Hipkins ChrisCOVID-19 ORDERSApprovalHon CHRIS HIPKINS (Leader of the House): Following discussion in the Business Committee I seek leave to move the Government notice of motion in my name regarding the approval of COVID-19 orders.SPEAKER: Is there any objection to that course of action being taken? There's none.Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: I move That the House approve in accordance with section 16 of the COVID-19 Public Health Response Act 2020 the COVID-19 Public Health Response (Air Border) Amendment Order 2020 the COVID-19 Public Health Response (Alert Levels 3 and 2) Order 2020 the COVID-19 Public Health Response (COVID-19 Testing) Order 2020 and the COVID-19 Public Health Response (COVID19 Testing) Amendment Order 2020.The four orders that are the subject of this motion all contribute to the ongoing fight against COVID-19 and I do want to thank all parties across the House for giving leave to allow them to be considered by the House today. I'll run through each of them separately but briefly.The COVID-19 Public Health Response (Air Border) Amendment Order 2020 moves the decision-making responsibility for granting permission to leave a place of isolation or quarantining from the Director-General of Health to the chief executive of the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment. The extra sitting of the House today requires that the House give approval to this change.The COVID-19 Public Health Response (Alert Levels 3 and 2) Order 2020 which came into force on 12 August in response to the discovery of a new case of community transmission of COVID-19 in Auckland is a critical tool in the restriction of the spread of COVID-19. The order defines the alert level 3 area in Auckland. It sets out the stay-at-home and physical distancing requirements in that area and the travel that is permitted as essential personal movement. It also sets out the requirements for businesses and for services.For the alert level 2 area that comprises the rest of New Zealand the order sets out what is expected of businesses services and other workplaces as well as the limits on social gatherings. The order also established the protocols for restricted movement between Auckland and the rest of the country. The measures implemented by the order place unusual restrictions on New Zealanders so it is important that they are subject to the approval of this House. I should note also that by popular demand that particular order makes the display of QR codes mandatory across the country.The COVID-19 Public Health Response (COVID-19 Testing) Order 2020 and the subsequent amendment order relate to the testing for COVID-19 of workers in the ports of Auckland and Tauranga. It sets out the categories of port workers who are required to undergo a test. This is an important component of our work to prevent the entry and spread of COVID-19 into New Zealand. The amendment order that came into force last night pushed back the deadline for testing to take place by three days until 20 August and specifies more precisely the affected workers that are required to be tested.We're united in our determination that COVID-19 will not take a hold in New Zealand as it has done in other countries. The provisions in these orders are essential for successful resistance against the virus. The Government does not regard lightly the imposition of such measures on New Zealanders and it is important that they have the approval of the House.