Emails reveal Napier City Council bowed to pressure from anti-vaxxers, closing most of its main library earlier this year over complaints unvaccinated people couldn't use it.
An empty Napier Library this afternoon after a potentially explosive substance was found. Photo: Tom Kitchin
The council set up a 'mini-library' so unvaccinated people could come in, after it was behind other councils in enforcing vaccine passes at many of its facilities.
When the Covid-19 protection framework, or traffic light system, was introduced in early December, the council only enforced vaccine passes at a handful of its facilities.
The libraries were not included.
RNZ understands there was significant internal pressure, with a number of library staff resigning over the council's Covid-19 policy.
Staff were concerned at mixing with unvaccinated customers, due to personal safety.
However on 9 February, with a growing number of cases in the region, the council decided to mandate vaccine passes at all of its public facilities, except its outdoor roller sports park Bay Skate.
Neighbouring district Hastings changed its policy to mandating vaccine passes at most of its facilities nearly three weeks earlier.
Following the Napier council's decision on 9 February, there was significant pressure from library users opposed to vaccines.
On 23 February, council chief executive Steph Rotarangi and some police met with 48 ratepayers - mostly library users who had concerns over the vaccine mandates.
One of these people, whose name was redacted, emailed Rotarangi, asking if she had the "fortitude to see the truth, to say no to this discrimination and that you will remove the passport system without delay".
"We can see you are a passionate and considerate person. Are you really happy that you have installed a system that supports discrimination and segregates people? For no scientific reason. People that are only different because of their medical status. Is that the community that you envisaged being part of?
"Globally, we were working towards equality irrelevant on gender, race, religion etc. next minute we're facing discrimination over an experimental jab & is being deemed ok?!?" the person wrote.
After the meeting, Rotarangi sent an email to the people who attended, saying "it is important for all of us to find ways to adapt and adjust our offering to ensure continuity of service for our community and being able to hear from library users like yourself and the group yesterday has been helpful."
This is while the library staff estimated out of 22,000 active customers, about 5 percent - 1100 - would be unvaccinated.
The council ended up making changes to its library services after meeting the anti-vaccination group.
It shut its main library in central Napier, instead creating a "mini-library" in its foyer with reduced services, where vaccine passes were not required. At first, customers could only stay for 15 minutes at a time.
It also started home delivery and a 'collect and go' service, where customers could reserve a book and pick it up at the library reception.
The council's other library in the suburb of Taradale still required vaccine passes.
In an email to elected members explaining the changes, Rotarangi said: "My goal is to maintain a balance between levels of service, community needs and cost, but above all to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of our staff and all our customers".
However, in an earlier email to Rotarangi, library manager Nicola Saunders said staff may not wish to operate the mini-library, due to personal safety.
On 25 February, the council sent out a press release noting these changes.
Quoted in the release, Rotarangi said: "Kiwis have been adjusting to an ever-changing environment with Covid-19, and it is important to find ways to adapt and adjust our library offering to ensure continuity of service during the next phase of the Omicron response."
The next day, Rotarangi received an email from a person whose name was redacted, thanking her for the "time and energy to find an inclusive way forward".
But this person said they "must reiterate, ideally, I think this pass system should be dropped immediately".
"What a great idea to again let all the community walk around the library, and save the delivery service for our elderly and frail (if they wish not to come in), immunocompromised individuals, and our desperately fearful community members who have been traumatised by the two years of consistent government fear-mongering propaganda."
This person attached a letter from their 13-year-old daughter, also lambasting the council.
"Why are you letting a health choice come between people and the library?" the 13-year-old wrote.
"It's an unfair and cruel division that you have created, and as I went to the library for the last time the other day, I felt tears welling up inside my eyes, because I had hoped that the world was a better and fairer place. But this has proved me wrong. The world has gone mental, this apartheid should never ever happen!
"If it is you that has made this decision then you are either heavily manipulated by fear or you have no conscience and are very cold hearted.
"So please don't be a sheep, do what is morally right. Don't feed the madness."
After the prime minister announced the vaccine pass would be scrapped on 23 March, Napier City Council said it would phase out its requirements for vaccine passes at its public facilitates, beginning from Saturday 26 March.