The Green Party says the removal of pre-departure testing for arrivals into New Zealand means the Government must step up domestic measures to protect communities most at risk.

Lessons must be learned from the Government's response to the Delta outbreak, which the Ministry of Health confirmed today left Māori, Pacific, and disabled communities at greater risk.

The Green Party is calling for a Government COVID-19 Action Plan for schools, following expert advice about a possible winter COVID-19 peak.

The Green Party does not support the Government’s decision to move Aotearoa to ‘orange’, or the removal of mask rules for schools.

The Green Party is reiterating its call for stronger protection of vulnerable communities as the Government keeps the country in ‘red’.

The Green Party does not support changes to COVID protection measures and calls on the Government to act urgently to keep our most at-risk communities safe. 

The Green Party is calling on the Government to introduce stronger measures in schools and early education centres to ensure children and their whānau are not put at greater risk from a change to COVID-19 protections.

The Green Party is calling on the Government to boost support directly to people so they are not put at greater risk by a change in COVID-19 protections, despite the pandemic continuing to take a toll on our communities and public health system.

The Green Party is calling on the Government to focus long-term COVID-19 support on whānau, hapū and community service providers helping Māori and Pasifika.

The Government must not remove COVID-19 protection measures until it is very clear that the Omicron outbreak has passed, the Green Party says.