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Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters says unofficial tribal militia throwing up checkpoints are more likely to hinder than help the Covid-19 response.

Hapū and iwi on the East Coast are organising such road-blocks, and former MP Hone Harawira is trying to arrange checkpoints on roads into the far north.

Mr Peters says the government doesn’t need Mr Harawira to ring-fence Kaitaia.

"That’s what the Government is seeking to do now. That's why there's a lockdown. That's why they're saying don't travel. That's why the Government is saying stay at home, look after each other. If you ring-fence Kaitaia, it sounds good until you have essentials coming in that are desperately needed for life to continue, food and other resources like that. So you can't have a bunch of militias standing by the side of the road without any guidelines enforcing a lockdown," he says.

Winston Peters says it’s up to the authorities to make sure essential supplies can get through and enforce the end of no-essential travel.

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