Pursuant to clause 31A of the COVID-19 Public Health Response (Maritime Border) Order (No 2) 2020 (“Order”), I, Hon Chris Hipkins, Minister for COVID-19 Response, having taken into account the advice of the Director-General of Health, hereby make an exemption for the New Zealand based crew members of the Kaiarahi Ferry scheduled to arrive in New Zealand on or around 9 May 2021 from clause 17 and 19 of the Order.

This exemption is subject to the following conditions:

1. All crew have not travelled outside of Australia in the past 14 days; and
2. All crew have not been to any places of interest or hot-spots in relation to any current community clusters of COVID-19 in the last 14 days; and
3. All crew have not been identified as a close or casual contact of any cases of COVID-19; and
4. All crew are not experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 at time of departure; and
5. There is no contact with crew of international ships at any time prior to or during transit to New Zealand; and
6. All crew are tested for COVID-19 and receive notification of a negative result prior to arrival in New Zealand.
7. In the event of a locally acquired case of COVID-19 in the port of origin (Sydney) the Director General of Health may revoke this exemption and require the crew to isolate for 14 days on their return to New Zealand.

The exemption will begin on 5 May 2021.

Dated at Wellington this 4th day of May 2021.

Hon CHRIS HIPKINS, Minister for COVID-19 Response.