Podcasts Other The Mike Hosking Breakfast Stuart Nash and Mark Mitchell: Will there be a change in Alert Levels?

Stuart Nash and Mark Mitchell: Will there be a change in Alert Levels?

Published: Feb. 16, 2021, 9:28 p.m.

Cabinet is preparing for a very difficult decision today over whether to extend Auckland's lockdown.
Ministers will meet at 3pm and Jacinda Ardern is expected to make an announcement on Alert Levels at 4.30 this afternoon.
There are no new community cases beyond the original three family members in south Auckland but officials are still awaiting further test results and trying to determine the source of the cases.
Small Business Minister Stuart Nash told Mike Hosking while he'll be advocating for businesses, cabinet will take a health-based approach.
"We make an assessment based on risks, the health and wellbeing of every Kiwi comes first.
"But if there are no community cases for three days in a row then that's got to look pretty positive." 
National's Mark Mitchell represents the Auckland electorate of Whangaparāoa and hopes the city will move to Alert Level 2. 
But he told Mike Hosking he also supports a health-based approach.
"If you don't know the source and you're not confident that all close contacts have been tested and come back negative, then in my view you'd be forced to stay in Level 3."