Media Release – Te Kahika questions knee jerk lockdown reaction The Government’s knee jerk reaction to put the country in to lock down was expected, planned for and is not in New Zealand’s long term best interests. “This decision by Jacinda Ardern to lock the country down yet again shows the Government’s strategy has failed our nation,” says Mr Te Kahika. “New Zealand went to extreme measures where economic carnage was created by the Government. And for what? We have community transmission once again. “Now the Government is locking the country down just before New Zealanders get the chance to exercise their democratic right to question the direction the country is heading in. “The path Jacinda Ardern’s government is travelling on is not in New Zealand’s long term interests. We put up with extreme measures once. Twice is not acceptable. “We were aware from intelligence a month ago that work in Government agencies suggested a lockdown was planned to take place in the second week in August. “We were ridiculed as being alarmist and making it up, but what we were clearly told would happen, has now happened. “There are better ways to handle the impacts of this situation. Other nations around the World are not putting their citizen’s rights and freedoms at risk in the same way this Government is.” Mr Te Kahika says he has five simple questions that this Government needs to answer: 1) Can they provide verifiable scientific and medical information that this lockdown is justified? 2) What type of testing is being used, considering the standard PCR (POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION) test has been questioned by the United States’ CDC*? 3) How will the Government guarantee to New Zealanders that democracy and Kiwi’s rights will be protected during this lockdown? 4) What are the long tern economic consequences for the economy, for jobs, and for our citizens long term health? 5) How long has the Government planned for this second wave of lockdowns? “We ask people need to remain calm, and take immediate precautions to ensure they have survival items in their home,” says Mr Te Kahika. “But at the same time, we invite all New Zealanders to question what is happening around them. “During the first wave of lockdown the country placed a lot of trust in the Prime Minister. “That trust is now being eroded.”