Health Minister Chris Hipkins has poured cold water over Winston Peters' claims there was a border breach. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Health Minister Chris Hipkins has poured cold water over Winston Peters' claims there was a border breach. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Health Minister Chris Hipkins has poured cold water over Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters' claim the Covid-19 cases came from a border breach.
Hipkins said this morning there was "no evidence" to support Peters' allegations.
Peters yesterday told Australian Patricia Karvelas of Australia's ABC 24 News he had "inside information" there'd been a breach of the quarantine system.
He was pushed on who the source was and said it wasn't an official but a journalist who was usually "very, very reliable".
"It wasn't an official, I found out from somewhere else, but I think there's been a breach inside our quarantine system.
"I think, when that comes out very shortly, in a matter of maybe less than a day, we'll find out that was the case. But you don't always find out from your officials.
"You don't always find out from the experts. It's something you sort of find out by contact with other people."
But Hipkins told TVNZ's Breakfast this morning there was "no evidence to support that at the moment".
"Mr Peters was very clear his source was not a government official ... it was from the media."
Hipkins said they "simply do not have enough information" to even make an educated guess about how the cases got into New Zealand - but that was what they were working to find out.
"People talking about the border, even that's premature at this point. We simply do not have enough information to make even an educated guess where this might have come from.
"So this is a real puzzle - it is something that falls outside of all the different scenarios that were mapped out. We all just need to be a little bit patient."
Hipkins said he knew there was a lot of speculation going around so urged people to get their information from the daily 1pm briefings which was backed up by science and fact.
This afternoon at 1pm, director general of health Ashley Bloomfield will give an update on the latest numbers and actions taken by health officials.
Then at 5.30pm, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will hold another press conference to announce Cabinet's decisions on extending the alert levels and what other actions the Government was taking.
