Covid 19 Delta outbreak: ‘I did nothing wrong’ – Auckland woman at centre of Northland border breach allegations speaks out

One of many Auckland ladies accused of travelling to Northland with no reliable journey exemption and later testing optimistic for Covid-19 has rejected claims she lied, withheld data and tried to keep away from authorities.

She has spoken to the Herald, eager to shut down rumours she and her pal are intercourse employees or linked to gangs and stated she had executed “nothing fallacious” and was “assured” she wouldn’t face costs.

The girl is at the moment within the Jet Park Lodge managed isolation facility.

She might be launched subsequent week after spending her necessary time in quarantine.

On October 8 Northland moved again into alert degree 3, after it was revealed an Auckland lady travelling within the space had returned a optimistic Covid-19 check outcome.

The girl returned to Auckland and was put straight in MIQ however was “refusing to co-operate with officers on her actions”.

Days later it was revealed police have been looking for her journey companion.

They stated authorities had contacted her however didn’t know her location.

Hypothesis grew that the ladies have been prostitutes linked to a gang who have been plying their commerce in Northland – and that was why they have been refusing to inform public well being officers the place they’d been and who they’d contact with.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern appealed for the second lady to “come ahead” and stated well being officers and police have been “actually pulling out all of the stops” to search out the traveller.

“I really feel the identical frustration that everybody else feels,” she stated on the time.

“They’re refusing to co-operate, it’s past irresponsible, it’s harmful.”

The second lady was positioned at a New Lynn handle hours later and in addition taken to MIQ.

She instructed the Herald as we speak that a lot of the knowledge launched about her was not true – nor have been the rumours.

Even former deputy prime minister Winston Peters was discussing the case, alleging one of many ladies was a intercourse employee who was assisted by Mongrel Mob chief Harry Tam to acquire journey documentation.

Tam denied this and later threatened authorized motion towards Peters.

“If Winston stated it, he must show it … If he is not going to apologise, we might want to have a look at authorized motion,” Tam stated.

The girl the Herald spoke to additionally rejected the declare.

She defined that her pal had began a brand new enterprise within the constructing and in-home providers house shortly earlier than lockdown and had arrange numerous “networking” conferences in Northland within the hopes of getting contracted for work.

“She requested journey exemptions and gave them causes we have been going … she had me down as an worker or assistant,” stated her journey companion.

“We had extra conferences in Waikato deliberate for the following week … I used to be helping her.”

They have been in Whangarei when the enterprise proprietor obtained the information that her Covid check was optimistic.

“We made our means again to Auckland,” stated the opposite lady.

“All I knew was that I did not need to go dwelling to my place – my household have been all there and I did not need them to get Covid.

“My household have been ready to get their vaccinations and I had a pal whose home was not getting used so … I went there.”

The girl began to really feel unwell and knew – given she had been in a automobile with a optimistic case for days – that she had Covid-19.

She did not need to expose anybody to it, so stayed put and self-isolated on the home in New Lynn.

She claimed she was in day by day contact with a public well being nurse and was not hiding from authorities.

She believed they knew the place she was and what her plan was, and couldn’t perceive what the fuss was about.

“I felt it made sense to self-isolate,” she stated.

“I wasn’t hiding, I absolutely knowledgeable them the place I used to be.”

The girl instructed the Herald she knew that individuals with Covid had to enter MIQ however she had “fairly unhealthy” signs and didn’t need to infect anybody else.

She stated she had been co-operating and had given the areas of all 5 locations she and her pal visited in Northland.

“There have been solely 5 locations – the motel, the dairy beside the motel, the fuel station to get meals, the fuel station to get petrol and the general public rest room,” she stated.

“That is it – we’re not leaving something out, we’re not hiding something.

“I’ve been co-operating … my pal could not have been extra forthcoming as a result of … she felt like she was in bother.”

She stated the insinuation the pair have been prostitutes or gang associates was “humorous”.

“It isn’t true, we’ve got no hyperlink to gangs and I would fairly wish to know the place that data got here from,” she stated.

“I do not actually have a prison historical past other than one thing again once I was 15 and that was 30 years in the past.”

She was not bothered what most people considered her causes for travelling however was indignant at any suggestion she had stonewalled officers.

Police have stated their investigation into whether or not the ladies breached the Covid-19 restrictions was ongoing and each can be spoken to after they left MIQ.

When requested in regards to the dealing with of the ladies, police referred the Herald to the Ministry of Well being.

“We solely assisted well being to find her and our investigation is ongoing,” they stated.

A Ministry of Well being spokesperson stated the company stood by “its earlier feedback in relation to those instances and has nothing additional so as to add”.

The girl was eager to “provoke a gathering” with authorities when she acquired out of MIQ to “clear up” what she felt was false details about her journey and actions.

“I’ve no concern, I’ll provoke that – I need to make all of it clear,” she stated.

“I’m assured I will not (face costs), I’m assured I did nothing fallacious – I’ve all of the texts and emails and proof.

“There may be nothing to cover, there’s nothing to problem … I used to be attempting to be accountable.

“This is mindless – they don’t seem to be going to cost me as a result of there’s nothing to cost me with.”

She stated she “feels for the individuals of Northland” for his or her extra time in degree 3 however reiterated she didn’t imagine she had breached the well being order.

“I may apologise however I’m not positive what I’m apologising for – I didn’t break any guidelines and I did not attempt to dangle round once I knew I had Covid.

“We stayed away from individuals and nobody contracted Covid from us … I can apologise for getting Covid … that we have been unfortunate sufficient to get it.”