Today’s traffic chaos at the checkpoints between Auckland and Waikato shows the Government has not done a good enough job of communicating travel restrictions to the public, Hunua MP Andrew Bayly says.

“I have been contacted by large numbers people who have expressed frustration at what they say is inconsistency around who can and cannot cross the border into Auckland.

“This has serious implications. I have heard from an Auckland emergency services worker who took four hours to get to work today, hindering this essential service.

“The problem many are facing is they have been told the exemptions they had to work under Alert Level 4 are now invalid. Making people and businesses reapply for fresh exemptions at such short notice has caused a lot of stress and frustration.

“I am aware of numerous businesses who have exemptions to operate under Level 3 but cannot get staff into Auckland. The Government needs to do whatever it can to support jobs right now with the second lockdown thought to be costing the wider economy about $400 million a week.

“The Police are doing what they can to manage the situation but it is clear that the Government has not done a good enough job of handling this process.”