1. Question No. 1—Prime MinisterTODD MULLER (Leader of the Opposition) to the Prime MinisterORAL QUESTIONSQUESTIONS TO MINISTERSQuestion No. 1—Prime Minister1. TODD MULLER (Leader of the Opposition) to the Prime Minister: Does she stand by her statement we had an expectation that testing was happening in day 3 and day 12 at the moment we went into alert level 1"; if so on what factual basis was that expectation formed?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN (Prime Minister): At the beginning of June my office sought to confirm the testing that was taking place at alert level 1 including high-risk areas. On 5 June the Ministry of Health emailed a response stating "Testing of people entering New Zealand will commence in the week of 8 June 2020. These people will be tested at day three and day 12 of their stay in the managed isolation facilities. Approximately 3000 tests will be undertaken of these people including those who are already in the facility." On 8 June the same advice was provided to Cabinet in an update from the Ministry of Health. On 9 June the Ministry of Health released a press release which stated "From today everyone in managed isolation will be tested twice for COVID-19 and will require a negative test before they leave. Those in quarantine were already being tested as they had shown prior symptoms."Todd Muller: Did her Government have the authority to require someone to have a COVID test in quarantine or managed isolation when the policy was announced on 8 June?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Yes. Todd Muller: Why then has testing been voluntary between 8 June and the issuing of a new public health order yesterday?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: As I've made very clear the instruction of the Director-General of Health was not being correctly deployed at the assisted isolation facilities.Todd Muller: When did the Prime Minister get informed that despite her expectations of mandatory testing in quarantine and self-isolation from 8 June that in fact was not happening?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: The member will be aware—as the rest of New Zealand is aware—that that happened last week at the time of the case being identified of the compassionate leave being granted without testing being deployed. So whilst I don't want to give a precise figure it was roughly sometime thereafter in the last seven days but as the member can see from the reassurances we were being given directly by the Ministry of Health and also the public statements being made by the Ministry of Health up until that point it was certainly our view that people were being tested twice and being tested before departure.Todd Muller: Why then has testing been voluntary between 8 June and the announcement of the public health order yesterday?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: The clear point is that it shouldn't have been. The order was an enabler and enabled testing to take place. The clear view of—SPEAKER: Order! Order! I think all of us know that this is important and I want to be able to hear the response.Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: And as I've clearly stated there's multiple points at which the Ministry of Health itself was issuing statements claiming that was what was happening in managed isolation facilities. So clearly what was meant to be happening wasn't and that is something that we've been very open about and have worked decisively to correct.Hon Dr Megan Woods: Is it the Prime Minister's understanding that nobody has left a managed isolation facility since this weekend despite the health order not coming into play until yesterday?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: That's exactly correct. The point that the Minister is making there is that the order clearly always created the environment where that mandatory testing could take place. It wasn't happening; that has nothing to do with the order. It was very clear from the director-general two tests were meant to be taking place and certainly one before exit.Todd Muller: Why did a person in managed isolation on 18 June receive a Ministry of Health form saying that they had the right to refuse a COVID test with a stapled overlay saying that testing was now compulsory?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: And it always was.Hon Chris Hipkins: Does the Prime Minister believe that devolving the management of quarantine arrangements to individual tertiary education providers as advocated by the Opposition would increase or decrease the risk of non-compliance with quarantine measures? Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Increase. In fact I have heard countless members including the Leader of the Opposition talk about opening up the borders. I absolutely stand by the position of this Government that the border is an area that we must be absolutely cautious around. That has not been the position of the Opposition. Todd Muller: Could the Prime Minister please explain how it is possible to announce alert level 1 saying testing now will be occurring in day three and day 12 yet emails from the Ministry of Health on 19 June state "consent is required before a test is taken"? Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: That is not what the order states so that is incorrect. Todd Muller: Sorry I'd just ask the Prime Minister again: is she disputing the Ministry of Health email on 19 June stating—and I quote—"consent is required before a test is taken"? Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: The order at that time: "I require all persons arriving in New Zealand to report and submit themselves as soon as practical after their arrival for testing and for medical examination." Todd Muller: To the Prime Minister: are you disputing—are you disputing—SPEAKER: Order! Todd Muller: Sorry—sorry. Hon Chris Hipkins: New member. Todd Muller: New member—yes. SPEAKER: Order! Todd Muller: At least three off. SPEAKER: Mr Hipkins. Hon Gerry Brownlee: Oh we'll take five. [Todd Muller points downwards]Todd Muller: To the Prime Minister—[Interruption] SPEAKER: Right—no no the member will sit down. The people on my right will just—I'm trying to think of an appropriate set of words—behave themselves. Todd Muller: Thank you Mr Speaker. Can I repeat the question to the Prime Minister: is she disputing that I have an email from the Ministry of Health from 19 June stating—and I quote—"consent is required before a test is taken"? Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Again I point to the language of the order. I point to the three different times at which the director-general and the Ministry of Health have said that everyone would require a negative test before they were able to leave. Though the wider point that I also wish to make: there are two countries in the world—in the world—comparable to New Zealand that are requiring this form of quarantine. We are one of the few in the world that I can find that are also requiring compulsion of testing. I stand by the stringency of our border measures. I see the member has only recently decided that the border matters. Rt Hon Winston Peters: Could I ask the Prime Minister: has the 18 June document with the stapled-over portion that Mr Muller referred to or for that matter the 19 June document been referred to her or the Minister of Health or are we expected to believe these allegations without any evidence whatsoever? Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Oh there was evidence last week that members on that side of the House were not prioritising the public health of New Zealanders but rather politics. Todd Muller: Does she really believe the country can take her seriously when she says that at the core of her view is a strident border when the Prime Minister announces on 8 June there is mandatory testing but has to wait until yesterday to formally confirm it for the country? Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: That is factually incorrect. Todd Muller: Does she or her Minister of Health have any idea of what is going on in the quarantine facilities and managed isolation facilities of this country when you have a clear view that it is mandatory but for two weeks it has been voluntary?SPEAKER: No no—there actually wasn't a properly authenticated question in that. Rt Hon Winston Peters: Could I ask the Prime Minister: has she or her colleagues or the Minister of Health prepared the protocols and requirements for safeguarding the health of New Zealand's population should we open the border with China as recommended by the National Party? Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: The member is right to point out that the Opposition repeatedly not only urged us to rush towards level 1; they repeatedly urged us to open up the border. We have consistently resisted that in favour of ensuring that New Zealanders' safety is the number one priority—that we treat the border with absolute caution. We have some of the most stringent restrictions in the world. There is no playbook for this pandemic but I stand by the restrictions that we have in place to keep New Zealanders safe. Hon Gerry Brownlee: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. What was out of order with the question that the Leader of the Opposition asked and the Prime Minister was not required to answer? SPEAKER: I won't go through the list but there were I think at least two assertions in the question which were not supported. Hon Gerry Brownlee: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Why then is it appropriate for you to accept an answer to a question from the Deputy Prime Minister to the Prime Minister in which there is a totally untrue assertion made? SPEAKER: Order! I did not accept an answer at all. It was an answer to the House."