April 01, 2020
Iwi want tougher enforcement of lockdown
The National Iwi Chairs Forum’s Pandemic Response Group is calling for stronger enforcement of the Alert Level 4 lockdown.
Debbie Ngarewa-Packer from Ngāti Ruanui says not everyone seems to have taken in the government’s message to ‘stay home, save lives'.
She says while Police Commissioner Mike Bush says there are enough police to enforce the rules, iwi have a different story.
They report stealthy travel under cover of darkness, and tourists and recreational activities continuing on as normal, especially in Te Waipounamu.
The group is backing a call by some iwi for the military to be called in to assist police, particularly in remote areas where they believe police are under-resourced and short-staffed.
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