New Zealand's US Ambassador has side-stepped Government-managed isolation, instead isolating at his home after returning from COVID-19 riddled America.
Scott Brown told The AM Show on Friday he and his wife Gail have cooperated completely with the Government after returning from Washington DC recently.
The US currently has 5,856,014 confirmed cases of COVID-19 but Brown says he is complying with the rules and is not a risk to anyone.
"We are in total isolation in accordance with any rules and regulations of New Zealand," he said.
He blasted headlines which claim he has skipped quarantine as "a lie".
"I don't mind you know, people questioning it cause I think that's legit, but to lie about the headline and say I've refused to do X, Y and Z when actually we have been more than accommodating and respectful," he told The AM Show.
Brown says one of the reasons he has chosen to isolate at home is his role as ambassador forbids him from accepting money from the Government.
"We should do everything at our own expense which is what we've done with other representatives of my team," he told The AM Show.
In a statement provided to Newshub, Brown said the US government had paid for his return.
"The US State Department has provisioned, and paid for, testing and self-isolation facilities for all US diplomats, and their families, coming into New Zealand."
Before they are permitted to leave isolation Brown and his wife must both test negative on day three and day 12 of their two-week stay.
Brown says before that happens, the pair are not going anywhere.
"It's an embassy residence with 12 foot walls and guards so I'm not going in or out."
