East Coast hapū want static police-led checkpoints at the boundaries of the rohe to help protect vulnerable Tairāwhiti communities from the Delta variant of Covid-19 but the acting minister of emergency management does not support them.
Acting minister of emergency management doesn't support checkpoints to protect Tairāwhiti communities (file image). Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Matakaoa Covid-19 response spokeswoman Ani Pahuru-Huriwai told Morning Report the community were worried as they were seeing a lot of strangers in the region.
Pahuru-Huriwai said they made the request to the Gisborne District Council, the mayor, and MPs Meka Whaitiri and Kiri Allan.
They heard yesterday from Minister Kris Faafoi that it was declined based on the information from the Gisborne District Council, she said.
Despite that, hapū would continue to push for checkpoints.
"We have constantly called for static checkpoints because we know they are effective" - Ani Pahuru-Huriwai
A spokesperson for Faafoi said he was aware of a letter that went to the local emergency management controller who did not support it, and Minister Faafoi shared that view.
The spokesperson said Faafoi was satisfied that the response to Covid-19 in Tairāwhiti could be dealt with by emergency services and did not require action under the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act.
The Covid-19 Public Health Response Act 2020 had been specifically designed to respond to the impacts of Covid-19, he said.
The spokesperson said the local response to Covid-19 was being co-ordinated by the Gisborne regional leadership group.
Tairāwhiti civil defence emergency management group, Ngāti Porou and Police are members of the group.