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Gang members and leaders in New Zealand have appeared in a video to encourage their communities to get vaccinated against COVID-19 as part of a government minister’s initiative.

The initiative was Minister for Maori Development Willie Jackson’s idea, the New Zealand Herald reported.

The video was compiled and edited by Jackson’s son, Hikurangi Jackson, and posted on the minister’s Facebook on November 3.

It shows gang members and leaders describing why they got vaccinated. The video features members and leaders of the Black Power, Head Hunters, Mongrel Mob, and King Cobras gangs.

Willie Jackson said he volunteered to sit down with gangs and encourage them to get vaccinated, and had this video made so gang leaders could encourage their “whanau” (or, extended family or community) to also get vaccinated.

“Now we could have shunned them and by doing so see Covid spread unconstrained in our community, instead I negotiated a video at no cost to the taxpayer where the most senior gang members in the country spoke out and called on their Whanau to get vaccinated,” Jackson said.

“These gangs are the most difficult people to reach in terms of health messaging and getting them all to agree to vaccinate was a victory for common sense and public health.” Credit: Hikurangi Jackson via Storyful