After 5 months apart surprise awaits returning whānau!

Great grandmother Janelle, of Whangarei, is about to meet her 5 month-old great grandson for the first time.

Her granddaughter has secured a place in MIQ - and will be bringing the great grandson to New Zealand in November (2021).

The trip ends five years apart for the family and comes ahead of the grandaughter's planned wedding in Australia.

Janelle will immediately use some of the $2,199 major HorizonPoll prize draw cash she won in our draw (from among all members of our research panels, to buy something they're not bringing on the plane: a baby car seat.

Janelle has been completing Horizon's surveys since 2018.

A member of our Horizon Research Māori Panel, she thinks it's important.

"I think we should all have a say. The COVID surveys - I share them round. Some say 'we don't want your emails'. I tell people doing a survey can make a difference. Someone is taking notice of the results."

With her family separated by the tightly-controlled border she says the coming visit means a break for her granddaughter from living years alone in Australia without seeing Kiwi based family.

Janelle gave up paid work 10 years ago to dedicate herself to supporting her community, including iwi, two marae and hapū. She's involved with liaison work with the local Council. Along with others, she helps to make sure iwi members in the North have the help and support they need when issues like COVID-19 lock them down, and volunteers every third Saturday at the district library.

The COVID "conversation"

Asked why (at October 1 2021) vaccination rates were lower than the national average among some groups of Māori she says: "Unfortunately that's the case - and it brasses me off.  There is a view among some, mainly aged 25 to 45, who have come through the turmoil who say 'they did it to us'. I say ' yes, but let's move on'.

"Others have conspiracy theories. We've having the conversation, saying get vaccinated or it will get to the stage where you can't go to restaurants or other places, or even visit others who don't want to be put at risk. It's slowly starting to turn. We're saying to people 'do your homework'. This is going to be our new normal. Next year there'll be another strain. We've taken vaccines before, for measles, the flu ... we will get there in the end."

Next draw

All members of our HorizonPoll nationwide adult and Horizon Research Māori panels are now automatically entered in our next major prize draw on December 31, 2021.

We think better decisions are made when you are listened to.

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