Dame Naida Glavish, and other Far North iwi leaders, want whānau in Auckland to stay there during Covid alert level 3.
Far North iwi leaders want whānau in Auckland to stay there, and not try to venture north, while Covid alert level 3 is in place.
The chairs of Te Kahu o Taonui, an iwi collective comprising Ngati Kuri, Te Aupouri, Te Rarawa, NgaiTakoto, Ngati Kahu, Kahukuraariki, Whaingaroa, Ngapuhi, Te Roroa,
Ngati Wai and Ngati Whatua, are urging whānau who are inside the Auckland region to stay there while the alert level 3 travel restriction remains in place.
The iwi were closely observing the police and Government as they worked alongside Ngati Whatua in managing the Northern Border controls and were concerned that thousands of people who did not have the appropriate Ministry of Health exemption documentation were still trying to travel north.
Only Ministry of Health-approved exemption documentation would enable people to pass through the checkpoints; letters of clearance from other sources would not suffice, and incorrect documentation was putting unnecessary pressure on whanau on the front line and increasing trauma and anxiety for those who were trying to travel to Te Tai Tokerau.
"Whanau who are trying to get their tupapaku, their loved one, home to the north will also need to organise their exemption documentation prior to arriving at the checkpoint," Te Runanga o Ngati Whatua chief operating officer Antony Thompson said.
