MIQ debt collection to begin

WELLINGTON: Up to 100 invoices for managed isolation and quarantine stays will be referred to a debt collection agency this week.

It is the first tranche of MIQ bills being referred for debt collection.

Debt recovery action is not considered until invoices are 90 days overdue, or 180 days from when the invoice was issued.

As at April 30, 291 invoices were overdue by more than 180 days with a combined value of $909,535.

It was unclear how much the first tranche of debt collection represented.

A total of 13,221 invoices had been issued for total MIQ stays as at May 9 — worth $60.8 million.

Of this, $38.3 million had been paid (63%).

A further $16.4 million was not due to be paid as they were within the 90day period.

New Zealand citizens and permanent residents were supposed to pay $3100 for quarantine, with $950 for each additional adult and $475 for each additional child (317 years old).

In March, it was reported only a third of the amount had been billed for quarantine up to February 28 — $10.7 million out of $30.2 million — had been paid.

At the time, New Zealand Credit and Finance Institute director Owen Goodwin said he was ‘‘startled that there is that level of time lag between invoicing and payment’’.

Act New Zealand leader David Seymour also commented on the payback scheme, saying, ‘‘I can’t believe that the Government is giving them 90day terms. What are they, Noel Leeming?’’.

Five new cases of Covid19 were reported in MIQ facilities yesterday.

The five new cases were all recent returnees from India who flew to New Zealand via Qatar.

All the returnees tested positive on day one routine testing, while two cases tested positive on their day zero routine tests. The cases flew into New Zealand on Friday, May 14, and Saturday, May 15. —