Plans to re-open the borders have been made without consultation with Māori, or consideration for their wellbeing.

“We understand the importance of people being able to return home, and families being able to reconnect,” says health researcher and lecturer Dr Donna Cormack,

“But we are concerned that in spite of repeated calls from Māori and the strong, clear messages from the Waitangi Tribunal to the government at the end of last year, this announcement fails to consider the disparate impacts and risks for Māori communities.

“Neither the press release from Grant Robertson, nor the Prime Minister’s speech yesterday, address issues around equity or talk specifically about what this border reopening will mean for Māori communities, or how Māori have been meaningfully involved in these decisions.”

She says due to the “racist, inequitable rollout of the vaccination programme”, Māori have had later access to the COVID-19 vaccination and are not as protected as other population groups as a result.

“In addition, there are already inequities in the roll-out of the paediatric vaccination, meaning that tamariki Māori are much less protected than Pākehā children – currently vaccination rates for Māori tamariki are about half those for the total population.

“It is frustrating and really worrying that the government is prepared again to move ahead with plans that carry more risk for Māori than for other groups.

“At the very least, it should be clear about this in its communications – hiding behind statements about total population rates clouds the reality that we are not all moving together safely.

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