Film workers among border exemptions

Film workers are among a few thousand people allowed past New Zealand’s closed borders amid the Covid-19 lockdown.

It comes as the Government undertakes a review of its current strict border restrictions.

It is understood Economic Development Minister Phil Twyford was given special powers on April 21 to use his discretion to let in key individuals from the screen industry.

These included film bigwigs, including for Avatar blockbuster sequels being made in Wellington, as well as a second film, yet to be announced, that is being made in New Zealand.

Twyford said there were a few thousand exemptions for other reasons but those he had dished out were for other essential workers, for economic reasons, which equalled about 5 per cent of the total exemptions.

During the past month or so, he had approved 22 applications for 154 individuals in the essential workers’ category.

He would not say how many were from the film industry and would not talk about specific applications. However, he cited a specialist person to install a new chairlift at a ski field and an electrical engineer for a geothermal plan, as examples.

A Cabinet paper on March 31 outlined the request for exemptions to temporary border restrictions for essential workers and revealed his special discretionary powers. ‘‘But the bar is set very high. Officials look very hard at every application ...

It’s not going to be easy for everyone,’’ Twyford said.

Officials advised him that applicants had to meet ‘‘critical’’ criteria that included time sensitivities and having skills and expertise that can not be found in New Zealand. The applicants also had to prove ‘‘significant economic benefit beyond that existing company’’, he said.

Everyone who came in to the county had to go into two weeks of managed quarantine, which the Government was paying for.

However, the cost for the screen industry workers had been stumped up by the companies they worked for, he said.

The Government was considering opening up border restrictions and anticipated many people would be coming through, so was looking to set up a way for cost recovery.

A paper with a review of the border policies and settings would go to Cabinet within a month, he said.

Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield yesterday confirmed Twyford had used his discretion to allow about 200 workers in.

Now there was no hidden virus in the community, the testing focus would shift to the border because that’s the area with the most risk now.

There was a ‘‘very specific plan that is being developed around that’’.

Once it has been through Cabinet and was approved, it was intended to come into effect from June 8, Bloomfield said.

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment said the vast majority of exceptions had been given to family of New Zealand citizens and residents, health workers, or on humanitarian grounds.