National leader Judith Collins says Aucklanders shouldn’t be “forced to wait” until Friday to find out about vaccination targets.
Her comments come as Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced that a long term plan would be announced on Friday, with vaccination targets for Auckland, and New Zealand, to meet in order for restrictions to be eased.
Ardern also revealed Aucklanders would remain in Level 3 for a further two weeks, and there would be a separate announcement Wednesday on when schools could reopen.
Collins said the announcement provided Aucklanders with “no hope”.
“It makes no sense to keep the hundreds of thousands of Aucklanders who are now fully vaccinated at home," said Collins.
“Likewise, the South Island remains at Level 2 despite having no Covid cases for nearly a year. There was some rationale for this when only around 20 per cent of South Islanders were fully vaccinated. But, two months on from the initial restrictions, many part of the South Island have high rates of vaccination that should allow for an easing of restrictions.
“The Labour Government clearly has no plan, no ideas and is providing no hope for Aucklanders.”
Act leader David Seymour also weighed in.
He said Ardern needed to reveal the vaccination levels, “otherwise she is just making it up as she goes”.
“Eighty nine per cent single dose doesn’t cut it, so what does? Ardern is now saying she will announce a long-term plan on Friday, 62 days into an outbreak. She is making it up as she goes, and Aucklanders are paying the price of uncertainty.”
The PM confirmed the latest alert level setting reviews at a post-Cabinet address.
Ardern said the Government was looking closely at what had worked overseas, and would align with those countries that had managed the transition from restriction to vaccination "in the safest way possible".
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