“The Labour Party has left business owners in a state of distress for far longer than was necessary with some going to
the wall or suffering from mental health problems as a result of the Government preventing workers from coming here,”
says ACT’s Immigration spokesperson Dr James McDowall.
“ACT welcomes RSE workers from Tonga, Vanuatu and Samoa being allowed into New Zealand. It’s good for them and it’s good
for New Zealand.
“But why has it taken so long for this to happen? In classic Labour style it has waited until the public backlash was so
strong it had no choice but to act. It doesn’t know how to be proactive.
“Suddenly dropping nearly 10 percent in the polls has spurred them into action, so it’s made an announcement about an
announcement. It still can’t give details on how many workers will be allowed in.
“This is a Government that doesn’t know how to be proactive.
“Tonga has had no cases of COVID-19. Samoa just one and Vanuatu only four. All of them were at the border. The risk has
been minimal.
“ACT is pleased this Government has finally decided to act, but a Government of “kindness” should have acted before now.
It must now make reuniting parents cruelly separated from their children the next priority.”