Late, lax and lying?

The government kept telling us they went hard and early against Covid-19.

They didn’t.

That might have been excused at first when the global pandemic was in its infancy. But there’s no excuse for it continuing to be late and lax, as it is with rapid antigen tests (RATs):

The Government has admitted that the reason why their bureaucratic ‘test-to-work’ regime for close contacts doesn’t apply to every worker is because they don’t have enough rapid antigen tests, National’s Covid-19 Response spokesperson Chris Bishop says

“Answering questions in Parliament today, Chris Hipkins fessed up that the reason only ‘critical’ businesses are included in the Close Contact Exemption Scheme, rather than all businesses, is that there is a limited supply of rapid tests in the country.

“This is a stunning admission. The Government ordered its own rapid tests too late and now businesses are under pressure because the Government doesn’t have enough tests to make sure the scheme can apply to all.

“The incompetence of this Government also explains why the scheme is so tedious. Close contact critical workers have to provide an order number, two separate letters, two forms of ID, their vaccine pass, and a text message before they can get a rapid test.

And if you live in the country you also have to travel many kilometres to be able to get it.

“The scheme is bafflingly bureaucratic and could only have been designed by Labour.

“If they hadn’t dropped the ball so badly in 2021 and gotten onto ordering rapid antigen tests when it was clear from countries around the world that they’d be crucial in the next phase of the pandemic, then New Zealand would be in a much better position now.

“The Government banned rapid tests for most of 2021, and only at the tail end of the year allowed a select few companies to import them into the country. Having belatedly recognised their importance, the Government then confiscated the stocks ordered by private companies, including stocks already in the country.

“National’s position is clear – all businesses should be able to have workers who are close contacts of Covid cases return to work using rapid antigen tests.” 

It’s not up to the government to say which businesses are critical and which workers are essential – they all are:

Chambers across New Zealand have stated clearly that every business is essential, and every worker is critical to their family and their place of work.

Every employee and employer should have access to Rapid Antigen Testing and following a daily test where required be able to front up to work every day.

Without this, businesses will face closure due to staff shortages and other will face failure due to loss of revenue.

Government must understand this and respond urgently.

The combination of incompetence and control freakery by the government and the MOH are costing businesses time and money and could well result in Covid spreading faster and wider.

We would all be much safer if everyone could access as many RATs as they needed any time they needed them. That would be much easier if the government approved the tests that are available in other countries but have yet to be sanctioned here.

Incompetence and control freakery are bad enough, lying is worse:

The Taxpayers’ Union is calling on the Minister of Consumer Affairs to report companies accused of lying about the Government’s alleged confiscation of RAT tests to the Commerce Commission for breaching the Fair Trading Act with misleading or deceptive conduct.

Union spokesman Jordan Williams says, “While the Government claims it has not been stealing businesses’ rapid antigen tests, the Herald reports that companies supplying the tests are still telling customers the opposite. This is consistent with what the Taxpayers’ Union has been told about its own order.”

“Unlike for politicians, it’s illegal for companies in trade to lie or deceive under the Fair Trading Act.”

“There’s possible cartel behaviour here too. How else do you explain that all of these companies have exactly the same story?”

“Consumer Affairs Minister Kris Faafoi needs to take action. His Cabinet colleagues appear to be victim of an elaborate ploy to deceive New Zealanders. If he really believe his Government hasn’t stolen RATs, why isn’t he on the phone to the Commerce Commission demanding these companies are held to account?”

Could it be that he won’t because he doesn’t believe that its not the businesses which are the guilty party?