At 11.59pm alert level 4 will be activated and New Zealand will go into an extreme and unprecedented nationwide lockdown.
Some of the returning travellers stuck in quarantine hotels across Australia have complained that their situation is "worse than jail".
Nine reporter Sam Cucchiara spoke to some of those unable to leave their hotel rooms for 14 days as part of strict coronavirus containment measures for a segment on Saturday'sA Current Affair.
Australian traveller Nicola was initially excited about spending a fortnight at the luxury Intercontinental Hotel in Sydney's exclusive Double Bay – but her verdict now? "It's torture … it's worse than jail."
In one video diary, she's shown complaining that her first food for the day – a pre-packaged frozen meal – had arrived at 3.30pm.
"I'm not sleeping very well, and I'm finding it difficult to exercise in the room," she said.
Filming outside Melbourne's lush Crown Promenade hotel, the news crew noticed a makeshift sign stuck to the window of one hotel room: "WE NEED FRESH AIR."
Retirees Ray and Jackie speak to ACA. Photo / Channel 9
Occupant Ray, a retired Adelaide lawyer who was returning from South America with his wife Jackie, scribbled down his phone number so the reporters could communicate with him over the phone.
"People think this is great, five-star accommodation – but I think you're going to have a major mental health problem among the people staying here," he said. "We can't even pass the door without security guards charging at us."
"We are not their guinea pigs, and they need to act now," Jackie said. "We are human beings.
"My daughter is a nutritionist – we took a photo of the food we are given and she was appalled. This is a rich country, we are not a third world country."
Ray complained they were being charged $40 to have a bag of laundry washed: "I'm not going to pay them one red cent."
Ray and Jackie are diabetics and complain they're "pumped with sugar and chocolate – breakfast, lunch and dinner".
Quarantined vegan couple, Sarah and Matt, complained they were "starving", having been served a dinner of fish they couldn't eat.
One vegan couple were served a meal of fish. Photo / Channel 9
"Dinner is supposed to be at 6, but I've called up at 9 and at 9.30pm had two pears and a bread roll sent up for the both of us," Sarah said.
Another couple complained the food they were served was "lukewarm" so they threw it out.
Not all feel they're doing it so tough – one newlywed couple in the Crown Promenade told the programme the food had been "lovely", they were enjoying the city views and they'd be using the downtime to write their wedding thank you cards.
Returning travellers' complaints about being forced into hotel quarantine have been a controversial issue this week. On Thursday, Today hosts Karl Stefanovic and Ally Langdon had an awkward on-air encounter on with a woman stuck in quarantine at Brisbane's Novotel with her two young sons. Sarah Greig accused the show of painting her as a "whinger" after the hosts asked her why she felt like a "prisoner".
"Look, I was asked to come on air today to speak to you about finding solutions to get us some fresh air. That was what I was coming on air to speak to you about today, not to whinge about any of the things you just said to me," Greig said.
In the past week, thousands of Australians returning to airports around the country have been taken by police and military to hotels that would be their homes for two weeks during quarantine to contain the spread of coronavirus.
About 20,000 travellers are expected to return in the next week alone.
