“By keeping the isolation and MIQ rules in place for people entering New Zealand, we are reducing case numbers by less than 0.2 per cent,” says ACT Leader David Seymour.

“If 10,000 people arrived in New Zealand tomorrow, they would add 0.2 per cent to the New Zealand population. If they had as much COVID as New Zealand, they would add 0.2 per cent to daily cases. If they have to return a negative test before flying, almost none of them will have COVID. We are now keeping the borders closed to reduce our daily case numbers by a fraction of 0.2 per cent.

“We have more than 67,000 active cases in the community and just a handful daily at the border. Meanwhile families are separated, businesses are desperate for staff and our tourism industry is collapsing.

“The rules for someone entering New Zealand should be the same as the rules for everyone else - and not just Kiwis in Australia. It’s time to reconnect with the rest of the world.

“The Prime Minister needs to explain why Kiwis in Australia are biologically different from Kiwis in, say, California. Why are Aussies in Australia biologically different from Kiwis in Australia? Why are we making these odd distinctions?

“With 67,000 active cases in the community the rest of the world will be looking at New Zealand and wondering why it’s us locking them out.

“Even Ashley Bloomfield and the Ministry of Health now agree that the risk from the border is lower than the risk in the community.

“ACT believes it’s time to move on from fear and take back control of our lives from unending government restrictions.

“We should not keep ineffective and costly rules because they make us feel comfortable. If rules are not useful they should go, and it should be up to the Government that imposes them on us to explain why they should stay. It’s time to stop the fear and the control. It’s time to move on.”

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