Michael Wood
Wellington, March 15, 2022
As we take the next step in our plan to reconnect with the world, I know many people here in Mt Roskill and around the country will be looking forward to reuniting with family and friends from overseas.
Thanks to changes announced, vaccinated Kiwis overseas can now return to New Zealand without entering MIQ or having to self-isolate. This means that travellers upon arrival can immediately connect with family and friends, as long as they test negative within 24 hours of their arrival in New Zealand.
This is an important step in our Covid response and one I know that many people have waited for a long time. Being separated from loved ones has been, for many, one of the hardest parts of the pandemic.
Boosters, our strongest weapon
While it has been tough, this effort has saved countless lives. Our border controls have resulted in New Zealand having fewer Covid deaths than most other countries and ensured that we could protect more people with boosters before Omicron spread into our communities.
More than 70% of people aged 18 and over have now had their booster, which is fantastic to see.
If you have not had yours yet, I would really encourage you to get it as soon as you can. Boosters are our strongest weapon against Omicron, offering an extra layer of protection and reducing your chances of ending up in hospital. Getting boosted could save your life, and it will also help protect our more vulnerable community members through the current outbreak.
Preparing for recovery
As our Government responds to the immediate impacts of Omicron, we are also making sure we set New Zealand up for a strong recovery. A really important part of this is our work to protect jobs and strengthen our economy.
You may have seen that we have just signed a historic free trade agreement with the United Kingdom. This is a gold standard deal that will cut costs for our exporters and is expected to boost our economy by up to $1 billion. It’s come at a crucial time in our COVID recovery, and I’m sure it will bring huge benefits for our regions.
Support Payment for businesses
This month, we also rolled out the new Covid Support Payment for businesses most affected by the outbreak. I know that many businesses here in Auckland have already received payments, and I have been pleased to hear that this support is making a difference, especially for our great local cafes and restaurants.
The latest figures show that our economy is resilient, with a record low unemployment and debt lower than forecast. However, as the past two years have demonstrated, it is hard to predict what is ahead.
Our government will continue to manage the economy responsibly, ensuring that we invest in key services like health and education while keeping debt down, to ensure that we are prepared for whatever comes next.
As we continue to face the Covid challenge, I want to, once again, say a huge thank you for everything you are doing to keep our community safe.
The next couple of weeks as we deal with the Omicron peak may not be easy, but I know that if we continue to work together and keep up those important health behaviours, we’ll make it through.
Michael Wood is elected Member of Parliament from Mt Roskill under Labour. He is Minister of Transport, Workplace Relations and Safety under the Jacinda Ardern government. Minister Wood likes to take this opportunity to wish the celebrating community Happy Holi.
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Photo Caption:
Such scenes are common at our airports: Families being reunited after almost two years (Auckland Airport Photo)
