There are similarities between the COVID-19 vaccine and co-governance. Both are not allowed to be seen in a negative light.
COVID-19 Vaccine
The Medical Council of New Zealand put out a directive to all Health Practitioners. They told them that they must promote the COVID-19 vaccine. They were instructed to encourage patients by giving information about its benefits. There was no room for a doctor to discuss a different view or recommend an exemption for a patient, even if medically contraindicated. The doctors had to recommend this vaccine no matter what.
The Medical Council became ruthless in this requirement. Promote the jab, get patients and yourself injected or you will lose your job. Toe the line.
Guidance-statement-COVID-19-vaccine-and-your-professional-responsibilityDownload
The Dental and Medical Councils have an expectation that all dental and medical practitioners will take up the opportunity to be vaccinated—unless medically contraindicated.
You have an ethical and professional obligation to protect and promote the health of patients and the public, and to participate in broader based community health efforts. Vaccination will play a critical role in protecting the health of the New Zealand public by reducing the community risk of acquiring and further transmitting COVID-19.
Patients are entitled to information that a reasonable consumer, in that consumer’s circumstances, would expect to receive (Right 6, Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers’ Rights).
As a health practitioner, you have a role in providing evidence-based advice and information about the COVID-19 vaccination to others. You should be prepared to discuss evidence-based information about vaccination and its benefits to assist informed decision making. There is information on the Ministry of Health (MOH) website to support engagement with staff or colleagues and the public who may be hesitant about getting a vaccine.
As regulators we respect an individual’s right to have their own opinions, but it is our view that there is no place for anti-vaccination messages in professional health practice, nor any promotion of antivaccination claims including on social media and advertising by health practitioners.
Doctors who went against that order subsequently had their medical certificates stripped from them.
Co-Governance
Co-governance must be promoted in a positive light. It’s Maori and non-Maori working together, in a partnership. There is nothing to worry about, or so the Maori caucus of the Labour Party tells us. The Leaders of Labour, National and Act Parties say co-governance deserves discussion to clarify what it means. Chris Hipkins, PM, said no one understands co-governance so discussion on the subject is advisable.
Julian Batchelor is holding NZ wide STOP Co-Governance meetings to allow such discussion. He points out that the Treaty of Waitangi does not say anything about a partnership. Democracy is being replaced by Maori tribal rule.
Discussions about the vaccine were stopped by the Medical Council.
Now District Councils are stopping discussions about co-governance.
The Waikato District Council cancelled a booking for the use of the Horsham Downs Hall facilities at 12 noon on the Friday before a Sunday meeting. Mr Batchelor put this information on the STOP co-governance blog. Mr Ion, the Chief Executive did not want New Zealand to know about this cancellation, and appeared to get quite angry about it as he demanded Batchelor “immediately to remove all online references to this event and should communications of this tenure continue Council will consider its options.”
He left Mr Batchelor in no doubt he was threatening him, by emphasising he “trusts he has made himself clear on this matter.”
Read the email here.
Other councils are endeavouring to make it difficult to find venues. Despite cancellations and threats, the New Zealand public remains concerned that democracy is under threat and continue to turn up to venues changed at the last minute. Such is the interest and concern.
Many members of the public and health practitioners refused the jab. Such concern now applies to co-governance.
