NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / New Zealand

Covid 19 coronavirus: Confusion reigns in Northland on alert levels and borders

Northern Advocate
14 Feb, 2021 07:32 PM6 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Kaipara mayor Dr Jason Smith appeared at the checkpoint south of Brynderwyn Hills to update people on the confusing situation just north of Auckland. Video / Brett Phibbs / Rachel Ward

Workers at a Northland beachside community were turned around at police checkpoints this morning, shocked to discover they are part of the Auckland lockdown.

And a Northland civic leader is annoyed about a lack of clarity around which areas are affected by the change in Covid alert levels announced by the Government overnight.

Kaipara mayor Dr Jason Smith said the information he received was that police border checkpoints have been set up on the south side of the Brynderwyn Hills on State Highway 1, Mountain Rd in Maungaturoto, and along Robert Hastie Drive in Mangawhai.

"It's extremely confusing and I am seeking clarification from the central Government because as far as I am concerned, the community needs to know what's happening."

But the Rodney-based Labour list MP Marja Lubeck says the region is under alert level 2 and residents of these townships should be able to move freely without the need for travel exemptions.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Speaking to Mahurangi Matters, Lubeck said reports that Kaiwaka, Oneriri and Mangawhai were in lockdown were incorrect. Police checkpoints had been placed north of the regional border for convenience.

She said it appeared there had been a misinterpretation of advice when it came to checkpoint locations and restrictions on residents.

Those living in the Kaipara District ought to be able to travel north through checkpoints without restriction, she told Mahurangi Matters.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

A Covid response official said moves to clarify the situation were under way.

Smith said from the little information he received from the Government, Mangawhai and Kaiwaka fell in the Auckland region, hence level 3 lockdown applied.

Citing an example, Smith said he and other people in Kaipara had been in the dark as to whether students living in Kaiwaka who attended Otamatea College in Maungaturoto would be allowed to attend school today.

Northland is on level 2.

Discover more

Kahu

Police stop Northland iwi from setting up SH1 'information centre' to stop spread of Covid

27 Jan 09:46 PM
Kahu

Northland police say iwi Covid checkpoints not needed

26 Jan 04:00 PM
Kahu

Iwi's contentious Covid checkpoints to return, Govt 'failing to protect vulnerable'

25 Jan 09:57 PM
Aged care

The 45,000 vulnerable residents living under the strictest conditions in NZ

14 Feb 09:50 PM

This morning a Mangawhai resident said a number of people heading for work 20km away at Waipū were turned back by police at a roadblock.

The woman, who did not want to be named, said there was considerable confusion among locals over the latest alert level boundary, with official websites contradicting each other.

"It's really crazy," she said.

"We've got thousands of people living here and they need to know whether to go to work or not. It's quite a big deal at the moment."

She urged authorities to clearly spell out the situation.

Kaiwaka fire chief John Bowmar echoed similar sentiments, questioning why the borders have been changed this time round.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

He said Kaiwaka School was closed but he wasn't sure about any other school in the vicinity.

New Covid emergency regional border being established at midnight tonight. Mangawhai, Kaiwaka and Oneriri go into Level 3 Lockdown along with Auckland, other parts of Kaipara District at Level 2. Stay safe everyone. pic.twitter.com/fukkVRRnvB

— Mayor Jake (Kaipara Mayor Dr Jason Smith) (@drjakesmith) February 14, 2021

Mikayla Beets works in Mangawhai and said she was allowed through the checkpoint at Brynderwyns to go to work, even though she wasn't an essential worker.

She lives in Maungaturoto and works at a nursery.

"I somewhat agree with the borders being shifted this time around, just to make it easier with less checkpoints, however there needs to be more clarity over what levels we are in and in what areas.

"I woke up this morning not expecting to come across border control as they said Auckland only, and I'm not sure whether they will be as lenient in letting me go through tomorrow.

"There certainly needs to be more updated information on the government websites, which is what we should be able to rely on."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Mangawhai Carters store services manager Kathy Parnell said after the Sunday night announcement that Auckland would be at level 3 with the rest of the country at level 2, staff had arrived at the Mangawhai Village-based workplace on Monday assuming they'd be operating at level 2. However, police checkpoints and a message from Kaipara District mayor Jason Smith indicated otherwise.

"We have been totally confused as to whether we operate at level 3 or level 2. We had roadblocks this morning stopping our staff from the north coming into Mangawhai to work but none from the Auckland boundary where, in last lockdown, we had to issue letters for them.

"Our Kaipara mayor made a Facebook announcement to say that we are level 3 but local businesses are operating, some at level 2 and others at level 3."

Indeed, the message on mayor Smith's page read: "From midnight tonight Mangawhai, Kaiwaka and Oneriri all go into level 3 lockdown with Auckland. Other parts of Kaipara District at level 2. This is a new alignment of regional borders for the Covid alerts. Please take special note of this, as it is not at the same location as earlier lockdowns. Stay safe everyone. Nga mihi nui ki a koutou."

Parnell said because Carters had decided to err on the side of caution by operating at level 3, they were losing customers to their rivals, who were operating at level 2.

"We're copping a lot of flak with customers who are going up the road to the opposition but we're sticking with level 3 and operating a 'dark store' with no contact and a click and collect."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Parnell said two of her staff members had been stopped north of Mangawhai at Cove Rd by police who had told them they would need a letter from their employer to cross the boundary again. Staff members travelling from the south to get to work had not been stopped at all, indicating that Mangawhai was being classed at level 3, along with Auckland.

"The police at the Cove Rd boundary told our manager that we are now level 3 in Mangawhai and yet on the council website and the Covid website, we are in the level 2 area. I telephoned the council and they don't even know what level they are."

The Kaipara District Council (KDC) site said: "Currently police checkpoints are on the north side of Kaiwaka and Mangawhai. We are confirming with the Ministry of Health whether Mangawhai and Kaiwaka are included in the level 3 lockdown and restrictions, and will update you here, and on our website, as soon as we know."

Confusion about the border was also causing disruption for tradespeople, the NZ Plumbers, Drainlayers and Gasfitters Association said.

"We have quite a few different people confused about that because now apparently Mangawhai is part of level 3," president Glen Burr said.

He said businesses should have been consulted about where the boundaries would be and tradies needed a clear definition of alert level border locations.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save

    Share this article

Latest from New Zealand

New Zealand

Hospital staff safety concerns rise after gunpoint incident

09 Jul 07:20 AM
New Zealand

Kiwi killed by elephant 'an inspiration' for community, farewell planned for next month

09 Jul 07:00 AM
New Zealand

'Hardly seems a priority': Greens react to moa de-extinction plans

09 Jul 06:00 AM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from New Zealand

Hospital staff safety concerns rise after gunpoint incident

Hospital staff safety concerns rise after gunpoint incident

09 Jul 07:20 AM

Incidents included a staff member being held at gunpoint at Palmerston North Hospital.

Kiwi killed by elephant 'an inspiration' for community, farewell planned for next month

Kiwi killed by elephant 'an inspiration' for community, farewell planned for next month

09 Jul 07:00 AM
'Hardly seems a priority': Greens react to moa de-extinction plans

'Hardly seems a priority': Greens react to moa de-extinction plans

09 Jul 06:00 AM
'Looked pretty serious': Accident closes Hamilton intersection

'Looked pretty serious': Accident closes Hamilton intersection

09 Jul 05:29 AM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP