Entrepreneur Sam Morgan has walked away from the $100 million CovidCard project, saying he's sick of the bureaucracy and lack of will by the Health Ministry.
But the government has hit back saying it doesn't need him anyway. The card uses Bluetooth technology to help with more efficient mass contact tracing and is due to be trialled in Rotorua this month.
The government insists those plans have not been derailed by the departure of the Trade Me founder and his crack team of tech experts.
Health correspondent Rowan Quinn reports.