News / Events

Announcement 24 November 2021 - International Borders to Open from January 2022

Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins has announced the re-opening of New Zealand's international borders, which will take place in three stages from January to April 2022. The plan will allow certain travellers to enter New Zealand without going into MIQ, with a mandatory seven day self-isolation period in place for people not required to enter MIQ.

3-step plan for entering NZ without going into MIQ:

• Fully vaccinated New Zealand citizens and other eligible travellers can travel to New Zealand from Australia without staying in MIQ from 11:59pm on 16 January 2022 (provided they have been in Australia or New Zealand for the past 14 days).
• Fully vaccinated New Zealand citizens and other eligible travellers from all but very high risk countries, from 11:59pm on Sunday 13 February 2022.
• Fully vaccinated foreign nationals (possibly staged by visa category), from 30 April 2022 onwards.

All travellers who do not have to go into MIQ will still require:

• a negative pre-departure test
• proof of being fully vaccinated
• a passenger declaration about travel history
• a day 0/1 test on arrival
• a requirement to self-isolate for 7 days, and
• a final negative test before entering the community.

Additional information:

• Those who do not meet the requirements for medium-risk pathway, but are still permitted to enter New Zealand under current border settings, will continue to enter MIQ upon arrival under the new regime of 7 days in MIQ, followed by 3 days of home isolation.
  • This will include those who do not meet vaccination requirements (including unvaccinated New Zealand citizens) and those from very high risk countries.
• More detail will be provided in December 2021 for people holding existing Managed Isolation Allocation System (MIAS) vouchers for MIQ dates after the steps commence and on self-isolation for groups.

You can watch the full announcement HERE or visit the read the update HERE.

 

Announcement 23 November 2021 - MCH to Sponsor 20 Managed Isolation Quarantine (MIQ) Rooms Per Month for Cultural Sector

SPADA welcomes the latest development in the MIQ area following Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage's announcement today of a monthly allocation of MIQ rooms for the cultural sector. MCH will sponsor up to 20 Managed Isolation Quarantine (MIQ) rooms per month to support the sector.

This bespoke allocation for the creative sector will introduce another avenue for international travel for the cultural sector. The first round of applications for the month of December 2021 is due by midnight, Tuesday, 23 November 2021. 

[Note: An MIQ room is able to fit two adults and two young children. The maximum number of adults per room is two. The adults are generally closely related but on occasion, an application can be made to the Ministry of Health for non-related adults to share. Children over the age of 12 are counted as an adult.]

Criteria for applicants to work in New Zealand includes:

• they are integral to the viability of the activity

• their activity cannot be reasonably undertaken from outside of New Zealand

• the activity is of national significance or of cultural significance or would have a significant impact on New Zealand's international reputation

• there is no person locally that could fill the role

• they have tried other avenues to secure MIQ space and will continue to attempt to secure a position via the MIQ online system.

Full criteria and application form HERE.

 

COVID-19 PROTECTION FRAMEWORK DATE ANNOUNCED

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced that all of New Zealand will transition into the COVID-19 Protection Framework from 11:59 PM Thursday 2 December 2021.

Key details include:

• From Friday, 3 December 2021 proof of vaccination via your Vaccine Pass will be required to access events, bars, gyms, restaurants, etc. 

• On 29 November 2021 Government will announce which level of the 'Traffic Light System' each region will transition to.

• It has been confirmed that Auckland will transition to RED on 3 December 2021, and no region will move into GREEN.

• A trial of the Vaccine Pass system allows hairdressers and barbers in the Auckland region to open from Thursday, 25 November 2021 so long as:

• Staff are vaccinated, wearing masks, and have 1M between chairs.

• Proof of vaccination is required for customers.

• On Thursday, Ministers Little, Sepuloni, and Verrall will set out the end-to-end support, someone who gets COVID and those around them will receive in the community.

• Also this week, the Government will be releasing detailed sector guidance, so businesses and other organisations can see how they will operate at each level of the traffic level system.

You can watch the full announcement from Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield HERE.

 

BUSINESS VACCINATION ASSESSMENT TOOL

Today, Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Michael Wood unveiled the Government's business vaccination assessment tool, which has been developed to help clarify what work should be covered by vaccinated workers, and when it was reasonable to require vaccination for other work.

The assessment tool has four criteria, at least three of which must be met before a business can require vaccination:

• Workers are in an area with less than 100m2 indoor space

• Workers work less than 1m apart from other people

• Workers are routinely near others for more than 15 minutes

• That the workers provide services to people vulnerable to Covid-19

Other key information:

• Legislation allowing the vaccination assessment tool to be created, as well as introducing four weeks’ paid notice of termination and paid time off to get vaccinated, will be passed under urgency this week. 

• The tool will be available from mid-December 2021.

• Unvaccinated staff in businesses where vaccine mandates apply will not be able to continue their work unless they are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 by January 17, 2022.

You can watch Minister Wood's full announcement HERE (announcement begins at 10:15).

 

NZ PASS VERIFIER APP LAUNCHED

The release of the NZ Pass Verifier app is another step for businesses and organisations to prepare for the move to the COVID-19 Protection Framework on 3 December 2021.

The app helps give businesses certainty that they can quickly manage vaccine certificates and make sure they can easily check that their customers are all fully vaccinated and is available for download from the Apple and Google Play app stores today.

Read more about the NZ Pass Verifier App HERE.

 

Updated Screen Industry COVID-19 Protocols

As shared last week, ScreenSafe is currently amending the Screen Industry COVID-19 Protocols in line with the upcoming COVID-19 Protection Framework (aka the Traffic Light System). 

In the meantime, the latest Guidance is available HERE.