The Minister of Health was missing in action for virtually all of the COVID-19 pandemic after repeatedly breaching his own guidelines by travelling unnecessarily, mountain biking when that was forbidden, and moving house and his office at the exact time he was requiring people to stay home and work from home.

After returning to Wellington, Dr Clark was the Minister in charge when the Ministry of Health breached its own protocols to allow two women to travel the length of the North Island without being properly tested. This breach saw the virus re-enter New Zealand. He accepted no responsibility for that. The fact that the military has now been called in to secure our borders is testament to his failure, and he should now go.