Google cofounder Larry Page was allowed into New Zealand, despite its closed border, so his son could receive urgent medical attention, the government confirmed yesterday.
The billionaire’s visit had prompted criticism from New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s political opponents, who demanded an explanation for why he was permitted to enter despite COVID-19 travel restrictions.
New Zealand Minister of Immigration Kris Faafoi told reporters that Page, who is reportedly worth US$121 billion, had applied for a medical exemption “to make sure his son got the treatment that was required.”
New Zealand Minister of Health Andrew Little said in parliament that an application was approved in January for a child, accompanied by an adult, to be medically evacuated from Fiji.
He said that anyone accepted for treatment in New Zealand is considered to be in immediate need of care and cannot be treated in their current location.
Immigration New Zealand general manager of border and visa operations Nicola Hogg said that Page “met relevant requirements” to be approved entry.
Hogg did not address the question of whether Page spent two weeks in quarantine, as required of people entering New Zealand.
New Zealand’s opposition ACT Party called on Ardern’s government to be more open about his visit.
“The government has questions to answer about why billionaire Google cofounder Larry Page was allowed into New Zealand when desperate Kiwis and separated families can’t get through the border,” ACT leader David Seymour said.
Seymour said that while he had sympathy for Page’s situation, there were numerous people with similar issues who could not get through the border, while some New Zealanders were stranded overseas.
BACKLASH: The National Party quit its decades-long partnership with the Liberal Party after their election loss to center-left Labor, which won a historic third term Australia’s National Party has split from its conservative coalition partner of more than 60 years, the Liberal Party, citing policy differences over renewable energy and after a resounding loss at a national election this month. “Its time to have a break,” Nationals leader David Littleproud told reporters yesterday. The split shows the pressure on Australia’s conservative parties after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s center-left Labor party won a historic second term in the May 3 election, powered by a voter backlash against US President Donald Trump’s policies. Under the long-standing partnership in state and federal politics, the Liberal and National coalition had shared power
NO EXCUSES: Marcos said his administration was acting on voters’ demands, but an academic said the move was emotionally motivated after a poor midterm showing Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr yesterday sought the resignation of all his Cabinet secretaries, in a move seen as an attempt to reset the political agenda and assert his authority over the second half of his single six-year term. The order came after the president’s allies failed to win a majority of Senate seats contested in the 12 polls on Monday last week, leaving Marcos facing a divided political and legislative landscape that could thwart his attempts to have an ally succeed him in 2028. “He’s talking to the people, trying to salvage whatever political capital he has left. I think it’s
CONTROVERSY: During the performance of Israel’s entrant Yuval Raphael’s song ‘New Day Will Rise,’ loud whistles were heard and two people tried to get on stage Austria’s JJ yesterday won the Eurovision Song Contest, with his operatic song Wasted Love triumphing at the world’s biggest live music television event. After votes from national juries around Europe and viewers from across the continent and beyond, JJ gave Austria its first victory since bearded drag performer Conchita Wurst’s 2014 triumph. After the nail-biting drama as the votes were revealed running into yesterday morning, Austria finished with 436 points, ahead of Israel — whose participation drew protests — on 357 and Estonia on 356. “Thank you to you, Europe, for making my dreams come true,” 24-year-old countertenor JJ, whose
UNSCHEDULED VISIT: ‘It’s a very bulky new neighbor, but it will soon go away,’ said Johan Helberg of the 135m container ship that run aground near his house A man in Norway awoke early on Thursday to discover a huge container ship had run aground a stone’s throw from his fjord-side house — and he had slept through the commotion. For an as-yet unknown reason, the 135m NCL Salten sailed up onto shore just meters from Johan Helberg’s house in a fjord near Trondheim in central Norway. Helberg only discovered the unexpected visitor when a panicked neighbor who had rung his doorbell repeatedly to no avail gave up and called him on the phone. “The doorbell rang at a time of day when I don’t like to open,” Helberg told television
RSS