National quarantine and isolation in the future

National quarantine and isolation (referred to as MIQ) has transfered to the New Zealand health system.

Fundamentally, public health interventions and are a more appropriate fit for the health system.

At its height, MIQ operated 32 facilities across 5 regions involving a workforce of more than 4,500 staff at any one-time and accommodated 12,600 people in 9,000 rooms every 28 days.

This workforce was made up of New Zealand Defence Force personnel, doctors, nurses and other healthcare practitioners, hotel employees, Aviation Security, police, bus drivers, tradespeople, private security workers, and government workers across multiple ministries.

Our experience with COVID-19 has highlighted the importance of being prepared and ready for future threats, and this decision presents an opportunity to prepare New Zealand well for that.

We have a responsibility to now apply the lessons that learned, taking into account the information we know about the future, and prepare New Zealand’s quarantine and isolation capability in the most effective way.

Responsible agencies

  • Te Whatu Ora (Health New Zealand)
    Operational functions of quarantine and isolation capacity, including maintenance, testing and maturation of New Zealand’s existing Quarantine and Isolation Capability (QIC) Readiness Plan and development of proposal for investment in an evolving portfolio of self, community and managed quarantine and isolation interventions. Contact: nqcreadiness@health.govt.nz
  • Manatū Hauora (Ministry of Health)
    Policy, strategy and leadership. Contact: info@health.govt.nz

  • Te Aka Whai Ora (Māori Health Authority)
    Collaborative work across the health agencies to ensure all policy advice and operational planning places whānau at the heart of the system to improve equity and outcomes. Contact: info@teakawhaiora.nz

  • Hīkina Whakatutuki (Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment)
    Work between 14 July 2020 and 30 June 2023, fee waivers, fee debt collection.

Contacts

General enquiries, official correspondence and Official Information Act requests: LSEMinisterialServicing@mbie.govt.nz

Enquiries about complaints related to the historic operation of MIQ facilities: complaints@miq.govt.nz

Fee waivers: fees@miq.govt.nz

Invoice or payment enquiries: miqdebt@mbie.govt.nz

Last updated: 30 June 2023