The debate over MPs coming together physically during a COVID outbreak shows no sign of slowing down, with ACT taking a swipe at the Greens over their reluctance to attend Parliament.
MPs met for the first time on Tuesday since the latest Delta outbreak, with tension in the air after National and ACT refused to accept a virtual gathering, while the Greens and the Māori Party refused to attend due to health risks.
The Greens made an appearance on Wednesday after Wellington shifted to alert level 3, but in a speech debating COVID-19 laws, Green MP Jan Logie made it clear that she did not want to be there and would have preferred a Zoom meeting.
"While I'm loath to be here, instead of on a Zoom meeting of our Parliament, I rise to take a call - reluctantly- on behalf of the Green Party on this call of motion to approve these latest COVID orders," Logie said.
"My reluctance has nothing to do with the orders but just having to be here and undermining our effort of providing strong, clear leadership to the country about taking this virus seriously.
"If we've got the ability to work at home, we should be doing that, because this is a serious issue for us as a country, and as much as I enjoyed listening to the history of Chris Bishop's participation... it does not seem to me a priority for the business of this House."
A new case of COVID-19 was registered in Wellington on Wednesday, bringing the capital's total number of cases to 16, while another 74 were recorded in Auckland - bringing the outbreak total to 687.
Logie has been voicing her opinions on social media, posting a photo of the bus she caught to Parliament on Wednesday morning, and expressing disappointment over how full it was.
"This was my commute to parliament on the first morning of level 3 with the Delta in the country. Essential workers reliant on public transport deserve to be safe and this is not good enough!" she captioned the image.
"At one stage there were over 30 people on the bus. I have made many complaints."
In another tweet, Logie wrote: "We have more people present at a select committee and could have had the entire parliament on Zoom. Putting people at risk so they could stand almost alone in that hallowed chamber. What a bunch of sad cases."
ACT leader David Seymour, speaking after Logie in Parliament, took a crack at her position on wanting a virtual sitting.
"How brave are the Green Party? Yesterday being here was life-threatening. Today, Jan Logie just spent the first minute of her speech talking about how dangerous it is to speak here," Seymour said.
"You have say, the difference between Logie and logic may only be one letter, but isn't it a vast gulf when it comes to the quality of speeches?"
Despite their political differences, both ACT and the Greens voted in favour of the COVID-19 law changes they were voting on, which included orders requiring port workers to be vaccinated, and MIQ exemptions for some diplomats and military personnel.
