A former high-profile New Zealand television and radio presenter has taken aim at the government and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in a controversial and bizarre anti-vaccine rant. Video / Liz Gunn via YouTube
A former high-profile New Zealand television and radio presenter has taken aim at the government and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in a controversial and bizarre anti-vaccine rant online over the weekend.
Former Breakfast, Good Morning and RNZ presenter Liz Gunn made an emotional claim, saying Friday's earthquake that hit the central North Island was Mother Nature's response to Ardern's announcement about new vaccination targets, passports and the traffic light system.
In a video online, Gunn relayed a message saying the worst part of the jab and traffic light system is its ability to "separate us" from one another.
The former presenter then hit out at Ardern claiming mandatory vaccinations are "rape" and that Mother Earth is rising up against a "tyrannical" leader.
"We will rebuild this country. Our Mother Earth at the same time I mentioned two events [that] happened today [Friday]."
The first, she said, was the Government's evil plan - "it's the only way I can put it".
"The second was our Mother Earth creating an earthquake around Taumarunui just after she made her announcement," Gunn said.
"Our mother, our jewel, this beautiful country said enough! Enough! I need other mothers to stand and with them the men who love their strength and power."
"Because it is the mothers who know what is going on. The poisoning of our children, the poisoning of our air, the poisoning of our air, the poisoning of our waters. The poisoning of New Zealand with these terrible ideas.
"These completely misguided lies Ardern is telling us. The poisoning with arrogant tyrannical leaders. All of this is it stops with this earthquake. That's what our mother was explaining to us. We must listen to her. Even those who think Ardern is amazing.
"Stop and think, what will this country be like in a generation or two generations if a leader like this is allowed to jab rape. Because it is rape to force something in someone's body."
Her video was posted on Saturday. In it, she also said the introduction of vaccine passports was a way to divide the nation and segregate people with different vaccine statuses from one another.
Gunn had previously been with TVNZ between 1990 and 2003.
Liz Gunn and Mike Hosking hosted Breakfast together in 2001 before Gunn quit live on-air.
She was part of the original TVNZ Breakfast team alongside Mike Hosking and Susan Wood in 1997.
In 2001, Gunn took Alison Mau's place as host, forming a team alongside Hosking.
But she sparked headlines in December that year when she quit the programme live on air. At the time, it was reported that Gunn and Hosking had not clicked as a presenting team but TVNZ bosses were left scrambling when Gunn told viewers she wouldn't be back in 2002.
During that time, Gunn also worked at Radio New Zealand, hosting a number of shows before finishing up in 2016.
I am struggling to get my head around the clip of Liz Gunn I saw this morning. I just can't understand the radical change to extreme conspiracist. Is nobody close to her saying "C'mon Liz. Stop. Think."?
Her rant comes after Ardern announced on Friday that New Zealand would move to a traffic light system to manage Covid-19 when District Health Boards have 90 per cent of its eligible population vaccinated.
When each DHB hit this target, the new framework would come into effect. The traffic light system makes use of vaccine certificates.
Businesses will be able to continue to operate at each of the risk levels, and each setting can be used in a highly targeted and localised way, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said.
However, she warned those who aren't vaccinated they won't be able to share in some of the freedoms other Kiwis enjoy.
"Vaccinations are our armour," Ardern said when announcing the target and new traffic light system.
"They help keep us safe. If you want summer, get vaccinated. If you want a haircut, get vaccinated. If you want to go to a gym or a sports event, get vaccinated. If you're not vaccinated, there will be everyday things that you will miss out on," Ardern said.
How traffic light system will work
Red
is for when the virus is spreading in a way that threatens the most vulnerable and could overwhelm the health system.
Education will be open but with public health measures, masks will be needed and there will be caps and physical distancing requirements.
At the red level, someone without a vaccine certificate cannot dine at a restaurant, attend a gathering of more than 10 people or go to the gym.
Auckland will move into red when each of its three DHBs hit the 90 per cent target.
Ardern said the Government gave a lot of consideration to how religious groups and marae could gather and that is why it was only fair they could use vaccine certificates to ensure they are able to continue getting together.
Some countries have not included faith-based groups in their vaccine certificate systems.
Those that chose not to use the vaccine-based system would face tougher gathering restrictions.
Ardern said the new framework was about being able to live our lives as safely as possible.
The alert level system could still be used if it was needed again, but a new playbook was needed in the context of vaccines - and that's what the traffic light system is.
"I have no doubt we will do what it takes once again, and move forward safely together."
