I find it really interesting and a little bit sad that people are complaining the government taxpayer should be doing more to help family members trapped in Dubai because of the enormous disruption to flights caused by the Iranian conflict. Sure, the Government sent a Defence Force plane to Iran last year during the Israel-Iran conflict, and during Covid we partnered with Australia to get stranded travellers out of Wuhan in 2020, but I really don't believe there should be an expectation that if you have chosen to travel or chosen to live in another country and then the mud hits the fan for whatever reason, that you will automatically and immediately be rescued.
I had family living overseas in London for a while, and if they had suddenly found themselves in the middle of a war, I'd be doing all I could to get them out. And if there was a plane there, I would want them on it, whether it was a government plane, a commercial aircraft, whatever, I would be doing all I could to get them out of there, absolutely. But I wouldn't expect the government taxpayer to do it for me. I have been stranded overseas before when the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajökull blew up. I was in Paris doing the Paris Marathon, airspace over Europe was closed, travel insurance didn't help, and you were on your own. And there are worse places to be than trapped in Paris in the springtime, I will grant you that. And it was ash blowing into the cities, not Iranian missiles, but statistically right now, although that could change at any minute, there would be more chance of me being run over on the Champs Élysées back then than killed by a missile in Dubai right now.
But that's statistics and that emotion doesn't come into it, I get that. When your loved ones are stranded overseas, you want them home and you want them safe. But is it on the taxpayer to provide that? I don't think so, but am I being a heartless moll? I've been accused of that before. But I just, you know, I get the emotion, I totally do, because I've been there. You want your loved ones home, you want to get home, but I never assumed that my first port of call would be the Government.
Kerre McIvor, is a journalist, radio presenter, author and columnist. Currently hosts the Kerre Woodham mornings show on Newstalk ZB - where this article was sourced.
I had family living overseas in London for a while, and if they had suddenly found themselves in the middle of a war, I'd be doing all I could to get them out. And if there was a plane there, I would want them on it, whether it was a government plane, a commercial aircraft, whatever, I would be doing all I could to get them out of there, absolutely. But I wouldn't expect the government taxpayer to do it for me. I have been stranded overseas before when the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajökull blew up. I was in Paris doing the Paris Marathon, airspace over Europe was closed, travel insurance didn't help, and you were on your own. And there are worse places to be than trapped in Paris in the springtime, I will grant you that. And it was ash blowing into the cities, not Iranian missiles, but statistically right now, although that could change at any minute, there would be more chance of me being run over on the Champs Élysées back then than killed by a missile in Dubai right now.
But that's statistics and that emotion doesn't come into it, I get that. When your loved ones are stranded overseas, you want them home and you want them safe. But is it on the taxpayer to provide that? I don't think so, but am I being a heartless moll? I've been accused of that before. But I just, you know, I get the emotion, I totally do, because I've been there. You want your loved ones home, you want to get home, but I never assumed that my first port of call would be the Government.
Kerre McIvor, is a journalist, radio presenter, author and columnist. Currently hosts the Kerre Woodham mornings show on Newstalk ZB - where this article was sourced.
5 comments:
I know a kiwi guy in London who loves to travel and every time there is some kind of disaster, he will wait until things calm down a bit and then travel to that country because he knows the airfares and accomodation will be dirt cheap and there will be fewer tourists. I thought of him when this Iran thing kicked off. He is more my type of person than the " keep safe" types who think this world is a big horrible place outside of nz shores, for which it is not. I think people can make their own way back to nz in this type of situation. And then arrive here and do what? But that is up to the individual of course.
My wife and I were 'trapped' in Turkey for 6 months after leaving an imploding Lebanon in mid-2021. We had 90 days to leave but there was no MIQ clearance at the end of that period so we had to apply to become permanent Turkish residents.
I met a lot of incredulity when explaining to Turkish immigration officials and other people including Kurdish friends that our own country wouldn't let us in. Developing countries including India, Nepal and Pakistan were putting on rescue flights to get their citizens home especially from the Middle East. That a so-called 'First World Country' abandoned its citizens during this global crisis was something they found hard to comprehend. "Not enough quarantine facilities," I told them. A Kurdish guy asked me, "Does the NZ govt not have the power to commandeer buildings and convert them for that purpose?"
I wasn't sure whether to tell them that the rules didn't apply if you were a rugby player.
This is what travel insurance is for.
Not the taxpayer's problem.
Tough luck.
From Google AI: "Travel insurance generally did not cover being stranded overseas during COVID-19 if it was due to government-mandated lockdowns, border closures, or general travel restrictions."
How sad, too bad, tough luck.........? Or does it invoke the State's duty of care towards its citizens?
Hi Barend - In response to my post at 9:44
The government response to the covid farce was monstrous and unforgivable in my humble opinion.
I was not considering that as part of my response because I agree with you that the state duty and care towards its citizens was disgusting during that period.
Government safe travel website has always stressed the importance of insurance. If you can't afford it don't travel.
Unfortunately, that previous vile administration ruined that advice and without any heart reneged on their duty.
Not very "kind" eh...
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