COVID-19 Public Health Response Bill

On 13 May 2020 the Mental Health Foundation wrote to all MPs to raise concerns about the powers extended to police to enter premises without a warrant under the COVID19 Public Health Response Bill. While we broadly support the public health intentions of the enforcement powers introduced by parliament to manage the COVID-19 epidemic, people with lived experience say they find these extra police powers very concerning and they may trigger trauma, and Māori and Pasifika whānau are concerned they will be discriminated against by the police, for example, where extended whānau live together. We were pleased to see last minute changes allowing this legislation to lapse (every 90 days) unless parliament specifically agrees to extend it.