The Government will boost the number of Defence Force (NZDF) personnel supporting security efforts at New Zealand's managed isolation and quarantine facilities, Megan Woods has announced, as well as at the maritime border.
It's hoped the increased NZDF presence will bolster protection against the spread of COVID-19 in the community, said Woods, the minister in charge of managed isolation and quarantine.
It was confirmed on Wednesday that roughly 500 more NZDF personnel will be deployed to managed isolation facilities as part of a "continual improvement process". The additional staff will boost NZDF numbers across the facilities to 990, while roughly 1200 personnel will now be supporting the overall COVID-19 response.
Over the next six weeks about 15 additional NZDF personnel will be deployed to each of New Zealand's 32 managed isolation and quarantine facilities, Woods said, meaning roughly 19 servicemen will be stationed at each place of accommodation.
"They will staff the higher risk security areas such as entry and exit points and public areas. We will be moving to a model of direct employment of security guards with the appropriate training and paying the living wage," Woods explained on Wednesday.
Around 80 extra personnel will also be stationed at the maritime border to assist Customs.
"While the current community cluster has not been sourced to a managed isolation and quarantine facility, nothing is fail-safe and strengthening security is a step we believe is useful," Woods said.
"Thirty staff will deploy to Auckland this Thursday to staff the first two facilities. Each week after that, 75 people will be provided until each MIQF is staffed by an additional complement of 15 NZDF staff."
Woods said scaling up NZDF personnel will reduce reliance on private security guards, particularly in the facilities deemed to be at the"highest risk".
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern elaborated on the switch during Wednesday's briefing, saying: "Our intention is to stop using private security contractors, particularly in the riskiest places such as entry and exit points and public areas, and replace them with Defence Force staff.
"Where we are using security guards, we are looking to directly employ them by MBIE, who will train and pay a living wage. This will raise accountability and give more central control over procedures."
Ardern reiterated that "constant, ongoing improvement" is the key to beating the current outbreak. Six new cases were confirmed on Wednesday - five of which are in the community - bringing New Zealand's active case total to 96.
"The extraordinary agility at the core of our response has kept us at the leading edge of global responses to this global pandemic," she said.
"However, we need to do all we can to limit the risk... while there is no playbook, that constant, ongoing improvement by everyone is the key to our success, and will continue to be."
Since the managed isolation system was introduced around four months ago, almost 40,000 returned New Zealanders have successfully completed their 14-day mandatory isolation period at the facilities.
