“New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters was caught out on Mike Hosking Breakfast this morning admitting he hadn’t put a move to Level 1 on Cabinet’s agenda today,” according to ACT Leader David Seymour.

“Peters has talked about moving to Level 1 all week.

“Asked by Hosking this morning whether a move to Level 1 was to be considered by the Cabinet today, Peters said ‘I have to be honest with you, it wasn’t.’

“What’s the point in being Deputy Prime Minister if you can’t get your highest priority onto the Cabinet agenda?

“If Winston Peters feels so strongly about moving to Level 1, and Labour doesn’t agree, he should walk out of Cabinet. Of course, he won’t. He’s happy to take the baubles of office and go fishing.

“What we have is a Government of chaos, it will enforce rules until a couple of thousand people blatantly break them, then admit the rules were illogical all along.

“We must move to Level 1 today, not next week, or on 22 June. The costs being imposed on businesses that may be open, but cannot actually make money, is too great.

“The Prime Minister’s slavish adherence to a small coterie of public health experts is an abdication of her duty. 

“By pursuing eradication at any cost, she is not doing her job of weighing up the wellbeing of all New Zealanders.”