Special border approval for The Wiggles after voucher blunder upsets Kiwis struggling to get back to NZ

Don’t try to jump the queue, officials said to businesses selling or promoting services before completing the correct paperwork.

The Wiggles tour will go ahead as planned, after space was made available for them in New Zealand's managed isolation facilities. 

The Australia-based touring group — which totals 12 when including crew and families — are set to arrive in March, having been given wiggle room within an MIQ system bursting at the seams. 

Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins says the Government had found space. 

“Sometimes they have cancellations and rooms become available. I think they managed to find a way to accommodate them,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Government has issued a warning against other businesses selling or promoting services before completing the correct paperwork. It came as news that a ship, La Perouse, was heading for New Zealand that had crew onboard without the correct papers. 

Kiwis in New Zealand had mixed feelings around the news the Wiggles were arriving; some completely against the idea, while others saw it as a positive.  

One mother had bought tickets to the show already. She said her daughter would “be devastated” if it was cancelled. 

Another said entertainment, even from overseas, was welcome during what’s been a very difficult time. 

“If you are making people happy in this hard time, when people are struggling, why not?” 

But for Kiwis overseas it’s left them feeling a little uneasy; given the challenge it’s been for many trying to return home. 

Flamenco guitarist Paul Bosauder was on his third attempt, since October, trying to get home. 

“I am in my third combination of flights and MIQ to try and get home,” he said. “It has been really frustrating, whether it has been an airline or a snowstorm in Madrid that meant my flight was cancelled.” 

He said getting flights to line up with spots was a tricky puzzle that at times seemed impossible to solve. 

The flamenco guitarist said it hadn’t been his plan to uproot his life in the Spanish city of Seville. He’s called Spain his home away from home for 12 years. 

But Covid-19 has seen his work dry up, after a lockdown where he spent months cooped up in his apartment. 

“You don't feel safe,” he said. “You know there are a handful of cases in New Zealand right now and people are worried. There is 40,000 plus a day in Spain, and you live with that on a day-to-day basis.” 

His tale is just one of hundreds; many of whom wrote into 1 NEWS expressing their frustration. 

One Kiwi woman living in Wales was trying to get an emergency exemption to get home before her planned return in March. 

Her mother was unexpectedly admitted to hospital and is facing a cancer diagnosis. 

“I’m desperate to get back to New Zealand,” she said. “I’m trying everything I can to be there, but it seems like every barrier is in my way right now.” 

In London, Clint Heine, the organiser of the Kiwis in London group, said no one wanted to begrudge those living in New Zealand their freedoms. 

“That’s fantastic, we love that our families are all having a safe and good summer,” he said. “But on the other hand, there are a lot of other people losing their family members who are now being told that foreign entertainers are more important.

“It’s like a Hunger Games situation.” 

Hipkins said Kiwis were not losing out. 

“New Zealanders are not being pushed out of the queue to accommodate The Wiggles,” he said. 

Kiwis who have tried, however, are questioning why it is still so hard for them. 

Bosauder said there was no wriggle room in the system when he was looking — and called on the Government to make it easier. 

“It’s a really difficult and stressful time, so anything they can do to make it easier would be appreciated.” 

And while The Wiggles were given special dispensation, Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi has this strong warning to others trying to sell services without filling out the required paperwork. 

“I want to make it clear our border is closed,” he said.

He said the crew onboard the ship that had set sail for January would not be allowed in if they had no exemption to be here. 

“There are plenty of companies now who would love to bring in people because there are skill shortages,” he said. 

“For the Government to allow that crew to come in, when others have been declined, that would set an extremely bad precedent.” 

The boat is currently stopped near New Caledonia, with the crew needing to decide if they continue on to New Zealand and face detention or turn around.

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