Border bar set very high for NZ’s America’s Cup rivals

It’s the kind of plot twist a Hollywood film will throw in to give the underdogs — in this case, the America’s Cup crews and fans — less chance of success. Movie heavyweight James Cameron was reportedly among more than 50 Avatar crew granted permission to wing into New Zealand last Saturday to resume work on the $1 billion movie sequels.

The film crew touched down in Wellington through a handy loophole allowing foreigners through our closed borders.

Economic Development Minister Phil Twyford had earlier revealed there was a category for border exemptions for foreigners deemed essential to a project of “significant economic value”.

“The bar is set very high,” Twyford assured those concerned with the threat of exposure to the Covid-19 coronavirus.

Too high, it seems, for New

Zealand’s America’s Cup rivals, who have yet to get clearance for their 100-strong teams to enter the country.

Meanwhile, RNZ reports New Zealand is expected to lose $150 million because Covid-19 and border restrictions have halved the number of superyachts due to follow the Cup next year.

The Marine Industry Association said those superyachts still considering whether to visit needed urgent, but as yet unforthcoming, advice on quarantine rules before they would commit to coming.

Meanwhile a cash-strapped Auckland Council is in the middle, forced to keep spending on the America’s Cup regatta as contracts have been signed. Add the lack of action from Government ministers to assist in Auckland’s water crisis and it appears the hotline between the Super City and the Beehive is off the hook.