The exemption has sparked complaints from those left behind by the New Zealand border closure
Wellington, New Zealand:
New Zealand to lighten border checks on coronaviruses, government said on Friday after a decision to let Hollywood director James Cameron enter the country to film an “Avatar” sequel has sparked anger at the doubles standards.
Cameron and a team of 55 arrived in Wellington from Los Angeles last month after receiving special permission to enter the country to film the sequel to his 2009 mega-hit.
The exemption has sparked complaints from those left behind by the closure of the New Zealand border, including a Hong Kong father who missed the birth of his first child.
New Zealand closed its border to non-citizens and non-residents in March, and this week announced that it had no cases of active COVID-19 and had eliminated the transmission of the virus.
The companies had reported inconsistencies in the way the rules were applied, workers from Avatar being allowed to enter due to the economic weight of the film industry, but teams from the America’s Cup yachting regatta, which turned to money, were prohibited.
“There are double standards here. It is totally unfair and is damaging to New Zealand’s reputation,” June Ranson, president of the New Zealand Association for Migration and Investment, told RNZ at the time.
Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway said Friday that the requirement for dependents to travel with a New Zealand citizen or resident to enter the country would be relaxed starting next week.
Workers will also be admitted if they have unique technical or specialized skills and are involved in a project of significant regional or national importance.
The mandatory 14-day quarantine for all arrivals – a condition that means Cameron and his colleagues are still locked up in a Wellington hotel – will remain, he added.
“The bar for granting an exception to border restrictions is high and remains high, to help stop the spread of COVID-19 and protect the health of people already in New Zealand,” said Lees-Galloway.
As part of the changes, crew support staff and family from two America’s Cup unions were allowed to enter, INEOS Team UK and American Magic.
Two other unions – Luna Rossa of Italy and Stars & Stripes Team USA – are expected to participate in the Prada Cup Challenger series early next year, but their immigration status is unknown.
The winner of the challenge obtains the right to the holder of the Team New Zealand race for the America’s Cup in March.
(This story has not been edited by GalacticGaming staff and is automatically generated from a syndicated feed.)
