Scott Martin said there had been no specific QR code for the room that could identify officers exposed, and there had been "initial reports of intermittent mask use".
"Mask use has since been reinforced and QR codes will be created for each room (in addition to entry to Parliament buildings)," the email read.
But he said when the Prime Minister visited, "mask use was adhered to and no case had close contact with the officials present."
An email later that afternoon from Regional Public Health said interviews with the positive cases had determined them only to be "casual contacts" with the Prime Minister.
A police spokesperson said staff associated with the protests were tested at approximately 72-hour intervals, or before returning to their usual districts.
"While a sustainable supply of RATs for all Police staff was secured, the distribution of RATs was prioritised for staff delivering priority essential work functions, major event staff and close contacts for critical workers," they said.
Throughout the 23-day occupation, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern disassociated herself from the police operation to manage protest activity.
On February 14, she said told Morning Report police "ultimately need to be able to make all of those operational decisions."
"It is absolutely for the police to determine how they manage any form of occupation or protests. And you can understand why that is a convention we will hold strongly to.
"I would hate to see in the future a situation where you have politicians seen to be instructing the police on how to manage any type of protest - and that extends to not passing judgement on operational decisions that are for them."
A spokesperson for the Prime Minister told the Herald Ardern had thanked frontline police twice during the parliamentary occupation once on February 16 and again on March 3, the day after the operation ended.
"On both occasions the purpose of the visit was to pass on her appreciation for their service and to check in with how police were holding up."
"Her comments were in line with that."
After the protest the Prime minister and Labour team bought blocks of Whittaker's chocolate as a thank you for police, but Ardern did not distribute this to them directly.
The spokesperson said thanking frontline officers for their service in no way impacts on the operational independence of Police.
"It is not uncommon for the Prime Minister, or other Members of Parliament, to thank and acknowledge frontline Police, for example she did so after the March 15 terrorist attack and post Whakaari/White Island as well."
Ardern was also deemed a close contact of a positive Covid-19 case and forced to self-isolate after an exposure event during a flight from Kerikeri to Auckland in January.
More here:
- Jacinda Ardern fury as NZ in lockdown after ONE Covid case: 'Never-ending nightmare' - Daily Express [Last Updated On: August 24th, 2021] [Originally Added On: August 24th, 2021]
- Should we be wearing masks while exercising? Jacinda Ardern, Ashley Bloomfield respond to confusion - Newshub [Last Updated On: August 24th, 2021] [Originally Added On: August 24th, 2021]
- Lockdowns or Vaccines? 3 Pacific Nations Try Diverging Paths - VOA Asia [Last Updated On: August 24th, 2021] [Originally Added On: August 24th, 2021]
- Fall of Afghanistan: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says NZ unlikely to rescue 'everyone we want to' - New Zealand Herald [Last Updated On: August 24th, 2021] [Originally Added On: August 24th, 2021]
- COVID-19: Jacinda Ardern defends pace locations of interest are released to public after Wellington Mayor criticism - Newshub [Last Updated On: August 24th, 2021] [Originally Added On: August 24th, 2021]
- Jacinda Ardern asks the Taliban to be 'nice' to women - The Spectator Australia [Last Updated On: August 24th, 2021] [Originally Added On: August 24th, 2021]
- Graham Adams: Is Jacinda Ardern the Messiah? Or just a very crafty politician? - New Zealand Herald [Last Updated On: August 24th, 2021] [Originally Added On: August 24th, 2021]
- Will Jacinda Ardern Suffer Churchills Fate Once The (Covid) War Is Over? - Forbes [Last Updated On: August 24th, 2021] [Originally Added On: August 24th, 2021]
- Covid-19: 'Prepare for the inevitability of community transmission' - Stuff.co.nz [Last Updated On: October 9th, 2021] [Originally Added On: October 9th, 2021]
- New Zealand's Jacinda Ardern admits nation can't get rid of coronavirus | TheHill - The Hill [Last Updated On: October 9th, 2021] [Originally Added On: October 9th, 2021]
- Why Jacinda Ardern giving up on eliminating COVID-19 is a political gamble for the popular PM - ABC News [Last Updated On: October 9th, 2021] [Originally Added On: October 9th, 2021]
- New Zealand increases climate aid ahead of UN summit - The Indian Express [Last Updated On: October 20th, 2021] [Originally Added On: October 20th, 2021]
- Covid 19: No change likely for Auckland, Waikato but alert levels now on borrowed time - Stuff.co.nz [Last Updated On: October 20th, 2021] [Originally Added On: October 20th, 2021]
- Anniversary of a landslide: new research reveals what really swung New Zealand's 2020 'COVID election' - The Conversation AU [Last Updated On: October 20th, 2021] [Originally Added On: October 20th, 2021]
- Covid 19 Delta outbreak: Scathing feedback from experts on Jacinda Ardern's traffic light system to replace alert levels - New Zealand Herald [Last Updated On: October 20th, 2021] [Originally Added On: October 20th, 2021]
- Why Jacinda Arderns clumsy leadership response to Delta could still be the right approach - The Conversation AU [Last Updated On: October 20th, 2021] [Originally Added On: October 20th, 2021]
- Everyday activities won't be available to the unvaccinated - Jacinda Ardern - RNZ [Last Updated On: October 20th, 2021] [Originally Added On: October 20th, 2021]
- When will Aucklanders turn on Jacinda Ardern? - MacroBusiness [Last Updated On: October 20th, 2021] [Originally Added On: October 20th, 2021]
- Time for the National Party to embrace kindness - Stuff.co.nz [Last Updated On: November 29th, 2021] [Originally Added On: November 29th, 2021]
- Leadership in the time of Covid is a thankless job, in politics and in sport - Stuff.co.nz [Last Updated On: November 29th, 2021] [Originally Added On: November 29th, 2021]
- New Zealand PM Ardern backs Five Eyes, open to other alliances - Reuters [Last Updated On: November 29th, 2021] [Originally Added On: November 29th, 2021]
- PM Jacinda Ardern: 'Throughout this pandemic one of the hardest things to do has been to plan' - RNZ [Last Updated On: November 29th, 2021] [Originally Added On: November 29th, 2021]
- Covid 19 Delta outbreak: PM Jacinda Ardern on Covid, visit to Auckland, and National Party turmoil - New Zealand Herald [Last Updated On: November 29th, 2021] [Originally Added On: November 29th, 2021]
- COVID-19: No reason to cancel Christmas over Omicron variant - Jacinda Ardern - Newshub [Last Updated On: November 29th, 2021] [Originally Added On: November 29th, 2021]
- It's Dangerous to Allow Politicians and Officials to Decide What Constitutes 'Truth' - Reason [Last Updated On: January 11th, 2022] [Originally Added On: January 11th, 2022]
- Government needs to work with businesses - Otago Daily Times [Last Updated On: January 11th, 2022] [Originally Added On: January 11th, 2022]
- New Zealands successful Covid policies hid inequality the government cant ignore it this year - The Guardian [Last Updated On: January 11th, 2022] [Originally Added On: January 11th, 2022]
- Nearly halfway through the term, parties start to stake out territory - Stuff [Last Updated On: April 14th, 2022] [Originally Added On: April 14th, 2022]
- Jacinda Ardern and Christopher Luxon's letters to each other revealed - New Zealand Herald [Last Updated On: April 14th, 2022] [Originally Added On: April 14th, 2022]
- The Front Page: Why neither Louisa Wall nor Jacinda Ardern look good in departure drama - New Zealand Herald [Last Updated On: April 14th, 2022] [Originally Added On: April 14th, 2022]
- On budget day, will Labour be bold enough to seize back the cost-of-living narrative? - The Spinoff [Last Updated On: May 12th, 2022] [Originally Added On: May 12th, 2022]
- Rugs, perfume, couture: What PM and other MPs declared - New Zealand Herald [Last Updated On: May 12th, 2022] [Originally Added On: May 12th, 2022]
- Covid 19 Omicron outbreak: 9392 new Covid cases and 9 deaths, 7 in ICU - New Zealand Herald [Last Updated On: May 12th, 2022] [Originally Added On: May 12th, 2022]
- Two-tier visa system a 'kick in the guts' - RNZ [Last Updated On: May 12th, 2022] [Originally Added On: May 12th, 2022]
- PM Jacinda Ardern says soft on crime claims 'just wrong' as former detective hails NZ Police's international reputation - Newshub [Last Updated On: May 12th, 2022] [Originally Added On: May 12th, 2022]
- The Magnificent Seven: The Knight and Dames Jacinda Ardern didn't want to mess with - New Zealand Herald [Last Updated On: May 12th, 2022] [Originally Added On: May 12th, 2022]
- Taranaki man charged with threatening to kill Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern - New Zealand Herald [Last Updated On: May 12th, 2022] [Originally Added On: May 12th, 2022]
- Ardern horrified as New Zealand faces record housing crash - MacroBusiness [Last Updated On: September 8th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 8th, 2022]
- School lunches: Mum's photo of school lunch shows what some school kids are offered - New Zealand Herald [Last Updated On: September 8th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 8th, 2022]
- 7 Women To Watch At The UN General Assembly - Forbes [Last Updated On: September 8th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 8th, 2022]
- She has the power! - The Tribune India [Last Updated On: September 8th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 8th, 2022]
- Government outlines new laws to crackdown on hidden criminal wealth - Stuff [Last Updated On: September 8th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 8th, 2022]
- NZ government's Working with Survivors continues cover-up of Pike River mine disaster - WSWS [Last Updated On: September 8th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 8th, 2022]
- PM Jacinda Ardern won't confirm whether Government planning to scrap mask mandates, says they're under review - Newshub [Last Updated On: September 8th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 8th, 2022]
- New Zealand will continue to cooperate with more assertive China ... [Last Updated On: September 8th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 8th, 2022]
- Jacinda Ardern to travel to New York for UN meeting later this month - New Zealand Herald [Last Updated On: September 8th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 8th, 2022]
- Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern - Prime Minister of New Zealand - NZ Labour Party [Last Updated On: September 8th, 2022] [Originally Added On: September 8th, 2022]
- Jacinda Ardern makes final appearance as New Zealand leader - Los ... [Last Updated On: January 31st, 2023] [Originally Added On: January 31st, 2023]
- Jacinda Ardern | Biography, Facts, & Partner | Britannica [Last Updated On: January 31st, 2023] [Originally Added On: January 31st, 2023]
- Jacinda Ardern speech: New Zealand's former prime minister delivers emotional final speech to Parliament: "You can be a mother ... you can lead,... [Last Updated On: April 8th, 2023] [Originally Added On: April 8th, 2023]
- Former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will donate clothing to Te Papa - New Zealand Herald [Last Updated On: April 8th, 2023] [Originally Added On: April 8th, 2023]
- Jacinda Ardern appointed trustee of Prince William's Earthshot Prize - BBC [Last Updated On: April 8th, 2023] [Originally Added On: April 8th, 2023]
- Jacinda Ardern joins The Earthshot Prize as a Trustee - Earthshot Prize [Last Updated On: April 8th, 2023] [Originally Added On: April 8th, 2023]
- Jacinda Ardern says goodbye to parliament: how her politics of kindness fell on unkind times - The Conversation [Last Updated On: April 8th, 2023] [Originally Added On: April 8th, 2023]
- New Zealand's Jacinda Ardern takes on a new role after leaving politics this week - NPR [Last Updated On: April 8th, 2023] [Originally Added On: April 8th, 2023]
- Harry, Meghan called toxic as Jacinda Ardern joins Prince William's project - Hindustan Times [Last Updated On: April 8th, 2023] [Originally Added On: April 8th, 2023]