Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters marked his exit from isolation and return to Parliament on Wednesday with a speech revealing Cabinet was asked to consider closing the borders to everyone - including returning New Zealanders.
The advice came from the Ministry of Health on the basis it was the best way to prevent Covid-19 being imported into the country.
While Cabinet never entertained stopping its own citizens from coming home, a Wellington lawyer says if they had it would have required an urgent law change.
RNZ political reporter Jo Moir has this story.
