Govt’s level 1 decision due next Monday

Cabinet will evaluate New Zealand’s coronavirus alert level at its meeting next Monday.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said this meant the country could move to alert level 1 as soon as next week, after Cabinet’s meeting on June 8.

‘‘If and only if there are no unexpected cases over the coming days, then we could be in a position to move to level 1 that week,’’ Ardern said.

Ardern said New Zealand had performed better than expected, allowing the country to consider an earlier move between alert levels.

But she remained cautious about allowing greater economic activity before the virus was properly stamped out.

‘‘The most important thing for our economy is we don’t go backwards,’’ Ardern said.

‘‘Previous advice and modelling had assumed a more persistent and potentially longer tail of cases,’’ Ardern said, particularly at level 2.

New Zealand is one of the world’s most open economies, but there have been calls for the country to open further, given persistently low case numbers.

Ardern had previously said the Government would consider level 2 ‘‘settings’’ on June 8, with a move to level 1 being considered no later than June 22.

The Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters has been publicly pushing for a move to level 1. He took to multiple media platforms yesterday morning calling on the Government to consider a move to level 1.

Peters cited the lack of social distancing at this weekend’s Black Lives Matter protests.

He tweeted: ‘‘Protesters in Auckland showing that our team of 5 million are being let down by a small group who think they know better than everyone else. If

the authorities allow this to occur then we should be at level 1 tomorrow.’’

Questions have been raised as to whether Peters broke the conventions set out in the Cabinet Manual, regarding the confidentiality of Cabinet meetings and collective responsibility for Cabinet decisions.

The Cabinet Manual is a rule book, which sets out how Cabinet should work.

It’s a longstanding convention that Cabinet meetings are deeply confidential and that Cabinet ministers collectively take responsibility for the group’s decisions.

It’s been alleged that Peters may have breached these conventions through his discussion of NZ First’s position on level 1 with media.

Peters said that he would offer his resignation were he ever found to have breached the Cabinet Manual, but he doesn’t think he breached it in this case. ‘‘You know I haven’t because the prime minister raised the issue [moving to level 1] before me,’’ Peters said.

Ardern backed Peters, saying she did not think he had breached the Cabinet Manual. ‘‘I don’t believe that has happened here,’’ Ardern said.

She said the ‘‘confusion’’ around a possible breach was to do with Peters referring to remarks that were already public.

Ardern said there were differing views around the Cabinet table, but ultimately Peters had been acting in good faith.

‘‘Ultimately, I was aware of his view and I was aware that he intended to share it publicly.’’

‘‘The most important thing for our economy is we don’t go backwards.’’

PM Jacinda Ardern