Compassionate travel exemption letter

This compassionate travel exemption letter demonstrates the degree of control the New Zealand Government exercised over people’s movements during the Covid-19 pandemic. This exemption letter was issued on the last day of level 4 lockdown (25 March to 27 April 2020) to Tony van der Weerden for travel in level 3.

Tony applied for the travel exemption to take his mother back to her home in Christchurch from his home in Dunedin: ‘I picked up my mum on the Sunday before the lock-down was announced. The reason for picking her up was that I didn't think she should stay isolated in her home in Christchurch, in case she needed food supplies from the supermarket and was worried about picking up the virus from others. Having her with us in our warm Dunedin home ensured she would be fed and cared for. As it turned out, she wasn't with us for what we thought might be only 1 or 2 weeks, but for the entire lockdown period, until we hit Level 3. Rach and I were busy with our jobs during the lock down so my mum got very busy transforming our garden from its sadder existence to something that only my mum could achieve - she has a natural ability with plants. She also spent a lot of time foraging the streets of Waverley, collecting plant cuttings for propagation and blackberries for making jam. We were a ‘bubble’ of 3 people.

By level 3 we all decided it would be better for her to be back in her own home (she was initially concerned that her plants may not be looked after very well by the neighbour; who in fact did a great job). We thought we’d better get the letter in case we were pulled over by the cops. As for the journey home, it was a weird sensation to be driving the car at the open speed limit once again, and even more strange to leave Dunedin behind us and see the wide open spaces of Blue Skin Bay and beyond.’

When applying for the exemption, Tony needed to state the reasons why he thought the exemption was necessary; how the exemption promoted ‘the purpose of the Covid-19 Public Health Response Act 2020 and the Covid-19 Public Health Response (Alert Levels 3 and 2) Order 2020’; and what steps he would take to minimise the risk of transmission of Covid-19. The letter states: 'The family will observe the guidelines around physical distancing and plans to travel without coming into contact with other travellers during their journey. We would appreciate that you assist their safe travel to the final destination.'

The government has used the letterhead’s design elements for all of its communications, bringing clarity and consistency of messaging to the public during an unsettling and worrying period in human history.