Covid 19 Delta outbreak: Judith Collins heads back to Auckland as Parliament relaxes vaccine rules

National leader Judith Collins is one of the first MPs to make use of new Parliament rules that allow MPs to travel more freely.

On Thursday, Collins departed for Auckland, currently in stage one of the Government's three-step lifting of alert level 3 lockdown.

Collins, who has been fully vaccinated, will return to Wellington when the House sits again later this month.

She will have to get a negative pre-departure test and isolate for five days following her return, following new Parliamentary rules.

Those rules were unveiled by Speaker Trevor Mallard this week issued requirements to all returning MPs and staff in an email on Wednesday.

Parliament will next sit from October 19, so any MPs who wish to attend on that day will have to fly back to Wellington before October 12.

Act leader David Seymour criticised the move, saying it seemed like a "rigmarole".

"I have no intention to return to Auckland. Parliament will be sitting again in eight or nine days and I'll be stoked to be here asking questions in the House again," Seymour said.

"It seems like a bit of a rigmarole to go back to Auckland so I can stay home in a different house and then get on the plane and fly back again," he said.

"I don't really understand why you'd want to do that, but I've never questioned other MPs' personal lives and motivations and if Judith wants to do that then she should."

Most Auckland-based MPs have been absent from Parliament for the entire Delta outbreak, with the only MPs attending Parliament being those who are based outside of Auckland or who travelled back to Wellington when news of the outbreak dropped.

Collins provoked controversy when she returned to Wellington from Auckland for sittings of Parliament, despite both cities being in higher alert levels.

MPs are essential workers and are allowed to travel freely, but Mallard has required strict infection prevention measures on the Parliamentary precinct.

Labour Minister David Parker has also returned to Auckland, having been based in the South Island and Wellington for the recent Delta outbreak.