Earlier this week the Prime Minister announced that Auckland would remain under Alert Level 4 restrictions for another two weeks, as the outbreak of the Covid-19 delta variant continues to spread.
Having already spent two weeks in lockdown I know many of you are not looking forward to an extended period stuck at home. Lockdowns bring a lot of stress, whether it be for those worrying about their businesses or jobs, parents concerned for their children’s education, or the many families dealing with Covid-19 or who are anxious they might have to.
New Zealand’s response to Covid-19 so far has been fairly good, and certainly better than most of the rest of the world, but there have been key failings in recent months that have put that success at risk.
Chief among those failings is the obvious issue with vaccination rates across the country. While it is encouraging to see vaccinations being delivered in droves since Level 4 began, many are questioning whether this lockdown could have been avoided altogether if we’d been quicker to the punch.
This is an issue that has been at the forefront of the debates going on in Parliament all year, with National pushing for a fast and effective vaccine roll-out right from the start of the year.
The Government knew how important it was to go hard and early on vaccinations just as they have on lockdowns, but the delivery has been woeful.
Throughout 2021 we have been near the bottom in the developed world when it comes to vaccination rates, and I pray no-one affected by the delta outbreak pays for it. The Government is fairly to blame for this slow vaccine roll-out meaning the Government has little choice but to continue to lock down our biggest city.
Parliament is back in action now, despite the Government attempting to suspend our Parliament for an extended period of time without setting up an the Epidemic Response Committee which was formed during the lockdown of 2020 and allowed the Opposition to hold the Government to account.
One of the cornerstones of our democracy is the ability to question those in power and hold them to account for the decisions they make. In a time of national crisis, this responsibility is paramount.
As it stands, the Government has chosen to allow questioning only at its own discretion, which is entirely at odds with the point of a democratically elected Parliament.
The reality is that while the Government and country has enjoyed early success with our Covid response, is far from perfect, and it is up to the Opposition parties in Parliament to challenge the Government, offer ideas and solutions, and ultimately ensure our nation is working best for all.
As we head into this extended lockdown period across the country, in Level 3 and 4, National will support the Government where needed, hold the Government to account where it fails, and offer solutions to problems which need fixing.
My staff and I continue to work remotely. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us if we can assist with anything. You can contact us on 09 572 0000 or email us at PakurangaMP@Parliament.Govt.nz
Simeon Brown, MP for Pakuranga
