Military flights have been deployed to repatriate seasonal workers from Vanuatu stranded in Central Otago and wider New Zealand. The last of the flights leaves today in what has been a joint effort between New Zealand and Vanuatu to repatriate about 1000 seasonal workers stranded here. Ms Axby said 277 workers left Central Otago at the weekend, leaving only 127 employed as winter crews to continue with the winter pruning workload at a variety of orchards and vineyards. Strode Road Orchard owner Lochie McNally said all eight of his workers left by bus for Christchurch on Saturday and had since flown out. The repatriation flights were a relief for both the workers and employers as work for them had become ad hoc, he said.

Source: Otago Daily Times June 22, 2020 15:33 UTC