Pre-departure tests to go ‘soon’

Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins says it’s likely the Government will end the requirement for predeparture testing early.

His signal that pre-departure tests were going was one in a range of points he outlined as part of the Government’s change of focus, as Covid-19 became part of ‘‘the new normal’’.

The Government had already announced that pre-departure tests would no longer be required from August, but Hipkins said he was ‘‘in the process of making a decision’’ about ending the requirement sooner.

Hipkins said the pre-departure tests, for people coming into New Zealand, were ‘‘less important’’ and provided ‘‘a lot less value’’ than they once did.

‘‘It is likely a decision on that will be taken sooner rather than later, in terms of removing the requirement,’’ he said during Parliament’s health select committee meeting yesterday.

He said the pre-departure tests were unlikely to be reducing hospitalisation rates. He did not provide a date of when the Government would announce a change to the pre-departure requirement.

Tourism industry leaders have been calling for pre-departure testing to be removed this month.

Other Pacific nations, such as Fiji and the Cook Islands, have already removed their pre-departure test requirements.

Hipkins also confirmed the Government would launch an inquiry into the pandemic and its response. However, he said Cabinet was yet to decide what form the inquiry would take – whether it would be a royal commission, public inquiry or government inquiry.

He said an announcement of an inquiry would be made late this year.

Talk of a retrospective inquiry showed the changing response to the pandemic. Hipkins said some bespoke legislation, orders and mechanisms which had been developed to respond to Covid19 – such as MIQ and the Covid-19 Public Health Response Act – were being wound down.

The act, which empowers the Government to enact specific orders to subdue the virus and operate MIQ, has an inbuilt sunset clause where it must be repealed by May 13, 2023.

Hipkins said the act was already less relevant than it had been, and he said it was unlikely to be renewed.