Gisborne mayor says focus is on 90% vaccination rate for Tairāwhiti

While Rhythm & Vines is important for the East Coast, the priority is a 90 percent vaccination rate, the Gisborne mayor says.

The traffic light system that is due to be introduced in about three weeks means more travel, tourism and events for most of New Zealand.

But places like Tairāwhiti, which has one of the lowest vaccination rates, may not be able to enjoy summer in the same way as others.

There are nearly 8000 people who need to get their second dose before the region can hit the required 90 percent mark.

The fate of the Rhythm and Vines festival hinges on this magic number.

Gisborne mayor Rehette Stoltz said regions like hers will probably move to the red traffic light like Auckland, so all the region can do is try and increase the vaccinations "quick smart" so that people can fully enjoy summer.

Asked if that would mean the Rhythm & Vines festival could not go ahead, she told Morning Report: "Those decisions are way above my pay grade so I do know the ministers and the organisers will have those discussions.

"But from a Tairāwhiti perspective it doesn't matter if R&V goes ahead or not, we need to get our population up to 90 percent [vaccinated] just to protect our community so for me as the mayor, my main focus is just to get up to that 90 percent."

The government and the organisers of Rhythm and Vines would make the call on the festival going ahead closer to the time, she said.

Stoltz hopes the traffic light system will act "as a wake-up call" to motivate more people to get vaccinated.

"We would hope to get even more than 90 percent. It might take a little bit longer than other regions but we do really want to protect our communities and also allow others to come here...

but we need to keep people safe."

Regarding checks on people visiting the region, she said the red traffic light rules would mean people travelling to the region would need to be double vaccinated or have passed a negative Covid-19 test before travelling.

"There are only one or two ways in and out so we can check to make sure that people who do come in are vaccinated or comply with those red light rules..."

Gisborne Chamber of Commerce President Belinda Mackay told Checkpoint the city needed more certainty about who can visit the area.

Mackay said while Rhythm and Vines brought in millions and provides hundreds of jobs, there was a real concern in the community as vaccination rates remained so low.

She would prefer to see only double-vaccinated people able to enter the region.