John Key backs move to 'take away liberties' to make people get Covid jab

September 26, 2021

The former Prime Minister says people need to have incentives to get the jab.

Sir John Key says placing restrictions on the places people can go if they aren’t vaccinated against Covid-19 will incentivise most to get the jabs. 

The former Prime Minister told 1News this could include some places of leisure or workplaces. 

If the Government told young people they couldn’t go to the nightclub or catch an Air New Zealand flight without getting their jabs, “[then] I’m sure that you’ll find they’ll be less worried about whether their arm is going to be magnetised and get to the truth of the situation”, Sir John said.

“If you are vaccinated, then the probability of you dealing with coronavirus in such a way that you’re relatively safe is extremely high,” he continued. 

When asked whether he supported the idea of mandatory vaccinations in workplaces , Sir John said: “I think there’s a very strong argument that we should be putting in place a situation which puts every incentive on people to be vaccinated.” 

While “not all” would take the incentive, he believed the “vast bulk” would. 

“Some can choose not to, but they have to understand that the risks of a deterioration in their health or worse consequences are an active decision they have made.” 

He said of those who were currently resisting getting a vaccine: “The only way to make them vaccinate is to take away liberties.”  

If New Zealand was in a situation where, for example, lots of its health or port workers were unvaccinated, that put a lot of people at risk, he said. 

If, in a workplace of 50 people, one person didn’t want to get vaccinated, Sir John said that was that person’s human right. But, he said it was also the human rights of the 49 people who were vaccinated to want to be safe. 

“You can’t absolutely force people to see sense, but what you can do is give them all the tools. 

“You can’t get to the point where New Zealand is wrung by five, 10 or 15 per cent of New Zealanders who utterly refuse to be vaccinated. If they will not be vaccinated, that is called personal choice.”

Sir John acknowledged there were people who couldn’t get the vaccine for medical reasons. He said that meant there was more onus on the people who can safely get the Covid-19 vaccine to get it. 

He said the Government didn't seem to have a plan or target for when it wanted a certain number of Kiwis to be vaccinated.

“Fear and hope are not a plan."

Speaking on Q+A on Sunday morning , Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said he was reluctant for there to be a "finger pointing" at those who are hesitant to be vaccinated against Covid-19 and those who won't. 

Although it was "great" and there was "no harm" in people latching onto modelling which showed a 90 per cent vaccination rate in New Zealand could mean lockdowns were avoided, Hipkins said the needs of the people who were unvaccinated needed to be taken into account before judgement is cast.

This could include anti-vaxxers, those who could have severe allergic reactions to it and those with underlying health conditions.

In response to being asked by presenter Jack Tame if there would be a point in the future where the Government would say people had been given a good opportunity to be vaccinated and if not "that's on you".

The former Prime Minister says the National Party can triumph against the popular Ardern.

"I think some of the ethical decisions the Government has to take do change a little bit in the context of everybody having access to the vaccine and having had ample opportunity to be vaccinated," Hipkins said. 

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