New Zealand's response to the coronavirus is increasingly political, with opposition leader Simon Bridges forced to defend lengthy travel while his party ups attacks on Jacinda Ardern's lockdown.
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Parliament has been shut down for a month during the Kiwi lockdown, which involves harsher restrictions on travel and trade than Australia and other similarly placed countries.
In parliament's place, Mr Bridges will chair a select committee charged with probing the government.
However, to get to those meetings and in the absence of flights, Mr Bridges is driving the 13-hour return trip himself.
"I don't take these things lightly but I am the leader of the opposition. I've got constitutional duties. I'm running a committee in extreme circumstances where there is no parliament," he said.
"I have to do that in the best way possible and it seems to me that does mean doing it in parliament where I have the resources, where I can do it in a professional way and I'm available to media."
While Mr Bridges' commitment to his duties takes in the almighty commute, it raised eyebrows given the committee meets via videolink.
Ms Ardern, who criticised her own health minister for going mountain bike riding last week, refused to chastise Mr Bridges.
"It's not for me to make a determination," she said.
"What was important to me is that we made sure those people could participate from their homes.
"Then it's ultimately up to those MPs."
National insist they've been constructive during the lockdown while sustaining a number of criticisms.
They have been consistently asking for more testing, for government charter flights to rescue stranded Kiwis and now, sensing opportunity in the depth of Ms Ardern's shutdown, have called for more businesses to reopen.
"Our economy has already faced unprecedented devastation since the government closed it down," National's Economic Development spokesperson Todd McClay said.
"We should be doing all we can to help revive it and protect businesses and jobs.
"If a business proves it can operate safely, provide contactless selling and ensure physical distancing then they should be able to operate."
Ms Ardern has relaxed lockdown provisions in some areas, including to allow for the selling of heaters or warm clothing as cooler weather descends.
The government also allowed butchers to reopen, but only to supply pork products to supermarkets - not to sell it themselves.
And in a rebuttal to the barrelling of pork so often practised by politicians, Ms Ardern also opened up the possibility of a pay cut for MPs given so many in the private sector were doing it tough during the pandemic.
"I wouldn't rule that out," she said.
"But you won't find a group of individuals who are more acutely aware of the pain that exists in the community right now (than MPs)."
Health officials announced a further 67 cases of coronavirus on Monday, taking the country's overall tally to 1106, with one death.
Australian Associated Press