Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield has become complicit in the Labour Government’s attempt to cover up the theft of rapid antigen tests by the Government, says the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union.

Union spokesman Jordan Williams says, “The Director-General of Health is paid a $500,000 salary to inform the public and leave the spin to the politicians. He’s not meant to parrot the Government’s political lines, but that’s exactly what he’s done by claiming the Government is ‘consolidating’ rapid antigen tests, denying that the tests have been commandeered or stolen.”

“Everyone involved with the procurement of tests knows can see the Government’s seizure for what it is. When the Director-General of Health calls up a supplier to tell them to redirect tests that have already been ordered, that’s not a friendly suggestion – it comes with the implicit threat of government sanction.”

“At the Taxpayers’ Union, we would have tests for our employees by now had our supplier not received that fateful message from the Government. Now we’re waiting on a second order, but have been told by our supplier not to pay until they can be certain the Government won’t requisition this batch too.”

“This is thuggish Venezuelan behaviour, trampling over property rights and intervening to stop businesses from doing the right thing for their workers. Businesses will now have to go cap in hand to the Government in order to obtain tests. This might work out for a few well-connected employers, but overall it will reduce New Zealanders’ easy access to these vital tests.”

“Like many employers the Taxpayers’ Union ordered RATs back in December, taking prudent steps to ensure our staff are kept safe and at the office for as long as possible. But because the Government failed to take those prudent steps itself, it is now thieving off everyone who ordered RATs. To add insult to injury Ashley Bloomfield is claiming black is white in insisting the Government isn’t ‘stealing’ tests. He undermines his own credibility to serve his political masters. He should do better.”

“With a $70-odd billion pandemic response fund, the Government was perfectly positioned to order tests in a fair market. But it dragged the chain and is now making up its own rules to cover for its incompetence.”

“We join tens of thousands of other employers in telling the Government: ‘give us our tests back so we can do our jobs’.”

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