Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield on Mike Hosking Breakfast. Video / Newstalk ZB
Police commissioner Andrew Coster says his staff turned around 200 Aucklanders from the roadblock set up on the Coromandel.
The road block was disbanded prior to 1pm yesterday and locals who organised it were pleased with everybody's co-operation, however Coster today confirmed the number of fleeing Aucklanders on the AM Show.
When asked if the roadblocks were illegal and would they be shut down, Coster said he felt for communities where people were trying to get into from a Covid hotspot.
"We went on to run a checkpoint in that location and turned around 200 cars, people coming from Auckland towards the Coromandel and holiday homes.
"So you can kind of understand why we see this response from communities."
Coster said their message to those communities was "police have got this".
"And if there are community concerns we are keen to hear what those are and we will be doing everything that we can to make sure that no unauthorised movements are happening."
Coster defended the suggestion that if the Coromandel residents didn't use their initiative then those from out of town would have set up on the peninsula for the lockdown.
"I'm not necessarily sure that's right but I do understand the concern.
"I think what we took away from the commencement of this lockdown, just this group of people who were prepared to jump in their cars and treat lockdown like a holiday, at risk to everyone else.
"So for the next one we're going to be looking at how we can prevent that and avoid the holiday travel."
Tensions were high on Tuesday night after Manaia residents blocked the road after the announcement of the level 4 lockdown, sparked by the weekend visit of the Covid-19 positive Devonport man and his wife.
Fortunately the 58-year-old was an avid contact tracer, which had allowed health officials to reel off about a dozen places of interest the couple had visited including several bars and cafes.
Despite tensions and large numbers of traffic, there had been no arrests, Coster said.
"We reiterate that as during previous Covid-19 alert level 4 restriction periods, there should be no need for community checkpoints.
The Manaia resident helping coordinate the roadblock said they weren't told to disband by police but instead decided to reopen the road after a community meeting.
"The community decided to step back and were reassured by police that [they] will take care of the roads."
She labelled the roadblock a success and she was "impressed with everyone's co-operation and support".
She said there had been "a lot" of people turning up with "luggage, boats, caravans" from out of town that were being turned away.
"They're all getting turned around and the cops have been supporting that which is cool."
The Devonport pair visited Star and Garter Bar in Coromandel township for an hour on Friday night, from 6.39pm to 7.40pm, and again from 7.11pm to 9pm on Saturday night, while the All Blacks-Australia test was playing on television.
Other places of interest in Coromandel include Umu Cafe, Tiki Rd BP petrol station, Driving Creek Railway Tours, Jaks Cafe & Bar, Hereford 'n' a Pickle in Colville, Taras Beads, Richardsons Real Estate and Woodturners Cafe on SH2 at Mangatarata.
