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No changes to Waitangi commemorations - Waitangi Trust chair Pita Tipene

The Waitangi Day week-long commemorations will go ahead despite the recent Covid-19 community case in Northland,.

Waitangi Trust chair Pita Tipene says given that Covid-19 community case in Northland it's a timely reminder for whānau to adhere to precautionary measures to keep everyone safe

“We’re appraising things by the hour, watching how the testing is going and whether the positive case and those associated with that woman are testing negative, but we’re watching things very very closely,” he said.

Yesterday the Prime Minister reiterated that the country is at Alert Level 1 and that this shouldn’t affect large scale events and gatherings.

“I keep pointing people to that system. There has been no change. Ultimately, organisers will make their own decisions over how they will operate. But we continue to encourage everybody to keep scanning, keep washing their hands and get a test if they get sick,” she said.

Waitangi Day commemorations at Waitangi attract thousands of people during the week's events. Tipene says they will be monitoring the Covid-19 situation each day but reminds travellers to Waitangi to be vigilant.

“We’ll be encouraging those who are feeling a bit off colour, feeling ill, to stay home and not put our people at risk, keeping distance in terms of personal greetings hand sanitisers and tracings, we want to make sure all of those things are in place.”

"No changes at all for Treaty of Waitangi commemorations, Te Ruapekapeka 175th commemorations on February 3. Everything is going ahead as planned but we’re ramping up for all eventualities."

Official Waitangi Day commemorations will begin on Tuesday, February 2.