Adrian Orr is the new Ashley Bloomfield, whether you like it or not, says Duncan Greive. On December 30, in one of the last set-piece news stories of the year, we learned Ashley Bloomfield was to be knighted. The Spinoff’s Anna Rawhiti-Connell memorably called the 1pm Covid-19 briefings “The Ashley Bloomfield Show”. The Ashley Bloomfield Show was like Shortland Street – a PG-rated spectacle for the masses, epidemiology we could all (mostly) understand. But that’s where we are in 2023, and perhaps what we need – Adrian Orr is in charge, and we have no choice but to pay attention.

Source: Stuff January 16, 2023 22:39 UTC