Liz Gunn

Elizabeth Jane Cooney, commonly known as Liz Gunn (born 1959/1960), is an anti-vaccination activist and a former television presenter from New Zealand.[1][2][3][4]

Broadcasting career

Gunn was a litigation lawyer before beginning her TV career on the TVNZ show Sunday in 1992.[5] From 1997 she was the first Breakfast newsreader, becoming one of the show's co-hosts (alongside Mike Hosking) in 2001. She unexpectedly quit that role on-air during the year's last episode. By then she had also begun broadcasting on Radio New Zealand.[6] Other television roles included reporting for Holmes and newsreading on TV One. Gunn moved to Australia after her TV presenting days ended in 2002, returning to New Zealand a decade later.[7] She rejoined RNZ until 2016.[8]

In 2017 she became a director and one-third shareholder of a new company, Lifeforce Water Limited.[9]

Anti-vaccination activism
See also: Sue Grey (lawyer) § Baby W case

During the 2020s she became a leader in the anti-vaccination movement in New Zealand, and championed conspiracy theories about the COVID-19 vaccine causing harm.[10][11][12] When an earthquake struck the North Island in October 2021, Gunn called it Mother Nature's response to vaccination targets (which she described as "jab rape") and other covid-related policies implemented by the "tyrannical" Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern.[13]

She was a leader and spokesperson in the 2022 protests occupying the New Zealand parliament grounds.[14]

In December 2022 she was the spokesperson for parents who refused to allow their child to have a blood transfusion using blood donations from vaccinated people.[15][16]

In February 2023 Gunn was arrested at Auckland Airport.[3] Along with a cameraman, she was there to film the arrival of an unvaccinated family arriving from Tokelau. They scuffled with a security guard and were both arrested.[17] She appeared in court the next month, charged with assault, trespass, and resisting arrest. Her plea was not guilty, and she was released on bail with her next hearing scheduled for June.[18][4]

References
  1. "Liz Gunn | NZ On Screen". NZ On Screen. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
  2. "TVNZ's Breakfast hosts – a complete history". NZ Herald. 19 April 2019. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
  3. "Liz Gunn arrested at Auckland Airport: Hilary Barry 'concerned' for former TVNZ presenter's descent into 'conspiracy realm'". New Zealand Herald. 27 February 2023. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  4. Owen, Catrin (23 March 2023). "Conspiracy theorist Liz Gunn pleads not guilty, claims she was assault victim". Stuff. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  5. "Screengraphy: Liz Gunn". NZ On Screen. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
  6. Cleave, Louisa (22 December 2001). "TVNZ chiefs stunned as Gunn quits show on air". NZ Herald. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
  7. "Profile: Liz Gunn - Presenter". NZ On Screen. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
  8. "Liz Gunn arrest: Conspiracy theorist breaks silence on Auckland Airport arrest". New Zealand Herald. 1 March 2023. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
  9. "HORITY LIFEFORCE WATER LIMITED (6267852) Registered". New Zealand Companies Office. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
  10. Hewett, William (19 January 2022). "COVID-19: Liz Gunn goes off in furious rant after being asked for evidence of children collapsing at North Shore vaccination centre". Newshub. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
  11. Venuto, Damien (19 January 2022). "The sad spiral of Liz Gunn down the Covid conspiracy rabbit hole". NZ Herald. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
  12. Reeve, Dylan (25 January 2022). "No, five kids didn't collapse at a vaccination site. So who said they did?". The Spinoff. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
  13. "Former NZ television presenter Liz Gunn claims earthquake was Mother Nature's response to Jacinda Ardern's Covid-19 announcement". New Zealand Herald. 23 March 2023. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  14. "Liz Gunn coughs through Counterspin appearance days after Wellington anti-mandate protest ends". Newshub. 8 March 2022. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
  15. Sharma, Akula (8 December 2022). "'Urgent surgery': Baby's parents abandon legal fight in vaccine-blood case". NZ Herald. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
  16. Mitchell, Charlie (10 December 2022). "Liz Gunn and the 'purebloods': How the baby blood donor story unfolded". Stuff. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
  17. "Conspiracy theorist and former TV presenter Liz Gunn arrested at Auckland Airport". New Zealand Herald. 26 February 2023. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  18. Sowman-Lund, Stewart (23 March 2023). "Broadcaster turned conspiracy theorist Liz Gunn appears in court". The Spinoff. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
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