Low Maori Vaccination Rates

Lindsay Mitchell has been researching and commenting on welfare since 2001. Many of her articles have been published in mainstream media and she has appeared on radio, tv and before select committees discussing issues relating to welfare. Lindsay is also an artist who works under commission and exhibits at Wellington, New Zealand, galleries.

John Tamihere on low Maori vaccination rates:

“When 30 per cent of our people are on the dole, earning under $28,000 a year, and another 30 per cent earning less than $50,000, working their guts out while supporting families – there are bigger things on their mind than getting vaccinated.”

1. “On the dole” and “earning” do not belong in the same sentence.

2. Whatever JT means by “on the dole” those people, more than most,  have the time to prioritise free vaccinations.

3. I have some sympathy with the 30 per cent who are low-income earners, often working more than one job, or long hours. Vaccination centres need to be open when their targets are available. But many will also be ‘essential workers’ with employers facilitating and prioritising vaccinations.

Yet again we see a Maori leader adopting a defeatist, apologist attitude. ‘It’s too hard. Accessibility is racially restricted. It’s not our fault.’

If he wants more Maori to be vaccinated he should stop dishing out bogus reasons why they aren’t.

Perhaps the ‘soft bigotry of low expectations’ is a form of self-inflicted racism?

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