Pem Bird

{{Short description|New Zealand politician}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2018}}

{{Use New Zealand English|date=March 2018}}

File:Pem Bird MNZM (cropped).jpg

Pembroke Peraniko "Pem" Bird {{post-nominals|country=NZL|MNZM|QSM}} is a New Zealand educator and Māori community leader. From 2010 to 2013, he was President of the Māori Party.{{cite news|last1=Trevett|first1=Claire|title=Murupara's Pem Bird to step down from Maori Party|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/rotorua-daily-post/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503438&objectid=11103784|accessdate=5 January 2018|work=The New Zealand Herald|date=3 July 2013}}{{cite news|last1=Nightingale|first1=Melissa|title=Educator Pem Bird humbled to be considered worthy|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/rotorua-daily-post/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503438&objectid=11868169|accessdate=5 January 2018|work=The New Zealand Herald|date=4 June 2017}}{{cite news|last1=Nightingale|first1=Melissa|title=Queen's Birthday honours recipient Pem Bird apologises for 'foolish' driving at 169km/h|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11875454|accessdate=5 January 2018|work=The New Zealand Herald|date=13 June 2017|language=en-NZ}}

In the 2008 Queen's Birthday Honours, Bird was awarded the Queen's Service Medal, for services to education.{{cite web |url=https://dpmc.govt.nz/publications/queens-birthday-honours-list-2008 |title=Queen's Birthday honours list 2008 |date=2 June 2008 |publisher=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet |accessdate=1 February 2020}} In the 2017 Queen's Birthday Honours, he was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to education and Māori.{{cite web|title=Queen's Birthday Honours 2017 – Citations for members of the New Zealand Order of Merit|url=https://www.dpmc.govt.nz/queens-birthday-honours-2017-citations-for-members-of-the-new-zealand-order-of-merit|website=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet|publisher=New Zealand Government|accessdate=5 January 2018|date=20 June 2017}}

In 2017, Bird was ordered to complete a defensive driving course by the Teachers Disciplinary Tribunal, he was fined and disqualified from driving in September 2016 after being caught speeding at 169km/h. As a result, the tribunal stated he was not allowed to drive any student (he is Principal of a Māori Immersion School, Te Kura Kaupapa Motuhake o Tawhiuau) until he completed the course. He alleged he was being tailgated but no evidence was provided to support this. He has had over 20 driving offences.{{cite web|title=Covid 19 Delta outbreak: Murupara doesn't want Pfizer vaccine, kaumātua says|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/kahu/covid-19-delta-outbreak-murupara-doesnt-want-pfizer-vaccine-kaumatua-says/Q6AG522GP3HNNTTP7NXQNIQJ3E/|website=New Zealand Herald|publisher=NZME|accessdate=19 October 2021|date=19 October 2021}}

In October 2021, Bird came out publicly against the Pfizer vaccine, saying his community of Murupara won't be getting the jab just yet. Ministry of Health data shows that of the 1400 residents in Murupara, only 32 per cent have had their first dose and just 16 per cent are fully vaccinated.{{when|date=April 2022}}{{cite web|title=Decorated principal to face education tribunal for speeding fine|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/93377203/decorated-principal-to-face-education-tribunal-for-speeding-fine|website=Stuff|publisher=Stuff|accessdate=19 October 2021|date=6 June 2017}}

Bird has been a vocal advocate of his close friend, Dr Bernard Conlin, a local Murupara GP,{{cite web|title=Bird calls for vaccine choice

|url=https://waateanews.com/2021/10/19/bird-calls-for-vaccine-choice/|website=Waatea|publisher=Waatea|accessdate=19 October 2021|date=19 October 2021}} who has spoken out against the Covid-19 vaccine and is currently awaiting the outcome of a Medical Council hearing, after questioning the rollout of the vaccine to young people and pregnant women at a community meeting.{{cite web|title=DHB concerns about anti-vax pathologist|url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/453575/dhb-concerns-about-anti-vax-pathologist|website=RNA|publisher=RNZ |accessdate=19 October 2021|date=15 October 2021}}

Murupara is the least vaccinated town in New Zealand.{{cite web|title=Vaccinations by suburb data: Murupara slowest in NZ|url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/453117/vaccinations-by-suburb-data-murupara-slowest-in-nz|website=RNZ |publisher=RNZ |accessdate=19 October 2021|date=7 October 2021}}

In 2022, Bird joined the New Zealand Outdoors Party.{{cite web |url=https://www.politik.co.nz/the-fringe-parties-prepare-fro-the-tauranga-by-election/ |title=After the Parliament protest, the Tauranga by-election |date=4 April 2022 |work=Politik |first=Richard |last=Harman |url-access=subscription}}