Millions spent by Govt on MIQ transport costs

WELLINGTON: Figures obtained under the Official Information Act show the Government spent $9.1 million sending international returnees to 32 different New Zealand managed isolation and quarantine facilities between December last year and February this year.

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment spent $4.9 million on air transportation and $4.1 million on buses.

That is a cost many argue should never have been incurred, because a November public health assesment by director of public health Dr Caroline McElnay, signed off by directorgeneral of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield, noted that internationals arrivals did not pose a higher Covid risk.

It took another three and ahalf months before most travellers could enter the country free of MIQ.

Bailey Stewart had been living in Australia when her mental health deteriorated at the end of last year. She needed to come home to her family in Christchurch, but could not get an MIQ spot.

‘‘I was at serious risk of being homeless because they had already found someone to fill my apartment [and] going into a hotel for an unknown period of time would have cost thousands living in Sydney.’’ Ms Stewart finally managed to book a ticket a few days after the transtasman bubble reopened in April this year, but said

New Zealanders should have been trusted to do home quarantine.

Auckland barrister Tudor Clee has represented many New Zealanders — most of them pregnant and struggling to return to New Zealand during the pandemic.

‘‘Right up until even the middle of February, we had people who were under incredible stress, incredible pain...’’ He did not mince his words at MBIE’s transportation price tag.

‘‘Yeah, I think it’s an outrageous waste of money that could have been spent on actually helping people who had Covid or needed to recover from it.’’

Mr Clee said those who stayed in MIQ during that time should not pay their bill.

‘‘People need to put the onus back on the Government and say ‘I’m not paying it.’

‘‘If a debt collector comes, say ‘I don’t accept the bill and you need to justify it.’

‘‘I don’t think people are looking to rip off the taxpayer or to get a free ride, but they’re certainly entitled to an explanation and they haven’t been given it at this stage.’’

The Government said the extension of MIQ was justified.

Covid19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said: ‘‘The advice referred to [and] focussed on the Delta variant, before the more contagious Omicron variant had been classified as a variant of concern by the World Health Organisation.’’ — RNZ