BRIEFING
Decisions on self-isolation pilot operational design matters
Date:
6 October 2021
Priority:
High
Security
In Confidence
Tracking
2122-1284
classification:
number:
Action sought
Action sought
Deadline
Hon Chris Hipkins
Indicate your decisions on a number 8 October 2021
Minister for COVID-19
of self-isolation pilot operational
Response
design matters.
Contact for telephone discussion (if required)
Name
Position
Telephone
1st contact
General Manager, Self-Isolation
s 9(2)(a), s 9(2)
Christina Sophocleous-Jones
(g)(ii)
Pilot
The following departments/agencies have been consulted
Minister’s office to complete:
Approved
Declined
Noted
Needs change
Seen
Overtaken by Events
See Minister’s Notes
Withdrawn
Comments
BRIEFING
Decisions on self-isolation pilot operational design matters
Date:
6 October 2021
Priority:
High
Security
In Confidence
Tracking
2122-1284
classification:
number:
Purpose
To seek your decision on a number of self-isolation pilot operational design matters.
Recommended action
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) recommends that you:
a
Agree that the self-isolation pilot proceed in Auckland if Auckland remains at Alert Level 3.
Agree / Disagree
b
Note that MBIE requires your final decisions on the selection of Ministers and government
officials attending overseas events as New Zealand government delegates by Saturday 9
October, when the Expressions of Interest (EOI) process closes.
Noted
c
Agree that self-isolation pilot places be evenly split across Auckland and Christchurch.
Agree / Disagree
d
Note that given current EOI numbers (505 applicants for Auckland and 94 applicants for
Christchurch as at 10am Wednesday 6 October), it may be appropriate for Ministers and
government official participants to self-isolate in Christchurch.
Noted
e
Agree that MBIE set aside 10 pilot places for businesses (including sole traders) of
significant economic or national interest to New Zealand.
Agree / Disagree
f
Agree to decide on the allocation of these 10 places, following the ballot, by 15 October.
Agree / Disagree
g
Indicate whether applicants who currently hold a MIAS voucher be rendered ineligible for
participation in the self-isolation pilot.
They should be ineligible if their current
MIQ booking could not be re-allocated in time.
Yes / No
If it can be re-released into the next lobby then
that's no issue.
h
Note that you will be provided with drafted amendments to the COVID-19 Public Health
Response (Isolation and Quarantine) Order 2020 for your approval next week, in order to
give legal effect to the self-isolation pilot.
Noted
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i
Note that you will be provided with final operational plans for the self-isolation pilot for your
approval in the week of 18 October.
Agree / Disagree
Christina Sophocleous-Jones
Hon Chris Hipkins
General Manager, Self-Isolation Pilot
Minister for COVID-19 Response
Managed Isolation and Quarantine, MBIE
06 / 10 / 2021
..... / ...... / ......
8 10 2021
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Backg
round
1.
On 27 September, Cabinet agreed to the design parameters of the self-isolation pilot [CAB-
21-MIN-0386 refers]. Cabinet also authorised you to take a number of decisions on design
matters, and agreed that final operational plans be approved by you.
2.
This briefing seeks your decision on a number of design matters. Drafted amendments to
COVID-19 Orders to give legal effect to the pilot will be put to you for your approval next
week, and final operational plans the week after.
Decisions on operational design matters
Auckland Alert Levels
3.
On the advice of the Ministry of Health (MOH), we proposed to Cabinet that the self-isolation
pilot be located in Christchurch, and be suspended in the event of an Alert Level change to 3
or 4 in Christchurch.
4.
Cabinet agreed that the pilot be located in Auckland and Christchurch, that participants self-
isolating during an Alert Level change to 3 or higher will remain self-isolating, and that other
participants overseas or yet to depart during an Alert Level change to 3 or higher be
guaranteed MIQ entry on return [CAB-21-MIN-0386 refers].
5.
We seek your clarification as to whether the self-isolation pilot should proceed in Auckland if
it remains in Alert Level 3 (where Cabinet’s decisions stated above apply if Auckland moves
down Alert Levels, but subsequently changes to an Alert Level of 3 or higher).
6.
While the arrival window does not open until Saturday 30 October, we will need to provide
clarity to successfully balloted applicants on Friday 15 October (who, for example, may not
wish to procure rental accommodation necessary for participation if there is any uncertainty).
Selection of Ministers and government officials for participation
7.
Cabinet agreed to extend participation in the self-isolation pilot to Ministers and government
officials attending overseas events as New Zealand government delegates [CAB-21-MIN-
0386 refers]. Cabinet authorised you to take decisions on:
a.
How many pilot places should be reserved for official delegation participants, and
b.
The selection of official delegation participants.
8.
We understand that your office is arranging for you to receive nominations for official
delegation participants. We will require your final decisions on who these participants are,
and whether they intend to isolate in Auckland or Christchurch, by 9 October (when the EOI
closes) to proceed with balloting.
9.
You have been provided separate advice by MBIE regarding an MIQ allocation for Ministerial
travel [MBIE-BR-2122-1253 refers], which you may wish to consider in parallel.
Split of participants between Auckland and Christchurch
10. As of 10am Wednesday 6 October, 489 Expressions of Interest (EOIs) had been received by
MBIE for a total of 599 participants. Of these EOIs:
a.
505 people have applied to self-isolate in Auckland, and
b.
94 people have applied to self-isolate in Christchurch.
11. The EOI closes at 5pm Saturday 9 October.
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12. We advised Cabinet of the significant strain on the Auckland public health workforce, in
dealing with the current community COVID-19 outbreak. We outlined our concerns that
including Auckland in the self-isolation pilot could undermine its delivery, cause operational
disruption across health and MIQ workforces, and increase the risk of spread of COVID-19.
13. For this reason, but also having regard to current EOI figures, we propose that self-isolation
pilot places be evenly split across Auckland and Christchurch.
14. Given these current EOI figures, it may be appropriate for Ministers and government officials
attending overseas events as New Zealand government delegates to self-isolate in
Christchurch.
Prioritisation
15. We advised Cabinet that we are unable to run an assessment and prioritisation process due
to the very tight timeframes for the self-isolation pilot.
s 9(2)(h)
16. Cabinet agreed that MBIE ballot eligible EOIs in a way that ensures an even spread across
the travel window [CAB-21-MIN-0386 refers]. However, Cabinet also authorised you to take
decisions on criteria to be used by MBIE for prioritising the EOIs.
17. MBIE did not collect information via the EOI process that could be used for the purposes of
prioritisation (beyond business name). Any prioritisation would involve desktop review of the
business by MBIE, without regard to the purpose of applicants’ travel.
18. If you would like certain EOIs to be prioritised (outside of the agreed ballot), we propose to:
a.
Set aside 10 pilot places for businesses (including sole traders) of significant economic
or national interest to New Zealand,
b.
Compile a list of remaining EOIs once the ballot has taken place (having set aside
these 10 places, and places for Ministers and government officials selected by you),
and
c.
Provide you with this list of remaining EOIs for your decision on the allocation of these
10 places, for your decision by 15 October.
Cancellation of MIAS vouchers held by successful applicants
19. The business community has suggested that people who currently hold MIAS vouchers
should be ineligible for the self-isolation pilot, on the basis that such people have already
secured opportunity to travel overseas (albeit noting such travel may not be for business
purposes).
20. Rendering people who currently hold MIAS vouchers ineligible was not put to Cabinet for its
decision. This is because MBIE intends to cancel any MIAS vouchers that apply during the
pilot’s time period that are held by successfully balloted applicants, upon their final
acceptance into the self-isolation pilot. These vouchers will then be released back into the
general MIAS pool.1 Accordingly, applicants were not required to indicate in their EOI
whether they currently hold a MIAS voucher.
21. We seek your decision as to whether applicants who currently hold a MIAS voucher should
be ineligible for the pilot.
1 As agreed by Cabinet, MIQ contingency will be reserved for all 150 pilot participants [CAB-21-MIN-0386
refers].
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22. If you decide to render applicants who currently hold MIAS vouchers ineligible, we can
exclude these participants from the ballot process.
Next steps
23. Next week, we will seek your agreement to drafted amendments to the COVID-19 Public
Health Response (Isolation and Quarantine) Order 2020 to give legal effect to the self-
isolation pilot.
24. In the week of 18 October, we will provide you with final operational plans for the self-
isolation pilot for your approval. These plans will detail the end-to-end participant journey,
including details of the testing regime agreed with MOH, and procured monitoring
technology.
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