Home ›› 10 Aug 2021 ›› World Biz
Under pressure from businesses and public sectors facing a worker shortage that policymakers fear will fuel inflation, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is due to unveil plans this week to reopen the country's borders.
Ardern garnered global praise for containing local transmission of Covid-19 via an elimination strategy, imposing tough lockdowns and slamming New Zealand's international border shut in March 2020.
However, that tactic is now straining an economy heavily reliant on an immigrant workforce, leading to higher costs and lower output.
The dairy, horticulture, housing, services, health and broader public sector have all reported acute staff shortages, and called on the government to raise border blocks.
The pressures were visible on Monday when around 1,500 hospital midwives walked off the job, citing overwork due to "critical shortages". More than 30,000 nurses are due to strike later this month for the second time since June, seeking better pay and working conditions amid the staff shortages.
"We rely on internationally qualified nurses to meet our staffing needs but with the borders closed we are not getting any," said New Zealand Nurses Organisation industrial services manager Glenda Alexander.
"Kiwis are not coming into nursing as they are put off by the workload and the low pay," she added. "Nurses are burning out, they are getting sick themselves and are constantly worried that they will make mistakes that could affect their patients."
