‘I’ve been an idiot’: New Zealand’s health minister breaks lockdown to go for trip to the beach

Prime minister Jacinda Ardern says she would have sacked him under normal circumstances

New Zealand’s health minister has described himself as an “idiot” after he flouted his country’s lockdown measures to go on a trip to the beach with his family.

David Clark drove his family 12 miles to the beach in late March during the early stages of the lockdown.

In a statement, Mr Clark, who offered to resign for breaching the restrictions, said: “I’ve been an idiot, and I understand why people will be angry with me.”

He had earlier admitted to driving his van to a park near his home to go mountain biking.

Jacinda Ardern, New Zealand’s prime minister, said on Tuesday that she had not accepted Mr Clark’s resignation offer because it would jeopardise the country’s coronavirus response.

Ms Ardern said: “Under normal conditions I would sack the minister of health. What he did was wrong, and there are no excuses.

“I expect better, and so does New Zealand.”

As a result of his actions, Mr Clark has been demoted to the lowest cabinet ranking and has lost his additional role as associate finance minister.

He is not the only senior official to fall foul of new coronavirus-related restrictions. On Sunday, Scotland’s chief medical officer resigned for breaching the UK’s lockdown measures by visiting her second home twice.

New Zealand’s lockdown measures came into force in late March and will last at least four weeks.

On Tuesday, the country extended its national emergency for the second time for a further week.

So far, 1,160 people have tested positive for the virus in New Zealand and one death from the virus has been confirmed.

Ashley Bloomfield, the director-general of health, said on Tuesday that the daily number of new Covid-19 cases had fallen to 54, the lowest amount in almost two weeks.

Despite this, officials have urged people to stick to the restrictions in place over Easter.

Ms Ardern said: “Now is not the time to change any of our behaviours.”

Agencies contributed to this report