Clarke Gayford says Sir John Key should have been a “mature statesman” and encouraged Kiwis to get vaccinated, instead of spreading “disinformation” and “name slinging” in his column about the pandemic response .
The fiancé of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, tweeted on Wednesday asking whether Sir John had offered “a single new idea that wasn’t already planned, discussed or in train ?”
“It was such a shame that the name slinging [and] use of disinformation divided his contribution into partisan politics.”
Gayford said Sir John should have, instead, used his platform to “swing us all in behind the vaccine drive”.
“The win-win was sitting there. Because here’s the thing. All roads back to a semi-normal life free of restrictions, which are a burden on everyone, involve getting a shot.
“It really is as simple and yet as important as that.”
The former Prime Minister also called for the Government to take away the liberties of the unvaccinated.
Gayford concluded by saying that saving lives depended on high vaccine coverage.
“Our future and so many lives depend on it, and for selfish reasons I have a three-year-old who needs to see more of her mum.”
It comes after major news sites on Sunday published Sir John’s column containing suggestions that New Zealand was a “smug hermit kingdom” being ruled by “fear”.
To increase vaccination rates, Sir John suggested in his column that incentives should be given to Māori, Pasifika and young people to get vaccinated.
He also suggested curbing freedoms for those who hadn't gotten a vaccine, and said the Government should tell people when borders will re-open to encourage people to get jabbed.
The column was criticised by Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins .
Meanwhile, Ardern said the Government was already using many of Sir John’s “reasonable” ideas.
Pfizer also said Sir John’s claim that New Zealand could have paid $40 million more for earlier access to its vaccines was “ incorrect and baseless ”. Sir John made the claim as he was speaking to the media about his column.
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