February 3 2022
The Government is reopening the border – starting with Kiwis coming from Australia from February 27 - with the MIQ system to end for all but "high-risk" unvaccinated travellers.
A New Zealand midwife who has been trying to return from Australia since June says she is finally "not anxious any more", after the announcement of the border reopening.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has outlined New Zealand's five-stage plan to reopen the border, beginning with bring Kiwis in Australia home from February 28.
Kiwi midwife Teresa Walsh has been working in Australia through the pandemic and says she has applied for a spot in MIQ eight times in the past six months, a process which she described as "absolutely soul destroying".
She was relieved a date had been set to open the borders, but still felt hurt at being locked out of her home country for so long.
"It's overdue, I am absolutely worn down by it," she said.
"I feel really let down by the Government for not allowing us to return home and self-quarantine earlier. I believe we could have been treated with more respect."
"I'm absolutely relieved and I'm not anxious any more … but I actually think we shouldn't be grateful because it's our right and it's been denied us."
She is one of many Kiwis around the world who have mixed feelings about the announcement that New Zealand's borders would finally be relaxed.
Jade Badcock is planning to change her flight back to New Zealand for March 13. Photo / Supplied
Wellington woman Jade Badcock has been stuck in the UK since December 10 when she flew over to attend her father's funeral.
She had been booked to return on February 14 until the Government reneged on its first reopening plans due to the threat of Omicron.
Since then Badcock has been in limbo and preparing to be separated from her son and husband for an extended time.
Badcock planned to get on the phone to her travel agent this morning to try and beat the rush, but even if she managed to get a flight on March 13 it was still a month later than the Government's earlier promise.
Although the PM said the date was firm, Badcock wouldn't quite believe it until she was on the tarmac.
Turawaho Hemopo says he is now at a crossroads, midway through application for an emergency MIQ spot. Photo / Supplied
Upon hearing New Zealand would open quarantine-free travel to Kiwis in Australia on February 27, Hemopo said he was unsure whether to continue with the application in case the Government changed its mind again.
"It's a hard decision to make at the moment, whether or not we cancel the application and go for a flight in March," he said.
If his application was successful, he would be released from MIQ on February 28, the day quarantine-free travel was set to resume.
Hemopo said he would likely continue with his application over the rest of the week, partly as a safeguard against possible changes to the scheduled date.
"The feeling of 'is it going to happen, is it not going to happen?' is still weighing heavy on our hearts," he said.
"I believe they're in a position now where it can't change, but at the same time there is still some uncertainty over the coming weeks. Things can change in an instant."
Turawaho Hemopo and his partner had quit their jobs in preparation to move to New Zealand. Photo / Supplied
In spite of the uncertainty, he said he was "over the moon" at the thought of returning to New Zealand.
"I can't wait to get home, but I guess when you've been in this situation and you've had border open, border closed, border open, it's hard to believe it until you're standing in the airport."
For people who have recently gone through the process of securing an MIQ spot, the announcement was bittersweet.
Kiwi man Kurt Lehndorf watched the border announcement from MIQ, where he is on day 0 of a 10-day stay under an emergency allocation.
With his father terminally ill, Lehndorf is counting down the hours – 240 now – until he can be released and at his Dad's side.
The timing of the border reopening is scheduled for just a few weeks after his struggle to get into MIQ.
"The timing is really frustrating – it's going to eventually be around a three-week process, which for most people is okay," he said.
"But when you've only got weeks, it's catastrophe."
"I'm delighted that in a few weeks' time Kiwis in Australia are going to be delighted with whanau."
Jess Baker is tentatively positive about today's announcement, which could see her family, including her husband and their two young children, getting home in mid-March. Photo / Supplied
Kiwi teacher Jess Baker, who has been in Switzerland with her family since 2019, says they cannot fully celebrate until on home soil.
Baker's husband has been unemployed since June and while they were receiving welfare payments, their visas and rental lease were running out. The pair have two children aged 4 and 6.
A high school biology teacher, Jess fired out nearly 100 job applications around the world, unsure whether she would make it back into New Zealand.
A Northland high school has offered her a position but had to hire a relief teacher while waiting for her to get home.
She wrote to Act Party leader David Seymour this week, telling him the pair faced being homeless and jobless and were both depressed.
"We are mentally exhausted. Mentally not okay. We want to come home. We need to have work. We need support but we can't get home," she wrote.
Baker told the Herald she was feeling "relieved but also a little bit hesitant" after today's announcement.
Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins agreed it was time for New Zealand to move forward.
"New Zealanders need to reconnect with one another. Families and friends need to reunite. Our businesses need skills to grow. Exporters need to travel to make new connections."
