Sandra Goudie: Mandating jabs 'absolutely wrong' - Defiant mayor on her Pfizer refusal

Thames-Coromandel Mayor Sandra Goudie has doubled down on her anti-Pfizer jab stance - adding she believes it is "absolutely wrong" that some people should be mandated to have the vaccine.
Goudie went public this week saying she won't be being vaccinated until the Novovax vaccine is used, potentially, in New Zealand.
At present, the Pfizer vaccine is used in the nationwide roll-out.
That stance has been criticised, including by Green Party co-leader James Shaw who says people in public, leadership roles should be vaccinated now to ensure the health and safety of people around them.
Goudie said her vaccine decisions were a matter of personal choice, and people should respect each other's opinions.
Novovax is yet to be approved for use in New Zealand and when questioned about why she wouldn't get the Pfizer vaccine, she declined to elaborate.
Goudie told Tim Beveridge on Newstalk ZB this morning she wouldn't be taking part in Saturday's vaxathon and that she had made her stance clear.
"I'm not taking the Pfizer vaccine, that I will wait for the Novovax because I have that personal choice and everybody has that personal choice."
She said it shouldn't be mandated and people shouldn't have to lose their jobs.
"I think that's absolutely wrong."
As for why Novovax, she said it was "her personal choice, I've got the right to make that personal choice".
She said she "reads a lot of information".
"I'm only going to make comment around that I have a personal choice ... I'm not going to vilify people for their choices."
Asked if she felt a responsibility to explain her reasons to wait for Novovax, Goudie said she wasn't an anti vaxxer, she had vaccinations in the past.
"I'm waiting for the Novovax to come into New Zealand."
Asked if she was encouraging people to get vaxxed, she said she had been buoyed by the numbers of vaccinations in her district, despite then being told by Beveridge the district's numbers were quite low compared to others.
"My understanding was that [district] was [doing well]. They may have changed," she said.
Asked about having an obligation, as a public official, to encourage people to get vaccinated, she said people should be able to "have the freedom of choice for themselves".
"There comes a time when everybody is confronted with these sorts of decisions ... if they are in strong positions of leadership. But whose to say that people in positions in leadership can't also have the right to express their personal choice and freedom.
"Should I be denied that right?"
When told she was being criticised for not explaining her reasons around her decisions, she said she had "that's my personal choice as well. I have the right to make these choices and decisions.. I'm making these decisions for myself and my decisions should be respected. They're mine."
Asked about trusting scientists, she said she wouldn't "make any comment about that whatsoever".
Asked about whether she respected the scientific advice in New Zealand, - "I haven't contemplated a view on it.
"Straight off the bat you're expecting me to respond to that question? Get real."
Earlier, she told the Herald yesterday she disagreed with those who argued she was putting herself or others at risk by not getting vaccinated
"Obviously I'm not agreeing with them. And I'm exercising my personal choice. And my rights, in terms of the Bill of Rights."
She said Covid-19 legislation should be consistent with the Bill of Rights.
The High Court at Wellington last month considered if the Covid-19 Public Health Response (Vaccinations) Order infringed on the right to be free from discrimination under the Bill of Rights Act.
After a judicial review, the High Court decided that it did not. The case emerged after a sacked Customs worked challenged the lawfulness of the vaccinations order.
When asked by Mike Hosking on Newstalk ZB...

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