Dear John --



Today, we have launched a new petition so that Kiwis on and offshore can tell the Government in no uncertain terms that it’s time to end the lottery of human misery that is MIQ.



Sign the petition to end MIQ here <[link removed]>



We now have a farcical situation where fully vaccinated New Zealanders, with no Covid, who win the MIQ lottery have to spend 14 days in MIQ in Auckland, while more than 1300 people with Covid or who are close contacts of Covid cases isolate at home in Auckland.



This makes no sense. It is unfair, callous and illogical. This isn’t the Kiwi way. It isn’t kindness. It isn’t compassion. The Government is now engaging in wilful, state-sponsored cruelty on an industrial scale.



Tens of thousands of Kiwis have been shut out of their home country because of the MIQ system. The stories that fill National MPs’ inboxes are truly harrowing. It’s time to end MIQ and allow Kiwis stuck offshore to come home for Christmas.



Clearly, we need quarantine facilities for some community Covid cases, but we must move to a system where fully vaccinated travellers who return negative pre-departure tests can enter New Zealand without spending time in MIQ hotels. Fully-vaccinated travellers to New Zealand present negligible risk. Since we started collecting MIQ vaccination data from August 23, just two fully vaccinated travellers in MIQ have tested positive later than day eight in MIQ.



National’s ‘Opening Up’ <[link removed]> plan envisaged travellers from lower risk jurisdictions – such as Queensland – not entering isolation at all, while travellers from higher risk places would spend a week in isolation at home. Under both scenarios, MIQ would cease and there would be no state-imposed limits on travellers to New Zealand.



Ending MIQ would reunite families, end the enormous anguish at the heart of the system, boost tourism, and help fill skill shortages in New Zealand.



We can’t remain stuck behind the walls of Fortress New Zealand forever. We have to reopen to the world, and a good place to start would be getting rid of the lottery of human misery that is MIQ.



You can sign the petition to end MIQ now here <[link removed]>.



Thank you for your support.



Regards



Chris





Chris Bishop

Spokesperson for COVID-19 Response







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NZ National Party - 41 Pipitea St, Wellington 6011, New Zealand

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