The risks from swine flu are not the only things that have been grabbing attention, the dress sense of the man telling us about those risks, Health Minister Tony Ryall, has also been under the spotlight.
Mr Ryall entered the swine flu drama pretty conservatively, after all, possible pandemics wait for no one.
But by the time his second press conference rolled round just a few hours later, he had managed to rustle up a tie - but was still keeping his love of colour under wraps.
As he got to grips with the health scare, the minister grew bolder, prompting at least one business personality to wonder about the mixed messages.
"Tony's done a great job in the last couple of weeks, reassuring the country with his quiet and methodical words, yet his shirt, tie and suit combos are screaming mad panic," says Cameron Brewer. "Perhaps Tony needs to be quarantined by the fashion police until he comes to his sartorial senses."
While it's easy to poke fun at one off Mr Ryall's combos, there is a serious side to clashing colours.
"Not only does it make your television go fuzzy, but it actually distracts from what Tony is trying to say," Mr Brewer explains.
Mr Ryall's office says he's taking all the attention with a laugh. But perhaps the Health Ministry should invest in a full-length mirror.
Chris Dobbs, the sponsor of New Zealand's Best Dressed Businessmen Awards agrees that would help with those early morning lapses.
"Some of the things I've seen him in look okay, others certainly look a bit busy," Mr Dobbs says. "The poor man is probably getting dressed in the dark as he's working too hard."
It can't be easy for Mr Ryall to be a National man, with its sober colour blue. So rather than risk his leader's wrath in racy red, it seems he's thrown caution to the wind and plumps for every colour in the palate at once.
3 News
source: newshub archive
