Community roadblock operators in the Bay of Plenty have no right to turn Kiwis around just because they don't have a 'travel permit' from local iwi, police say.
The confirmation comes after Te Whānau-ā-Apanui controversially implemented the travel permit system at roadblocks last week, when COVID-19 alert level 3 came into effect.
The permit system was introduced in an effort by Te Whānau-ā-Apanui to protect the region's elderly population and horticulture and agriculture industries, iwi representative and local farmer Dr Haydn Read says.
They replaced a requirement for essential workers to produce a letter from the Ministry for Primary Industries to prove their travel was in compliance with lockdown rules, which were eased when alert level 4 came to an end.
However police have revealed to Newshub that the permits mean nothing, and its requirement for Kiwis to have them cannot be legally enforced.
"A travel permit is not required to move through checkpoints," a police spokesperson said.
"Under alert level 4 Te Whānau-ā-Apanui did have a process for their community members to use to identify the type of travel being undertaken, however this was not managed by police."
Police say officers are still stationed on Te Whānau-ā-Apanui's 'community safety checkpoints' - as is required under the new roadblock regulations - but will not be enforcing a requirement for Kiwis to show iwi-issued travel permits.
"There are only a small number of checkpoints operating across the country and there is a police presence at these checkpoints," the spokesperson said.
"Where communities have determined to undertake checkpoints to prevent the spread of COVID-19, police is working with those communities and other agencies to ensure checkpoints are safe and not preventing lawful use of the road."
Newshub has contacted Dr Read for comment.
Te Whānau-ā-Apanui's checkpoints are the latest in a litany of community roadblock controversies in recent weeks, which has seen Police Commissioner Andrew Coster called upon by several MPs to ban them outright.
They were first called into question earlier this week, when a member of the public called Magic Talk to report the travel permit system.
On Monday, Dr Read said the iwi hadn't received any complaints about roadblocks or travel permits, and hailed produce transport companies like Fonterra, OPAC and Eastpack for complying with its requirements.
He also refused to rule out shutting down the roadblocks once New Zealand went into alert level 2, even if police no longer sent officers to man them.
