Editorial: Finding the best path forward the Northland way

Police checking cars at the Uretiti checkpoint coming into Northland yesterday. Photo / Tania Whyte

So here we are - the Auckland border is open and now we must wait to see what that means. Having the border come down was really the only option now Covid is here to stay

Aucklanders have worked hard these past four months and we should be grateful to them. The case numbers seem to be stable and we are in a strong position to take the next steps.

Of course, everyone has an opinion on balancing the best way forward with the need to keep the less-vaxxed, more vulnerable communities of the North safe

A central part of that debate has been the police/iwi checkpoints currently checking vehicles at Uretiti and Maungataroto.

Over the past few weeks this has been widely debated, often among those with very little real understanding of Northland. Much of the debate on radio and TV has involved the blowing of dog whistles at those who disagree with the Government's handling of Covid and the reopening of Auckland.

We have known for more than a week what the plan would be, and some commentators have either not done their research or ignored the information that was readily available.

The fear and concern this has created hasn't helped the already volatile situation and certainly hasn't helped the businesses who have had calls from worried Aucklanders as a result.

The politicians who saw it as an opportunity to try to spark the race debate do a disservice to themselves and Northland.

Northland is unique in many ways, it is a large region and yes, we have vulnerable communities, but it isn't as simple as "they've had long enough to get vaccinated" as has been suggested.

We have more than 4000 people we need to get their first dose to get us to that 90 per cent mark.

While Māori do have low vaccination rates, there is another group of people who have very high non-vaccination rates as well – the anti-vaxxers.

We all know someone in this camp, whether it is a freedom of rights concern, or simply a fear of the vaccine itself, they are just not going to get it.

So what do we do about that?

While the checkpoint manned by police and iwi may be anathema to some, for Tai Tokerau it is us taking some responsibility for ourselves and not leaving it to other people to decide for us the outcome.

It isn't about keeping Aucklanders out as some would have you believe it; we want Aucklanders – and all other Kiwis, for that matter – up here spending their money. It is, as Te Tai Tokerau Border Control leader Hone Harawira said this week "about making sure those that do come are not going to impact adversely on our population".