Early Edition with Kate Hawkesby

A war of words between Northland's best-known politicians, over the checkpoints being kept in place over summer. Police have confirmed they'll work with local iwi to keep checkpoints in place on State Highway 1 at Uretiti near Waipu,  and on State Highway 12 near Maungaturoto. Commissioner Andrew Coster says 74 staff will work at the checkpoints each day, equating to about 300 officers over a weekly roster. Cabinet Minster Kelvin Davis says criticising the iwi organisations involved is racist. But New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters told Tim Dower, they should be open to criticism. “People are making demands, and they’ve been making them for quite a long time without any authority in the Māori world, or the European world, or according to our law.” LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.