Hone Harawira with two volunteers at the Tai Tokerau Border Control checkpoint, at the bottom of Waiomio Hill.

The leader of Northland's coronavirus border controls says a weekend trip he made to Auckland - including a meal at his sister's house - was essential work.

Former Tai Tokerau MP Hone Harawira has set up Tai Tokerau Border Control, which runs volunteer-manned checkpoints to stop non-essential travel around the Far North.

The checkpoints are aimed at protecting the most vulnerable communities, including Māori populations with a high proportion of underlying health issues, high deprivation and poor housing, he said.

Facebook Hone Harawira posted this photo on Facebook showing himself having a meal at his sister's house in West Auckland, after handwashing was done.

Harawira is also CEO of Aupōuri Ngāti Kahu Te Rarawa Trust, an essential service to provide support for whanau in Tai Tokerau.

READ MORE:

* Coronavirus: Full coverage

* Coronavirus: Iwi across NZ step up tourist blockades, close huts and walkways

* Coronavirus: Challenge over lockdown street drinking allegedly leads to stabbing

* Coronavirus checkpoint: Tension, love and relief as motorists share their stories

It was in this role he and his brother drove a 600km round-trip from Kaitaia to Auckland on Sunday, to visit a community testing centre to learn more about Covid-19 tests and personal protective equipment, plus pick up medical supplies.

"We want to try and lift the number of tests available to Māori people because we think that's important," he said.

"I'm glad we went: It gave us a real inside look and it gave us an understanding of the importance of wearing PPE at all the right places and all the right times."

Because of the length of the eight-hour drive, Harawira stopped for a meal of bacon and eggs in West Auckland, at the house of his sister, who is a nurse.

LAWRENCE SMITH/Stuff Microbiologist Siouxsie Wiles says sharing a meal with family members breaks the bubble.

However, he said this was done safely, with he and his brother sitting outside and proper hand hygiene being followed.

​"Are we not supposed to have a meal?"

Harawira said there were no other stops on the trip, with he and his brother returning to the Far North by 5.30pm.

MEAL 'A BIG NO' - MICROBIOLOGIST

But a microbiologist said sharing a meal with family members was not safe, as it meant breaking Harawira's "bubble".

"This is a big no," said Associate Professor Siouxsie Wiles, from the University of Auckland's Bioluminescent Superbugs Lab.

"This is a potential transmission route for the virus in both directions."

Wiles said even getting medical supplies could potentially be unsafe, depending on how contact was done.

BORDER CONTROL WILL CONTINUE

But Harawira said the trip was essential so he could carry on his work keeping the community safe.

"The whole thing is about keeping ourselves safe, keeping whanau safe and keeping people around us safe. It's a very good exercise."

The Tai Tokerau Border Control checkpoints would continue, even after New Zealand came out of alert level 4, Harawira said.

"We just want to make sure that we do as much as possible to restrict movement because C-19 is carried from one place to another," he said.

"I think even the police would admit that there's not enough of them to do the work that's required."

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said she did not disagree with the checkpoints: "Ultimately we've always wanted the police to undertake those tasks".

Northland has 26 confirmed or probable cases of Covid-19, according to the Ministry of Health's statistics on Monday morning, much lower than the 483 in neighbouring Auckland's three district health boards.