Kerre McIvor: Shutting the border to immigrants not the answer (Photo / NZ Herald) National has slammed the government's decision to lapse and refund 50,000 temporary visa applications. Immigration spokesperson Erica Stanford says its further evidence this Government has no plan to reopen New Zealand up to the world post-vaccination and isn’t listening to the desperate calls from businesses for international labour. And Immigration lawyer, Alister McClymont says the government's decision has nothing to do with Covid, it's all about closing off New Zealand. We've talked until we're blue in the face about the desperate need for more workers to either have their visas extended or be granted entry so that businesses can survive.