On Wednesday, Jacinda Ardern ditched her travelling contingent of media for a more personal visit with those helping the worst affected by this 110-day lockdown, The Spinoff reveals. An ongoing criticism of the government’s Covid response has been the slow vaccine rollout in South Auckland, and the apparent reluctance of Ministry of Health officials to trust local organisations. When asked why, of all the places she could visit, she’s chosen a converted state house that runs a food bank and social service in Manurewa, Ardern says nothing beats seeing those “working on the ground” in person.

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