“In just three days, 20,000 New Zealanders have signed a petition for a Freedom Day of 1 December,” says ACT Leader
David Seymour.
“Traffic Light Friday has left Aucklanders feeling abandoned and held to ransom. ACT is challenging Jacinda Ardern and
Chris Hipkins to set a date for Freedom Day so we can start living our lives again.
“It’s becoming increasingly clear that the 90 per cent per DHB target is overly complicated and creates bad incentives.
“Labour’s plan means your freedom depends on the laziest person in your community. Restrictions might be dropped around
1 December, but exactly when will be decided by laggards. Every DHB reaching 90 per cent is not a realistic target and
keeps people guessing.
“What businesses, students, and people needing healthcare need is certainty.
“By 1 December, everyone will have had the chance to have had both shots and gained full immunity, and it will be time
to open up.
“ACT would take the following steps to freedom:
1. Set the date and stick to it
2. Supercharge vaccination with community partnerships and financial incentives
3. Engage every sector in all-in ‘sprints’ to reduce transmission, vaccination and death
4. Remove restrictions as we know them and get on with life.
“ACT believes in personal responsibility. At some point we have to stop waiting for the stragglers, procrastinators, and
crazies who believe anything they read online. Once everyone has had the opportunity to be vaccinated, it’s time to get
on with life.
“ACT has a plan that would get our freedom back. The Government adopted nine of the 15 recommendations in our COVID 2.0
plan. We call on them to take our COVID 3.0 recommendations, implement them, and then set a date for freedom.”