Results for New Zealand

New Zealand expects to vaccinate border workers within two to three weeks, followed by their household contacts, with the first batch of the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine set to arrive in the country next week, announced Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern today.

Tonga has opted out of New Zealand’s new seasonal workers scheme this year, due to not being able to meet certain criteria including a guaranteed return flight home at the end of the season.

The New Zealand Government will purchase COVID-19 vaccines from pharmaceutical companies AstraZeneca and Novavax, meaning every New Zealander will be able to be vaccinated, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced today. “We have secured more than enough doses to cover our entire population plus the Pacific,” she said. Vaccinations for the public are on track to start in mid-2021.

Up to 2,000 experienced seasonal workers from the Pacific will be allowed into New Zealand in 2021 to address labour shortages in the horticulture and wine growing sectors. But countries wanting to send workers must agree to take back not only their new workers coming under the border exception but also other RSE employees already in NZ when the 2020/2021 season ends.

New York Times reporting: Nanaia Mahuta entered New Zealand’s Parliament as the youngest Maori woman to ever gain a seat. More than two decades later, she has become the country’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, another trailblazing first. Labour’s newly elected majority is made up mostly of women...it is, by far, the most diverse Parliament the country has ever seen, reflecting New Zealand’s demographics and its place within the broader Pacific islands.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s landslide victory two days ago was consolidated by the successful election of many members of her parliament, including Tongan-born MP Jenny Salesa. By Finau Fonua.

The Auckland Institute of Studies (AIS) awarded various bachelor degrees to 17 Tongan overseas students at a graduation ceremony on Monday, 21 September. Unfortunately, the parents of the students could not attend the ceremony because of the Covid-19 border restrictions in Tonga.

A fleet of boats have been gifted to the Vava’u Blue Water School in Neiafu, for Tongan youth to learn how to sail. The Vava'u community is fundraising to ship the boats from New Zealand to Vava'u.

New Zealand is increasing its chances of securing access to a CoViD-19 vaccine when it becomes available, after announcing millions of dollars to support domestic and international vaccine efforts. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is also ensuring Pacific Island countries are supported.