In today's Focus on Politics podcast, Political Editor Jane Patterson takes politicians' temperature on Covid-19 and the economic response, and how that impacts efforts to combat inequality.

"We have a program around reducing inequality that's been running throughout our time in government but when we're in a crisis we work with those local communities ... we've worked closely, for example, with gang leadership..." - Finance Minister Grant Robertson

The government's response may have been staving off some of the worst economic impacts of lockdowns, but Covid-19 has only exacerbated inequalities across New Zealand that were already posing a big challenge.

With an extended period of restrictions in response to the Delta outbreak, how long can heavy borrowing keep things afloat, and how can those entrenched inequities be tackled?

Listen to the full podcast

The economy rebounded faster and stronger than expected after the 2020 lockdown, but Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer says this time is different.

"From the absolute grassroots level, there is not the same quick recovery or bounce up - and I don't know that that existed in 2020 for a lot of Māori whānau anyway."

"It's absolutely worse, and I think what you've got to remember is we're also in a political battlefield where if you belong to a gang family, if you come from this particular area ... there's already separatisation but it's actually heightened. And I think this creates real issues where people are too ashamed and they just they don't want attention drawn on them to ask for help, so by the time they do, things are extremely acute."

Read more:

Government's Covid-19 roadmap slammed by other parties

Reserve Bank announces first cash rate rise in seven years

Inaccessibility of rural healthcare reflected in low vaccination rates - expert

Waikato Mongrel Mob says Covid-19 cluster resolved

Effective vaccination campaigns must include Pacific and Māori leaders - immunologist

Government defends gang leader border exemptions

Finance Minister Grant Robertson says the government is acutely aware of the problem, and the government cooperating with gang leaders to encourage vaccination and public health order compliance is part of what's needed to stay connected with harder-hit communities.

"We can all make judgments about their behaviors and so on but it's not helpful when we're dealing with Covid. We need to make sure that we've got cooperation, that we've got support, and that's what we've done is make sure that we've been as close as possible to the communities affected."…

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details