Iwi representative Ken Mair if Covid-19 was to spread through the Māori community, it would be deadly.
Iwi representative Ken Mair if Covid-19 was to spread through the Māori community, it would be deadly.
Whanganui iwi representatives are backing the decision to have the Covid-19 alert level 4 lockdown extended, but that doesn't mean it doesn't come without challenges.
Ngā Wairiki Ngāti Apa chairman, Pahia Turia, said extending the lockdown was the only realistic option.
"I think from a public health perspective, its the only option we have got if we don't want to see this spread get out of control.
"It certainly has a huge economic impact."
Non-essential businesses that can't operate and small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) were certainly going to feel it, Turia said.
"It's trying to get the balance right. You are trying to protect the health of the public while trying not to cripple the economy as a result. It is very much a fine balancing act."
He said we had seen many countries where the economy had become more important than the health interest and were now paying for it.
Collaboration between government and organisations was running a lot more smoothly than the lockdown in 2020.
"The word 'considered' is the word I would use to describe where we are at. I think we a lot more considered in regards to how we responded to Covid-19 this time.
"We are obviously a lot more mature this time around. We don't have people panicking as much as the first time around. There is a lot of engagement and conversations taking place to see how a more collaborative response to the needs of our community."
Ngā Wairiki Ngāti Apa chairman Pahia Turia said while the lockdown is the right idea, small and medium-sized enterprises businesses are certainly going to feel the pinch. Photo / Supplied
Turia said many people were enjoying spending more time with their whānau, something that couldn't always happen.
"Just doing the things we don't get to do a lot of, eating meals together and spend time playing board games, all those things with the busy lives we lead, we don't tend to give enough time.
"As a community, we are very fortunate. I think sometimes we get caught up in our own bubble and not realising how fortunate we are when we look at what is happening across the globe. We are still far more fortunate than other countries, that is for sure."
Ngāti Rangi operations manager Elijah Pue said he backed the lockdown extension.
"I personally would have liked a little bit longer, just to help us plan as an organisation and as a community. It is what it is, I think it is the safest way to go, hard and fast.
"It is hard for us to plan what our response looks like to the community when you are only given three or four days. We need to understand how we can support, and how long the lockdown is going to be, which would indicate what sort of response we would plan for.
"This isn't a criticism of the Government, I'm 100 per cent supporting what they have done so far. We just have to pivot and be agile as a community and a service provider and best support our communities at the drop of a pin."
Pue said he would not support separate alert levels for different regions around the country.
"If we are a team of 5 million, we should be in it all together. I hope that as a team, as a nation and as a motu, that we go into lockdown and we stay in there at the same level for the same period of time, it just makes sense.
"We are in the middle of the country right, so if you have travelled to Auckland to Wellington via car, you would've come through Waiouru, which is my rohe. And if the road was closed, you might've come through where I live which is Raetihi.
"We do what we need to do to best protect our community."
Pue had one last message for the community.
"Vax to the max. Everyone should be getting vaccinated, vulnerable or not, vaccinations is the only way we will properly protect us from this disease.
"If you can, get yourself into a vaccination clinic and get protected as soon as possible."
Iwi representative Ken Mair said lockdown was only option as Covid-19 community cases continue to rise
"We are in a serious situation and if the virus was to get out and amongst our community, it would be deadly. I just think, let's not forget about the real big picture here, and that is to look after ourselves and stay home.
"It would be a terrible, terrible situation and its impact upon our iwi, hapū and Māori in general."
He said staying connected and on the same page during this time was vital as a community.
"I want to remind ourselves, our community, our iwi and hapū, that tino rangatiratanga means looking after the collective. Tino rangatiratanga isn't about I, me or the individual, it is actually about looking after our whole collective and community. That's the most important thing in our point of view."
