Megan Main

The lobby was very crowded this morning with at least 25,000 people waiting with their fingers crossed for a spot in MIQ.

Three thousand rooms were released on Monday morning under the new system… Video, Audio

MIQ booking changes are being made to make it fairer, after revelations people were using scripts to speed up the booking process.

Scripts that constantly refresh pages and make the process faster… Audio

It's the Easter break this weekend, meaning many people will be relaxing with their whānau eating a lot of chocolate and hot cross buns.

But for some they'll be stuck inside in managed isolation… Video, Audio

The managed isolation booking system is getting about 100 formal complaints each week, five months since it became mandatory to reserve a space in the border hotels.

People still need to book about… Audio

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment is downplaying claims from a former employee that processing of emergency applications for entry into MIQ facilities was shambolic and ineffective. 

A woman employed to help decide who gets emergency entry into MIQ facilities says she wasn't trained and there was no one to answer questions from desperate applicants.

The former worker, contracted… Audio

People are able to book managed isolation places by putting in flight numbers, even when they do not have a ticket for that flight, officials have confirmed. Rooms have been sitting empty in… Audio

Security at Hamilton's Covid-19 isolation hotels has been boosted significantly with the arrival of 57 defence force staff.

That brings the number of military working at the city's three quarantine… Audio