Bereaved, unvaccinated and stranded in NSW

An Auckland barrister who travelled to Sydney to be with her dying mother early last month says she is trapped in New South Wales, despite having followed all the guidance of the New Zealand government. Fazilat Shah went to Sydney on the second of July after her mother suffered a severe heart attack the previous day. She died a week later. Ms Shah's return flight was booked for the 24th of July, but growing covid infections in New South Wales saw our government close the border. She has applied for a managed return flight to New Zealand but so far has had four flights cancelled - because she cannot secure a place in Managed Isolation and Quarantine. Ms Shah says she is isolated from her family in New Zealand, grieving alone, unvaccinated, and her legal practice and clients here are suffering.