Freedom Markets taking over in NZ!

Here's the link to the article: https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/127399025/covid19-popular-markets-stall-holders-start-new-event-ignoring-safety-rules

Here's the copy of the article:

Covid-19: Popular market's stall holders start new event 'ignoring' safety rules.

A popular market in a holiday hot spot has been severely affected by divisions amongst its stallholders.

Motueka Market normally hosts more than 100 stalls at its weekly Sunday event but more than half of its stallholders have left in favour of a market in Richmond set up under more relaxed Covid-19 regulations which a Motueka councillor says could be “careless”.

The popular Motueka Sunday Market has a 24-year history of drawing the crowds and stallholders from all over the Nelson region, but sticking to Covid regulations has seen traders take exception and form their own weekly event.

Motueka Sunday Market manager Judy Roper said she was “devastated”.

“I’ve simply tried to do the right thing by the community.”

She said her market was operating within the Covid-19 framework, requiring public-facing stallholders to wear masks, regardless of face covering exemptions, display QR Codes and a hold vaccine pass.

“What needs to be understood is that the Freedom Market in Richmond is not doing the same. They are making a virtue of ignoring any safety measures.”

Roper said asking stallholders for vaccination passes was the catalyst for the mass exodus along with asking them to wear masks for the community’s protection. Operators holding a mask exemption could only work “behind the scenes, definitely not face the public”, she said.

The region’s other well-established Saturday market, Nelson Market, has also been following Covid-19 guidelines. It does not require stallholders to be vaccinated, but face masks are mandatory and stallholders are required to offer accessible sanitiser.

Nelson Market manager Nita Knight said she was running a business while keeping the community “as safe as possible”.

Motueka-ward councillor David Ogilivie said he visited the Motueka Sunday Market weekly and the loss of stalls was visible.

“If Nelson and Motueka are following the rules, shouldn’t Richmond be following the same sort of rules? It seems different rules are being applied for each of the three markets, [and] Richmond is benefiting because they’re being very liberal, or careless.”

But he didn’t think there was any risk to the future of Motueka Sunday Market.

Nelson Market manager Nita Knight said she was running a business while keeping the community “as safe as possible”.

Motueka-ward councillor David Ogilivie said he visited the Motueka Sunday Market weekly and the loss of stalls was visible.

“If Nelson and Motueka are following the rules, shouldn’t Richmond be following the same sort of rules? It seems different rules are being applied for each of the three markets, [and] Richmond is benefiting because they’re being very liberal, or careless.”

But he didn’t think there was any risk to the future of Motueka Sunday Market.

“The key thing is the space. Both Nelson and Motueka are dealing with a confined space.”

Stall numbers have gradually grown, reaching more than 100 stalls on Boxing Day, this included health and well-being stalls, a hairdresser, florist, food, crafts and produce, many trading without face masks.

Cameron said most vendors held legitimate face mask exemptions, and a lot of people there were “pro-choice”.

“We’re a real mixture of those who have been vaccinated and those who have not.”

Market-goers were free to choose whether they wore a mask, she said.

If people were not wearing masks, it signalled they had an exemption, she said.

Complaints had been laid against the market being non-compliant, she said, but Worksafe had visited the site and been in touch with no further restrictions implemented, she said.

Nelson’s status is currently orange in the Government’s traffic light system.

Under orange regulations, events can go ahead, provided a My Vaccine Pass is used for entry and face coverings are worn. Examples of events include community fairs. Meanwhile, close proximity businesses, including hairdressers and massage therapists are required to hold a My Vaccine Pass and wear a face mask.

The organisations responsible for insuring regulations are followed include Worksafe and Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE).

Tasman District Council communications manager Chris Choat said councils had no ability to enforce the rules. The landowners were responsible for how leaseholders used the land, he said.

“It’s not our facility, we have no powers.”

The land is leased from Nelson A & P Showgrounds and its office and show manager Annette Robinson said it did not get involved in how the market ran its event.

“It is completely up to them.”

A police spokesperson said the police did not enforce Covid-19 rules.

Stuff approached MBIE and Worksafe for confirmation about market regulations but they did not respond. The Ministry of Health and the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet referred Stuff to MBIE and Worksafe for responses.