Māori have made huge sacrifices to ensure the team of 5 million are protected. We changed our tangihanga protocols, changed tikanga, closed marae, set up iwi checkpoints and border control in some areas to ensure our vulnerable communities were protected. Despite all of this, the Government has continued to exclude Māori from pandemic decision-making and coordination. Not releasing Māori data at a crucial time of the vaccination roll-out was outright cruel. Starting the vaccination at those who were 65-plus and those who had pre-existing health issues meant that Māori mortality rates were not considered, as Māori die seven to 10 years earlier than non-Māori. This also meant we missed the opportunity to develop a truly whānau-centred approach. The Government's COVID response plan meant we left over half of Māori behind, because 70 percent of our people are 40 years and younger. 