July 17, 2025 8:33pm by David Farrar

The MIQ shambles

A fascinating column by the COO of Sudima Hotels, which provided four MIQ facilities. He reveals:

  1. The pandemic plan already agreed to by hotel owners, Auckland Council and the DHBs was never followed
  2. A local authority, the military and the police all claimed authority over the same facilities
  3. A Minister publicly announced one of their hotels was being turned into an MIQ facility – and they only found out through the media!
  4. There was no clear protection for MIQ operators from imposed health and safety liabilities, such as exposing their staff to Covid-19

Incredible that a Minister could announce a hotel had been commandeered and would open that day, without even having informed the hotel owner in advance!