It’s outrageous the Government has bused newly arrived international passengers into Rotorua under the cover of darkness
to quarantine them in the CBD, Rotorua MP Todd McClay says.
“As many as 239 newly-arrived people are quarantining in two hotels in Rotorua, and the Government didn’t even bother to
tell locals that they were moving these people from Auckland to Rotorua.
“Rotorua citizens woke on Sunday morning to learn that these passengers arrived in up to four buses between 10pm and
midnight last night and have been given zero assurance about health and safety. There are reports that hotel workers
were not even informed that quarantine passengers were arriving.
“This is frankly not good enough. Rotorua people made huge sacrifices, along with the rest of New Zealand, during
lockdown. Some have lost jobs, businesses and livelihoods in the process.
“The Government couldn’t even be bothered to show them the courtesy of informing them before turning their hotels into
quarantine facilities.“Jacinda Ardern’s Government owes us some answers and urgently;Has every person arriving in Rotorua been tested for Covid-19Has anyone displayed symptoms and signs of Covid-19Where have the passengers come fromWill they be confined to these hotels or are they able to exercise as has been reported in AucklandWhat precautions have been taken to ensure hotel workers and their families safetyWhy wasn’t the Rotorua community informed before busing people here for quarantineHow many other hotels will be used and how many people will be quarantined in Rotorua
“The public have lost confidence in the shambolic quarantine system. Rotorua needs answers now.”