From NZ FAQs

"As per our usual practice, if the Elite member and Elite giftee are travelling together, then the giftee will be considered at the same status as the Elite member. If the giftee is not travelling with the Elite member, then they will be reviewed based on the giftee’s own tier status"

So maybe that means within a gifted Elite Upgrade, the rank is done on the recipients status, but that gifted Elite Upgrades are processed before Gold and Silver RUs - but with no access to R/A class inventory etc