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Some have questioned what the Coalition meant when it said it would end the COVID-19 vaccine mandate, which was repealed by the previous government in 2022.
photo: AFP.com – RNZ / Composite imageRNZ
The Coalition is still grappling with how to fulfill its promise to end all compulsory COVID-19 vaccinations, given that the government scrapped the policy a year and a half ago.
New Zealand First Obtained commitment in negotiation Leader Winston Peters hailed the policy victory during his tenure in office after forming a government last year. State of the Union Address,March.
Although Labor has cancelled all government vaccination mandates September 2022.
When asked what additional measures would be needed to deliver on the promise, a New Zealand First spokesperson told ABC: “Our team is still working through the details”.
The Prime Minister’s Office referred questions to Health Minister Shane Reti, who is responsible for the matter.
A Reti spokesman said: “No decision has yet been made on what further steps need to be taken to deliver on this commitment.”
“What does that mean?”
Speaking to Radio New Zealand, Mr Reiti said work on the mission was not “actively scheduled” but he had discussed it with officials.
He acknowledged that “technically” all Covid-19 mandates had ended, but noted that individual organisations were continuing to enforce some vaccination requirements under workplace health and safety policies.
Reti said those arrangements were “slightly different to the national legislative mandate” and Cabinet still needed to discuss whether its commitments also covered them.
“So what does that (the coalition agreement) mean exactly? Does it also mean (covering) workplace regulations?” he asked.
“We will have some discussions and make a decision, bring it to Cabinet to discuss and find a solution.”
It is not clear how many organizations have currently signed workplace agreements related to Covid-19 vaccines. Asked whether the league would intervene in private companies’ decisions, Reti said the government “at this point … would leave it to them.”
At the New Zealand Ministry of Health, also known as Te Whatu Ora, workers considered at high risk of exposure to Covid-19 are “expected” to be fully vaccinated. Those who are not vaccinated may be restricted from performing certain tasks or asked to take other precautions.
Te Whatu Ora head of health and safety Sue Gordon told ABC New Zealand the agency wanted to protect people from contracting coronavirus in hospitals and health facilities.
“We take a risk-based approach with unvaccinated staff and work with them on a case-by-case basis,” she said.
A spokesman for the Ministry of Health said officials had not recently provided any advice to the government on making vaccines mandatory. The same was true for the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.
Emails obtained under the Official Information Act show Department of Health staff sent some information about the mandatory requirements to Reti’s office in February.
These include confirmation that the vaccination mandate “is phased out in April 2022, with the final mandates (including for healthcare workers) ending in September 2022”.
‘Very strange’
Labor’s health spokeswoman Ayesha Verrall told RNZ the Coalition’s pledge was “a bit bizarre” and appeared to be little more than an attempt to appease conspiracy theorists.
“I know parts of the coalition had a lot of support from people who were against the COVID mandate, but that support has been effectively completely dismantled.”
Villar said personal health and safety vaccine policies existed “long before the COVID-19 pandemic” and it would be an overreach for the government to intervene at that level.
“Health employers certainly vaccinate people for Hepatitis B. Sewer workers get vaccinated for Hepatitis A. It’s not an unusual requirement.
“It would be very strange if they decided to intervene only on Covid-19 and not on the other dangers workers face in the workplace.”
Ms Reiti denied the Coalition had made the promise simply to appease conspiracy theorists. New Zealand First has also been asked to respond.
The cabinet has yet to decide how to expand the scope of the ongoing Covid-19 inquiry, another commitment reached during coalition talks.
Interior Minister Brooke Van Velden said the government was “currently looking at a range of options regarding the investigation” and would make a firm decision by the end of June.
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