Voices for Freedom was founded by Claire Deeks, Alia Bland and Libby Jonson. Three passionate Kiwi mums intent on making sure our beautiful country remains a safe and free place for our families and friends.

Between us, we have a ton of skills, knowledge, and enthusiasm that we bring to Voices for Freedom including legal experience, education, online business and marketing, and community development.

We are independent and not allied with any other organisation in New Zealand.

Our supporters represent a diverse cross section of New Zealand society. Being non-political we do not discriminate on the basis of political affiliation.

We built our database independently and continue to experience rapid growth with supporters numbering in their many thousands.

Voices For Freedom maintains a presence on a variety of social media channels as is the usual practice for any organisation.

Yes. Voices For Freedom is the trading name of the not for profit organisation legally incorporated and registered in New Zealand having three directors and shareholders Claire Deeks, Alia Bland and Libby Jonson.

VFF is funded through individual donations from thousands of concerned Kiwis. Funding is put towards the various projects we facilitate and the general running costs and overheads of the organisation.

To date major undertakings have included the design, printing and NZ wide distribution of 2 million flyers, design, printing and distribution nationally of thousands of large rally signs, bulk purchase merchandise and clothing, putting on several large Live in person events, hosting weekly webinars 1000+ registrants. New projects underway at this time include more signs, billboards, larger series Live events and more.

Like any well run organisation receiving funding we intend to provide basic information on finances such as to provide accountability and transparency at appropriate junctures and at least annually.

We have an Admin Team which meets weekly to discuss the main administrative tasks and to ensure we’re all on the same page with how the day to day tasks are fitting into the broader plans. Members of this team meet fornightly online with the local group coordinators (of which there are ~50).

We have an Executive Team that meets fortnightly to go over our larger picture projects and to keep us tracking on our monthly and bigger picture goals. This team includes some members of the Admin Team alongside experts in business operations, marketing and social media.

We have a panel of professional advisors (including doctors, lawyers, accountants both from New Zealand and overseas) that we are able to tap into on a regular basis whether that is daily or weekly as matters arise.

Due to the nature of our work the experts and advisors in the exec team and panel prefer that we not identify them at this time.

We are creating something special and different in New Zealand, at least so far as the approach is concerned. This means that generally, for the moment, Voices For Freedom will not be officially involved in typical protest events. That said, we 100% support Kiwis standing up and speaking out. This includes supporters of Voices For Freedom who have attended (and continue to attend) many events.

We are proponents of courageous and respectful conversations and a new kind of strategy that doesn’t have traditional protest as a focus. That’s not to say we won’t be visible and out in the streets. We are and we will be even more so in the future. But it’ll be different to the usual. Look out for our pop up surveys and stands in the street.

Unless Voices for Freedom, or one of our local coordinators, advises that we have organised a rally or event – assume Voices for Freedom is not involved. Any large scale public events that we do authorise will be detailed on our website so you can check there too.

Voices for Freedom T-shirts are available through our online shop.

We cannot take responsibility for the actions of everyone wearing a Voices for Freedom t-shirt, however when someone wears one they may be seen to represent our community.

Voices for Freedom stands for integrity, honour and respect, and we encourage people to respond calmly and respectfully, even when opposed or challenged. If people ask you about Voices for Freedom, you can’t go wrong if you stick to the basics, are polite, and refer them to our website.

Anyone behaving aggressively, with violence, or unlawfully does not act with the authority of Voices for Freedom.

Voices for Freedom strongly condemns any and all racism, hate-speech or any other divisive, prejudiced or hateful rhetoric. We are welcoming of people from all walks of life, regardless of social, racial and cultural backgrounds, religions, sexuality or political affiliation.

The Real News is published independently by Full Court Press Ltd. Voices For Freedom has no input whatsoever into this magazine’s editorial content and nor have we ever been engaged as an official distributor (as such, distribution of this publication is not an example of direct action driven by our organisation).

Voices for Freedom is not anti-vaccines. We value medical freedom and are pro-choice. We champion the right to be free from coercion and from discrimination based on vaccination status.

We advocate for New Zealanders’ rights as described within the Health and Disability Commissioner Act and hold the view that consumers’ rights are being violated with respect to the COVID-19 vaccine.

Certain sectors of the NZ public are currently experiencing coercion and discrimination and we are concerned consumers are not being accorded the right to be fully informed, make an informed choice and to give informed consent.

The science and data underpinning the public health response ought to be robust enough to withstand challenge and questioning.

The public health response needs to focus on the best outcome for all New Zealanders and should examine the whole picture, not COVID-19 disease in isolation.

Where elements of the public health response have the potential to endanger population subgroups physically, emotionally or financially then these risks must be examined in detail and carefully weighed against the proposed benefits.

Decision-making processes should be evidence-based, welcome input from a wide range of experts and not be confined to a limited or biased group. All stakeholders should be party to this decision-making.

Right now our health authorities are actively ignoring the science surrounding proactive measures such as addressing vitamin D deficiency, especially in the higher risk groups. By ignoring the evidence, the government could well be endangering the very people they purport to be seeking to protect via other measures.

There is a dearth of balanced reporting on the topic of COVID-19 and the path by which people can step away from fear and into empowerment. Little to no information is provided on the measures people can take to improve their own immunity.

Ensuring the public are well informed on their rights and the science-based actions they can take to improve their personal health is a role that Voices for Freedom will adopt with vigour.

Voices For Freedom has engaged – and will continue to engage – with public health authorities over their response to Covid-19.

We have reservations about Section 23 of the Medicines Act being used as a basis for a mass medication of any type, and particularly for it being relied upon to medicate the “team of five million” whilst clinical trials are ongoing and important questions (asked by Medsafe of Pfizer) remain outstanding.

Under section 23(1) the Minister may give “provisional consent” to the use of a new medicine where he is of the opinion that it is desirable that the medicine be sold, supplied or used on a restricted basis for the treatment of a limited number of patients. Voices for Freedom believes the Ministry of Health is operating outside of these parameters with the plan to use the rushed, experimental “medicine” on the entire population.

We are aware of a number of false allegations having been made against us in various forums. At this time we are focused on building this movement and legal action would be an unnecessary distraction. However, being that two of our founders are legally trained, rest assured that we are taking note of defamatory statements being made and will take action should we consider it appropriate.

Any volunteers that may have engaged in delivery of Voices For Freedom flyers during level 4 lockdown would be entitled to do so lawfully given the permissions relating to “recreation”. Likewise any Voices For Freedom volunteers involved in recreation involving holding signs or wearing tee-shirts in groups of people would be similarly entitled to do so.

That said, as a result of misinformation and disinformation being disseminated by various sources – including mainstream media – a majority of the public appears to have formed the erroneous belief that any type of recreation is prohibited.

Therefore, Voices For Freedom has resolved at this time that it does not authorise flyers to be delivered and nor does it authorise group pop-ups to be held during level 4 lockdown. This is for the security of volunteers who might otherwise be the subject of misguided vigilante action.

Relevant Legislation:

Clause 21(d) of the COVID-19 Public Health Response (Alert Level Requirements) Order (No 11) 2021 (“the Order”) permits people to leave their homes or places of residence to undertake exercise or other recreation in line with the clause relating to recreation in circumstances where they are maintaining two metres distance from each other (as far as is reasonably practicable).

21 Permissions for essential personal movement within alert level 4 area

A person is permitted to leave their home or place of residence to do any of the following as essential personal movement (and then return to their home or place of residence afterwards):

…

Limited recreation purposes

(d) to undertake exercise or other recreation if—

(i) it is done in an outdoor place appropriate for that kind of exercise or recreation that is readily accessible (including by using their vehicle) from their home or place of residence; and

(ii) it is done in compliance with the requirements that relate to physical distancing (see clause 22) and the prohibition against gathering in outdoor places (see clause 30); and

(iii) it does not involve swimming, surfing, scuba-diving, water-based activities involving boating, sailing boats, motorised craft, or motorised equipment, hunting in motorised vehicles, tramping, or flying manned aircraft; and

(iv) it does not involve any other activities that expose the participant to danger or may require search and rescue services:

22 Physical distancing requirements for all individuals in alert level 4 area

(1) All persons in the alert level 4 area must comply with the 2-metre physical distancing rule so far as is reasonably practicable.

30 Prohibition on gatherings in outdoor places

(1) A person must not attend a gathering in any outdoor place in an alert level 4 area.

(2) A person must not organise a gathering in any outdoor place in an alert level 4 area.

(3)This clause does not apply to—

(a) a gathering of fellow residents; or

(b) any premises referred to in section 12(2)(d) of the Act.

(4) A breach of subclause (2) is an infringement offence for the purposes of section 26(3) of the Act.

gathering—

(a) means people who are intermingling in a group; but

(b) excludes people who remain at least 2 metres away from each other so far as is reasonably practicable.