“The most media savvy Prime Minister in New Zealand history must have found it hard to keep straight face when she claimed at her post-cabinet performance today that she’s not involved in media decisions,” says ACT Leader David Seymour.
“The Government staged a quiet, Friday afternoon backdown on vaccine mandates, updating the MBIE website so that unvaccinated citizens and residents can re-enter the country without isolation.
“Today when asked by media why it hadn’t been announced she claimed that not mentioning that decision as part of a media release on border re-opening last week was not something she was involved in.
“This is a Prime Minister who is addicted to the podium of truth. She will take any opportunity to do a press conference if she thinks it will be good for her. She often announces that there will be future announcements just to fuel her addiction, even if Kiwis are desperate to know what’s happening.
“There is no way that she didn’t have a say in this. The reality is, she has scared half the country senseless and she’s finding it hard to backdown – even when it’s the right thing to do.
“New Zealanders deserve to be treated like adults and given all of the information, regardless of what Jacinda thinks it will do to her personal popularity. It’s time for honest conversations, it’s time to move on from fear and control.”