Jacinda Ardern stands by decision to charge Kiwi citizens stranded in Wuhan $500 to be rescued and flown back to Auckland for quarantine
- Ms Ardern stood by her decision to charge citizens for rescue from Wuhan
- The Australian government scrapped their $1,000 evacuation fee on Sunday
- Around 80 New Zealanders have expressed an interest in an evacuation flight
- New Zealand is yet to confirm its first case of the disease, while Australia has 12
The New Zealand government is standing firm on its request for a fee from their citizens looking to leave Wuhan, as the coronavirus outbreak continues.
The Australian government axed a proposed $1000 fee from those seeking refuge from the Chinese city, ahead of their uplift on Monday.
But prime minister Jacinda Ardern defended her government's choice to charge its citizens $NZ500 ($483AUD) - as well as any Australians or Pacific Islanders - seeking a route to New Zealand.
'I think that's just a recognition that these are families and individuals who would otherwise be paying privately to be returned back,' she said.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has defended her decision to charge Kiwi citizens stuck in Wuhan for rescue amid the coronavirus outbreak
'It's certainly not anywhere near the cost ... it goes towards some partial recovery.
'I haven't had anyone raise it with me that it's an issue.'
Around 80 New Zealanders have expressed an interest in the government-chartered Air New Zealand flight, with some Australians also involved in the Kiwi uplift.
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While Australians on board the Qantas flight are bound for remote Christmas Island, where they'll be quarantined for a fortnight, the New Zealand flight is headed to Auckland.
Once on home soil, they'll be taken to Whangaparaoa, a stunning coastal navy training facility just 30 minutes north from the country's biggest city.
People from around the world are being evacuated from China to escape the deadly coronavirus. Pictured: Indonesians arriving home from Wuhan being sprayed with an antiseptic before being taken to a quarantine zone
While there have been more than 17,000 cases of the disease globally - and 12 in Australia - New Zealand has yet to see its first confirmed case.
The Chinese consul general in Auckland, Ruan Ping, said he was 'very disappointed' that New Zealand had made a decision to bar travelers from China, as many other countries have done.
Ardern said she was not worried about negative sentiment towards China from the ban.
'This is short term and temporary. We'll be reviewing every 48 hours,' she said.
'I do want to acknowledge the role the Chinese government has played in trying to contain transmission, it has been incredible.
'What we're trying to do is continue to support that containment.'
