Bridges’ post on social media garnered 18,000 reactions online: 3,000 likes, and almost 15,000 reacting with either laughter or anger emoticons as of the morning of 22 April 2020. They weren’t just Labour supporters. Surprisingly, some indicated they were National Party supporters and praised Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s kind leadership during a period of uncertainty.
Hang on a minute. Surely National people would have stuck up for their leader. He had a responsibility in a democracy to hold the Ardern Government to account when she began to make extreme decisions that had huge ramifications for everybody. Ardern’s heavy-handed rules had never before been imposed on Kiwis living in the country or abroad.
People by the millions fell under the bewitching spell of Ardern’s slick communication skills. They preferred to comply with her requirements of isolation, wearing masks, closing businesses and schools and much, much more.
Bridges began to ask questions. He was cautious. He challenged the PM’s Covid-19 pandemic rules. He wanted to know why. As early as March 2020 all sorts of people began to get stuck into him. Dr Siouxsie Wiles, a microbiologist, scolded the National Party leader’s behaviour, claiming “We don’t need elected representatives undermining important messages from the Government, scientists and health officials.” Dr Wiles told Heather Du Plessis-Allan, “We need a united front.”
Mike Williams, a former Labour Party president warned Bridges that he was not being politically clever.
My worry is that the medicine is worse than the cure…the likes of Margaret who has her colonoscopy delayed for possible cancer. Why is Ardern signalling exceptions for halal butcheries – those who adhere to Islamic practice – but not all the other specialist grocery stores servicing ethnic communities. He raised the way rapid testing kits were turned away.
Bridges was particularly horrified with what he described as a “a terrible law” passed by the Government setting the framework for alert level two. It allowed warrantless police searches to enforce the level two rules, sparking human rights concerns.
Some New Zealanders wanted Bridges to get information. They were relieved when he initiated and chaired an Epidemic Response Committee (ERC). Via videoconference, the panel heard from many, including ministers, NGO’s, the Cancer Society, funeral directors, affected industries, and Kiwis.
New Zealand had been at level four and then level three lockdowns for a long time. Ashley Bloomfield, the Director of Health was called to appear before the ERC on 6 May 2020.
6 May Inquiry into the Government response into Covid-19 – hearing of evidence (Video duration: 2 hours, 39 minutes, 11 seconds)
Bridges wanted the truth. He pushed the Director as to why New Zealand was still at level three when one thousand people a day were losing employment and businesses were closing. He wanted evidence that the economic wellbeing of Kiwis had been a consideration alongside the health factors.
National Party leader Simon Bridges and Ashley Bloomfield have come face-to-face in a tense Zoom exchange with a frustrated Bridges accusing the health boss of wanting to control the “information flow” to New Zealanders. Bloomfield was appearing before the Epidemic Response Committee on Wednesday, following emotional testimony and tears as members of the public shared their heartbreaking stories of suffering during lockdown. Bloomfield felt the heat from Bridges, the committee chairman, over the way he had handled the release of information during the crisis.
MPs heard from a new mother, who had given birth during alert level 4 who was not able to have her partner with her during a “traumatic” birth. They were also told about a family whose lasting memory of their son, after a suspected suicide, was his body being removed from their home – he was not given a funeral due to the lockdown restrictions.
6 May 20 Thomas Manch Stuff.
Bridges and National’s Michael Woodhouse made Bloomfield aware of the trauma caused by allowing these harsh lockdowns. The country should be at level two, Bridges recommended.
Ardern too clashed with Bridges.
Ardern made a “final plea” to Bridges: to “think about the audience he is speaking to right now, this doesn’t have to be political”, she said.
Bridges defended his right to carry out his “constitutional duty” to get answers from the government about the “most significant issue the country has faced in many, many years”. (Emphasis added)
8 March 2020 RNZ News.
Bridges drove through the night from Tauranga to Wellington, to carry out his role. He questioned extensive lockdowns, confiscation of RAT tests, overzealous police, inconsistent rules, businesses going to the wall, hospitals not operating, other health issues ignored and all that was being ramped up.
Bridges wants the committee to continue throughout alert level 2 because the Government is still exercising control he says and needs to be kept in check. But he’s not sure if it will continue and accused the Government of wanting to ‘get rid of it’.
18 May 20 Zane Small, Newshub.
Indeed, Labour had the numbers to ‘get rid of it’ and voted quickly to close the Epidemic Response Committee. The Parliament website recorded the following:
This committee was established on 25 March 2020 to consider and report to the House on matters relating to the Government’s management of the COVID-19 epidemic. The House agreed to disestablish the Epidemic Response Committee on 26 May 2020.
Although Bloomfield expressed some sympathy for Kiwis’ difficult situations when he appeared on the ERC, he doggedly went on to fully support Ardern as the sole source of truth and backed her unyielding lockdowns and merciless vaccine mandates. The Disinformation Project, founded ahead of time in February 2020, had already been set up to report on any Kiwi questioning the narrative. The media criticised him. Then the people turned against him. Bridges didn’t stand a chance.
Against all odds, he was on the right side of history. Simon Bridges was asking the questions many New Zealanders are now in 2023 demanding answers for.
He was spot on when he thought there would be an independent Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Ardern-led Covid-19 response. The NZ First party and the NZDSOS are currently calling for one.
To our shame, most Kiwis were like sheep, until they could take no more.
It’s late Simon, but we should all take a moment to say, ‘Thank You’.
Simon Bridges, Jacinda Ardern clash ‘between responsible and political’ | RNZ News
Coronavirus: Ashley Bloomfield pushed by Simon Bridges on why NZ isn’t in level 2 yet | Stuff.co.nz
Simon Bridges’ questioning of Dr Bloomfield ‘not politically clever’ – Mike Williams | Newshub
Covid 19 coronavirus: Simon Bridges lashes out at Ashley Bloomfield – NZ Herald
