December 21 2021
The Government has announced a suite of changes to bolster New Zealand's defences against the Omicron variant of Covid-19 - including pushing out changes to border rules until the end of February.
A New Zealand couple desperately trying to get home following a cancer diagnosis have given up hope after having plans cancelled multiple times because of border changes.
Craig Helm said he and his wife Fiona, who is battling cancer, are trying to get back to New Zealand so they canget support for her but have been unable to get an exemption to return and have lost multiple bookings because of changing travel restrictions.
The pair are now living in their daughter's one-bedroom apartment in Adelaide, Helm said, and in a few days, he will be jobless.
"It keeps playing on her mind, like we get built up, she gets her hopes up that we're going in November, then bam, then it goes against it, and it pushes her right back. Then they say we're opening and we book seats for the 21st of January...Now they've changed the rules again."
As well as this, he said they had already moved one of her surgeries to fit around the dates.
The couple are just two of the thousands of Kiwis caught out by the Government's announcement it was extending border closures to late February because of concerns over the fast-spreading Omicron variant of Covid.
The Government previously said it would begin to slowly phase out MIQ end mandatory hotel quarantine on January 17 for New Zealand citizens and visa holders coming home from Australia.
Fiona Helm in hospital. Photo / Supplied
As a result, Helm said their mental health was suffering, especially Fiona's, who has depression.
"It's really hard, especially with her, you get your hopes up that you're going, next minute you keep getting the door slammed in your face."
It has also had a financial impact on the couple; Helm told the Herald he will be jobless from January 4 after he submitted his notice thinking he was coming back to the country in January.
This is the second time he says he has submitted his notice only to have their trip cancelled.
Despite applying for an emergency exemption, Helm said they have still been unable to return and he now feels like trying to get home is a lost cause.
While they had been living across the ditch for five years, he said they wanted to come home now so they can get more support for Fiona as she goes through health issues.
"Now we've got no job, no car, we're staying in a tiny little unit."
With their flight on the 21st, he said he managed to secure an MIQ room for the 22nd, but told the Herald they wouldn't allow him to come a day earlier.
"At this stage, I'm not confident in getting home in the next six months.
"It's like everything sort of gets slammed in your face, where you try and do the right thing, you try and go through the right channels, and they just don't get back to you."
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment has been approached for comment.
