Kawe kōrero | Media coverage
As the communities of Te Ika Whenua and the Murupara Medical Centre await a final decision from the Medical Council about Dr Bernard Conlon's future, we've started compiling the news stories that have been published since the Murupara Medical Centre notified its communities about the council complaint lodged in August 2021.
The complaint was filed by a health organisation in attendance at a Murupara health expo where Dr Conlon raised questions about the vaccine that he'd hoped as health professionals, he and his peers could interact at the expo for the benefit of the community to find out more about the vaccination.
Check out the media stories below.
Murupara so short of GPs, unvaccinated doctors are being flown in
RNZ - 4 May, 2023
A rural Bay of Plenty town is struggling so much to attract doctors, that its only GP is flying in unvaccinated South Island locums who can't find work elsewhere.
Bernard Conlon is currently the sole doctor at Murupara Medical Centre, and says he cannot get anyone from the region to come and work in the isolated town.
While some parts of the country were experiencing wait times for appointments of up to four weeks, in Murupara, Dr Conlon saw non-urgent patients within one or two days.
Murupara GP denied use of unapproved ivermectin drug to treat patients
Rotorua Daily Post - 15 July 2022
Murupara GP Dr Bernard Conlon has likened treating his patients without access to the unapproved ivermectin drug to entering a boxing ring with one hand tied behind his back.
Judge Robert Spear has declined his application to have medicines imported from India returned to him after they were seized at the border by Medsafe.
Contaminated ivermectin in controversial Murupara doctor's seized import, court hears
Stuff Mar 30 2022
A suspended doctor who sought to treat Covid patients with ivermectin ended up importing tainted drugs.
Details of the contamination, believed to be bacterial, emerged at Tauranga District Court, where Dr Bernard Conlon is battling the Ministry of Health over the seized medicines.
“Aua hoki” – Bernard Conlon mō te pūwerotanga mō te mate Kowheori
Te Karere - 22 March 2022
Ko te tākuta e noho ana ki Ruatāhuna, arā ko Bernard Conlon tēra e whakahē ana i te whakaputanga o te kano ārai, mate Kowheori-19. I kōrero a Taroi Black ki a ia, ki ētahi tūroro anō hoki āna, e pā ana ki ōna whakaaro mō te mate nei.
Ruatāhuna doctor speaks to Te Karere after being suspended by Medical Council
Te Karere - 21 March 2022
He pūrongo motuhake tēnei, e āta tiro nei ki te hāpori o Ruatāhuna, he wāhi kua pāngia e te mate kōwheori.
This report from Taroi Black who travelled the Eastern Bay of Plenty last week to collect these stories.
Covid-19: Anti-vaccine Murupara GP suspended pending further investigation
RNZ - 10 February 2022
For the first time, the Medical Council has confirmed an anti-vax Murupara GP has been suspended.
Dr Bernard Conlon has pushed anti-vax views on the Murupara Medical Centre's Facebook page for months, calling the vaccine "a gene therapy injection".
A junior doctor wrote to Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins late last year, concerned that Conlon was describing vaccinated patients as "magnetic" in recorded notes.
In a statement, the Medical Council's chair Dr Curtis Walker (Te Whakatōhea, Ngāti Porou) said the GP "has been suspended pending investigation".
"Council's primary purpose is to ensure that doctors are competent and fit to practice, to ensure the health and safety of New Zealanders and we take these matters very seriously."
Murupara doctor notified of suspension
Update from Murupara Medical Centre - 02 February 2022
Dr Bernard Conlon of the Murupara Medical Centre will be suspended from this Friday, (4 Feb 2022), following confirmation from the Medical Council.
So far, Murupara has had eight positive cases of Covid-19. All of them have recovered well.
Dr Conlon isn’t surprised by the news of his suspension but can’t comprehend why it’s happening before an investigation into allegations received by the council.
“To take me out of practice after three decades of dedicated service to my community is frankly difficult to comprehend, especially with winter coming and Covid-19 at our gates.”
To read his full update including his rebuttal of the Medical Council decision click on the button below.
Murupara doctor suspended from practising medicine after 30 years
Rotorua Daily Post - 1 February 2022
Murupara's GP of 30 years standing, Dr Bernard Conlon, is to be suspended from practising medicine as of Friday.
Local Democracy Reporting reported two weeks ago that Dr Conlon had been informed by the Medical Council of New Zealand that it intended to suspend him.
Yesterday, Dr Conlon told the Whakatane Beacon the council had informed him his practising certificate would be suspended from February 4 pending an investigation. He said he would be instructing his legal team to challenge the decision in court.
Murupara GP Dr Bernard Conlon to be suspended pending further investigation
New Zealand Herald - 21 January 2022
Murupara GP Bernard Conlon says he has received notification from the Medical Council of New Zealand that it intends to suspend him before the investigation into the various complaints laid against him.
A complaint was first made against Conlon after he made public comments questioning informed consent in pregnant women and children at a Māori health hui in August.
Further complaints about Conlon's professional conduct were made to Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins by an unnamed junior doctor.
Covid-19: Anti-vax GP speaks out against doctor who reported him
RNZ - 17 January 2022
An anti-vax GP has lashed out at a trainee doctor who raised concerns about misinformation in patient notes.
Last week RNZ revealed Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins had received a letter, accusing Murupara Medical Centre GP Dr Bernard Conlon, of describing Covid-vaccinated patients as "magnetic" in medical records.
The letter also described when Conlon "literally jumped out of" his chair and "clapped hands in celebration" when he saw Murupara was "at the bottom of the league table for vaccinations".
Murupara Medical Centre responds to RNZ story published 14 January 2022
Murupara Medical Centre - 15 January 2022
The Murupara Medical Centre reacts to article published by RNZ as a result of ministerial emails being released to the state broadcaster under the Official Information Act.
You can read the surgery's reaction to the story via its Facebook post.
Covid-19: Doctor recording vaccinated patients as 'magnetic' in clinic notes
RNZ - 14 January 2022
A New Zealand doctor has been accused of writing clinic notes describing Covid-19-vaccinated patients as "magnetic".
A colleague who discovered the records was so concerned, they wrote to Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins.
The ministerial emails have been released to RNZ under the Official Information Act.
Doctor challenges seizure of ivermectin, the unapproved Covid-19 drug he imported for patients
Stuff - 24 December 2021
Murupara GP Bernard Conlon is taking legal action to force Medsafe to release a supply of ivermectin he is trying to import for his patients.
Conlon, who is unvaccinated and says he has taken the unapproved Covid-19 treatment himself with no ill-effects, has filed a case in the Rotorua District Court seeking a judicial review of a Medsafe decision to confiscate his consignment of ivermectin.
The drug is used to de-worm livestock and to treat a very limited number of parasitic diseases in humans, but the Ministry of Health has warned it could cause serious harm if used to treat or prevent Covid-19.
Murupara sticks to local GP's advice as Covid-19 numbers rise
Te Ao News - 23 December 2021
The small Bay of Plenty town of Murupara is bracing itself as Covid starts to spread among its highly un-vaccinated population. The town already has four cases.
According to Ministry of Health data, just over half, or 51.6% of Murupara's eligible population is fully vaccinated, with only 67% having had their first dose. However, just 48.9% of its Māori population is fully vaccinated.
Battling Covid with Vitamin D, mouthwash, and a dose of stupidity
Stuff - 11 December 2021
OPINION: My aunty told me she was not getting the Covid vaccine, or in her words, “I’m not getting that s... injected into me, do you know what they put in it?”
I told her I did not – but neither did she.
She then told me she was going to get a prescription for Vitamin D, as suggested in a newsletter circulated by her medical centre, to help her fight off Covid should the virus reach Murupara – but it’s not a matter of ‘if’ it will reach the former forestry town - it’s a matter of when.
Covid-19 Delta outbreak: Murupara Medical Centre slammed over social media post
Rotorua Daily Post - 25 November 2021
Murupara Medical Centre has been slammed for ''quackery'' and "misuse of power" after one
of its social media posts claimed betadine, mouthwash, and vitamins could form part of a Covid-19 ''first-aid kit''.
The social media post headed "Community Covid First Aid Kit" contains a number of items -including Betadine, essential oils or cetylpyridinium chloride, as well as vitamin supplements.
Dr Bernard Conlon and his wife, Dr Britta Noske, are two of four GPs at the medical centre.
Mandate leaving Murupara medical services reduced
Sun Media - 10 November 2021
Murupara Medical Centre will be reducing services from next week due to the Government’s mandatory vaccination order.
The vaccination order requires all health practitioners and all workers in close proximity to health practitioners providing services to members of the public to have received their first Covid-19 injection by November 15.
Two of the centre’s four GPs Dr Bernard Conlon and his wife, Dr Britta Noske have announced that they will be providing Telehealth services only from Tuesday onward.
Hundreds expected at rally to support Murupara GP Dr Bernard Conlon
NZ Herald - 05 November 2021
A rally is being organised for next weekend to support Murupara GP Dr Bernard Conlon, who is being investigated by the Medical Council for comments he made about the Pfizer vaccine.
Hundreds are expected to turn out to protest against their GP of 30 years being investigated by a Professional Conduct Committee of the Medical Council. The committee has been set the task of deciding if Dr Conlon should go before the Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal, which could result in him being barred from practising medicine.
Rally to support Murupara GP
Sun Media - Friday 05 November 2021
A rally is being organised for next weekend to support Murupara GP Dr Bernard Conlon, who is being investigated by the Medical Council for comments he made about the Pfizer vaccine.
Hundreds are expected to turn out to protest their GP of 30 years being investigated by a Professional Conduct Committee of the Medical Council.
Medical Council Delays Final Decision On Complaint Against Murupara Doctor
Thursday, 4 November 2021 - Media release
The Murupara Medical Centre’s lead GP, Doctor Bernard Conlon (FRNZCGP), has written an open letter to the Medical Council following its decision to set up an investigative entity to further scrutinise a complaint against him.
Dr Conlon appeared before the Medical Council last month (October 2021) because of raising concerns at a health expo in Murupara in August. At that time he questioned informed consent for children and pregnant women regarding the Covid-19 Pfizer vaccination.
Murupara dubbed least vaccinated population in NZ
TVNZ's Marae - 31 October 2021
Murupara is said to be the least vaccinated place in Aotearoa and community leaders there have been accused of fuelling it because of fear and doubt. Reporter, Jodi Ihaka, visited Murupara and spoke to Ngāti Manawa kaumatua, Pem Bird, and local GP, Dr Bernard Conlon.
Note: You'll need a TVNZ On Demand account to access this story
Murupara Medical Centre response to RNZ
Murupara Medical Centre - 22 October 2021
On 21 October 2021, the Murupara Medical Centre received a media inquiry from RNZ which lead to the story entitled; Murupara vax rate hindered by kaumatua, local doctor. Dr Bernard Conlon responded to the RNZ producer and published his response on the centre's Facebook page saying he wanted to share his response with his patients.
Bird calls for vaccine choice
Waatea News 19 October 2021
The tiny Bay of Plenty township of Murupara continues to be one of the lowest areas in the country for vaccination, with some of its most prominent citizens leading the change.
Only 32 per cent of Murupara’s 1400 people have received their first dose.
Vaccines by suburb data: Murupara slowest in NZ
Sun Media - 08 October 2021
Murupara in Bay of Plenty is the lowest vaccinated town or suburb in the country.
The Ministry of Health has released a suburb-by-suburb breakdown of vaccination data current to October 6.
Only 32.6 per cent of people in Murupara's population of about 1400 people had one vaccination, while just 16.1 per cent were double-dosed - both statistics accounting for the lowest rates in the country.
Town rallies around doctor facing scrutiny over Covid-19 consent comments
Stuff - 10 September 2021
A Murupara doctor could face medical watchdog scrutiny over comments around informed consent for Covid vaccinations, despite the community rallying round their GP and local leaders saying there was no anti-vax message.
Dr Bernard Conlon is under the spotlight for comments made last month at a Māori health expo at the Murupara Medical Centre.