Pem Bird

Pembroke Peraniko "Pem" Bird MNZM QSM is a New Zealand educator and Māori community leader.

[4] 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.

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.

[6] In October 2021, Bird came out publicly against the Pfizer vaccine, saying his community of Murupara won't be getting the jab just yet.

][7] Bird has been a vocal advocate of his close friend, Dr Bernard Conlin, a local Murupara GP,[8] 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.