There are 13 new cases of Covid-19 in New Zealand - 12 in the community and one in isolation. And New Zealanders were today given a strong warning not to trust unverified information they may read on social media.
Ruapehū iwi Ngāti Rangi is calling for a regional lockdown after news a person with Covid-19 visited Turoa ski field.
Ngāti Rangi chairman Whetu Moataane says the district is "not open for travellers", especially Aucklanders.
The iwi's stance comes just days after the Taranaki Iwi Chairs' Forum and Taranaki MayoralForum issued a joint statement asking for its own "region-wide bubble".
Taranaki groups were basing their view on whether the country went to alert level 3.
The Māori Party also called for the borders to be closed for the next 14 days and a level 4 lockdown, and Moataane says they want a regional lockdown "regardless of the alert level".
"Regardless of current alert levels, we all need to be extra cautious and not travel unnecessarily," he said.
"This is especially important for Aucklanders and those who have been in contact – close or otherwise with Aucklanders. There are enough tourists here already and we don't need any more.
"We are calling for an immediate regional lockdown to protect our whānau and wider community."
Ngāti Rangi chairman Whetu Moataane wants the Ruapehū district put into its own regional lockdown. Photo / File
He said they experienced self-isolators in Ohakune during the last lockdown "and we don't need that again considering the amount of vulnerable living population we have".
"Our borders need to shut immediately."
Moataane said they had a duty to "protect and care" for their community.
"Closing our borders will eliminate the risk completely. It's a no brainer and we don't know why it hasn't happened already. It's not good enough."
Dr Ashley Bloomfield addressed the issue at today's press conference in Wellington and said the local DHB was working with the iwi to address any concerns they had.
"That person that visited Turoa ski field was not symptomatic at the time and it's only a short period of that time that they were on the ski field that is in that 48-hour pre-symptom onset so the risk is very low. The right steps have been taken there and a number of the ski field staff have been tested."
Moataane said they had mobilised their resources to lead welfare efforts in the community and were ready for lockdown.
"That's why we are asking people to respect our place, by respecting our wishes. Stay home. If people love our rohe just as we do, they will respect our position and help us to look after our whānau and our community," Moataane said.
The council was due to meet iwi on Friday to discuss the issue and was also liaising with police about possible road closures if alert levels went up and the amount of community transmission increased.
Maori party co-Leaders John Tamihere and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer said a level 4 lockdown should have been announced by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Tuesday.
"We also cannot allow returning Kiwis home – including our whānau – until health officials get on top of this this community outbreak. Iwi Health Check points are now reestablished."
They also called for next month's election to be postponed.
The Taranaki Iwi Chairs' Forum and Taranaki Mayoral Forum had called for the move if the emergency alert level was raised to protect their people and economy.
The joint statement said people who had any contact with Auckland should get tested as well as anyone who had recently visited the area.
Checkpoints would also become a reality in the region again.
"If we enter level 3, we will be seeking Government resources to deliver checkpoints via the NZ Defence Force and/or NZ Police and believe this will greatly enhance the protection of our people and economy from the spread of Covid-19 across Aotearoa/New Zealand."
