Some of the Kiwis into Vic were apparently well briefed, and prepared:
Shearing Contractors Association of Australia secretary Jason Letchford confirmed New Zealand shearers were on the first flights out of New Zealand to Sydney, and they later went on to catch a flight to Tullamarine Airport in Melbourne.
"Anecdotally I know they were on those flights and there was nothing illegal or incorrect in what they did — they followed process and were sponsored by their employers and had the correct permit to travel from metropolitan Melbourne to rural Victoria," he said.
"The workers and employers should have been applauded by Premier (Daniel) Andrews for making the effort to get here so quickly.
"They shouldn't have been poo-pooed by the Premier, as they are actually coming into the state to work and are trying to keep the economy going."