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Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says under-fire Health Minister David Clark will keep his job.
Speaking in Queenstown where she has announced an $85 million Government injection for Queenstown's fragile Covid-hit economy, Ms Ardern said Dr Clark was on the same page as Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield.
It comes after Dr Clark was accused of throwing Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield under a bus.
Asked if she Dr Clark would keep his job at least until the election, she confirmed he would.
She said he had been part of a team which had successfully fought Covid-19.
He and Dr Bloomfield had the "same perspective" on Covid-19 and Dr Clark had huge respect for him.
"He is an exceptional public servant.
"I know that Dr Clark feels that way to."
It was not Dr Clark's intention to throw him under the bus.
Dr Clark was accused of humiliating Dr Bloomfield earlier this week in a media stand-up.
At the time, Clark said: "The Director-General has accepted protocol wasn't being followed; he has accepted responsibility for that and has set about putting it right".
He delivered this line while Bloomfield was standing behind him.
National leader Todd Muller said this was appalling behaviour and his health spokesman, Michael Woodhouse, said Clark owed Bloomfield and apology.
With NZ Herald