Kelvin Davis and top judges cop flak from health expert after going maskless at indoor event

Chief District Court Judge Heemi Taumaunu, Judge Greg Davis, Principal Youth Court Judge John Walker, Acting Principal Family Court Judge Stephen Coyle and Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis at Waimanoni Marae. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Questions have been raised by one of the country's leading public health experts about the lack of masks worn by Crown minister Kelvin Davis and leading judges at a Northland justice event.

"Of course, anyone meeting indoors should be wearing a mask," Baker said in response to images of the event.

Davis - who is Tai Tokerau MP - was joined by his brother, Northland Judge Greg Davis, Chief District Court Judge Heemi Taumaunu, Principal Youth Court Judge John Walker and Acting Principal Family Court Judge Stephen Coyle at the launch of Te Ao Mārama Far North in Kaitaia on Thursday.

The Advocate covered the event where none could be seen wearing masks.

The event, which also attracted senior officials from Wellington, marked the third courthouse to embrace an alternative mode of operation intended to reduce courtroom formalities and address underlying causes of crime.

There were almost no masks worn at the indoor marae event, which included singing and what appeared to be little social distancing.

The event came a day before the director-general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield pleaded for people to wear masks, saying they should be used in any indoor setting that was not their own home.

"Mask-wearing should be like wearing a seatbelt. That's why we still have an order requiring people to wear them in some indoor environments, and we are encouraging people to wear them in other indoor environments," said Bloomfield.

Masks were currently required aboard public transport, in shops (retail, not cafes) and at aged care facilities. The requirements remain unchanged since the announcement.

There was now significant and growing community spread of Covid-19 in Northland, with more than 200 new cases reported daily this week by the Ministry of Health.

Baker said those at the event definitely should have been masked and the government was putting politics ahead of science by favouring mask recommendations over mandates.

Otago University epidemiologist Professor Michael Baker. Photo / Supplied by Otago University

"We've got these giant holes in our use of masks. I think people will look back in horror at our laissez-faire approach to this.

"We talk about climate change as 'An Inconvenient Truth,' I thought about that film title from many years ago, and the pandemic is An Inconvenient Truth. The virus is winning."

Baker, speaking on indoor events, said: "It's like someone is smoking in the room, the smoke will go everywhere. We are ignoring the science, and we get to see the consequences of that.

"There are the three Cs: confined, crowded and close contact. That's basically most classrooms, it's most social events in New Zealand, it's some workplaces but not all.

"Every 100 people you infect, one will go to the hospital, and every 1000 people you infect, one will die."

Davis said there was no need to wear masks at the time of the justice initiative launch.

"At the time of this meeting New Zealand was at alert level Orange, it was an indoor gathering where there was exclusive use of the venue, and face masks are not compulsory in a marae.

"Covid-19 rules keep us safe and I have always followed these."

Davis said he was "a regular mask user" and had one with him at the event which he would have worn if needed or if the hosting marae had made masks a requirement.

Coroner Tania Tetitaha, Judge Greg Davis and Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis join a waiata tautoko. Photo / Peter de Graaf

His office said questions about Covid protocols for the event were "best placed" for the organisers of the event, the Ministry of Justice.

Ministry Māori Deputy Secretary Marcus Akuhata-Brown said the ministry was grateful to be welcomed to Waimanoni Marae where masks were not required for visitors.

"The Government's Covid-19 Guidance for Marae does not require masks in a defined space and this was not a requirement for attendance at this marae, including for the pōwhiri.

"Masks and hand sanitiser were made available, for those who wished to use them."

Te Hiku Iwi development trust did not respond to questions, instead saying its position was stated through Ministry of Justice comments.

The day after the event, the government emphasised the need for mask-wearing to battle against the second wave of Covid infections washing across the country. Free medical-grade masks were now available alongside free RAT kits at test collection sites.

"The evidence about mask use has gotten stronger about how protective they are.

"If you're wearing a good quality mask and you're fitting it well and you're using it religiously, you won't get sick, you won't get the virus," said Baker.

However, the Government had stopped short of extending the mask-wearing mandate and masks remain recommended but not mandated in most settings, including schools.