"I want the government to ensure that some sort of support, either Army or Territorials, police or Civil Defence, are resourced to provide community protection in these rural communities and allow our people to take a well-deserved break from the frontline.
"There have been three (Covid-19) cases in Tairawhiti; that should be a signal that village border controls are an effective mechanism, alongside other measures, to contain the spread of the virus."
Meanwhile Te Rūnanga ā Iwi ō Ngāpuhi continues to support the principles of the checkpoints established by Te Tai Tokerau Border Control.
"Like other locations around the country, the Northland checkpoints have one objective, and that is to keep Covid-19 out of our vulnerable communities by keeping safe everyone, Māori and non-Māori, who live in the region," interim CEO Te Rōpu Poa said.
"We acknowledge many Mid to Far North residents must travel to supermarkets or essential workplaces, including some of our own essential staff, who need to go through these checkpoints daily to help pack and distribute kai packs, work at the community-based assessment centre and shop at the supermarkets.
"Other than residents going to essential mahi or grocery shopping, there is still a handful of people who are not respecting the rules and find this kaupapa inconvenient to their holiday, weekend or travel plans. That is a shame, but we would like to remind them of the strict nationwide regulations around Level 4 lockdown and the message to stay at home.
"We have seen second- and third-hand reports in the media of people going about legitimate business allegedly being intimidated at the checkpoints, but we have had no direct contact from anyone about such experiences, and nor do those reports align with our own trusted and valued staff accounts of processes at the checkpoints. We have had kaimahi help and attend at the checkpoints since Easter, and their feedback has been that the people manning the checkpoints are dealing with vehicle occupants in a genial, non-threatening and non-intimidating way.
"They have also observed that while occasional vehicle occupants appear to have been deliberately antagonistic at the checkpoints, there has been overwhelming public support and understanding."
Kaimahi and the checkpoint teams had been working collaboratively with the Kaikohe police, who had provided advice on how to safely promote the 'Stay Home, Stay Alive' kaupapa, and monitor the process.
"We acknowledge anyone who feels they had a negative experience, and would invite them to email us at complaints@ngapuhi.org perhaps instead of going first to the media," Ms Poa added.
"We will also continue to monitor interactions at the checkpoints and work with the Kaikohe police to ensure the good processes we have in place are ongoing for the duration of the checkpoints. How long the duration is will be assessed on a day to day basis."
Iwi-led checkpoints also had support from Kaikohe pastor Mike Shaw, who announced last week that he would stand in the next general election as an independent candidate for Northland.
Mr Shaw said it was unfortunate that Northland MP Matt King had taken a stand opposing Tai Tokerau Border Control, describing them as 'local vigilantes.'
"It is clear to me he has more regard for keeping to the letter of the law than actually preventing the spread of Covid-19 into towns like Kaikohe," Mr Shaw said.
"The local community, Māori and Pākehā, are working with and supporting the police to keep the community safe. That is what I have observed on the ground as an essential worker who crosses the checkpoint daily. Volunteers are behaving professionally, politely, are wearing PPE and suppling helpful information. Not harassing people.
"The police and community working together should be applauded, not attacked. Technically what is happening is illegal, but the police are fully aware of what is going on and have taken a pragmatic approach. After all, the vision of the New Zealand Police is Safer communities together.
"The community volunteers take the day shift and the police have the night roster. Perfect. It allows the already stretched police to attend to other matters during the day. It's common sense really. Unite against Covid-19.
Mr King said he had heard from a growing number of Northlanders who were feeling intimidated and harassed at illegal checkpoints.
"We live under New Zealand law, and vigilante groups can't just make up their own rules, however well-intentioned," he said.
"Police must intervene and protect those who are just trying to go about their lawful business, including food shopping or moving to essential employment.''
Mr King urged all Northlanders to stay in their bubbles and respect social distancing rules, and called on the police to ''get these illegal checkpoints under control,'
Deputy Police Commissioner Wally Haumaha said police had a close working relationship with a number of communities operating checkpoints around the country.
"These are operating in consultation with a number of community groups, including local councils, police, iwi and MPs, to help stop the spread of Covid-19," he said.
"Police in Northland have been regularly checking in on the community checkpoints, and have worked closely with the iwi groups who are running these. We have made our expectations very clear around what is appropriate, and where issues have arisen, we have intervened."
It is understood one of those interventions was at the Kaikohe checkpoint last week, when a woman known only as Rata told a radio station she had called police after being harassed and "illegally detained." Details of what happened were sketchy, but the woman was allowed to continue on her way after the checkpoint crew noted her car registration plate.
Kaikohe checkpoint co-ordinator Jay Hepi said there had been issues with people travelling from Kerikeri to Kaikohe to shop, despite the lockdown barring all but essential travel in one's local area. He also told the Northern Advocate that the checkpoint was being run in co-operation with the police, as well as the Ngāpuhi rūnanga, and under guidelines set by the Far North's area police commander Inspector Riki Whiu.
Mr Hepi said the police did not have the resources to operate daily checkpoints, but he was happy for them to take over at night.
Mr Haumaha said earlier the blockades were technically illegal, but police were supporting them nonetheless.
"These are unprecedented times, and we are working with communities across the country to restrict the spread of this virus," he said.
"We are working with iwi who are taking the lead to ensure rural communities that don't have immediate access to support services are well protected."
By law only road-controlling authorities, such as councils or the NZ Transport Agency, or emergency services can close a public road.
