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A Dunedin man stuck in Australia is frustrated and frightened by the uncertainty of getting back into the country.
Primary school teacher Jeremy Morgan said he flew to Melbourne to see his sick mother on July 9 and had been stuck there since.
He grew up in Melbourne, but was a permanent resident of New Zealand.
His mother had been sick for 18 months and he had not seen her in that time, he said.
Four days into his visit Melb-ourne was called into lockdown, which kept him separated from his two children and pet dog.
Mr Morgan’s boys — aged 8 and 11 — were staying with their mother, but the setup was not sustainable.
The pair had separated but still took equal responsibility for their children, he said.
His dog was staying in a pet hotel.
He knew there was a risk when he made plans to travel back, but decided he needed to see his mother.
"The borders had been open for six weeks, I only needed eight days."
The trip had already cost him about $5000, but the extended fees were adding up.
His car was still parked in the airport car park and the pet hotel fee was not cheap, he said.
He believed he was lucky to be in a position where he could afford the extra fees, but others would not be so fortunate.
He hoped to be back in the country for the beginning of the school term but was forced to make plans for someone to cover his work.
Mr Morgan was concerned those in New South Wales would get priority and was worried how long it would take for him to get back to New Zealand.
The New Zealand Government should reassess how they viewed offshore permanent residents, he said.
He understood the process was complicated but believed there needed to be more consideration for getting those who tested negative for Covid back into the country.
"It’s frustrating and I’m frightened."
Being stuck in Melbourne made him appreciate the freedom of New Zealand.
"It’s such a sense of relief to know that when I get back into New Zealand I’m back in one of the safest countries in the world."