I don't know how many millions each day in Level 2/3/4 costs but surely assigning the small number of compassionate cases a minder would be the thing to do, rather than say "sure, you drive the length of the North Island, she'll be right".

It now sounds like this was to see someone dying rather than a funeral, it's worth noting funerals can be delayed. I have a friend who took his own life in isolation. His brother has returned from the UK and is in quarantine for 14 days, after which the funeral will take place.

@damianchristie Testing is not very accurate, we can't be sure that premature testing would have amde any differrence at all.

@HoneyBeeGeek The tests we use are very accurate in picking up positives, and you'll note I'm not saying this is the only thing that should've been done differently.

@damianchristie Is quarantine at the traveller's expense or ours?

@sairalal I’m not sure. To be honest if they’re a NZ citizen I don’t think it’s fair to charge them for the pleasure of being confined to an airport hotel to protect the rest of us.

@damianchristie But there is no reason to believe that if tested on arrival they would have been positive.

@damianchristie Yes indeed. We need reassurance that the procedures are rock solid. (Which they aren’t.) That competent people are in charge. That people released from quarantine are tracked properly. These cases roaming NZ were preventable and will set NZ back so much.

@damianchristie We did start testing all arrivals into the country from last Tuesday.

@damianchristie I'm pissed off myself, I've been in isolation due to extreme high risk since before the first levels were announced & was just contemplating leaving, not now. I do believe however that these two got slipped up in the changes between levels, which some were clamouring to get done.

@damianchristie @biggsintweets This is a huge cluster f. Make people who want to come into the country cover the cost of proper isolation and security - no exceptions and if they want compassionate release they have to cover these additional costs . Being covid free has cost us all way too much to risk it!

@damianchristie This is a needs of the few outweighing a needs of the many mistake. The 6 days they had in managed isolation is 8 days short. 2 people not being able to say goodbye to one loved one is heartbreaking, but it risks squandering an opportunity earned by the whole country’s sacrifice

@damianchristie @nickliveshere It was always going to happen, somewhere. The good thing is it was found and contained. Any process needs a combination of preventative and corrective controls. The border can't stay hermetically sealed. The idea that we'd remain COVID free forever was never realistic.

@damianchristie Maybe now you will question why Bloomsfield had to put us into the toughest lockdown too. It was because he was useless and had not developed CT to trace it, hes costed us a hell of a lot

@damianchristie Very pissed off.

@damianchristie It's not just todays news. Also:

@damianchristie @bleachley Imagine if everything was the responsibility of government!! Dear God no...never!! 😳

@damianchristie I'm also disappointed in Australia and UK these people should never have left whatever country they were infected in. There exporting cases and should be held to account.

@damianchristie Mind blowing on the level of idiocy!