Harawira hits back at `racist media'

Hone Harawira has no apologies for driving to Auckland. Picture / John Stone

MANA founder and former Te Tai Tokerau MP Hone Harawira has defended his 640km round trip from Kaitaia to Auckland on Sunday as essential, and has accused the "racist media" of concocting a story where there was no story to be told.

Mr Harawira said he had spoken to George Ngatai (who runs the Whānau Ora Community Clinic in South Auckland, and Kaeo's GP services), about the possibility of opening Covid-19 clinics in the Far North. Mr Ngatai had insisted that Mr Harawira should "walk through the process" rather than try to understand it via a phone/zoom call, so he and a colleague had driven to Auckland.

"We work for an organisation that is registered as an essential service so we can continue to assist high-needs whānau across the Tai Tokerau. And we understand the need for minimum workforce and maximum hygiene protocols," Mr Harawira said.

We arrived at 9am, and drove straight to my sister's home, where she'd cooked breakfast for us out on her deck. She's a registered nurse, so she had washing facilities and sanitisers available, and we talked to her through the window of her home. Is some twit bitching about us having a kai after a four-hour journey?"

(Some of those who objected did so on the basis that Mr Harawira, who had led the move to set up checkpoints around Northland to deter unnecessary travel, had displayed a blatant double standard).

"From there we drove to Manukau, where we met with George and Raewyn Ngatai, their medical staff, their admin staff and their security team," Mr Harawira added.

"We asked a lot of questions about service delivery, we walked through the process they use at their clinic, we asked about personnel requirements, we were shown a range of administrative and medical equipment and resources, we were given advice on how best to access the items we might need, and reminded constantly of the need for quality protective procedures at all stages of assessment.

"It was a sobering but worthwhile visit, and it gave us a real-world understanding of the seriousness of the crisis we are facing.

"We picked up personal protective equipment, hand sanitisers and other products for our Tai Tokerau Border Control Checkpoint teams, and then drove straight back home.

"The racist New Zealand media want to raise a stink about the trip, but it was essential work, the timing was minimal, we maintained strict hygiene protocols... and the feed was awesome!"