Update – Saturday 27 February 2021

Local Government Response Unit main page

Here’s today’s update

Tonight, the Prime Minister announced that Auckland will move to Alert Level 3 at 6.00am tomorrow morning (28 February 2021).

The rest of the country will move into Alert Level 2 at the same time.

The new Alert Levels will remain in place for seven days. 

The Response Unit remains on hand to support you. You can send enquiries to your usual Taituarā, LGNZ, DIA contacts or this inbox: LGCGcovid19response@dia.govt.nz

Auckland Boundary

We understand there were some issues with the boundary during the earlier lockdown in February.

There have now been some adjustments to the southern boundary of Auckland.

Attached are two maps showing the southern boundary of Auckland as well as a map of the whole Auckland boundary for the current Alert Level 3 (Note: Attachments removed for web version of this Update).

What Alert Level 3 means for you

Level 3 remains the same as you will recall from earlier in the month.

The main thing we are asking people in Auckland to do is to stay home if you can, to avoid any risk of spread. Work from home if you can.

If you are inside Auckland, you should:

Stay home to protect your household bubble

Work from home if possible

Keep children at home. Early learning centres and schools in Auckland are open for children and young people Years 1-10 whose parents have to go to work and have no care giver arrangements.

Restrict gatherings to no more than 10 people at wedding services, funerals, and tangihanga. All other gatherings, including sports events, are cancelled.

Visit the Unite Against COVID-19 website for more information about Alert Levels.

Travelling out of Auckland and travel exemptions

Aucklanders need to stay home wherever possible, to avoid any risk of spread.

Travel in and out of Auckland is restricted to permitted travel only, in exceptional circumstances.

Travel exemptions will be reactivated for people who applied and were granted a travel exemption during the earlier lockdown in February.

For all other people, they will need to have proof that they either fit into a permitted activity or have a specific exemption to travel. To help speed up the process, the government has set up the Business Travel Registration Tool to provide documentation for permitted travel or exemptions if they have been applied for.

Employees cannot register themselves, but councils can make a request on their behalf if they are required to travel across the boundary in order to deliver critical services.

More information on how to register for the Business Travel Tool can be found at the Business New Zealand website . A video explaining how to use the Business Travel Register can be found here. 

If your request relates to personal or individual travel and it is not permitted, you will need to apply for an exemption. This is processed by the Ministry of Health and can be accessed at the Ministry of Health website.