Collins blunders on expat policy

I hope we can all agree that charging only certain returning expats for isolation costs is the right call. Instead of a blanket fee, which may have resulted in a small number of Kiwis deciding not to return home because of financial reasons, the Government has chosen to implement a fair and principled cost structure.

People visiting for 90 days or less, some on temporary visas, and the wealthy going for a holiday overseas will still have to make a contribution towards their isolation costs when returning to New Zealand. However the fees are pretty nominal and shouldn't hinder New Zealanders or breach their legal right to return home.

People in financial hardship can still apply for exemptions from payment. However those that can afford it will be charged just over $3000 per person in a room, $950 for each additional adult and $475 for each additional child sharing the same room.


Here’s the Green Party’s Golriz Ghahraman with the news:

📣BREAKING: The Green Party has ensured that if you were overseas when #COVID19 hit, you will not be charged a $3000 #quarantine fee if you need to come home to live!

Please let the NZ ex-pats in your world know about this development. @golrizghahraman #nzpol pic.twitter.com/I979gAQlI7

— Green Party NZ (@NZGreens) July 29, 2020

Strangely Judith Collins, despite the National Party proposing almost the exact same fee structure, isn’t pleased with the policy decision.

Yesterday, Stuff reported:

National and NZ First promise to charge more returning Kiwis after election

National have a policy to charge all returnees a similar fee, with a narrow set of exemptions. 

Leader Judith Collins said the policy was “a total failure” and “the kind of policy you have when you don’t want a policy.” 

She said her party would replace the scheme entirely with its policy if elected in September. 

Collins said that there was a growing discontent with overseas Kiwis from unemployed New Zealanders trapped at home.

Here’s National’s policy proposal:

National to charge for quarantine 

Additional adults in a room if a couple has arrived, will be charged an additional $1000.

Children under 3 years will have no cost and over 3 years will see an additional $500.

There will be exemptions only for New Zealand citizens and permanent residents on compassionate grounds and in cases where they are facing financial hardship.

Claiming that the Government’s policy is a total failure, when there's nothing really materially different to National's proposed policy, is incredibly stupid! I mean why would you bother replacing the entire scheme for tens of dollars?

Collins would've been better off saying that the Government was copying National's policy. But instead she has made herself look foolish by going entirely negative! Crusher is either criticising the policy for the sake of it, or she doesn't actually remember what her own party proposed only eleven days ago.

Either way, it's clear that the National Party, with the deluded Judith Collins in charge, isn't fit to govern.