Aucklanders can look forward to a staycation these school holidays with the Prime Minister confirming the region is likely to stay locked down for a while yet - even if restrictions inside the city's borders are relaxed.
And that means a skinny pay day for regional businesses relying on holidaying Aucklanders.
Last night Checkpoint revealed the government was looking to keep a border around the region - even if levels shift.
Today Te Pirimia Jacinda Ardern acknowledged the news would be hard for some people to hear but she wanted to give some clarity.
The news that Aucklanders will not be able to visit Taupō in the school holidays has hit the town hard, mayor David Trewavas told Checkpoint.
“Very disappointed with today’s decisions, but I guess people better qualified than me make these decisions.”
The town’s GDP is down about 40 percent he said.
“There's some desperate situations out there, and people not saying too much, and I do worry about the welfare of some of these mums and dads [with] shops and businesses.”
