You are never too old to get a telling off from your mum and former MP Hone Harawira got just that when he travelled to Auckland over the weekend.
The former politician caused a bit of a stir on social media when he posted that he had taken a "blitz" to Auckland, from Kaitaia, over the Easter break.
Sharing a photo of himself and a friend tucking into a huge breakfast, he wrote on Facebook: "So we did a blitz to (Auckland) and back today.
"How did the day go? Bacon and eggs as soon as we got to Auckland. Roast pork, apple sauce and potato salad as soon as we got home.
"Life can be tough - but not today."
Some members of the public were quick to call Harawira out; saying it was not fair that he was breaking lockdown rules.
One woman who shared the photos on her own Facebook page wrote: "Hone. What makes you so special to travel around?"
Harawira later replied to her by giving a breakdown of what he explained was an essential trip.
"Travelling to 1) check out a Māori (Covid-19) testing centre, 2) get advice on testing our people, 3) view (personal protective equipment) gear options, 4) set up a direct contact for PPE gear and 5) pick up a range of medical supplies for our checkpoints," he wrote.
"Straight down to (Auckland), straight home again. But a man's gotta eat and I'm blessed to have whānau support at both ends. I hope you enjoyed your Easter."
He told the Herald he and a colleague had been doing essential work as part of his role as the leader of the Tai Tokerau Border Control.
The initiative has seen local communities in the Far North setting up medical checkpoints in a bid to stop the spread of Covid-19.
"We did a number of things, actually. We went to check out a community testing centre to see how they were getting Māori in to get tested."
He also visited colleagues at the Whānau Ora Community Clinic in South Auckland and picked up medical supplies and protective gear needed for those volunteering at the checkpoint front lines.
"We left [Kaitaia] about 5am and I rang my sister in Auckland. She got up and cooked us a beautiful breakfast and put it on the veranda."
'She was telling me off'
A large bowl of soapy water and towels also awaited the pair; while Harawira's sister and 88-year-old mother spoke to them from over the fence at his mother's house next-door.
Asked what his mother had said at seeing him, he laughed loudly.
"She was telling me off! Saying: 'You should be staying in Kaitaia!"
It was only after explaining that they needed to pick up medical supplies to take back that she was okay again, he said.
Harawira said the work many communities in the Far North were doing - by setting up medical checkpoints at various spots - had brought many locals together.
He said the big thing was to keep those who were particularly vulnerable, safe.
That included the elderly and people of Māori and Pasifika descent, many of whom have a high percentage of diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and respiratory conditions that do not stand up well to coronavirus.
"They're doing this to protect all the communities."
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