The government touted the introduction of mandatory record keeping for most events and businesses, which will take effect from 11.59pm today when much of the country drops to a lower alert level.
But scanning or signing in will not be mandatory, with the government saying it is only mandatory for businesses and events to have record keeping available when people visit.
"If someone refuses to scan in, there is no expectation or requirement that businesses or locations should force a customer or visitor to scan in or provide their details for contact tracing purposes," a spokesperson for the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet said.
"Businesses and locations are also not required or expected to turn people away who may refuse to make a record of their visit."
Businesses will not be punished if people do not sign in.
"The person in charge of a business, location or event, must legally make sure they have safe and secure systems and processes in place so that everyone working on or visiting their premises can scan in or provide their details in an electronic or paper-based manual process, no matter how long they are there for.
"This includes workers, contractors, customers, and volunteers.
"The person in charge must legally have more than one way for people to record their visit, especially for people who are not able to scan QR codes."
The changes cover a huge range of businesses and services such as cafes, restaurants, barbers, resthomes, courts and libraries.
Tens of thousands of New Zealanders have been congregating online, sharing misinformation and conspiracy theories about Covid-19 and the resulting issues the pandemic has caused.
Vaccines and mask use are common topics, but mandatory contact tracing is now in their sight lines.
In closed forums RNZ has gained access to, people have discussed how to avoid scanning in, and say they have been using fake names and phone numbers.
They said that would continue if scanning was made mandatory.
"If individuals choose to provide false contact information, they are directly jeopardising the ability for contact tracing to occur quickly and accurately. This could put their health and the health of others at risk," the DPMC spokesperson said.
"We ask that everyone do their bit to support shops, services, cafes, restaurants and venues - and the staff working at these places.
"Contact tracing is one of the strongest tools we have to stop the spread of Covid-19, minimise lockdowns and keep friends and whānau safe."
Police have a number of tools to monitor groups on social media, like the ones RNZ has gained access to.
They would not reveal what kind of monitoring is happening over Covid-19 issues.
A police spokesperson did say providing false information to a medical officer of health could be an offence which may lead to a prosecution, but writing false details in a contact tracing book does not reach that level.
"Entering accurate personal information in a contact tracing book is, in practical terms, based on good faith and voluntary cooperation," they said.
"To provide false details in a contact record book is to place the person giving those details, and to friends and whānau, at risk of being unaware of contact with a deadly virus, and unaware of the risk they in turn could pose to others."
If people do enter false information into contact record books, Ministry of Health officials have other means to try and track contacts, but it is much harder and takes far longer.
The government is expected to publish its level 2 order today, which may include updated contact tracing rules for businesses.
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Comments
How can something be both mandatory and unenforceable?
Without enforcement - businesses being obliged to turn compliance refusers away, police or other agents following up with consequences using photo ID from business. Mandatory merely means "we'd like you to do this please if you don't mind, if it's not too much trouble."
What’s wrong with these people?
Are they missing some sort intellectual DNA?
Are just being “show offy”, making a show of their independent nature?
Or are just plain morons?
The more I learn about people the more I like my dog.
Yes, yes yes and YES! Also we don't deserve dogs.
Perhaps some people just want to get on with life, not everyone is happy to hide inside every day, also if the government was actually competent then people may have more faith in these systems. Instead they have a boarder that leaks and force use into lockdowns, when was the last case of covid in Dunedin?
"When was the last case of covid in Dunedin" isn't grounds for objecting to lockdown, it's a reason for being thankful for the restrictions.
Without lockdown, with freedom for Auckland people to travel freely around the South Island, would they have left their viruses at home?
Is this so hard to understand? It seems to be beyond tourism operators' comprehension, particularly Queenstown's most vocal whinger. It's disappointing to note how many people are similarly clueless about how ultra-spready Delta is, far worse than the first covid that we had to cope with.
You seem to miss my comment about the leaking MIQ the Government run, should i be thankful some clowns let the virus back into the community? Also the same people let planes fly all around the country for two days once the knew the virus was in the community, perhaps you should advise them how contagious it is!!!!
The good news is the fools, conspiracy theorists and anti vaxxers will all share in a serious dose of covid 19 at some point.
These geniuses simply are too clever to see what is happening in the UK and the USofA and increasingly Australia. Those places are experiencing a pandemic of the unvaccinated. In NSW most (over 95%) of people who are dieing are not vaccinated.
You saying this doesn't necessarily make it true without backup/links etc, your university education should have told you that.....
KeithMcC, are you predicting that this may be nature's way of improving the gene pool?
When information, communication, legislation and education fail, perhaps the planet takes control.