A New Zealand epidemiologist working in Australia says we're not doing enough to protect our Covid-free status.

Four people have escaped from managed isolation facilities in the past week, with the most recent case yesterday seeing a man break a window to get out from a hotel in Auckland. 

Melbourne University Professor Tony Blakely told Francesca Rudkin he doesn't know why we tolerate people leaving quarantine.

He says moving to New Zealand is a privilege and its something we should be guarding it closely.

"And two weeks of really strict, enforced quarantine should be just the norm. 

"These escapes from quarantine are perplexing to watch from afar."

New Zealand is a "poster child" for elimination, and the country cannot risk losing that status, Blakely says. 

He says that our status is very different from Melbourne, which has just locked down for six weeks after a massive spike in cases. 

Blakely says he is amongst the health experts advocating that Victoria adopt a method of elimination. 

"New Zealand's done it, Taiwan's done it, so it is possible."