The Deputy Prime Minister says New Zealand has "come together amazingly" to achieve high jab rates, describing the level of consensus on the merits of COVID-19 vaccination as "highly unusual".
It goes to show the nation is not divided on the issue of vaccination, Grant Robertson told reporters at a COVID-19 press conference on Friday.
His comments come with New Zealand fast approaching 90 percent double-vaccinated - a target likely to be reached within the next fortnight if the rollout continues at its current rate.
Nineteen in every 20 Kiwis are likely to have had at least one dose by the end of the year as well.
Robertson says just a handful of regions are beneath the 90 percent first dose threshold.
"Of the eligible population, we now have 93 percent with a first dose and 87 percent with full vaccination," he said.
"Of the remaining five DHBs still to reach 90 percent first dose, the Lakes DHB has just 785 more vaccinations to go and the West Coast DHB 284 to reach the target."
He says getting more than 90 percent of Kiwis to agree on anything is a "highly unusual achievement", and gives the lie to the insinuation that vaccine mandates have divided New Zealand.
"When we have over 90 percent of New Zealanders with their first dose, I'm simply not gonna accept that we're a divided nation," he said.
"There are people who hold different views about vaccination - people are entitled to hold those different views - but I think as a country we have come together amazingly over the last few months to see those vaccination rates rise.
"We have set up a framework that is designed to keep New Zealanders safe, and I believe we'll do that."
Another 92 new COVID-19 cases were reported in New Zealand on Friday - the lowest daily total in more than a month. Of these, 80 were in Auckland; two in Waikato; five in the Bay of Plenty; two in Taranaki; and one each in Lakes, Northland and Nelson.
