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Hone Harawira is defending a lightning trip to Auckland over the Easter weekend.
The former MP came under fire after posting pictures on social media of him eating breakfast in Auckland.
He says the trip was undertaken in his role organising COVID-19 community responses in the far north, including roadside checkpoints.
After a four hour drive from Kaitaia, he and his colleague had bacon and eggs on the deck of his sister’s home, with all necessary hygiene and social distancing precautions taken.
He then visited George Ngatai and his team at the Whānau Ora Community Clinic in Manukau to learn about what he would need to do to set up a COVID-19 assessment centre in Kaitaia – a briefing that was more comprehensive than could be done of a Zoom or Skype call.
The trip was also necessary to pick up personal protective equipment, hand sanitisers, and other products for the Tai Tokerau Border Control Checkpoint teams, and then drove straight back home.
Mr Harawira says his organisation is registered as an essential service so that we can continue to assist high-needs whānau across the Te Tai Tokerau and he understands the need for minimum workforce and maximum hygiene protocols and he thanks his sister for the feed.
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