So where was the debate on this?

NewstalkZB reports:

A Northland businessman says the region’s seeing booking cancellations due to checkpoints.

Police will keep Northland’s borders in place with iwi support when Auckland’s border opens.

In November the Government changed Covid laws to grant iwi organisations power to close roads and public places to stop vehicles.

This is a massive policy decision. The Government has decided that Iwi now have the legislated authority to close down an entire region, and ban travel to it. They have said that Iwi can decide whether or not businesses dependent on tourism can survive or not.

And this law change was rushed through Parliament with limited ability for the public to have their say.

Northland businesses should be very angry.