Michael Flinn
Please help me out here. I’m starting to think that the words of Queen’s great song apply to me:
“I’m one card short of a full deck,
I’m not quite the shilling.
One wave short of a shipwreck.
I’m not my usual top-billing.I’m coming down with a fever.
I’m really out to sea.
This kettle is boiling over.
I think I’m a banana tree.Oh, dear.”
David Seymour informed us all recently that his party campaigned hard in Parliament for businesses to be able to display a sign that reads:
ALL our staff Are FULLY vaccinated.
At the bottom of this sign, there is a New Zealand Government stamp and the Ministry of Health logo along with the slogan “Unite Against Covid”. Also displayed prominently on the sign there is a “heart health” Tick of approval and the slogan “Roll on Summer”.
The ACT party was miffed that, despite their best efforts, they could not secure businesses the ability to display this sign prominently outside their premises so as to be able to attract a veritable hoard of new customers over the summer. Seymour laments:
“This law also allows unvaccinated workers get (sic) four weeks paid leave to think about it, on the employer’s expense, when small business is struggling already. A difficult employee could rort the system, taking four weeks paid leave and then returning (sic) when they suddenly have a change of heart. The process for an employee taking time, deciding to return, and being allowed to return is a total mess.”
The ACT party now officially apologises to all small business owners. It fought very hard for them to be able to display this sign and reap the pecuniary rewards. And now, to add insult to injury, they have to put up with that pesky “difficult employee” who, of course, will take the opportunity to “rort the system” at his employer’s expense.
So let’s get this straight. The ACT Party, the party of libertarian “freedom to decide for yourself” principles, the party of Roger Douglas, and of limited government, fights hard for businesses to be able to display this sign. This is the party that can’t abide government overreach. In fact, its very raison d’etre is to Get the Government OUT OF OUR HAIR so that we can make our own decisions and unleash our entrepreneurial talents for the economic benefit of all.
THIS is the Party that fights hard for businesses to be able to display a sign that declares to all potential customers that it has conformed to all government requirements in relation to the fight against Covid; it conforms to all the requisite demands from the Ministry of Health and it now provides a “safe” heart-healthy environment for all potential patrons.
This business has gotten rid of all “difficult employees” by giving them an ultimatum and then firing them when they refused to receive a government-mandated medical procedure that they didn’t want. There are no employees who might “rort the system” in this emporium. No, we’ve cleaned them all out, so you can feel safe now. Come right on in and spend your money. Happy days are here again.
Imagine if the ACT party had won its fight in Parliament. You are a business owner who has dutifully complied with all government and Ministry of Health regulations, even though you thought some of them were patently ridiculous and even though your business is suffering even more because some of those “difficult employees” whom you had to sack were valuable, experienced staff and you didn’t want to let them go. It pained you deeply to have to do it. Well, congratulations. You have done the hard yards. You have ticked all the government and Ministry of Health boxes and the ACT party has fought hard on your behalf and secured for you the ability to display your sign out front.
But next door to you is another business whose owner has voted for the ACT party for years and years. He has been a loyal Act supporter because he believes in and values freedom and individual choice. He can’t stand government over-reach. He does not want to fire healthy hard-working employees for what he thinks is no good reason just because the government tells him that he must. He naturally resists what he thinks are totalitarian regulations from above and when the government tells him who he can and can’t hire, his natural inclination is to tell the government to take a hike.
Because he stands with his employees and champions their freedom to make their own individual medical decisions and to not have to be coerced by anyone to receive a medical procedure that they don’t want (he is, after all, an enthusiastic Act supporter), he has a few staff members who remain unvaccinated. He will NOT fire his valuable staff. And he would never put up a sign like that in front of his business even if he had no unvaccinated staff. For crying out loud, HE VOTES ACT.
But now his own Party wants to out him as a business that does not meet all government regulations and has not received the Ministry of Health tick of approval. Patrons, watch out. You need to look for the businesses that tick all the right government and Ministry of Health boxes. The rest are not safe.
I’m going slightly mad. Is there no political party out there that will stand up to this rank stupidity and downright tyranny? Bring back Freddie, I say. Maybe he could get these idiots in Wellington to see reason.
