Coronavirus: New Zealand health minister David Clark demoted for violating lockdown rules

New Zealand’s health minister has been demoted after he ignored national lockdown rules and drove his family to a beach 20km from his home. Last week Dr David Clark was photographed going for a mountain bike ride 2km away from his Dunedin home. He apologised for the incident, saying it showed poor judgment at a time when all New Zealanders were being urged to stay at home and only exercise in their local area.

Lockdown rules state cars should only be used to purchase essential supplies such as food or medicine, and exercise should be taken in the local area only. The minister labelled himself as idiot for breaking the rules. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said she would have sacked Clark under normal circumstances but needed him during the fight against Covid-19. "I expect better, and so does New Zealand," Ardern said in a tersely worded statement. Scotland's chief medical officer Catherine Calderwood resigned on Sunday for breaking the rules after twice visiting her second home, despite fronting an ad campaign calling for Scots to stay at home.