Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was accused of lying today by a mystery reporter in a press conference in Northland that did not go to script.
In addition, a woman could be heard in the background heckling Ardern. The scene provided a challenging environment for the PM, who is used to pre-prepared scripted questions from compliant legacy mainstream media, and on today’s performance, seems incapable of answering legitimate, impromptu questions about the vaccine’s efficacy in light of the situation in Israel and other highly jabbed countries.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern moves her Northland press conference inside because of protestors. pic.twitter.com/eY7GWgfgIy
— Abbey Wakefield (@Beywake) November 2, 2021
The mystery reporter asked a series of questions which Ardern refused to answer, ‘Can I ask you what the infection fatality rate for COVID is?’
‘Can you name the woman who died of the COVID vaccine?’
‘Why is the vaccine not working in Israel, it has a 39% efficacy rate but you’re still pushing it? In the UK it’s got a 63%. It’s rude to lie to the public of New Zealand.’
Instead of answering the questions, Ardern told the conference they had to move. ‘Members of the gallery, we might move to an inside venue, unfortunately we’ve got someone who’s disrupting your press conference.’
Further footage emerged showing an earlier part of the conference where Ardern told the man, ‘Sir, I’ll direct questions across those who are attributed here to be able to ask questions.’
Dearest Abbey,
I realise you are MSM, and perhaps this could be your handicap.
But you seem to have omitted the start of this interjection, the part where the "master communicator" tried to sound intelligent by telling him that only "attributed" media could speak.#nzpol pic.twitter.com/GumvEcbCaU
— Disgusted NZ Voter (@groundswell_nz) November 2, 2021
The man proceeded with a further barrage of questions about a vaccine death and vaccine efficacy, which again Ardern refused to answer, ‘Sir, I will shut down the press conference if you do not cease.’
The heckler, a young Maori woman carrying a baby, appeared to be unconnected to the mystery reporter.
Surrounded by police and security the woman asked, ‘Why can’t I waiata now? I’m not hurting anybody am I? Am I hurting any body?’
‘I’m fighting for my kids. All of Nga Puhi does not agree with this. We will never cede our sovereignty. Under He Whakaputanga you have no authority over us, to make laws over us or our territory.’
‘Don’t touch her, she’s not breaking the law,’ said a male bystander to police.
‘I’m not hurting anybody. Why have you got your hands on me? Please take your hands off me and my baby,’ she said.
The male bystander then asks police, ‘Who are you with? The New Zealand Police? You’ve sworn an oath to uphold the rights and freedoms of the New Zealand people, not the government.’