A Kiwi professional athlete based in Japan with terminal brain cancer has tonight been granted an exemption for quarantine after initially being denied a spot.
Trevor Ponting had been shut out of New Zealand despite being given months to live, but now he will be able to complete isolation and reunite with his family in Christchurch.
Do you know of any New Zealanders that are sick and stuck overseas? Contact our reporter Katie Bradford at katie.bradford@tvnz.co.nz
Yvonne Pointing says her brother hoped to come home one last time to say goodbye to his mum.
His family was left devastated earlier this week, reeling after his application for an emergency spot in managed isolation was rejected despite his wife and children being granted critical purpose visas.
“We just thought this would be a hurdle that would be reasonably easy to get through. However, it’s proven to be the hardest part so yeah... We’re all pretty devastated,” his sister Yvonne Ponting told 1 NEWS before Trevor was granted an exemption.
National's leader refused to believe there aren't spots at the border for sick New Zealanders to come home.
The pain was exacerbated by the news of other MIQ allowances for children’s entertainers The Wiggles, who hadn’t booked a spot in managed isolation despite their upcoming national tour.
National leader Judith Collins was in disbelief there hadn’t been any flexibility for Trevor and his family to begin with.
“I just can’t believe there’s not a spot somewhere. Whether it’s putting some people into another space, whatever, there must be come flexibility in the system.”
With only one flight from Japan to New Zealand a week, each day that passes is precious time lost for the Ponting family.
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