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Man goes on HUNGER STRIKE in New Zealand quarantine hotel and forces Jacinda Ardern to back down and let him out to see his father before he dies

  A man who went on a hunger strike as he waited in   New Zealand 's managed isolation and quarantine hotel will finally be released to ...

 A man who went on a hunger strike as he waited in New Zealand's managed isolation and quarantine hotel will finally be released to see his terminally ill father.

Kurt Lehndorf flew into Sudima Auckland Airport from Australia on February 2 to be with his dying father Des Lehndorf who has cancer.


However after facing delays to his request to self-isolate at home with his father, Mr Lehndorf, who last saw his father in July, went without food or drink for more than 60 hours in protest of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's strict closed border policy.  

Earlier today Mr Lehndorf said 'we won' after signing an agreement with the authorities to be provided with an exemption and self-isolate with his father at his home.

Travellers are usually required to stay in an isolation hotel for a minimum of 10 days and cannot leave unless they provide a negative Covid test on day 8 or 9 and confirmation from a medic that they are at low risk of having or transmitting Covid.

However applications for exceptional circumstances exemptions can be made under clause 14 of the Covid-19 Public Health Response (Isolation and Quarantine) Order 2020.

If the circumstances are deemed 'exceptional', the authorities can release travellers from isolation earlier but very few applications are approved.

Kurt Lehndorf (left with his father) flew into Sudima Auckland Airport from Australia on February 2 to be with his dying father Des Lehndorf

Kurt Lehndorf (left with his father) flew into Sudima Auckland Airport from Australia on February 2 to be with his dying father Des Lehndorf

The Kiwi, who now lives in Australia, waited in New Zealand's managed isolation and quarantine facility in Auckland

The Kiwi, who now lives in Australia, waited in New Zealand's managed isolation and quarantine facility in Auckland

While in isolation Mr Lehndorf, who last saw his father in July, shared images from inside the facility

While in isolation Mr Lehndorf, who last saw his father in July, shared images from inside the facility


Last night the Ministry of Business, Immigration and Employment said that arrangements would be made for Mr Lehndorf to see his father.

A spokesperson for the MBIE told 1News'This morning Mr Lehndorf's exemption from managed isolation application was approved, and he is now able to self-isolate in the community – we are pleased this means he will be able to spend time with his father at this difficult time.

'A returnee is not eligible to be considered for exemption from managed isolation until they receive a negative day three Covid-19 test. 

'Mr Lehndorf's negative day three test result was received yesterday evening, Sunday 6 February. 

'Supporting information is also required in relation to who else will be at the location of self-isolation and confirmation that they too will self-isolate. 

'Information confirming that others at the location will self-isolate was provided to MIQ by Mr Lehndorf early yesterday evening, Sunday 6 February.

'Mr Lehndorf has been advised that his exemption application was approved this morning, subject to him receiving a negative Rapid Antigen Test prior to his departure from MIQ, and transport to his place of self-isolation is now being organised.' 

Pictures from inside managed isolation and quarantine
Mr Lehndorf asked to be exempt from the ten day isolation period

Mr Lehndorf said 'we won' after signing an agreement with the authorities to self-isolate with his father at his home

While waiting for the authorities to approve his exemption, Mr Lehndorf said: 'I have tested negative twice in three days'

While waiting for the authorities to approve his exemption, Mr Lehndorf said: 'I have tested negative twice in three days'


Mr Lehndorf received news of his father's diagnosis shortly after the Delta outbreak hit and borders were slammed shut.

Last week he was able to fly into Sudima Auckland Airport from Australia where he was immediately placed into New Zealand's managed isolation and quarantine hotel.   

While in isolation he wrote on Facebook: 'This is isolation in NZ. This is how @jacindaardern treats NZ citizens. I'm allowed to walk, not run, in a clockwise direction for 45 minutes per day. 

'I have returned to NZ to see my terminally Ill father. This is now how we treat each other in NZ. Despite my fathers worsening condition I am not allowed to see him. 

'I have tested negative twice in 3 days, am double vaxxed and recently recovered from Covid. 

'After being prevented from visiting my father for Christmas and other potentially last events, my own country now prevents me from being by his side. 

'My father's own country is preventing his son being beside him. For the first time in my life I'm embarrassed to be a kiwi. Now back to walking, not running in a clockwise direction.'

In a letter to the Isolation Exemptions Team, Mr Lehndorf said he provided all the information required, including proof of his double vaccination status, medically approved information about his father's diagnosis and information about turning his father's household into an isolation bubble for himself.

However he said he was told by the MIQ Isolation Exemptions Team that they needed more information in order to grant a temporary visit. 

Last night Mr Lehndorf slammed officials after they claimed they were still waiting for him to supply them with all the required information.

It comes after New Zealand journalist Charlotte Bellis, who was forced to turn to the Taliban for help after she was stranded in Afghanistan by Jacinda Ardern's draconian Covid border rules, was finally told she could return home.

Ms Bellis, 35, a journalist who worked in Qatar, had been stuck in Afghanistan since last year with Belgian partner Jim Huylebroek because it was the only place they had visas to live after she was turned away by the country of her birth.

She previously told how the Taliban offered to help after hearing of her plight, but added that she was still desperate to return to New Zealand because of the lack of medical care in Afghanistan.

After global outcry at her treatment, New Zealand's deputy prime minister Grant Robertson said last week that she had now been granted a place in the country's border quarantine system.

'I urge her to take it up,' he added. 

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