NICHOLAS PRICE AGAINST STUFF

Overview

CASE NO: 3129

RULING BY THE NEW ZEALAND MEDIA COUNCIL ON THE COMPLAINT OF NICHOLAS PRICE AGAINST STUFF

FINDING: INSUFFICIENT GROUNDS TO PROCEED

DATE: OCTOBER 2021

Stuff published an article on October 11, 2021 headlined Job termination and no compensation likely for unvaccinated worker.

Nicholas Price complained the article and headline appeared as legal advice that was likely to be misleading and inaccurate. It was also bullying and would add stress to those who wanted to protect their rights under the Nuremberg Code. This was counterproductive in the vaccination campaign by showing opinion rather than fact and that Stuff might be seen as aiding and abetting an international crime through improper propaganda.   He asked for Stuff to remove the article and apologise.

The Media Council considered this article to be a straightforward report of the opinions of legal experts who agreed on the likely legality of employment termination without compensation for people who refused vaccine mandates.  The headline accurately reflected their views.

The Council notes that the Nuremberg code sets out the requirement for voluntary consent to human experimentation. It is hard to argue that Covid vaccines could now be regarded as experimental; medical authorities in many countries have approved and recommended the vaccines as effective and safe and over 6 billion doses have been administered globally.  The Ministry of Health also recently advised the code has no status in NZ law.

The Council also notes that the article did not express a concluded legal view. The legal experts used the word “likely” and they are expressing their opinions.

There were insufficient grounds to proceed.