John Tamihere wants Whānau Ora providers to have better access to Government data so they can target Māori for COVID-19 vaccinations.
Tamihere, chief executive of Auckland's Te Whanau O Waipareira Trust, told The Hui Māori providers have been denied access for years, with the Government citing privacy reasons.
But he said the existing vaccine booking system is not working for Māori.
"What we need is access to Māori mega data so our providers can go out and invite our people to come and get their vaccine shots with the indomitable style Māori have in dealing with other Māori," he says.
"Our people are strong on social media but they are not turned on by messages crafted by some bald heads in Wellington. It just does not work for us."
Tamihere says he has been contacted by ACT members after their leader David Seymour published a priority vaccine code for Māori.
He says they were appalled and wanted to apologise for Seymour's actions.
Tamihere says Seymour "purposely set out to sabotage the COVID rollout for Māori for race-baiting reasons" and "he wanted to use Māori as a brown political football".
Made with support from Te Māngai Pāho and NZ On Air.
