From November 14, all travellers will only spend seven days in MIQ facilities, with three tests during that time. They will then isolate at home for about three days, with a test on day nine, before they can leave after that test returns a negative result.
Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said it was estimated to free up about 1500 MIQ rooms a month. Hipkins said the overall risk profile of Covid cases had changed, with only a small amount of people arriving in New Zealand with Covid, while MIQ was holding many high risk community cases in New Zealand. "We're also very aware of the pressure that has been building at the border." From November 8, people from low risk countries would be able to come into New Zealand without isolating, that includes Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu and Tokelau. Any non-New Zealand citizens must be vaccinated to enter. In the first quarter of next year, home isolation may be introduced, coinciding with the introduction of the traffic light system. The length of time and requirements would depend on the Covid situation at the time. Hipkins said the timing of this was they didn't want to accelerate Delta spread out of Auckland.
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Some Choice News!
DOC is rolling out a new tool to help figure out what to tackle first when it comes to protecting our threatened species and the things putting them at risk.
Why does this matter? As Nikki Macdonald from The Post points out, we’re a country with around 4,400 threatened species. With limited time and funding, conservation has always meant making tough calls about what gets attention first.
For the first time, DOC has put real numbers around what it would take to do everything needed to properly safeguard our unique natural environment. The new BioInvest tool shows the scale of the challenge: 310,177 actions across 28,007 sites.
Now that we can see the full picture, it brings the big question into focus: how much do we, as Kiwis, truly value protecting nature — and what are we prepared to invest to make it happen?
We hope this brings a smile!
Have you got New Zealand's best shed? Show us and win!
Once again, Resene and NZ Gardener are on the hunt for New Zealand’s best shed! Send in the photos and the stories behind your man caves, she sheds, clever upcycled spaces, potty potting sheds and colourful chicken coops. The Resene Shed of the Year 2026 winner receives $1000 Resene ColorShop voucher, a $908 large Vegepod Starter Pack and a one-year subscription to NZ Gardener. To enter, tell us in writing (no more than 500 words) why your garden shed is New Zealand’s best, and send up to five high-quality photos by email to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. Entries close February 23, 2026.
Share your favourite main crop potato recipe and win a copy of our mag!
Love potatoes? We will give away free copies of the May 2026 issue to readers whose potato recipes are used in our magazine. To be in the running, make sure you email your family's favourite way to enjoy potatoes: mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, by March 1, 2026.
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