Stuart Smith
MP for Kaikoura
Spokesperson for Climate Change, EQC and Viticulture
If you were hoping for some clarity about the Government’s COVID plan this week, you will have been disappointed. While I welcome the relaxation of the restrictions in Auckland, Delta is here to stay and it is only a question of time until it appears elsewhere in the country. The South Island has been fortunate to date but it is probably only a matter of time before it appears here. That said we should do our best to keep it out.
Unlike the Government, who has thousands of public servants but have been unable to map out a plan to get out of endless lockdowns, the National Party has a comprehensive and peer-reviewed plan. Frustration is building with people stopping me in the street, looking for some certainty, and wondering when they are going to see loved ones who cannot get any space in MIQ. This nonsense has to stop.
Our plan as outlined on the National Party website, is made up of three pillars:
The first pillar of our plan is called INVEST. It is an outline of ten steps that we need to take urgently to respond to COVID-19 and to set ourselves up to begin to reconnect with the world. These are important measures that New Zealand needs to take, whatever the strategy is for the future. These steps will help us evolve our response away from lockdowns and help us reconnect to the world. They give us options and choices about the future.
The second pillar of our plan is called EVOLVE. It is all about doing what it takes to end our reliance on economically damaging and socially costly lockdowns. We have set a milestone of 70-75% of the population aged 12+ being fully vaccinated as soon as possible. Modelling shows that once we get to that level, and including community response measures like those listed in pillar one (see the website for details), nationwide lockdowns are no longer needed. By itself, reaching this milestone as quickly as possible will have a demonstrably positive impact on New Zealand.
The third pillar of the plan is called OPEN. It is our pathway to reconnect New Zealand to the world. We have set a milestone of at least 85-90% of the 12+ population being fully vaccinated for this to happen, although we want to get as high a vaccination rate as possible. Vaccination coverage in the community of at least 85% plus community response measures (pillar one) means that COVID can be dealt with adequately and efficiently by our public health system.
We can but hope that, like many of our policy ideas, the Government will pick this up and run with it; how well they would implement it; of course would be another matter, but we need this now.
We have to be realistic, that not everyone will want to be vaccinated and that is their choice and I do not support mandating vaccinations. There are many reasons why people do not want to be vaccinated, ranging from not medical to personal choice. Whatever the reason, I support their right to choose. Unfortunately, talk of mandates and attacking those that do not want to be vaccinated is not helpful.
Read the ‘Opening-Up plan here
