The National Party has unveiled its border security plan policy, which includes the establishment of a New Zealand border protection agency, Te Korowai Whakamaru.
The party says the agency would provide comprehensive oversight and management of Covid-19 at the border, as well as other public health threats.
As part of its plan, international travellers would be required to provide evidence of a negative Covid-19 test before arriving in Aotearoa. Compulsory contact tracing technologies would also need to be used by agency employees, border facility workers and district health board staff who treat or test patients.
Bluetooth applications would also be deployed to enhance contact tracing while also exploring alternative technologies, such as a Covid Card.
Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti says National recognises the need to also prepare a second line of defence, behind the border, so any incursions can be identified, traced and isolated quickly.
“The first line of defence must be strong border management but a high-quality contact tracing system is a vital second line. With strong contact tracing systems and a more sophisticated testing and compliance structure we can minimise the impact of further incursions and protect those vulnerable to the disease.”
National leader Judith Collins says the current system of managing Covid-19 at the border – putting various agencies in charge of different facets – has led to a disorderly and confused response.
“More than 1.6 million Aucklanders are locked down right now because the government dropped the ball on testing, tracing and managing people in isolation. It’s not good enough.”
National's border security policy also includes striving toward a test-on-demand system with a waiting time target of no longer than 60 minutes for a Covid-19 test; widening the availability of Covid-19 testing nationwide; regular testing of aged-care workers and increasing opportunities for testing within aged-care facilities; and preparing a more effective response to future outbreaks, should they occur, allowing lockdowns to be more targeted and shorter in duration.
The party says the first lockdown saw 212,000 New Zealanders end up on unemployment benefits, with another 450,000 jobs kept alive by wage subsidies.
The current lockdown is estimated to be costing Auckland 250 jobs and up to $75 million a day in economic activity.
Current security and border restrictions
The Coalition government's border control measures require people entering New Zealand to stay in managed isolation or quarantine for at least 14 days and complete a health assessment and return a negative Covid-19 test before they can go into the community.
Only New Zealand residents and citizens (and their children and partners) are permitted to enter New Zealand.
Passengers arriving by sea will be isolated on board the vessel they arrived on, or in managed onshore facilities. Some people may be given an exemption on compassionate grounds and allowed to self-isolate elsewhere if their application for an exemption is approved.
Air and maritime crew will be tested if they have symptoms consistent with Covid-19. If they are considered at high risk of exposure, they will be requested to isolate themselves until a test result is confirmed.
People who work at the border will be strongly encouraged to seek testing if they experience symptoms (however mild), and airports and ports must ensure that there are no disincentives to test.
Yesterday Housing Minister Megan Woods said the government increased the number of Defence Force personnel supporting the managed isolation and quarantine system and maritime border, further bolstering protections against community COVID-19 spread.
"About 500 more Defence personnel will be deployed, taking the total to about 990 Defence personnel at our managed isolation facilities following ongoing checks and assessments of the managed isolation and quarantine system as part of a continual improvement process. That will bring the total Defence Force personnel supporting the Covid-19 response to 1200 – the largest military contingent since Timor-Leste," she says.