Episode details
World Service,4 mins
New Zealand Covid: Could re-opening bring about 'modern genocide' for Maoris?
NewshourAvailable for over a year
New Zealand is struggling to contain the Delta variant outbreak of Covid-19. Nearly 100 cases were reported on Sunday and another 35 on Monday. However, plans are being made to re-open international borders and this is raising concern, particularly among Maori communities. Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, co-leader of the New Zealand Maori party, says reopening the borders and new waves of Covid infection will affect Maori communities more seriously, risking a "modern genocide". She says this is due to a vaccination programme that ignores Maori demographics, vaccine hesitancy where community questions haven't been answered and a high incidence of underlying health conditions among Maori communities. Photo: Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, co-leader of the New Zealand Maori party Credit: Getty Images
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