With just two weeks left in November, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is being urged to confirm a date for the removal of the Auckland border and set a 'Freedom Day', to enable Christmas planning.
Auckland has been in lockdown for 13 weeks and during that time checkpoints at the city's border have been in place to try and prevent the spread of COVID-19 into other parts of New Zealand.
But with more than 80 percent of the country fully vaccinated, and COVID-19 cases confirmed in several regions beyond Auckland - Northland, Waikato, Rotorua and Tararua - the case for keeping Auckland cordoned off is wearing thin.
Ardern has already promised Aucklanders the ability to travel over the Christmas period, and last Monday said she expected to "give an update on the date for the border reopening next week".
"We don't expect Aucklanders to wait that long for confirmation of how the border will work or the date at which the border will reopen. We'll look to make decisions on that shortly," Ardern said at the time.
It couldn't come soon enough for businesses seeking certainty ahead of the summer break. New Zealand Companies Office Register data shows more than 26,000 businesses have disappeared in the last eight months.
Viv Beck, chief executive of Auckland's city centre business association Heart of the City, is calling on Ardern to provide some concrete dates at her 4pm post-Cabinet press conference on Monday. But an announcement on the border isn't coming until Wednesday.
"This announcement is essential to show Auckland businesses their needs have been heard and to give them confidence that they will be supported as we start on the road to recovery," Beck said.
"We can't leave recovery to chance after a further 12-week lockdown that has hit our city hard."
Beck wants Ardern to confirm an opening date of no later than December 1 to create urgency for vaccination and provide certainty for Christmas trading, and also confirm a removal date for the Auckland border.
ACT leader David Seymour agrees.
"Today's a great opportunity for Jacinda Ardern to show some leadership, by giving clear commitments on borders, boosters, and Freedom Day."
ASB chief economist Nick Tuffley says build-up of demand could be problematic.
"A flood of people all trying to frantically do the same thing at the same time is inflationary, so Christmas and holidaying are likely to come at a price."
Aucklanders will be eager to know if they will need to be allocated time slots to leave the city over summer, as suggested by COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins, to prevent traffic build-up as officials check vaccine certificates.
When is 'Freedom Day'?
Beck also wants more clarity around when Auckland will shift to the new COVID Protection Framework, or 'traffic light' system, which is set to come into effect once 90 percent of eligible Aucklanders are fully vaccinated.
For the rest of the country, it comes into force once each District Health Board (DHB) reaches 90 percent. However, in an interview with Newsroom last week, Ardern suggested the rest of New Zealand could move with Auckland.
Under the traffic light system, freedoms will be determined by vaccine certificates. For example, when Auckland enters the 'red' light, hospitality venues can open with up to 100 fully vaccinated people, but businesses that choose not to use certificates must remain contactless.
Ardern said last week Cabinet had a "strong expectation" that on November 29 - which is roughly three weeks from when Aucklanders will have had the opportunity to get their second dose - "we'll likely see the movement of Auckland into that new framework".
Her comments led to the assumption that November 29 was 'Freedom Day', the likes of which has been seen in the UK and parts of Australia.
But Health Minister Andrew Little told Newshub Nation at the weekend Ardern's comments had been misinterpreted.
"It won't be introduced from the 29th of November," Little said. "That is the point at which a decision should be expected to be made, but it won't be introduced straight away."
Ardern confirmed to The AM Show on Monday that November 29 is not 'Freedom Day'.
"On November 29, that's when Cabinet meets to make decisions around when Auckland will move into the [traffic light] framework," she said.
"We gave a very strong signal that, at that meeting, we will be making decisions to flip Auckland into the new framework soon after."
What can Aucklanders do now?
Auckland and parts of Waikato - Hamilton, Waipa, Ōtorohanga, Raglan, Te Kauwhata, Huntly, Ngāruawāhia, and Waitomo including Te Kuiti - are currently at alert level 3, step 2.
It means retail stores and public venues like museums can open, but not hospitality businesses. Outdoor gatherings of up to 25 people are allowed, from multiple household bubbles.
At alert level 3, step 3, hospitality will open, but must be seated, separated and with a limit of 50. Close contact businesses like hairdressers will open and gatherings will extend to 50.
