Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Northland MP Willow Jean Prime at Hauora Hokianga, in Rawene, today. Photo / Myjanne Jensen
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Northland MP Willow Jean Prime at Hauora Hokianga, in Rawene, today. Photo / Myjanne Jensen
Northland health providers will get an extra $4.5 million to boost Māori vaccination rates.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is in Northland today to support the region's vaccination efforts, with Northland having one of the lowest vaccination rates in the country.
Ardern is accompanied by Māori Crown Relations Minister Kelvin Davis, who announced an extra $23.3 million for eight Māori organisations and iwi aimed at boosting Māori vaccination rates, through the new $120 million Māori Communities Covid-19 Fund.
Today's funding announcement is part of the first phase $60 million focused on vaccination rates and a further $60 million will support Māori and iwi-led initiatives to protect their communities against
Te Kura Rāwene seniors year 5- 8 prepare to do the haka pōwhiri for the Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern at Rāwene today. Photo / Myjanne Jensen.
Providers in Te Tai Tokerau will get $4.6 million, which includes support for iwi and marae communities, mobile vaccination clinics, events for rangatahi, and targeted communications and 0800 call centre. This includes priority areas such as Kaikohe, Ōtangarei, Raumanga and Kaitāia East and West.
Ardern and Davis are in Te Tai Tokerau today seeing first-hand some of the successful vaccination initiatives being rolled out in Māori communities.
"We know that local solutions are how we are going to reach the rest of Māori with our vaccination message," Davis said.
"There are an army of volunteers, iwi and Māori organisations already working hard on this mahi and with the funding provided their efforts will be supercharged."
The Māori Communities Covid-19 Fund was announced just over a week ago.
While in the region today Ardern has visited the Rāwene Clinic drop in vaccination centre and will later go to Taheke Mobile Vaccination clinic and will visit Kawakawa and Ōhaeawai.
A newly-vaccinated Northlander gets a personal thank you from Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern today. Photo / Myjanne Jensen
She also visited Kawakawa where a media conference was interrupted by a protester with a baby, singing and shouting. She canvassed a range of issues including that Ngāpuhi had not ceded sovereignty.
Soon afterwards the media conference was halted and reconvened around the side of Te Hononga after continued interruptions from American Shane Chafin from Counterspin Media.
Chafin, who trained as a pharmacist in the US, asked Ardern about the fatality rate for Covid-19 and then to name a woman who he claimed had "died from the Covid-19 vaccine".
Counterspin Media is a New Zealand-based far-right talk show that is streamed on GTV, a network founded by former Trump Advisor Steve Bannon.
There have been no deaths directly linked to the Covid-19 vaccine in New Zealand confirmed by a coroner after 6.8 million doses.
As the conference was halted Chafin's cameraman shouted, they're all fake media.
Ardern said it was however just four people taking part in the protest.
At Rāwene the Te Kura Rāwene seniors year 5- 8 did the pōwhiri for the Prime Minister. Kaiako Peter Penese said it's an honour and privilege to perform the haka.
The students have been practising throughout the year for kapa haka festival, but due to Covid-19 hadn't been able to perform. Today was an opportunity to display their skill set and Hokianga pride, he said.
At Rawene Ardern acknowledged the team with her today.
''Kelvin and Willow Jean, you have incredible representatives here in Taitokerau. I'm here today for two simple reasons. First I want to say a huge thank you to you all for the enormous work you have put in for months and months,'' she said.
''When Covid-19 first arrived globally, we knew it would take an enormous effort to protect ourselves, but I never doubted that in every corner of the country that effort would be lead by communities, working to protecting their whānau and whakapapa. So from the bottom of my heart, thank you for all your hard work.''
Ardern said the second reason is to support Northland's efforts and to talk to everyone about how important vaccines are.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern with Hauora Hokianga CEO Margareth Broodkoorn at the Taheke vaccination clinic. Photo / Myjanne Jensen.
''When Covid-19 first hit, our only option was to stay at home, which we used to keep one another safe. We showed how connected we were and we were willing to do it as long as we needed to.
''This time Covid-19 is much harder due to Delta, but we now have another tool, the vaccine and I can't emphasise enough how important it is for all eligible people to take it up. We don't need to be afraid and need to do this to protect our kaumatua and tamariki.
''When I ask people why those chose to get vaccinated, I haven't heard once that it was to look after themselves.''
She said it anyone wants to have a conversation about the vaccine, ''send them my way. More importantly, to me right now, is the fact that it means an extra life will be saved.
''The situation is that we can't keep Covid-19 away from Taitokerau forever. I can't promise that and it's my responsibility to tell you that. We will still do it our way in Aotearoa, where people come first. But it doesn't mean we have to be afraid.
''Thank you all for your work and if there's anything more we can do to support you, let us know.''
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern with Hauora Hokianga vaccinator Maryanne Connor at Taheke today. Photo / Myjanne Jensen.
Hauhora Hokianga CEO Margareth Broodkoorn thanked the Prime Minister for going to the Hokianga.
Broodkoorn said it was easy sometimes in an isolated community to think you may be forgotten about, but the PM's visit showed isolated communities were not being ignored.
Hauora Hokianga welcomed Ardern, Davis and Northland MP Willow-Jean Prime.
''It's a pleasure to have you here today, we are looking forward to showing you around the Rawene clinic. Thanks also to the kura students and to Matua Hone Taimana for their welcome. Thanks to staff at the testing centre, our kaumatua, the people here to get their vaccination.''
Meanwhile, Minister for Māori Development Willie Jackson, on behalf of the Ministerial Oversight Group reviewing funding proposals, said the quality of the proposals supported the swift decision-making needed to accelerate vaccination rates for Māori.
"The task now is to put our foot on the pedal and reach Māori, particularly in high priority and low vaccination areas like Te Tai Tokerau, Counties Manukau, Lakes District, Taranaki and Tairāwhiti DHBs," Jackson said.
Associate Health Minister Peeni Henare said, it was community mobilisation that was making all the difference.
"Māori passed 70 per cent having their first jab last Friday. I want to mihi all the hard-working Māori providers, iwi and community groups who, with DHBs, supported whānau to reach that milestone," Henare said.
Te Puni Kōkiri and Te Arawhiti will now work through funding contracts with the successful Māori organisations and iwi.
