More checkpoint 'nonsense' deplored

A police checkpoint on SH1 north of Te Hana, Auckland's northern boundary, last week. Photo / Michael Cunningham

The re-emergence of iwi-led traffic checkpoints last week attracted renewed criticism from Hobson's Choice.

"Once again we are seeing appalling examples of Māori tribes taking the law into their own hands, and putting barriers around what they refer to as 'their territory,'" spokesman Don Brash said.

"In the last week we've seen a resurgence of this nonsense in Northland, in the Eastern Bay of Plenty and in the Ruapehu area.

"All New Zealanders should be reminded that it is only the lawfully-elected government that has the power to impose barriers to travel on public highways. In the absence of such government-determined barriers, such as those around Auckland at present, all other public roads must be free for all New Zealanders to travel on."

He was also keen to hear what the political parties that claimed to believe in the legal equality of all New Zealanders had to say about "this clearly illegal activity."

Meanwhile 'pro-democracy' lobby group Democracy Action is urging the government and police to shut down the prospect of "illegal" roadblocks making an "unwelcome return" to the country's highways.

"Roadblocks or checkpoints run by anyone apart from police, Defence personnel or authorised health officials are illegal," spokesman Lee Short said.

"The Independent Police Conduct Authority confirmed this during the first wave of blockades. The police should have cracked down then. Instead they provided sunshades and traffic management advice to the roadblock organisers.

"As we feared, this has created a precedent of police enablement for illegal roadblocks. Activist Hone Harawira actually boasts of the good relationship the roadblock organisers have with police. This is despite Harawira admitting that he was not worried if the checkpoint did not have the legal authority to turn people away.

"Hone might not be worried about the legality, but we are. The rule of law and equality before the law is the cornerstone of our democracy."

Democracy Action was also opposed to iwi attempting to close 'their 'borders' to legitimate travellers, or impose different Covid-19 level restrictions.

"Borders are controlled by the government and level restrictions by the Ministry of Health, not self-appointed community activists with a political agenda," Short said.

"Public health is a pretext here for an attempt by a few radicals to grab political power. The government and police must affirm that illegal actions are illegal, and actually enforce the law. Otherwise the situation will only get even worse. Democracy will be the poorer for it."