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Coronavirus crisis: Australia misses out in New Zealand border changes

Ben McKayAAP
Australia is not included on the list of countries that can enjoy NZ's COVID-19 quarantine exemption
Camera IconAustralia is not included on the list of countries that can enjoy NZ's COVID-19 quarantine exemption Credit: AAP

New Zealand is taking baby steps towards reconnecting with the world, halving quarantine to one week, but giving no guarantees to trans-Tasman families hoping to reunite for Christmas.

On Thursday, COVID-19 Minister Chris Hipkins spelled out long-awaited changes to NZ’s managed isolation and quarantine - or MIQ - regime.

From mid-November, arrivals will have to spend seven days in a MIQ hotel, down from 14, before isolating at home for another three days.

NZ will also allow travellers from low-risk countries - Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu and Tokelau - to bypass MIQ altogether from November 8.

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However, Australia was missing from that list.

NZ allowed Australians from low-risk states to enter without quarantine for several months this year under the trans-Tasman bubble.

Mr Hipkins said state reopenings, which allow for people from high-risk states of NSW and Victoria to travel around Australia, made a trans-Tasman reopening an unacceptable risk.

“The challenge with Australia is they are going through the process of opening up their internal borders,” he said.

“Of course we want to reconnect with Australia soon, as soon as we can do that safely. We’re just not in a position to provide any certainty as to when that can happen at this point.”

Mr Hipkins said he understood the plight of overseas-based Kiwis.

“We’re very aware of the pressure that’s been building the border as the world begins to reconnect and increasing numbers of New Zealanders, here and abroad, that want to be able to reconnect with their loved ones,” Mr Hipkins said.

“We don’t want to accelerate the spread of COVID-19 outside Auckland by prematurely making changes to the international border.

“Once we get those high rates of vaccination, at that point, you’ll start to see quite a bit more change at the border.”

Mr Hipkins tied more movement to when NZ hits 90 per cent of eligible Kiwis being fully vaccinated.

As of Thursday, 72 per cent of New Zealanders are fully vaccinated and 87 per cent have received their first jab.

Overseas-based New Zealanders will find some relief from the MIQ changes.

Tens of thousands of Kiwis are attempting to return home without success, missing out on places in MIQ ballots.

Mr Hipkins said the changes would free up about 1500 places, but “many will be used for community cases” in NZ’s worsening Delta outbreak.

There were 89 community cases identified by health officials on Thursday, including two in Christchurch, ending a 358-day run without the virus for the South Island’s biggest city.

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