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Police Covid-19 checkpoints at Uretiti and Maungaturoto have cleaved south Kaipara from the rest of Northland and have left vulnerable communities unprotected, according to Kaipara Mayor Jason Smith.
Dr Smith is concerned that the placement of the checkpoints has left unvaccinated residents in rural south Kaipara at the mercy of a wave of holidaymakers.
As of last week, only 72 per cent of the population in Kaiwaka had received its second dose of the vaccine and the figure for Maori was 60 per cent.
In contrast, in the neighbouring Auckland communities of Te Arai, Tomarata and Pakiri, both the general population and Maori had reached 80 per cent.
Dr Smith wants the borders placed further south to be consistent with the regional boundary so residents can access their services.
“This is the third set of border checkpoints we have had in a different location and its causing yet more confusion,” he says.
The checkpoints have effectively divided the district between east and west with residents going about their business potentially facing delays or being turned around.
The checkpoints have been temporarily set up by Police at the request of the Te Tai Tokerau Border Control, which is associated with iwi Ngāpuhi and politician Hone Harawira.
Northbound motorists at the checkpoints may have to present a vaccine passport or a negative Covid-19 test in order to pass.
Northland Police say that to ensure there are not significant traffic delays, they will not be stopping every driver.
Police said local residents could present proof of address in lieu of their vaccine passport.
“This time of the year is always busy on our roads. If possible, we recommend you plan your trips outside of peak traffic flows,” Police say.
“Our hope is that these checkpoints will ensure that anyone who was thinking about coming to Northland, who is not vaccinated or has not had a negative test, will think twice before trying to enter the region.”
