Wallace Haumaha
Wellington, August 31, 2021
Police have moved to stand up the Southern Boundary as Auckland remains in lockdown and on Friday, September 3, 2021, we will move towards the Northern Boundary following an announcement from the government, that being the case.
We have talked with iwi to partner with us on the boundaries to ensure that everyone is safe. There is an opportunity to do this together is what we have talked through and our Maori Responsiveness Managers will lead this alongside our Operational Staff.
Police will be establishing checkpoints in the Southern part of Auckland as part of the country’s change in Alert Levels this evening. From 11.59 pm tonight (August 31, 2021), Auckland and Northland areas will remain in Alert Level 4, while the rest of the country will move to Alert Level 3.
The Locations
Police will set up Southern checkpoints in the following locations: 1. SH1/Mercer off-ramp: Southbound traffic 2. SH1/Oram Road: Northbound traffic 3. Mangatawhiri Road/SH2 4. East Coast Road: Waharau Regional Park 5. SH22/Pukekawa: Churchill Road and Logan Road.
Like last time, at the request of the community, Port Waikato has been included in the Auckland border to ensure that those residents are not cut off from essential services close to their homes. Given the complex nature of closing down a State Highway, Police planning for managing travel through an Alert Level boundary has been underway for some time.
We intend to have all the checkpoints operating by 11 pm tonight (August 31, 2021) to ensure a smooth transition when the Alert Level change comes into effect. The checkpoints on the outskirts of Auckland will be stopping vehicles and questioning drivers, ensuring that there is no non-essential movement through the region.
Northern Boundary Checkpoints
We do not have our Northern boundary checkpoints set up at this time while Northland remains part of Alert Level 4. However, Northland continues to operate three checkpoints at the southern entry into the region at the following locations: SH1 intersection with SH12; Mountain Road, Kaiwaka; Cove Road, by Bream Tail Road.
Anyone attempting to travel across the regional boundaries separating Alert Level 4 and Alert Level 3 areas, should expect to be stopped and asked for proof of essential travel. The exemption process will run the same way as it has previously.
More information is available on the Covid-19 website
We are anticipating that there may be delays during peak times at these boundary checkpoints, we are asking our community to be prepared for this and to be patient.
Police are working closely with our communities and Iwi on our checkpoints and can reassure them that Police will have little tolerance for anyone found to be trying to breach the borders and enter or leave Auckland and Northland without a legitimate reason.
Dialogue with Iwi leaders
We are in regular dialogue with iwi leaders about our response to Covid-19 in the community. We are urging our community to limit movement to within your region only under Alert Level 3 and Police will be continuing to stop people at random across the rest of the country to ensure movement is for essential purposes only.
Compliance under Alert Level 4 has been very high across the country, and we thank all those in our community who have shown courtesy and understanding for our staff at checkpoints.
Should Northland’s alert levels change at 11.59 pm on Thursday (September 2, 2021) night as signalled by the government, Police is ready to deploy checkpoints to the region’s Southern boundary with Tamaki Makaurau, at the following locations: SH1/Mangawhai Road (Twin Coast Discovery Highway); Mangawhai Road/North of Coal Hill Road; Black Swamp, West of Rako Road; Mangawhai Road and Cames Road; Mangawhai Road (also known as Twin Coast Discovery Highway) and Ryan Road.
The New Zealand Police has long recognised the importance of working with other government agencies and our Iwi and Community partners to keep our communities safe. Our relationships are important to us because we know that to be as successful as we can possibly be, to fight this Virus as well as many other viruses, we have to be fully engaged with all our respective communities that make up Aotearoa.
Wallace (Wally) Haumaha is Deputy Commissioner of Police (Iwi and Communities), based at the New Zealand Police Headquarters, Wellington.
