It’s time to stop the iwi-run coronavirus checkpoints
In a column a few weeks ago, I mentioned that former MP Hone Harawira had announced he was working with his iwi to put up road checkpoints to prevent tourists from spreading Covid-19 into the Far North.
I said then: ‘‘Love him or loathe him, that’s leadership.’’ And it is leadership. However, I don’t think it’s a good idea for anyone to be stopping vehicles unless they’re police.
This is not an anti-iwi column – I ama registeredmember of at least six iwi across New Zealand, but I don’twant them or any other community group stopping vehicles.
News reports and a socialmedia video showing patched Mongrel Mob and Tribesman members working alongside each other at checkpoints in Murupara is understandably concerning.
Deets Edwards, amember of the Mighty Mongrel Mob’s Barbarian Chapter, was reported by Newsroom as saying: ‘‘There’s a good handful of us helping out. If we’re not on the road thenwe’re cooking kai. Andwe take it out to thewha¯nau who aremanning the checkpoints.’’
His actions are probably wellintentioned, but I think it’s fair to say that most law-abiding citizens wouldn’t want to be stopped by Deets and his bros. And that leads me to my first point – police vetting and background checks.
Have iwi checkpoint operators been vetted by police? Given the example above, I doubt it. Anyone applying to join the police has their entire work and life histories put under the microscope for obvious reasons. They’ve also passed stringent psychological testing.
In other words, we can rest assured frontline cops are of reasonably good character and can be trusted when they stop us on the side of the road. By way of social contract – not to mention legislation – we assign police with powers to which we comply.
As far as I’m aware we haven’t assigned any such powers to iwi checkpoint operators to interfere with or question our movements. Hands up anyone who wants to assign power to Deets and his bros? Yeah, nah.
And speaking of power, what legal authority do these groups have to stop us at their checkpoints? If there is none, thenwhy should we stop at all and what happens to driverswho choose to manoeuvre around them?
And more importantly, if they have no legal authoritywhy are they allowed to continue to operate their checkpoints?
I’ve listened to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Police Minister Stuartnash mumble and fumble theirway through explanations about why they’re not doing anything to stop iwi checkpoints.
Perhaps they thought if they let one or two iwi groups set up their checkpoints, it would earn brownie points among iwi? They probably didn’t think other iwi checkpoints would pop up around the country too, which iswhat has happened.
By allowing these shenanigans to continue, our primeminister, police minister and police themselves have put our health and safety at risk.
Sure, some iwi checkpoints have police officers assisting them, but having a cop standing next to, or supervising you, doesn’t mean their skills and expertise are transferred to you.
That raises another question – why are police involved in the first place? The police website says: ‘‘Where communities have determined to undertake checkpoints to prevent the spread of Covid-19, police [are] working with those communities and other agencies to ensure checkpoints are safe and not preventing lawful use of the road.’’
Oh, please. If police think checkpoints should be operated ‘‘to prevent the spread of Covid-19’’, then go ahead and do it – with police officers – no-one else. To do otherwise shows police are pandering to certain groups.
Stuff reported thisweek that a Mongrel Mob leader and other gang leaders were having weekly telephone calls with police deputy commissioner Wally Haumaha. Given that Stuff reported last year that police response rates to answer 111 calls had worsened, perhaps Haumaha could share his number with all of us.
What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.