Covid-19 Delta outbreak: Relocating Auckland couple left confused by lack of Government communication

12 new Covid-19 community cases were announced on Monday with PM Jacinda Ardern outlining a self-isolation trial for international travellers and the RSE travel bubble for the Pacific to resume. Video / NZ Herald

An Auckland couple who sold their home have been left "homeless" after level 3 restrictions halted their plans of moving to their new hometown of Whangārei.

Heather and Gordon Law were looking for a new start, so they quit their jobs and decided to buy a motel in Whangārei.

"We decided we would move up there to sort of just do something different and get out of the rat race of Auckland."

Heather and Gordon Law hope they will be living in Whangarei sooner rather than later. Photo / Supplied

They had expected to move on September 6, however Auckland was at the time in level 4 restrictions.

New homeowners moved into their former Waimauku home on Friday, leaving the couple scrambling for accommodation.

"That left us effectively homeless," Heather Law said.

The couple, who are in their 50s, and their dog are living in an Auckland Airbnb until they are able to move.

Under Level 3, people can move house within a region if moving or relocating permanently. However, Auckland residents cannot move houses if their new location is out of the city.

Confusion over when that may change has left the couple "frustrated".

"Unfortunately I can't play netball, otherwise I'd be able to cross the border. And unfortunately I'm not a criminal, or I'd be able to cross the border."

When Auckland moved into level 3 last Wednesday, Law and her husband applied for a travel exemption and took Covid-19 tests, which were negative.

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"Finally Wednesday at 5 o'clock they said we would need an exemption. We had already applied for that in anticipation that was probably going to happen and then they declined us," she said.

The Auckland couple are fully vaccinated.

Cabinet today met and discussed possibly broadening the range of reasons of why people can cross the border.

In anticipation that an announcement would be made this afternoon, Law and her husband got a second Covid-19 test.

However, they were shocked when they did not hear the issue brought up at the 4pm press conference until a question was asked by a reporter.

"Cabinet made decisions today, orders need to be drafted so we'll be making announcements on that tomorrow and give people that certainty within the next 24 hours," Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said when asked.

Law hopes the Government will soon allow Aucklanders moving out of the region to cross the border.