A proud grandfather who came to Australia to help his daughter out become 'trapped' here at the mercy of cruel Kiwi border polices - even though he is in a state with no Covid.
Father-of-four Shane Hayes, 59, a painter and decorator, arrived in Perth in early August to help his daughter, Briar, 28, with a family problem involving her eight-year-old son, Carius.
Mr Hayes has been living with his daughter and grandson at Beechboro in Perth's northern suburbs, and the family decided Carius should return to NZ with him.
But after the Delta outbreaks in Australia and New Zealand, what was supposed to be a six week trip has turned into an 'indefinite' stay as Mr Hayes is stranded.
A proud grandfather who came to Australia to help his daughter and grandson has become 'trapped' here at the mercy of cruel Kiwi border polices. Pictured are his daughter Briar and grandson Carius
Kiwi grandfather Shayne Hayes says NZ's quarantine system is 'a sick joke'
Three months later he's ready to take Carius home to live with the extended family but a bottleneck in New Zealand's brutal hotel quarantine lottery system means Mr Hayes can't get home.
He is doing odd jobs painting and cleaning around Perth for $20 an hour to pay his rent and bills back home in Wellington, NZ's capital.
Mr Hayes has also run out of his medication for chronic depression and missed hospital appointments for planned dental surgery.
Under NZ's border control system every two weeks up to 25,000 Kiwis queue up in an online 'lobby' to secure one of around 2,500 places in 'Managed Isolation Quarantine' (MIQ).
Briar Hayes is picted with her two children, including Carius (right) and her father, Shayne (second from left)
Entrants to the lobby are allocated a number, which shows your place in the queue.
Even if you are selected, you have 24 hours to book an approved flight and produce proof of a negative Covid test and double vaccination - or you go to the back to the queue.
When the lobby closes for the day, all unsuccessful entrants miss out and have to wait two weeks to try again.
Mr Hayes has missed out three times, including on Thursday this week.
'This system has become a sick joke,' Mr
