Cole Hill Rd resident John Brown is among hundreds of Kaipara residents stopped from travelling to Mangawhai as they are deemed to live in Auckland. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Cole Hill Rd resident John Brown is among hundreds of Kaipara residents stopped from travelling to Mangawhai as they are deemed to live in Auckland. Photo / Michael Cunningham
After almost a week of anger and frustration, common sense prevailed as police allowed Northlanders deemed to be living on the Auckland side of the border to travel to Mangawhai for their shopping and medical needs.
The location of the roadblocks in Mangawhai and on State Highway 1 just northof Te Hana meant hundreds of mostly farmers and retirees along a number of side roads are classified as Aucklanders.
Residents on Coal Hill Rd, Avocado Lane, Black Swamp Rd, Paul Rd, Carter Rd, Sandhill Heights, and Rako Heights have been adversely affected although they live in Kaipara which is in level 2.
They claim rules are inconsistently applied at checkpoints as residents are permitted to drive to Mangawhai on some days only to be told to go either to Wellsford 24km away or to Warkworth at other times.
Their closest town is Mangawhai which is less than 3km away but their only access out is through Mangawhai Rd, which is on the level 3 side of the checkpoints.
A number of them took to social media while some contacted Northland MP Matt King and Kaipara mayor Jason Smith to vent their frustration.
An internal police memorandum posted briefly on social media stated the affected residents were entitled to travel freely through alert level 2, including trips to Mangawhai township.
"The checkpoints simply cannot be exactly on the boundary due to location, safety and health of staff," the memo said.
A police spokeswoman said the residents were required to have the correct documents before they would be allowed to continue on their journey.
Coal Hill Rd residents John Brown and Della Welch are Kaipara residents but are not allowed to go shopping and attend to their doctors in Mangawhai as they are deemed by police to live in Auckland.
The road straddles the Northland and Auckland border but Brown said they pay their rates to the Kaipara District Council and were in the Northland electoral roll.
"We're two and a half kilometres from Mangawhai but police have told us to go shopping in Wellsford and Warkworth which is further into Covid-19 territory. I think it's quite appalling.
"My wife is chronically ill and I have to go to the pharmacy in Mangawhai every second day. Our doctor is in Mangawhai but they told us to go and find another chemist. I can't even clear my letterbox in Mangawhai," Brown said.
Police and military personnel man a checkpoint on SH1 just north of Te Hana.
Photo / Michael Cunningham
His neighbour Della Welch was allowed to go shopping in Mangawhai yesterday and said police and army personnel manning the checkpoints needed to apply the rules consistently.
As an example, Welch said she was turned back on previous occasions but police allowed her to go to Mangawhai yesterday when she explained the reason for her trip and upon showing her driver's licence.
"We are very grateful they are keeping us safe and doing a job within the rules they've been told but they need to be consistent. Lessons need to be learnt."
Refrigeration technician Ronald Pienaar is another Northlander who's fallen victim of inconsistent policing of rules at checkpoints.
He was denied travel from Kaiwaka to Auckland on Monday even though he has a letter from a company he's contracted to and fears he may lose all his contract in the City of Sails.
Ronald Pienaar with a refrigerator he repaired for the Auckland City Hospital but cannot drop it off as he isn't allowed to drive past the checkpoints. Photo / Michael Cunningham
He has been doing work for the Auckland District Health Board, Linfox Logistics, and Burns and Ferrall for the past two decades.
"I am an essential worker and I was let through on Friday morning but today (Monday), they refused me saying I haven't been tested for Covid and that someone else can do the job in Auckland.
"If I am not allowed to do my work, I'll lose my livelihood and may have to go on a benefit," he said.
Pienaar brought a refrigerator from Auckland City Hospital for repairs on Friday but he wasn't allowed to take it back while hospital staff kept ringing him to check when he could bring it back.
Travel to and from Auckland is restricted to essential workers and those returning home, accessing medical services, maintaining a shared childcare arrangement, or relocating a home or business.
Meanwhile, Talet Beukes of Northern Kitchens lives in Te Hana on the Auckland side but cannot travel to her office in Whangārei as she isn't classified as an essential worker.
Her house is 120m south of the roadblock on SH1.
Talet Beukes of Northern Kitchens cannot travel from her Te Hana home to her office in Whangārei due to border restrictions.
Photo / Supplied
Travel restrictions meant she was forced to let a client drive her vehicle from the checkpoint north to complete a delivery on One Tree Pt.
"It was one of my biggest orders since I started the business in February and I am trying to get it up and running. If the authorities use common sense, I am not going to Auckland where the infections are," she said.
