Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is issuing a stern warning to promoters bringing in overseas performers without going through the proper MIQ steps – such as the case with The Wiggles.
"Don't go out and put a poster up and sell tickets before you've guaranteed your MIQ place."
She is also looking for a "practical solution" to the issue, which could potentially leave thousands of parents out of pocket.
The Wiggles risk being shut out of New Zealand due to managed isolation and quarantine woes, despite having already sold thousands of tickets.
The issue became a political hot potato when National's Simon Bridges said that he had written to the "powers that be" asking what can be done to make sure The Wiggles could play their 25 scheduled shows.
"The cast and crew have all approvals, they need to come from Aussie but due to visa approval delays the MIQ slots that were available aren't anymore," Simon says.
He disclosed his conflict of interest in the letter, as his two eldest children have grown up "adoring the Wiggles".
More than 40,000 tickets have been sold to their We're All Fruit Salad Tour!, which is due to kick off on March 19 in Invercargill for a 14-day tour.
Speaking to media in Nelson this afternoon, Ardern said she empathised with those who had bought tickets and had lost out "through no fault of their own".
"We obviously have to find a practical solution – that would be my expectation that a practical solution be found."
She did not outline details as to what the solution could be, saying it's up to officials to work though the issues, and find a solution.
In response to the developments, Bridges said on Twitter: I dunno. Maybe the Wiggles made the mistake of believing Jacinda when she said we'd have a Transtasman bubble in the first quarter.
But she was highly critical of event organisers who sold tickets and promoted events before sorting out MIQ slots, saying it is "common sense" to have the former issues sorted before ticket sales have begun.
"Do not promote an event until you have everything in place – that includes booking your quarantine places."Meanwhile, an Immigration New Zealand spokesperson confirmed that a request for a border exception under the "other critical worker" category was approved on December 24, 2020, for 18 people relating to The Wiggles.
Some 10 of the 18 people submitted a visa application just yesterday and these are currently being processed.
The remaining eight people are yet to submit visa applications.
"These types of visa applications are currently being processed within two weeks."