Border restrictions are illegal in New Zealand

While border restrictions on passengers from countries that do not need a visa to enter New Zealand will be lifted on Saturday 30 April, restrictions targeting New Zealanders during the Covid-19 pandemic were deemed illegal on Wednesday 27 April.

In her ruling, Supreme Court Justice Jillian Malone said the government’s isolation and quarantine process failed to take into account individual circumstances. For the judge, this system was an essential part of the strategy to combat the coronavirus, but its failure to take into account the specific needs of the people meant that the government had acted. “Illegal and unreasonable and in violation of the Bill of Rights which states that every New Zealand citizen has the right to enter New Zealand”.

The case was taken to Wellington High Court in February by Grounded Kiwis [les Kiwis immobilisés, NDLR], an advocacy group for easing restrictions. According to this group, New Zealanders living abroad were denied their rights when these rules were in effect, between September 1 and December 17, 2021. Her only son was buried. Another was unable to attend while her son was undergoing treatment for cancer.

The reception energies in isolation centers and hotels were also saturated for compulsory quarantine. Thousands of people could not get a seat, and the reservation system was based on a tie.

The isolation and quarantine requirements for all New Zealand citizens were lifted in March 2022. Since then, New Zealanders stranded abroad due to the pandemic have been able to return home. New Zealand is also preparing to reopen its borders to vaccinate foreign passengers. Aircalin’s first flight from New Caledonia to New Zealand will take place on May 8.