There are 13 new cases of Covid-19 in New Zealand - 12 in the community and one in isolation. And New Zealanders were today given a strong warning not to trust unverified information they may read on social media.
A West Auckland man has come up with a genius response to a small group of Covid-19 conspiracy theorist protesters.
At 2.30pm today a group of protesters were at Oratia's Parrs Park holding signs claiming Covid-19 is a conspiracy.
The protesters, who have been there most days since the start of the second lockdown, were holding signs that said "The great Covid conspiracy" and "Wake up NZ Bill Gates was here! It's a big scam! Life never the same."
A West Auckland resident came up with a genius ploy to peacefully disrupt a Covid-19 conspiracy theory protest. Photo / Supplied
The protesters' truck also featured the word corona spelled incorrectly, as well as the term "virus plandemic" and Infowars, a right-wing conspiracy theorist website's advertising, on the back.
Frustrated at the protesters spreading conspiracies, a Glen Eden resident, who didn't want to be named, created a sign and decided to take matters into his own hands.
He parked up beside the protesters, holding his own sign that said "Covid is real, Bill Gates wasn't here. This guy is a moron" with an arrow pointing to the conspiracy theorists.
The man behind the response told the Herald he wanted to use a light-hearted reaction to get his message across to the public.
"I saw the protester there and thought, 'pspsps' what Is this guy on about? If he's there sprouting his rubbish then I'll make a counter argument. I'm going make my own sign'.
"One of the guys had a sarcastic laugh and said 'haha real funny' but then they just ignored me.
"I didn't really engage with him. They were having a conversation amongst themselves. These people are in the new dark ages."
One of the many signs used by Covid-19 conspiracy theorists. Photo / Supplied
The Covid-19 protester has been setting up camp at Parrs park since he second lockdown began. Photo / Supplied
While the man behind the cheeky sign understands people are entitled to their opinion, he says spreading blatant false information is highly dangerous.
"I kind of admire his dedication but he's spreading bulls**t. Bill Gates coming to New Zealand isn't true.
"I have a friend in New York who contracted Covid-19 and is still recovering from it. The fact people think it's a conspiracy that millions of people are behind and have died for is mind boggling."
Photos of the man's rebuttal have since appeared on social media, with locals praising him for his response.
"Wish he [the protester] could spell Corona and Pandemic first before solving conspiracy theories," one wrote.
Another said: "I love the guy with the black sign, bloody gold. True free speech at work in Aotearoa."
Conspiracy theorists wrongly claimed Bill Gates, who is supporting research into a Covid-19 vaccine, was in New Zealand in May.
They suggested a link between the Microsoft co-founder being "currently in our country" and an assertion that New Zealand is a "perfect" nation "to test and trial" a vaccine for coronavirus.
The theory claims Gates' purported "goal" of microchipping the vaccine is to be able to track people who receive it. It also claims another reason for that is it gives millions of people "without an official ID a virtual ID".
However a spokesperson for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation told AAP FactCheck that Gates was not in New Zealand in May.
"Bill has not travelled to New Zealand in 2020," the spokesperson said in an email.
In June Gates told reporters: "I've never been involved in any sort of microchip-type thing."
