Members of Voices for Freedom in Southland took part today in a march in Invercargill for what participants described as a “fight” for their rights.
About 150 people gathered at the Invercargill War Memorial where the march started, and headed to Labour List MP Liz Craig’s office.
Riverton woman Irirangi Luke could not control her tears.
"We are here today because we value our freedom. We do not consent to this crap that they are trying to put us through.
"It is our right - that we are born with - to say no, we don’t agree."
Members could not be labelled “anti-vaxxers” as it was not about this, she said.
"We are not anti-vaxxers. We are here because we believe in choice. We believe in our rights of freedom."
She said her body was her own and she did not agree it was right for the Government to mandate vaccinations.
“I’m not doing it. If you want to choose to do it for your own reasons - go for it. I’m not saying don’t do it for you. I’m just saying that is not right for me.”
The government has mandated vaccination for health, education, border workers and some corrections staff, and for workers at businesses where customers need to show Covid-19 Vaccination Certificates, such as hospitality and close-contact businesses.
The decisions have triggered resistance from some groups.
When asked recently if mandates had been harmful to social cohesion and could have led to others hardening their beliefs against vaccination, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told 1 News that was not the case for all people.
“There are those for whom it has had the other effect — it’s caused them, where they’ve had questions, to confront those to go and have conversations,” she said.
"We had the experience of having already rolled this out for our border workers. What we noticed was, by putting a date, it did cause those who had questions to go and seek advice, talk to trusted health professionals, and then make a decision.
"So, yes, in these areas now, we are forcing those decisions to be made. But, I hope that also means people are actually accessing the information they need to make it."
The Ministry of Health says vaccination is a vital measure for reducing infection and transmission and vaccination of the population and particularly in areas like education and health where the risk of spreading Covid-19 might be higher, it is critical for staff working in these key sectors to be vaccinated.
Multiple experts have verified and backed the safety of the Pfizer vaccine. More information here
