Maori resort to crowdfunding COVID-19 vax

Maori in New Zealand's Tairawhiti region have resorted to online fundraising to vaccinate their community against COVID-19, embarrassing Jacinda Ardern's government.

The Tairawhiti, found around North Island's remote east cape, is home to stunning beaches and some of the lowest vaccination rates in the country.

Aghast at the COVID-19 vaccination rollout's slow progress in her region, Tina Ngata started an online campaign to bring in mobile vaccination units.

The response was swift: as of Monday morning, more than 1800 Kiwis had combined to contribute $NZ115,000 ($A110,000) in less than three days.

"We see value in it. Our community sees value in it. I'm so thrilled Aotearoa also sees value in it and put their money in," she told Radio NZ.

"It's difficult to find the words to really articulate how much that means to us all.

"When it hit 10k we were amazed ... we're really, really floored and thankful."

Now, instead of leasing a vehicle for the mobile vaccination service, the Te Aroha Kanarahi Trust is looking at buying its own van.

"We've been inundated with calls from doctors and nurses and vaccinators. We're sitting down today to put the plan together," Ms Ngata said.

That local communities should have to crowdfund for vaccines is an embarrassment for Ms Ardern's government, which has set aside $NZ80 million ($A76 million) for Maori vaccination initiatives.

Maori Health Minister Peeni Henare said he had been unaware of the community's wishes.

"I was in Tairawhiti speaking with Maori health providers on the Thursday and none of them mentioned it to me," he told Radio NZ.

"If this is what you knew, why didn't you tell me earlier? We could have got this done."

As revealed by AAP, the government's Maori ministers - including Mr Henare - have spent the weekend in furious meetings with dozens of Maori leaders over the future direction of its COVID-19 plan.

Mr Henare said Maori wanted the government to push for vaccination rates above 90 per cent of the eligible population.

"It is clear in the meeting last night that it has to be as high as possible," he said.

"Some of the whanau were talking about 95 per cent. One whanau in fact last night said 100 per cent. Our goal is to get it high."

While locked-down Auckland currently has a police-enforced border patrol, Mr Henare said regional Maori fear the spread of COVID-19 should those borders be removed.

"Once those borders open, people will be looking to head off into remote regions like Northland and Tairawhiti," he said.

"They're waiting for a tidal wave and what they mean by that is people leaving our main centre, heading to those places to see whanau and friends and what have you. That's a big risk."