In today's Focus on Politics podcast, Deputy Political Editor Craig McCulloch recounts the siege of Fortress New Zealand and reckons with its reconnection to the world.

"It's time to move forward together, safely" - Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern

Fortress New Zealand - the 'hermit kingdom' - is soon to be no more.

For almost two years, Aotearoa has been cut off - foreigners for the most part have been barred entry, with returning New Zealanders having to complete a stay in government-run managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ).

Limited capacity has at times made it near impossible for some New Zealanders to come home, eventually leading to the online lottery system.

That situation was brought into stark relief this week by Charlotte Bellis, a pregnant Kiwi journalist stuck in Afghanistan, who published an open letter in the Weekend Herald detailing her struggle to return home.

Listen to the full interview

The extreme border measures have undoubtedly saved lives and secured New Zealand's relative freedom from the virus.

But they have also curtailed the freedoms of those wanting to come here and caused tremendous heartbreak for families cut off and citizens stranded.

As epidemiologist Michael Baker acknowledged, with Omicron expected to spread widely within the country, the hard border would become harder to justify.

"Once we get to the point of having thousands of Omicron cases a day in New Zealand, MIQ's role is very different," Prof Baker says.

Read more:

Opposition parties take contrasting views on border re-opening plan

Power Play: MIQ soon to be a thing of the past but Covid wounds run deep

Dates for NZ's border reopening confirmed

Vaccine booster interval shortened to three months

Pregnant journalist Charlotte Bellis offered a place in MIQ

Afghan women say they wouldn't be afforded the same rights as pregnant NZ journalist under Taliban

Ministers swiftly moved into clean-up mode. On Tuesday, Cabinet met to discuss its timeline for phasing out MIQ.

On Wednesday, booster dose eligibility was expanded to an extra million New Zealanders by shortening the interval after the second dose.

And on Thursday, Ardern delivered a speech in Auckland detailing the five-stage reopening plan:

11.59pm 27 February: Self-isolation opens for New Zealanders and eligible travellers coming from Australia

11.59pm 13 March: Open to New Zealanders and eligible travellers from the rest of the world; skilled workers earning at least 1.5x median wage; working holiday visas…

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details