More than 100 Defence Force personnel have refused to get the Covid-19 vaccine, with the likelihood they'll be moved off from posts outside MIQ facilities as a result, Peeni Henare says.
The Defence Minister told Q+A there are a number of people in the military, who are deemed frontline workers, who have decided against getting the jab for Covid-19.
"In a recent visit to the Linton army camp, we've spoken to a large number of those who had already received [their Covid-19 vaccines]. It's been identified to me that there are a number ... just over a 100 or so, who have chosen not to," he says.
So far, close to 9000 uniformed personnel have been received their first dose of the Pfizer jab, with about half having received their second dose, Henare says.
Henare says he's willing to sit down with anyone who had refused the vaccine to talk through their concerns.
"We're going to continue to engage with them. I've offered, as I have in Maori communities around the country, to actually sit down, talk them through and answer the questions they might have."
For those who remain adamantly against getting the jab, Henare says there will be further talks about where they will go within the Defence Force that doesn't put them or the public at risk.
"They wouldn't necessarily play a role in MIQ or the border at the moment, because that's where we need people to have the best protection to continue with that particular deployment."
As to whether they will have a place inside the Defence Force at all without being vaccinated is "not a decision for [him]", he says.
Graham Le Gros of the Vaccine Alliance Aotearoa says there’s still a lot to learn about the jab. (Source: Other)
It comes as RNZ reported on Friday the Defence Force had threatened to sack service members who hadn't gotten the Covid-19 vaccine.
Chief of Defence Force Air Marshal Kevin Short issued a stern warning to personnel on the Defence Force's internal network. Short says people had the choice to refuse the vaccine, but it would come with consequences.
"Electing to not meet the baseline immunisation readiness criteria will result in a review of an individual's future service," he says.
"I acknowledge that there will be a very small number of people who are unable to be vaccinated for medical reasons."
One Defence Force employee told RNZ the move was unethical.
But Short says "it's reasonable that the government and New Zealanders would expect the Defence Force to be ready to support the government's priorities, in this case the highest priority is actually protection of the border".
It was a decision made on a case-by-case basis, but "they may have their employment terminated", he told RNZ's Morning Report.
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