Media leads campaign against flights from India

RNZ Photo by Dan Cook

Misinformation, lack of knowledge and scaremongering characterise the take of a few mainstream media companies on the government’s decision to allow New Zealand citizens, their partners and families coming from India after April 28, 2021, although under various conditions.

We wish to clarify at the outset that we are not advocating opening of borders from India or for that matter any other country that has high rates of Covid-19 hits.

We recognise that India is currently experiencing the highest incidence of Covid-19 on a daily basis. According to the Times of India, the number of Covid-19 cases hit 330,000 on a single day (April 22, 2021) with 2263 deaths. The total number of cases recorded in the country is now more than 16.26 million, with almost 187,000 deaths.

Rights of Citizens

However, New Zealand has no option except to allow its citizens to return home, so as not to contravene the provisions enshrined in the Bill of Rights.

Some talkback shows and a couple of media reports say that Indians have dual-citizenship and hence can remain in India for some more time. Many callers have said that ‘Indians returning to New Zealand will bring with them Covid-19 and inflict the whole country.’

They should be aware that India does not approve of dual citizenship and that those holding Indian passports must surrender them upon obtaining the citizenship of another country. The same is true of many other countries including Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, countries of the Arab Gulf, Austria and Netherlands.

Citizens have the right to return to their country- in our case, New Zealand.

Permanent Residents later

Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins told a media conference today (April 23, 2021) that after the expiry of the current ban (April 28, 2021), citizens of New Zealand can return home and that their partner and immediate family members will also be allowed.

The partner of a New Zealand citizen can be a spouse, civil union partner of a de facto partner, and families would include a dependent child or parent or legal guardian of dependent children who are New Zealand citizens.

All passengers must have a negative nasopharyngeal RT-PCR prior to their travel.

Permanent Residents are however not allowed yet.

Some media outlets erroneously say that the move is ‘racist.’ Nothing can be father than truth, for looking after the ‘team of five million’ is a sacred duty and cannot be undermined by any other move under any circumstances.

High Risk Countries

India has been listed a ‘High Risk Country’ along with Brazil, Pakistan and Papua New Guinea.

According to the New Zealand Herald however, permanent residents from India will be allowed if they spend at least 14 days in a ‘Non-Very High Risk Country’ before they travel to New Zealand.

We are hopeful that the ban on the travel of permanent residents would not continue long and that they will be allowed to return in not too distant a future.

Mr Hipkins said that countries will be initially designated ‘very high risk’ when there have been more than 50 cases of Covid-19 per 1000 arrivals to New Zealand from those countries in 2021, and where there are more than 15 travellers on average per month.

“We have looked at the accumulative risk to New Zealand from travellers from High-Risk countries. From India alone, this is expected to reduce the number of potential positive cases coming to New Zealand by an estimated 75%. We are talking about hundreds of people who could be affected,” he said.

The following charts shows arrivals per month, calculated using 2021 data to April 9, 2021, with the number given relating to the 30-day average. Average New Zealand cases per 1000 arrivals are based on total cases detected in MIQ over total arrivals in 2021. 

Find out more the reasons you can travel to New Zealand at Immigration New Zealand