The Indian Weekender, Friday 21 August 2020

21.08.2020 Views
4 NEW ZEALAND Resene DIY Card Special! Friday, August 21, 2020 The Indian Weekender Govt brings in 500 more defence personnel to strengthen border management SANDEEP SINGH The government has moved-in another 500 personnel of the defence forces to coordinate what is being described as “multi-agency tasks” required to speed up the testing at the managed quarantine facilities. The decision was announced by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Wednesday, August 19, public health briefing. Revealing more details about the nature of the new deployment a press release from, the office of Minister of Managed Isolation and Quarantine (MIQ), Megan Woods further said, “It is important we do all we can to strengthen the layers of security systems in our facilities. “This boost in defence force personnel will be progressively rolled out over the next six weeks and will see the number in each managed isolation and quarantine facility increase from around 4 people to 19 people, and also see around 80 extra personnel stationed at the maritime border to assist Customs,” Dr Woods said. Currently, there are 32 managed isolation and quarantine facilities. Notably, recently the government has come under increased pressure for its alleged shambolic management of quarantine facilities at the border and "While the current community cluster has not been sourced to a managed isolation and quarantine facility, nothing is fail-safe and strengthening security is a step we believe is useful." being inconclusively linked to the reemergence of the second wave of the Covid-19 in the country. Minister of Health Chris Hipkins had earlier accepted a damning media report revealing that almost 60 per cent of frontline border staffs have not been tested, despite the government’s earlier expectations for rigorous testing of everyone involved in border management. Since then the government has taken a number of steps to bolster border management, including rigorous testing. Minister Woods has however strongly rejected the allegation that the second wave of Covid-19 in the country can be linked with shambolic border management. “While the current community cluster has not been sourced to a managed isolation and quarantine facility, nothing is fail-safe and strengthening security is a step we believe is useful,” Megan Woods said. Thirty staff will deploy to Auckland this Thursday to staff the first two MIQ facilities. Currently, there are around 1200 Defence Force personnel supporting the Covid-19 response, with 990 at Managed Isolation Facilities and 70 in Police traffic management services. National promises to create a special border agency as a safeguard against Covid-19 Come in and see us today at your local Resene ColorShop! or shop online at shop.resene.co.nz Discounts off the normal retail price from 12 August – 7 September 2020. Valid only with cash/credit card/EFTPOS purchases and Resene DIY Card. Not available in conjunction with account sales, promotional vouchers/coupons or other offers. Excludes trade, ECS and Crown products and PaintWise levy. Sign up for a free Resene DIY Card at your Resene ColorShop or participating reseller. Offer applies to 10 litre Resene premium paints, primers/sealers, wood stains and 60-80ml testpots only. SANDEEP SINGH The National Party has released a border safety plan against Covid-19 virus promising to create a dedicated border agency in the first 100 days of coming into government and regular testing of frontline staff. In a press release on Thursday, August 20, the National Party has avowed to put the responsibility on future international travellers to provide evidence of a negative Covid-19 test before arriving in New Zealand. “The threat of Covid-19 will be with us for years to come and National is committed to safeguarding the health of all New Zealanders, as well as the wider economy,” Judith Collins said. The party had also avowed to bring comprehensive oversight in day to day operations of the border security management along with a promise to use compulsory contact tracing technologies by agency employees, border facility workers, and District Health Board staff who treat or test patients. Judith Collins has criticised the government for its alleged ineptitude in border security management. “The current ad-hoc system of managing Covid-19 at our border – putting various agencies in charge of different facets – has led to a disorderly and confused response, putting the health and livelihoods of five million New Zealanders at risk,” Ms Collins says. “More than 1.6 million Aucklanders are locked down right now because the Government dropped the ball on testing, tracing "The current ad-hoc system of managing Covid-19 at our border – putting various agencies in charge of different facets – has led to a disorderly and confused response, putting the health and livelihoods of five million New Zealanders at risk and managing people in isolation. It’s not good enough,” Collins said. National’s Health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti said that the Party recognises the need to also prepare a second line of defence, behind our border, so any incursions can be identified, traced and isolated quickly. “The first line of defence must be strong border management, but a high-quality contact tracing system is a vital second line. “With strong contact tracing systems and a more sophisticated testing and compliance structure we can minimise the impact of further incursions and protect those vulnerable to the disease.” National will follow international models and require people coming into the country to not only quarantine but also test themselves for Covid-19 three days before departure, and provide the results of that test to airline staff before boarding their plane, Dr Reti says.

The Indian Weekender Friday, August 21, 2020 NEW ZEALAND 5 Auckland under Alert Level 3 lockdown: What happens If your visa expires after July 9, and you are in NZ? SANDEEP SINGH The latest lockdown and change of Alerts levels in Auckland has expectedly generated some anxiety among temporary visa holders, both who are ordinarily living in New Zealand on a long-term basis and particularly who are visiting on a short-term basis. The Indian Weekender had been approached by a number of such anxious temporary visa holders, specially those who were in the country at the time of the first lockdown in April when the government had extended different categories of visas, and believed that their visas will again be automatically extended on this occasion. In this regard, here is the most updated info on visa situations as updated by the government’s Covid-19 all response team. The government says that it remains sympathetic to individuals who are in New Zealand and unable to return home at the moment and following provisions are in place to help such people. Employer-assisted temporary work visa Your employer-assisted temporary work visa is extended by 6 months if you: • are in New Zealand, and • your visa is due to expire before 31 December 2020. This includes employer-assisted temporary work visas that: • expire after 9 July • were previously extended to 25 September under the Epidemic Management Notice. This extension does not apply to any partner or dependent child who holds a visa based on their relationship with you. Their expiry date will remain the same. If you were in NZ on 2 April and your visa expired before 9 July Your work, student, visitor, limited or interim visa was extended to 25 September 2020 if: • you were in New Zealand, and • your visa had an expiry date between 00:01am, 2 April to 11:59pm 9 July 2020. This extension was made under the original Epidemic Management Notice. A confirmation of this was emailed to all visa holders. If your visa expires after 9 July and you are in NZ Certain visas have not been extended. This applies if your visa expires after 9 July and you have: • an open work visa • a student visa • a visitor visa • a limited visa, or • an interim visa. Your current visa expiry remains the same. You need to: • leave the country before your visa expires, or • apply for a new visa This includes partners or dependent children who hold a visa based on the relationship with an employer-assisted work visa. Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi National List MP based in Manukau East 1/131 Kolmar Road, Papatoetoe, Auckland 09 278 9302 bakshi.mp@parliament.govt.nz bakshiks bakshi.co.nz For JP services please contact Rahul Chopra on 09 278 9302 Funded by the Parliamentary Service. Authorised by Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi MP, 1/131 Kolmar Road, Papatoetoe. Smart money choices made simple. We’ll help you find the sweetest mortgage deal whether it’s your first home or investment property, and arrange the best insurance to suit your needs. Mortgage services Home loans Construction loans Refinances and restructures Top ups & debt consolidation Commercial & Business loans Insurance Life, Trauma Medical/Health General Business Income Protection Call us today 0800 21 22 23 Level 1, 3/53 Cavendish Drive Manukau

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The Indian Weekender, Friday 21 August 2020

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Weekly Kiwi-Indian publication printed and distributed free every Friday in Auckland, New Zealand Weekly Kiwi-Indian publication printed and distributed free every Friday in Auckland, New Zealand