Rotorua's politicians welcome news tourism hub won't host a fourth MIQ facility

Thursday, 23 September 2021

Rotorua’s political leaders have welcomed news the tourism hub is not set to host additional managed isolation and quarantine facilities.

The issue had created a rare consensus from Rotorua’s National MP Todd McClay, Māori Party Waiariki MP Rawiri Watititi and Labour List MP Tamati Coffey, who had all argued against the move.

Lakes DHB, Rotorua Mayor Steve Chadwick and Te Arawa Covid Response Hub chair Monty Morrison were also against the city hosting what would have been a fourth MIQ site.

Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins announced on Thursday that Christchurch's Quality Hotel Elms would become the country’s latest MIQ facility.

**READ MORE:

* Covid-19: Christchurch to gain extra MIQ facility

* Rotorua's three MPs united in opposition against additional MIQ hotels in tourism hub

* Covid-19: Government investigating additional MIQ in Christchurch and Rotorua

**

“We asked MBIE to find new facilities to help balance the reduced capacity overall due to added protections we have put in place to combat Delta. These include cohorting, taking hotels offline to boost their ventilation systems and the conversion of two isolation facilities for quarantine,” he said.

“We want to assure Kiwis overseas that we are doing everything we can to facilitate their safe return. The new hotel will result in 85 more rooms for returnees and brings the numbers of facilities in the network to 32.”

He also said MIQ will remain a critical part of Covid-19 defence for the forseeable future.

Hipkins said other options were considered in Rotorua and Auckland, “but were rejected primarily because of health and MIQ workforce constraints”.

Coffey said he welcomed the news and that he believed the feedback from Te Arawa on the issue had played a key role in the decision.

”Iwi were able to talk as Treaty partners with the Crown, they felt the Crown was listening,” he said.

He said Rotorua was already doing more than its fair share to keep the country safe from Covid, but he also acknowledged the hard choices faced by Cabinet.

”These facilities have to go somewhere, it’s a big decision.”

Chadwick said she wanted to thank Hipkins and Cabinet for listening to Rotorua.

“The prospect of more MIQ in our city was genuinely worrying and it was good to see the community and local leaders, including our MPs, getting activated and voicing their concerns,” she said.

“For us it was about supporting our health and police staff, who are already stretched supporting our existing MIQ facilities, supporting all of our businesses and operators who rely on tourism and ensuring we retain capacity for visitors.

“We are still in very challenging times with Covid and New Zealand is not out of the woods yet, but here in Rotorua we are also trying to work on some other very big local challenges, like housing.”

Te Arawa Covid Hub chair Monty Morrison also welcomed the news, and agreed with Coffey’s view this had been a good example of Crown/iwi consultation.

“While we completely understand the frustrations and distress of New Zealanders overseas who are trying to come home, a proposed fourth MIQ in Rotorua would be a risk that is simply too much for us to bear,” he said.

“We are a community that is particularly vulnerable to Covid-19 and the threat of community transmission from an MIQ is an ever-present danger.

“While we have a base level of confidence around our existing sites, they weren’t without their teething issues in the initial months. The seriousness of Delta means we simply cannot afford that level of risk in our rohe.

“We would like to publicly thank Government Ministers for listening to our concerns and making an appropriate decision based on those. The announcement today is the culmination of many weeks of discussions and hui, involving a large number of people, and this joint effort has paid off.”

McClay said he was “extremely pleased they have listened to the concerns of the DHB and the community”.

However, he said he believed it was an issue that could rear its head again.

“Sadly I don’t think it can be ruled out. They could come back as they’re feeling pressure elsewhere.”

Lakes DHB board member Lyall Thurston also told Stuff he was happy as the decision “clearly addressed the very grave concerns of this community”.

“This is one of the very rare occasions all politicians in Rotorua were on the same page, they were all saying enough is enough.”

Stuff has also approached the Māori Party to seek reaction from Rawiri Waititi.