After 19 days in the wilderness and nearly two weeks without food, two young trampers were rescued from a remote area of Nelson on Wednesday - and Mark Richardson says they need to face the consequences of their actions.
Dion Reynolds and Jessica O'Connor entered Kahurangi National Park on May 8 while New Zealand was in COVID-19 alert level 3 - people were advised not to go on hikes or stray far from home.
On Thursday a fuming Richardson said it's not fair the pair flouted the rules.
"If these guys went into the bush under level 3 conditions and I was not allowed to fish off the coast of Rangitoto then I'm sorry but I want the book thrown at them," he said as The AM Show co-host Ryan Bridge repeatedly interjected with "oh come on!"
Richardson was unperturbed by the interruptions, saying the worst case scenario happened to O'Connor and Reynolds.
"Good New Zealanders obeyed those principles because they were told 'don't go fishing 400 metres off the shore because you're going to end up getting rescued, everyone ends up breaking their bubbles and it costs us heaps.' Well it happened to them and that's not good enough!"
"I want the book thrown at them!"
Co-host Amanda Gillies attempted to diffuse the tension by posing a "lighter" question.
"Having not eaten for 18 days, what would be your first meal?" she asked.
Bridge gave the question serious consideration, saying that after consulting with a doctor to ensure he could safely eat, he would go for chicken wings.
"Or ribs - ribs from Chinoiserie in Mount Albert is what I would do."
Now suitably distracted, Richardson said what he craves when he's really hungry is cheese.
"I just want cheese - probably at that point in time any kind of cheese."
Gillies choice would be an eye fillet on kumara mash.
"And something deep fried for an entree!"
In an interview with RNZ Reynolds said the first thing he and O'Connor ate after being winched out of the bush by a rescue helicopter was a chocolate bar given to them by the medic.
"Best damn chocolate bar I ever had in my life."
