National MP Hamish Walker says it's "absolutely disgraceful" communities in the south haven't been consulted about border facilities yet. Photo / Mark Mitchell
National MP Hamish Walker says it's "absolutely disgraceful" communities in the south haven't been consulted about border facilities yet. Photo / Mark Mitchell
A National MP has been slammed for penning a "racist" statement singling out quarantining Kiwis returning from India, Pakistan and Korea.
The Government this afternoon said it was investigating whether hotels in Queenstown and Dunedin were feasible as managed isolation and quarantine facilities.
In response, MP for Clutha-Southland Hamish Walker issued a press release saying it was "absolutely disgraceful" communities hadn't been consulted.
"These people are possibly heading for Dunedin, Invercargill and Queenstown from India, Pakistan and Korea.
"I've already had many calls, texts and emails from residents who do not want people in quarantine in Queenstown."
Minister in charge of border facilities, Megan Woods, said to single out India, Pakistan and Korea was racist - especially because "by and large" the highest number of returning Kiwis came from Australia.
"It's disgraceful and it's reprehensible. I think he's trying to stir up a sentiment that I don't think has any place in New Zealand."
Cabinet Minister Megan Woods has slammed Hamish Walker's statement on quarantines as "racist". Photo / Mark Mitchell
Woods said she would travel to the south next week with head of operations, Air Commodore Darryn Webb, to visit hotels. None will be stood up until after the school holidays.
The team managing the border facilities had received calls from hotels in Queenstown asking to be considered because if selected, they get a 100 per cent occupancy rate, Woods said.
Woods said if Walker was singling out countries with high Covid-19 rates, he should have also included the United Kingdom and United States.
Walker said calling him racist was Labour's "default tactic when they are unable to defend their blatant failures. It's not about race."
He told the Herald he had information Kiwis coming from India, Pakistan and Korea had higher infection results.
"It's about the countries these Kiwis are coming from. My source was told people are coming from only these three countries.
"This is about the live cases in New Zealand and what countries they come from. What countries are the current live cases in New Zealand coming from? The Minister needs to answer this.
"It's disappointing the minister doesn't know where the majority of our live cases in New Zealand are coming from."
Walker said Woods should "come clean" and tell the people of Southland and Otago how many of the current Covid-19 cases originate from Asia.
"My focus is on keeping New Zealanders safe. The Minister is not going to justify her failure to keep New Zealanders safe by attacking me for identifying where those risks are coming from.
"She should come clean about those risks and tell us what she is doing about it."
He declined to say where he got this information.
"I'm not going to reveal my source," he said.
Woods said Walker's claim 11,000 people arriving in the south was "ridiculous" as only 6000 were in managed facilities. Woods said she'd like to know where he got those details from.
Walker also said "I know for a fact" there wasn't enough personal protective equipment (PPE) in Queenstown to many a quarantine and the Government needed to reassure the community there were proper safety protocols in safe.
"The other question is who is paying for these people to be quarantined here? Talking to members of the community this was the first question raised."
Woods said the Government provided PPE and she could guarantee no facility was stood up until they were certain all protocol and practices were in place.
