Councillor boards flight to reunion
Harvey packs his laptop as precaution in trip to see parents
Let the reunions begin. Hastings councillor Damon Harvey yesterday became one of the first Hawke’s Bay residents to board a quarantine-free Australia-bound plane since the Covid-19 pandemic took hold more than a year ago.
Headed to the outskirts of Brisbane, Harvey said he bought a one-way ticket to Australia to visit his parents, who he hadn’t seen in four and a half years.
He said he took the opportunity to make the most of the transtasman bubble “as soon as he could” to get over to visit his family and his unwell father, knowing the full extent of the risks.
“I’ve only booked a one-way ticket as I’m just not sure what will happen while I’m there,” he said.
The councillor has his laptop, keyboard and mouse in tow so if there is any issues or a lockdown of any duration, he can work.
“What I learnt last year was that you can work from anywhere,” Harvey said.
The partner of Labour’s Tukituki MP Anna Lorck, Harvey said he’s excited to reunite with his family and meet three new arrivals that were born in the last few years, although it was a pity his daughters weren’t going along too.
“I could’ve taken the rest of the family but I felt that it was too much of a risk just in case we did end up in a lockdown situation,” he said.
After more than a year of suspended travel, Harvey said it was a bit strange making sure he had his passport and checking in.
There are many other Kiwis and Aussies who will be preparing for the same experience as Harvey this week.
Yesterday Air New Zealand had almost 500 flights in operation across its international and domestic flights.
Hawke’s Bay Tourism chief executive Hamish Saxton said there would be sightings of Australian tourists around the region this autumn and winter.
“Data from Tourism New Zealand suggests that the first motivator for Australian travel will be to visit friends and family, and once comfort grows with this travel, will we see leisure-driven travel,” he said.
“Given Kiwis’ love for Hawke’s Bay, we are likely to see Australian visitors who are coming home or travelling across the ditch and joining their friends and family in Food and Wine Country.”