Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon
Newly released documents show that health officials agreed that MIQ was "no longer justified" for most returnees.
However, it took another three and a half months, almost 40,000 MIQ stays and seven voucher lotteries before most incoming travelers could enter freely.
The group Grounded Kiwis is still waiting on a judgement at the High Court on the legality of the MIQ system.
Martin Newell from Grounded Kiwis says the ministry's memo added "insult to injury" for thousands of people who were unable to travel.
However, Otago University Law Professor Andrew Geddis told Karyn Hay it is unlikely to be a smoking gun.
