The mourning family of slain policeman Matthew Hunt are unable to grieve together as relatives who have returned from overseas must complete two weeks of mandatory isolation.
Constable Hunt, 28, was fatally shot while undertaking a routine traffic stop in Massey, west Auckland, on Friday. Now, his family face a devastating wait before Hunt can be laid to rest.
Police Association president Chris Cahill confirmed to Newshub that Hunt's aunt and uncle arrived from Australia over the weekend. However, returned New Zealanders must spend 14 days in quarantine or managed isolation after arriving at the border as part of the Government's ongoing efforts to control COVID-19 - meaning Hunt's mother, Diane, cannot be reunited with her brother and sister-in-law.
"She's obviously devastated and grieving... she's going through a really rough time," Cahill, who spent a few hours with Diane on Sunday morning, told Newshub.
Adding to the stress, Diane's brother and sister-in-law have been sent to complete their managed isolation in Rotorua - 220 kilometres from Auckland - after Auckland facilities reached capacity.
Diane's daughter - Hunt's sister - is believed to be coming home on Monday. Yet she too will face 14 long days in managed isolation.
"[Diane] has her daughter, Matthew's sister, arriving back hopefully today but again, she will have to go into isolation. So everyone's apart from each other and that's just adding incredibly to the stress," Cahill said.
"Even though they do understand the need for isolation, it's just having to be apart that's causing the added problems."
As well as preventing the family from grieving together, the mandatory isolation period will likely delay Hunt's funeral.
Now, Cahill is pleading with the health officials to ensure "no stone is left unturned" in the bid to reunite Hunt's family during this period of mourning.
"The least we can do for this family - given the sacrifice they've had to make, losing their son Matthew - is to look at all the options," Cahill said.
He has proposed the idea of permitting a family bubble given the family's exceptional circumstances.
"They totally understand the need for quarantine and the need to keep the rest of New Zealand safe - but if there's any way, possibly that a family bubble could be formed - so they can grieve together - I think that needs to be explored. I'm not saying it could happen... but I think New Zealanders would understand that if an exceptional circumstance was made while still keeping the family safe, that it's a worthwhile effort.
"I just ask that given their circumstances, make sure [the Ministry of Health has] left no stone unturned to find any possible solution that would enable the family to quarantine together.
"As long as they have made those efforts and can say they've looked at every possible option, then the family would accept that. We just need to know."
Exemptions from managed isolation on compassionate grounds were revoked following the confirmation of new COVID-19 cases last week. Two women, who returned to New Zealand from Britain on June 7, were granted leave to attend a funeral in Wellington. The relatives, who later tested positive for the virus - ending weeks of no new cases in the country - are believed to have had contact with several people on their car journey down to the capital.
As reported by the New Zealand Herald, Hunt's family made a request to the Ministry of Health on Sunday for Diane's brother and sister-in-law to complete their managed isolation in Auckland. However, that request was denied.
When questioned as to why their request was refused, a Ministry of Health spokesperson told the outlet that it would be "inappropriate" to discuss individual returnees. However, he confirmed that all passengers on the flight from Australia were transferred to Rotorua.
It's understood another relative is due to arrive from India for the Constable's funeral.
Hunt's colleagues are hoping to attend the service, Cahill told Newshub over the weekend, but the decision ultimately lies with his family.
The 28-year-old has been described as an "incredible man" with a "wonderful" personality, a man who was extremely dedicated to his role as a police officer. In a statement, his family said it was his "life-long dream" to be a policeman.
A 24-year-old man has been charged with Hunt's murder, the attempted murder of a second officer who was hospitalised following the attack, and for wounding a pedestrian who was hit by the accused's vehicle as he fled the scene.
A woman who was wanted in relation to the shooting has been taken into custody.
