"My message to Simon Bridges is, brother get your facts right". Maketu Checkpoint operators saddened with comments about gangs, 'renegades and ratbags'.

A man who Simon Bridges claimed was stopped at a coronavirus checkpoint by gang members was in fact turned away by two women for trying to drive his house bus into a small Bay of Plenty town.

At Tuesday's meeting of Parliament's Epidemic Response Committee, National Party leader Simon Bridges and National MP Gerry Brownlee questioned Police Minister Stuart Nash's tolerance of community checkpoints - citing a complaint from a man in his 70s who claimed he was stopped by gang members in Maketū.

"There's an example of a man going to buy milk and being stopped by a gang member at a checkpoint in Maketū not too far from where I reside," said Bridges.

Bridges said he understood the man laid a complaint to police, but it fell on deaf ears.

READ MORE:

* Coronavirus: Illegal checkpoints being dealt with, but ones with support OK - minister

* Coronavirus: Iwi establish more checkpoints to protect communities from Covid-19

* Simon Bridges quashes claim of a National Party coup attempt

"The clear feedback from that man was that the police don't want to know."

Supplied Maketu checkpoint operators stop cars coming into the town.

But Inspector Herby Ngawhika, the police region's Manager for Maori Response, said that they did indeed want to know.

Once police spoke to the elderly gentleman in question it became clear the MP's version of events didn't match with his later description.

"We have spoken to him at length and he confirmed that he was not stopped by gang members. It was two females who spoke to him at the checkpoint at the time."

"He said they were very polite and very professional... the interaction was actually very good."

GETTY IMAGES National Party leader Simon Bridges questioned Police Minister Stuart Nash's position on community checkpoints.

Officers learned he was also driving a house bus at the time.

Ngawhika said police have been working closely with the community checkpoint volunteers with no issues.

"We've had a presence there stopping by on a very regular basis to ensure that things are going smoothly. I've been there myself and had reports from staff that have also been there."

"It's always been very professional, with safety being a big feature and any interactions with the public seem to be very pleasant. There's been no concerns."

SIMON O'CONNOR/STUFF National MP Gerry Brownlee.

Checkpoint lead operator Wiremu Edmonds said there are 80 volunteers that man the checkpoints and none of them are gang members.

"There are no gang patches worn... and there are no gang members that have been rostered on."

He called on Bridges to "get his facts right."

"Firstly, this is not a roadblock, traffic is free-flowing in and out of Maketū, we have a coordinated traffic management plan with documents and health and safety procedures."

Edmonds understood the elderly the man was turned away after volunteers told him the store he intended to visit was closed.

"It was after hours, so he was directed home because he was of a vulnerable age."

He's not sure how the checkpoint became associated with gang members in some peoples' minds.

National MP Anne Tolley.

"I'm not too sure why this has gone so wrong, to be honest."

East Coast National MP Anne Tolley said the elderly man did phone her office in a "distressed state" and spoke to one of her staff members.

"I understand he had previously phoned Simon Bridges' office and had also left a message with police."

"He was upset, and was very clear he had been stopped from going to get milk, by Mob members outside their home."

"I understand that was also the gist of his call to Simon Bridges' office who passed it onto my staff as he lives in my electorate."