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HDPA: "Aucklanders, please go where you want to this summer"

Author
Heather du Plessis-Allan, Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Fri, 10 Dec 2021, 7:11PM
(Photo / NZ Herald)
(Photo / NZ Herald)

HDPA: "Aucklanders, please go where you want to this summer"

Author
Heather du Plessis-Allan, Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Fri, 10 Dec 2021, 7:11PM

I picked up the herald this morning to see the banner at the top in red warning: "AUCKLANDERS WARNED TO 'STAY AWAY' FROM SUMMER HOTSPOTS"  

You know what Aucklanders should do?  

Aucklanders should ignore that. 

Aucklanders should go to their summer hotspots and have the summer they deserve after 108 days in lockdown.  

It is nonsense for regions to ask people to stay away in order to protect the unjabbed in those regions. 

If they’re truly concerned about the unjabbed, they should ask the unjabbed to lock themselves down rather than locking Aucklanders out. 

Around about now someone will pipe up and say 'oh but the vulnerable person can’t lock themselves down to protect themselves because they probably can't afford to stay away from work. 

Well sorry if they have to take a financial hit. 

But that’s exactly what’s going to happen to businesses in the area if Aucklanders stay away.  

And they can’t afford it after two summers without international tourists and another whole potentially until that money comes back.  

We just heard today tourism locally has taken a hit of more than a 91% decline in international spending thanks to covid.  

I can sort of make sense of it if an Iwi asks Aucklanders to stay away because that’s the kind of thing they do. 

But what is a territorial authority like Ōpōtiki District Council thinking by supporting that call?  

Businesses ought to be really annoyed with them for trying to turn away Aucklanders and the money they’re bringing in. 

These regions are in some cases massively overplaying how vulnerable they are. 

Ōpōtiki for example falls under the Bay of Plenty DHB. 

Their first dose rate is 92%. 

So, Aucklanders, please go where you want to this summer and help out the local businesses and enjoy your summer. 

 

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