The Director-General of Health must have had a telling off from on high. Why else would he change his story, and make matters much worse for himself?
Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield admits he should have refused being treated to a VIP cricket experience with the Blackcaps, after earlier saying he attended the match in a “private capacity”.
“I was incorrect,” Bloomfield said in a statement on Thursday. “I am in the role of the Director-General of Health every day. I recognise that the invitation was extended to me because I am in that position.
“It is important that I avoid any potential for perception of a conflict of interest or personal benefit.”
That’s not a mistake, that is a deliberate obfuscation. A private citizen simply can’t avail themselves of such VIP cricket experiences. It was made worse however when he talked about access to vaccines. That certainly shows that NZ Cricket thought he was there in an official capacity.
The Blackcaps invited Dr Bloomfield to their T20 match against Australia on Sunday. It was revealed on Wednesday he was asked about access to COVID-19 vaccines.
Dr Bloomfield said on Thursday he thought he was acting within the Public Service Commission Guidelines when accepting the invitation.
“On re-reading the guidelines, I now accept that declaring the complimentary tickets to the game on a gift register was insufficient and that they should have been refused, as they will be from now on.”
Dr Bloomfield said he’s now clarified this with the Public Service Commissioner.
“I have donated the price of the tickets, and also the price of tickets to two Hurricanes games last year [also previously declared], to Wellington City Mission.”
The Ministry of Health had earlier said Dr Bloomfield attended the cricket match in a private capacity and chatted with NZ Cricket chief executive David White.
Newshub
So he’s done this at least twice now. But was it the Ministry of Health, of which he is the head, or he himself that misled everyone?
Either way, he’s the boss; the buck stops with him. Except it seems that there are rules for some and rules for others. If anyone else did this they’d be for the high jump.
These weren’t mistakes, they were deliberate obfuscations, and he thinks he can get away with his dishonesty by making a donation to City Mission.
The perception now, though, is that Ashley Bloomfield is at best economical with the truth or worst he is deliberately dishonest.
I’m not sure now how he can stand on the “podium of truth” with any integrity at all.
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