Jacinda Ardern says country has hit 90 per cent fully vaccinated and ‘bloody deserves’ a holiday, in final speech of the year – Stuff.co.nz

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the country bloody deserved a good break as she announced the country had fully vaccinated 90 per cent of the 12+ population, in her final speech of the year.

Ardern focused on the vaccination campaign in her adjournment debate speech, the final parliamentary set piece of the year.

National Party leader Christopher Luxon attacked the Governments Covid-19 response in his speech, particularly the continued use of managed isolation keeping Kiwis from coming home for Christmas.

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Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announces the country has hit 90 per cent double vaccinated.

Luxon said that while Kiwis deserved a break, National was energised and back after years of drama.

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Parliament will stay adjourned until February 8, unless forced into an emergency session by Covid-19.

Arderns 90 per cent measure is based on the Ministry of Health estimate of the 12+ population, which is lower than Statistics New Zealands estimate.

With that 90 per cent, that puts us above places like the United States, the United Kingdom and Israel places that used emergency approval and of course started their roll-outs before us, Ardern said.

We are now finishing with a rate much higher than them and we have not finished. In Tmaki Makaurau [Auckland] we are seeing some DHBs [district health boards] reach first dose rates of 97 per cent. So Mr Speaker, lets keep going.

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Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern sits down after her adjournment speech.

Only Auckland DHB has reached 97 per cent first dose, with Waitemat not far behind it at 95 per cent.

She said the strong vaccine numbers meant the country could move forward with confidence, and noted lower deaths and better economic results than many other countries.

People have been weary but Kiwis have done what it takes to put us in the best possible position to keep moving to take on whatever comes next, and I for one will never under-estimate New Zealanders so to everyone, I wish you a wonderful break. You bloody deserve it.

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National Party leader Christopher Luxon said the Government was tired.

Luxon said New Zealanders deserved a better Covid-19 response than the one delivered by the tired Government.

We handled Covid pretty well in 2020. But the fact is this year, this Government has squandered those opportunities that we have worked so hard for, Luxon said.

It has been complacent and has been incompetent. The traffic light system, frankly, has been an exercise an utter confusion. And I can tell you Aucklanders have got podium fatigue.

After 15 weeks in a short and sharp lockdown, we have had announcements of announcements and inconsistent messages and rules.

He said there would be empty chairs at Christmas dinner tables because of managed isolation keeping Kiwis out of the country.

But he said National itself was not feeling like much of a break because it was newly energised, unlike the Government, who he suggested was sharpening up their LinkedIn profiles.

The Government originally had a plan to not move the country into the traffic light system until every DHB hit 90 per cent double vaccination by itself. It is likely that some DHBs such as Northland will not do that until January if at all.

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Jacinda Ardern says country has hit 90 per cent fully vaccinated and 'bloody deserves' a holiday, in final speech of the year - Stuff.co.nz