3 Jul 2020

Thousands waiting for Tonga's border to reopen

From First Up, 5:45 am on 3 July 2020

A couple stranded in New Zealand say a lack of clear decision-making about reopening Tonga's border has left them and thousands of others in limbo. More than 7000 Tongan citizens are thought to be stuck overseas, including a large number of seasonal workers. Kate Woodward, who is British and her partner Will Hafu, a Tongan New Zealander, own a backpackers hostel in Tonga, where they've been living for the past five years. After visiting the UK for Kate to give birth around friends and family, the couple made their way home in March with their son Noah, but then Tonga's border closed. They told our reporter Harriet Robinson they're lucky to be with Mr Hafu's family in Auckland, but they need to get home soon.