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This story was originally published on RNZ.co.nz and republished with permission.
Taxpayers paid the bill for an Australian woman’s overtime in managed isolation, after she refused to undergo a Covid-19 test.
Australian Lucinda Baulch spent 28 days at the Grand Mercure in Wellington, after refusing to take a test.
Baulch, who is a veterinary nurse, flew to New Zealand to deliver three children to their caregivers in February.
She declined a test, arguing that she had not been provided with sufficient evidence of its safety or efficacy.
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However, it was later revealed that he had protested against Covid-19 protection measures in Australia and starred in a series of YouTube videos featuring a notorious conspiracy theorist during his extended period of administered isolation.
RNZ made a request under the Official Information Act for details of the costs incurred by New Zealand taxpayers to keep Baulch at MIQ for 28 days.
Denise Garland / RNZ
New Zealand taxpayers paid the bill for additional MIQ after an Australian woman rejected a Covid-19 test.
In his response, an official from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) said that there was no requirement to charge more if people stayed longer at MIQ.
“Regarding the additional 14 days, there is no provision to charge any additional amount if someone has to stay for more than the initial 14 days. If, for example, they have contracted Covid-19 or are a close contact of someone with Covid -19, or have refused to be tested for Covid-19. “
The MBIE official said they were withholding details regarding the costs Baulch incurred during his initial 14-day stay due to privacy reasons.
They also withheld general information on the costs of staying at any particular MIQ facility, as it could “impair the ministry’s ability to conduct business negotiations with the MIQ facility.”
The official said it was not possible for MBIE to calculate an exact “taxpayer cost” as other agencies involved, such as NZDF, the Ministry of Health and the New Zealand Police, were all responsible for their own funding.
However, a cabinet document from July last year estimated that the average cost for a single traveler for 14 days at MIQ would be around $ 7,000.
This does not include costs such as transportation of people or MBIE’s overhead to operate the MIQ system.
This story was originally published on RNZ.co.nz and republished with permission.
