A New Zealand High Court ruled that the government’s quarantine system, Managed Isolation and Quarantine (MIQ), violated the rights of returning Kiwis in some cases due to its lottery system.
Grounded Kiwis, a body advocating for New Zealanders who wanted to enter the country but were prevented by COVID-19 restrictions, won its challenge against the minister of health, arguing that MIQ operated with unjustified limits.
The case focused on the period between Sept. 1, 2021, and Dec. 17, 2021, when the demand for MIQ spaces had significantly outstripped its capacity. It had operated with a voucher system, where spaces would be granted like a lottery without regard for how long a person had been waiting.
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