MIQ SYSTEM UNFAIR
I amdeeply disappointed in the MIQ system. My partner and I are both New Zealand citizens with a young baby born in London. We spent many years before living in London as good, tax-paying citizens in New Zealand. We have been trying to come back to New Zealand for a holiday to introduce our beautiful baby to her grandparents and other relatives, as well as hoping that we could combine this visit with travel to Australia where we also have relatives. This is a very special time for us and also time sensitive, as we don’t know how much longer some of our older relatives have in good health.
We have tried to book a slot in the MIQ system but have failed to secure a place. We are both double-vaccinated and have been doing everything else asked of us, too, so our patience is running low. You can imagine our frustration and sadness in seeing friends from various countries, including our ‘‘sister’’ country Australia, travel back home to be with family and friends while we have had to admit thatwe are not allowed back to our country of origin. It truly is humiliating and unfair.
Omicron has now been said to be amuch milder variant than those prior. Anecdotally, many people in our wide circle of colleagues, friends and community groups in the UK (as well as friends and relatives in Europe) have had the Omicron variant and have had little more than symptoms of a light cold (particularly those vaccinated). While of course the government does need to take Omicron and other Covid-19 variants seriously, it also needs to ensure its policies are fair and in proportion to the actual dangers Covid poses – particularly as it has been said that new variants will continue to arise. Will the New Zealand government insist on harsh travel rules for years on end? And what damage will this do to family systems and mental health?
gain, we are rational and reasonable people. We have been double vaccinated, we wear masks, we have agreed to quarantine using the MIQ system with a small yet active baby (and even pay the huge price tag). Before this letter, we have not complained, even when we have had to stay up all night UK time to try to reserve a slot in the MIQ system (and failed). We have not complained when we have had to rearrange our travel plans dozens of times. We have not complained as we have watched expat friends travel freely back and forth between their home countries while we miss important family milestones. But enough is enough. The New Zealand government was once viewed as one of the most progressive and fair governments in the world. Now it is starting to be seen as harsh, irrational and inhumane.
My advice would be to either provide enough MIQ spaces for everyone wanting to return to New Zealand (particularly citizens), or abolish the entire MIQ system. There are other ways to monitor and prevent the spread of Covid.
Other countries have learned to live with Covid, so New Zealand must too, before it humiliates itself further. Name witheld by agreement