OP your friend sounds a bit uninformed.
NZ did achieve elimination with the first round, now it is dealing with the Delay variant.
It was absolutely expected. Of course it is going to slip through the border, there will always be a margin of error when humans are involved.
I live in NZ and no-one I know is at all surprised to be going through this. Shocked, yes, because we herd about the first case at 1pm and the lockdown was announced at 6pm. So it took a little adjusting. But surprised? No.
It seems to me there is a huge hunger in here is. Mumsnet and (right wing) places like the Daily Mail to declare NZs strategy a failure and take enormous glee in every difficulty it faces. It's sad that some people feel the need to be so nasty, it says a lot about them.
But it has nothing to do with the reality of life here.
I actively campaigned for Labour in the election that propelled JA to PM and she has more than delivered. They have more than delivered. She's a fantastic leader, she is tough as nails, extremely intelligent and always respectful and compassionate.
I have been so grateful to be in NZ for the pandemic, we have enjoyed normal life for most of the past 18 months and our lockdowns have been short and effective. I feel looked after.
I don't think people realise how adored JA is. Children call her Jacinda and trust her to look after them. She promised goodness and kindness. I have lived in multiple countries under multiple leaders and I have never experienced this, actual trust in the leadership.
No-one is pretending life here is perfect. For some of us, and I acknowledge my immense privilege in living in a big house in a beautiful location with fast Wi-Fi! lockdown is almost like a retreat, a health spa. I acknowledge that for many it is challenging whether physically or mentally. But there is a spirit of goodwill, of looking out for each other and of trying to do the right thing.
To come on here and observe the derison levelled at us by people who live on the other side of the world is bewildering. What is it people get out of being so vile?
None of us knows how long this pandemic will run or what is around the corner. But NZs track record is fantastic and I feel incredibly grateful to be here. It is terrible to see the chaos and pain caused by such terrible management in so many other countries.
Wrt vaccines. One million are now fully vaccinated. I can't remember offhand the stats on partial vaccination suffice to say the roll-out has ramped up during the past week.
How we compare globally? I'll attach some stats. In the meantime, let's try to be civil.