![](\"https:\/\/www.nzherald.co.nz\/resizer\/-bOD1c7cIy5r6Ao-7qO-F64u1cQ=\/16x10\/smart\/filters:quality(70)\/cloudfront-ap-southeast-2.images.arcpublishing.com\/nzme\/BXPWT3WDHQVACBAPETY2QVRWCE.jpg\")
<\/p>\nDouble-vaccinated Kiwis are likely to be able to come home by Christmas under a National Party plan to be released tomorrow.<\/p>\n
Speaking ahead of the release of the Covid plan, leader Judith Collins said that it would help reunite families at Christmas.<\/p>\n
“We are inviting the Government to adopt our plan entirely,” Collins said.<\/p>\n
“We believe if they follow our plan, New Zealanders will be able to get home by Christmas and that is really important.”<\/p>\n
Collins said the plan would not only focus on vaccinations but would look at other public health measures that would support the Covid response.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
National’s Covid-19 spokesman Chris Bishop suggested the plan would allow different border measures for double-vaccinated New Zealanders.<\/p>\n
“I think it would be fair to say if you are a double-vaccinated Kiwi offshore, or a double-vaccinated Kiwi in New Zealand, you will like our plan,” Bishop said.<\/p>\n
“If you are a double-vaccinated Kiwi, you have given yourself the protection against Covid-19 and you will enjoy the fruits of National’s plan if the Government adopts it.”<\/p>\n
Bishop said there are “thousands of New Zealanders offshore right now who can’t come home because of the human misery that is the MIQ lottery – they will benefit from National’s plan”.<\/p>\n
Collins denied that her plan had been upstaged by former leader Sir John Key, who released his own vaccination plan over the weekend.<\/p>\n
The plan was contained in an opinion column printed in most major media outlets, including the Herald on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Collins said it was better that Key’s op-ed come out before National’s plan.<\/p>\n
“It was better for that to come out when he is feeling so frustrated about it, but at the same time we have a very comprehensive plan – there would be no point John releasing his after ours because ours is very, very thorough,” Collins said.<\/p>\n
Collins said she called Key and discussed his plan on Sunday, following its publication.<\/p>\n
“I support him expressing the views that he and many other New Zealanders are frustrated,” Collins said.<\/p>\n
“I called him and said ‘you’ve certainly got the lefties upset now John’, so we had a good laugh about that,” she said.<\/p>\n