28 August 2020

Local Government of Northland Position Statement -

Northland regional boundary issues during Covid-19
pandemic

The recent restrictions arising from the resurgence of Covid-19 have highlighted a set of
specific issues for the Northland region being adversely affected when Auckland operates in
Alert Level 3 and Northland and north Waikato are in Level 2. The issues pertain to the
geographic distinction of Northland being a peninsula on the other side of Auckland from all
other parts of New Zealand.

The Northland Mayors and Chair request Government considers options to alleviate the
issues arising from this and seeks unique solutions to our unique situation.

Background

At the Mayors and Chair Zoom hui on Friday 21 August the idea of this position statement
was proposed by Eru Lyndon of MSD, in his Public Service Lead role. This is envisaged to
be taken up and used by Government departments as a start point for addressing issues.
The approach here is local elected leaders are joined up and focused, in a written statement,
which can be used formally by Government. Government will from this document have an
initiation point for subsequent actions on this subject, conversations with iwi, departments
and agencies, etc.

Issues to be resolved

1. Safe passage through Auckland and out the other side - it is imperative the safe
movement of people and goods across Auckland city region and out the other side is
facilitated so Northland is not ‘cut off’. This includes safe movements for social purposes
e.g. sports, funerals, tangihanga, weddings, etc., and those for economic purposes, e.g.
tourism, business (e.g. the engineers involved in the Tai Tokerau Water Trust Water
Storage and Use Project are based in Tauranga).
 We are seeking to ensure the normalisation and equalisation of community activities
between Northland and other parts of New Zealand, if all except Auckland are at the
same alert level. Journeys into or from Auckland is not the goal here – it is the safe
passage across Auckland both ways by people from the same Alert Levels beyond
Auckland which is sought.

If this cannot be done, then there needs to be acknowledgement of this, and

compensation considered for the Covid-19 rules leading to creation of negative
Northland exceptionalism. Government may also want to consider this Northland
situation from how a higher Alert Level in Wellington would effectively stop Cook Strait
ferries and cut off the South Island from the North and vice versa – that is how Northland
is at present.

2. Border towns - the economic and social geography of southern Northland/northern

Auckland overlaps the regional boundary.

The communities of Kaiwaka, Mangawhai (one third of Kaipara District people) and
Wellsford (in Auckland) are in the same economic geography and are divided when the
regional boundary rules are strictly enforced, causing significant disruption to families,
people, businesses, sports and community. Students cannot cross the border to get to
school, people cannot get to their nearest ‘local’ shops; there is a ‘frayed edge’ for
communities.

This area of the borderlands between Northland and Auckland needs special
consideration when there are different Alert Levels.

3. Government department rohe at the regional boundary - during a period when

different Covid-19 Alert Levels apply across the regional boundary there is confusion and
ambiguity on the ground. The rohe of government departments and agencies are not
aligned with the Northland/Auckland regional boundary.

It is hoped Government can bring clarity to the area of New Zealand between
Maungaturoto and Warkworth, in the first instance with an analysis of who’s doing what
where and how the different rohe of Government departments overlap and intersect. In
addition to New Zealand Government departments, included in this mapping exercise
would also be FENZ, St John Ambulance, health providers, iwi agencies, etc. It is hoped
greater efficiencies and alignments will be possible in future.

Previously there hasn’t been a compelling reason to resolve this lack of alignment,
however the consequences in pandemic management now appear to warrant a review.
2
Request

Northland is a highly productive region and many of our businesses, community wellbeing
and the success of our economy depends on smooth connections with the rest of New
Zealand. The current differential in Alert Levels has highlighted direct risk to our success if
this was to be extended beyond the current short term or was to arise again in the future.

Northland Mayors and Chair seek Government support and engagement to work together to
better identify the impact of the issues set about above and agree a way to resolve these in
advance of any future differences between Alert Levels in Auckland and Northland.

Mayor John Carter Mayor Dr Jason Smith

Mayor Sheryl Mai Chair Penny Smart