Kiwis abroad who visit New Zealand for less than 90 days to be charged for staying in managed isolation, as will New Zealanders who leave the country now, and some temporary visa holders

Kiwis abroad, who return to New Zealand for less than 90 days, will be charged for staying in managed isolation for 14 days.

New Zealanders who leave the country after a new piece of legislation is passed, and then return, will also be charged, as will temporary visa holders, unless:

• They were ordinarily resident in New Zealand as of 19 March 2020, and
• They departed New Zealand on or before 19 March 2020, and
• They are not entering New Zealand on a border exception as a critical worker.

Returnees will be charged $3100 per person in a room, $950 for each additional adult and $475 for each additional child sharing the room. 

Housing Minister Megan Woods only expects the charge to generate between $2.2 million and $8.8 million of revenue for the Government in a year. Meanwhile the scheme will cost about $600,000 to administer. 

She said the fee could be waived on compassionate grounds, for example if someone abroad needs to return to New Zealand for a funeral, or someone in New Zealand needs to travel for a funeral.

Those experiencing financial hardship can pay the fee in instalments.

Asked how the Government would go about policing people's reasons for travel, Woods said the scheme would be run on a trust-based model. 

Legislation enabling the above will be introduced to Parliament today and is expected to be passed next week.  

New Zealand First is up in arms over the fact all returning New Zealanders aren't being charged. 

Meanwhile, the Greens are claiming a win for preventing returnees who stay in New Zealand for longer than 90 days from being charged. 

There are around 600,000 to 900,000 New Zealand citizens living overseas. Around 400,000 to 600,000 are in Australia.

Around 7000 people can be accommodated for in the country's 31 managed isolation facilities at any one time.

Here’s a press release from Woods:

Legislation to allow the Government to recover some of the costs for managed isolation and quarantine will be introduced to Parliament today, said Minister of Housing Megan Woods.

“The Bill will allow the government to charge for managed isolation and quarantine facilities. We have carefully considered how to design a system that is fair on arrivals and not a barrier for returning to New Zealand, especially for those who might already be experiencing financial stress,” said Megan Woods. 

“We want to share the costs in a way that fairly reflects the benefits to both the New Zealand public of having such a robust system, and those who leave and enter the country. 

“As Minister I am proposing to only charge New Zealanders who enter temporarily, or who leave New Zealand after the regulations come into force. Temporary visa holders would have to pay unless they were ordinarily resident in New Zealand before the border closure, and left before the border closure. I intend to seek Cabinet agreement to a charging structure of $3100 per person in a room, $950 for each additional adult and $475 for each additional child sharing the room. There will also be mechanisms to allow charges to be waived in full or in part,” said Megan Woods.

The COVID-19 Public Health Response Amendment Bill provides a legal framework to allow the Government to set payment terms, exempt groups of people and waive charges in cases of financial hardship. It will also ensure that recovered charges do not exceed the actual costs of managed isolation and quarantine.

“The legislation will be passed next week before the House rises for the parliamentary term, and will enable regulations to be developed. Further details of the charging scheme and when it will come into force, will be announced soon. Charges will not apply to anyone entering New Zealand and going into MIQ before regulations are in force.

“All our confirmed COVID-19 cases in June and July have been linked to international travel. Our managed isolation and quarantine system is working. It is keeping COVID-19 at the border and stopping community transmission.

“We are carefully balancing the rights of New Zealand citizens and residents to return home and the charges structure will be designed to maintain this right. This solution balances the rights of New Zealanders to return home, while ensuring those who choose to holiday here, or holiday overseas before returning home, are contributing to the considerable cost of managed isolation,” said Megan Woods.

It is forecast that more people will be travelling and arriving at the border. The Government has set aside a total of $479 million dollars to pay for the costs of Managed Isolation facilities until the end of the year.

NOTES

People in managed isolation and quarantine

Since March, more than 30,000 people completed their stay at a managed isolation facility or quarantine and have returned to their loved ones and friends.

The Government has covered the costs of accommodation, food, basic laundry and airport transfers, and has committed a further NZ$418 million towards costs for the next six months. However current forecasts indicate more money will be required by October.

There are currently 31 managed isolation facilities operating around the country.

Who would be affected?

Once the regulations come into force, it is proposed New Zealanders, and residents and temporary visa holders will have to pay charges as below:

Any New Zealander, who either:

• Leaves New Zealand after the regulations come into force or
• Is visiting New Zealand for less than 90 days

Any temporary visa holder, unless:

• They were ordinarily resident in New Zealand as of 19 March 2020, and
• They departed New Zealand on or before 19 March 2020, and
• They are not entering New Zealand on a border exception as a critical worker.

Classes of people such as the following who are proposed NOT liable for charges include:

• Family members travelling or isolating with people who do not have to pay charges (unless they are entering New Zealand on a border exception as a critical worker)
• New Zealand citizens deported to New Zealand
• Diplomats and official government representatives
• Any person travelling to New Zealand to attend the sentencing of the accused in the Christchurch mosque attacks
• Refugees and protected persons for their first entry into New Zealand after the charges come into force

I’m a New Zealander hoping to return to New Zealand soon. Will I have to pay?

New Zealanders who are currently overseas (i.e who left before the regulations came into force) will not have to pay if they stay in New Zealand for 90 days or longer.

I’m a New Zealander about to go on holiday. Will I have to pay when I return?

If you leave New Zealand after the regulations come into force, it is proposed that you would have to pay for your managed isolation unless you qualify for a waiver or are otherwise exempt.

Is this legal?

Under the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act, New Zealanders have the right to enter New Zealand. This means anything that prevents or impedes that right to return to New Zealand needs to be justified.

Charging people for their stays in MIQ affects this right to enter New Zealand. That’s why we are taking extra care to make sure that:

• People are not charged any more than the actual and reasonable costs of MIQ,
• Fees can be waived in cases of financial hardship,
• No upfront payment would be required, and
• There will be flexibility in how people could pay.

I will carefully consider advice on Bill of Rights Act issues carefully before making any decisions about charges.

What does Australia charge?

Several Australian States and Territories have announced quarantine charges in the last few weeks.  For example, New South Wales charges all international passengers including Australian citizens and permanent residents in hotel quarantine AUD 3,000 (about NZD 3,200) with lower rates for additional children and adults sharing accommodation.

How many Kiwis are overseas?

An estimated 600,000 to 900,000 New Zealand citizens are living overseas, with around 400,000 to 600,000 living in Australia. It is unknown how many are intending to return.

How long will we have the managed isolation and quarantine system for?

It is impossible to tell how the situation develops internationally and in New Zealand. Our priority is keeping New Zealand safe. The Government is working to make the system sustainable and manageable for as long as we need it and it is expected the system will be amended as appropriate.

Why is self-isolation at home not allowed?

Our experience from February and March 2020, before managed isolation and quarantine was introduced, showed that compliance with self-isolation requirements by people arriving in New Zealand was patchy and could not be relied on.

Here's a statement from Green Party co-leader James Shaw.

Green Party protects stranded Kiwis from $3000 fee for coming home

The Green Party are ensuring that New Zealanders who were overseas when COVID-19 hit will not be charged for the cost of isolation or quarantine if they return home to live.

“The Green Party are making sure Kiwis who need to return to New Zealand to live are not charged a $3000 fee,” Green Party Co-leader James Shaw said today.

“Kiwis who are returning to New Zealand temporarily can have a fee waived on compassionate grounds or if they’re experiencing financial hardship.

“As a country, we should be supporting people to come home if that is what is needed for their wellbeing. New Zealand is their home and they have a right to come back.

“Kiwis overseas are facing job losses, financial insecurity, and not knowing when they’ll see their families again. Now is not the time to be making things harder for our people overseas.

“There is of course a balance, and for people choosing to leave New Zealand for overseas holidays or business trips from now on, it’s only fair they contribute to the cost of isolation when they return. It is also fair that Kiwis who choose to come back for a short trip, but it is not for compassionate reasons and they have the money to contribute, should do so.”  

Green Party Immigration spokesperson Golriz Ghahraman said today:

“New Zealanders should be able to come home if they want to. The Green Party does not support policy which could stop people coming back because they can’t afford to pay.

“It would have always been incredibly unfair to charge New Zealanders overseas who had left New Zealand before it was clear a returning cost would be imposed. 

“We’ve heard the distress of New Zealanders overseas, for whom the cost of quarantine would be a huge barrier to return.

“Safe and effective isolation and quarantine measures are a public health response, and benefit our whole community. Our effort to protect New Zealanders who need to come home to live, plus provisions for struggling New Zealanders who need to come back temporarily, is a win for all of us.”

Under the proposed policy:

·New Zealanders returning home to live will not be charged.

·New Zealanders who want to return home for a short period of time who are experiencing financial hardship will have an instalment-based payment plan available, and there will be discretion to waive all fees on compassionate grounds.

·New Zealanders who will be charged are those who want to come back temporarily, and are not experiencing financial or personal hardship.

·New Zealanders who decided to leave for a business trip or holiday of fewer than 90 days will be charged.

And here's a statement from NZ First leader Winston Peters.

New Zealand First Response to COVID-19 Public Health Response Amendment Bill Announcement

“While New Zealand First will support the passage of the enabling COVID-19 Public Health Response Amendment Bill, New Zealand First has invoked the ‘Agree to Disagree’ provisions of the Coalition Agreement because, on behalf of the ‘team of five million,’ it cannot support the unfair eligibility criteria for those New Zealanders being asked to contribute to their managed isolation or quarantine (MIQ) costs,” said New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters.

“We cannot support the miniscule population of qualifying people to be charged partial MIQ costs, as outlined in today’s government announcement:

·People who leave New Zealand after the legislation comes into effect; or

·People who are visiting New Zealand temporarily.

“Severely limiting the number of New Zealanders who will contribute to their MIQ to the extent announced today is a dreadful public policy response given the problem it seeks to address – the rising costs of the MIQ system on taxpayers – won’t be solved because of the self-limiting, tiny population it will affect,” stated Mr Peters.  

“Furthermore, we believe that the Green Party opposition to the originally proposed policy (that all returning New Zealanders be charged), alongside the incredibly inequitable regime proposed by our coalition partner, is putting naked political self-interest ahead of a prudent public policy response to the burdens being faced by domestic taxpayers who are, after all, underwriting the full costs of the MIQ regime.

“It is quite clear to New Zealand First that Labour/Green opposition to a more equitable and consistent MIQ charging regime opens them to the allegation that they are being overtly political. Why? Again, the Greens and Labour leave themselves open to the perception that they see New Zealanders overseas as a source of votes for the looming General Election, so public policy integrity has given way to electoral strategy.

“This is grossly unfair on the New Zealand taxpayer, burdened with the burgeoning cost of maintaining the MIQ system – already estimated to be half a billion dollars for the remainder of the year.

“It is absurd that the policy directly targets only those New Zealand residents already living here, who leave the country after the legislation receives Royal Assent, but who will then be asked to pay partial costs for their MIQ upon return, when no New Zealander currently abroad, will face any cost whatsoever.

Mr Peters continued, “In New Zealand First’s view that creates a fresh injustice for existing members of the ‘team of five million’ (the team whose actions kept us safe) while our diaspora, a team of ‘one million’ (not one of whom contributed to our public health success and who represent heightened health risk to the country) will have their MIQ fully subsidized by the New Zealand taxpayer. That is flatly wrong.

“In New Zealand First’s view, it would have been preferable for all returnees to be charged partial MIQ costs via IRD, in a similar arrangement to the Student Loan Scheme. This would not discriminate between different types of returning New Zealanders. All returnees could be issued with an IRD number on arrival, if they don’t already have one.

“At implementation stage, IRD would be provided with the discretion to write-off any debt due to hardship at a future date. IRD would also be given the ability to seek payment of the debt once the returnee either proved their ability to pay or gained employment and began to pay tax.

“While acknowledging Bill of Rights concerns about partial charges for returning New Zealanders, New Zealand First believes that legislation can nevertheless overcome these because the government is not refusing to allow the return of any New Zealander. It is merely asking that person to share with all current New Zealand taxpayers an impost that contributes to a society-wide sharing of MIQ system costs.  

“We know many returning New Zealanders who are happy to contribute to their MIQ costs, further underscoring the inadequacy of today’s announcement as a prudent policy response on behalf of New Zealand taxpayers,” ended Mr Peters.