NZ Covid Inquiry Deadline: A Simplified Guide to Submit Your Feedback

NZDSOS stresses the critical need for public engagement in the NZ covid-19 inquiry, so that we can promote healing and a path to a future where medical freedom is never in doubt. We urge the government to recognize the adverse effects of covid injections and mandates on citizens, doctors and healthcare practitioners and workers and commit to reclaiming control of our national health strategy. We advocate for a more comprehensive inquiry and encourage respectful, honest feedback.

Our own submission outlines concerns over lockdowns, vaccine efficacy and harms, societal impacts, and calls for a thorough investigation into the pandemic response, including public transparency and accountability. NZDSOS urges New Zealanders to support broader inquiry terms and share their covid experiences.

The deadline for providing feedback to the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) is next week. Whether you stand by the original Terms of Reference (ToR) or have insights on the expanded ToR, your input is crucial. Here’s a straightforward guide on effectively making your voice heard.

First, Understand What The Call For Feedback Is About

Before diving into submitting your feedback, it’s crucial to grasp the significance of the RCI and the ToR (again, that’s short for Royal Commission Inquiry and Terms of Reference). The RCI aims to review actions and decisions made between February 2020 and October 2022 concerning the government response to the covid pandemic.

The original Terms of Reference define this review’s scope, focus, and limits—which are too narrow and determinate to allow for a real investigation. The inquiry urgently seeks feedback on expanded terms of reference to address public concerns. Yet, crucial topics like vaccine safety remain unmentioned. However, vaccine safety can be noted under the expanded terms of “vaccine procurement”, “whether the decisions made were justified”, “whether the rules set by the government appropriately balanced covid-19 elimination with other goals (e.g. health)”, and “the extent of disruption to New Zealanders’ health.”

Your input on these matters is vital.

How to Submit Your Feedback on the Terms of Reference

Feedback is accepted electronically, allowing everyone to contribute their insights and experiences. However, it’s not as straightforward as we hoped. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

1. Provide a Written Answer with your thoughts about the expanded Terms of Reference:

Do you have specific feedback on the inclusion of these topics?

• use of multiple lockdowns;
• vaccine procurement and efficacy;
• the social and economic impacts on both regional and national levels;
• whether the decisions made, and steps taken, were justified;
• the cost-effectiveness of the Government’s policies, and whether the rules set by the Government appropriately balanced COVID-19 elimination with other goals;
• the Government’s utilisation of partnerships with business and professional groups;
• the extent of disruption to New Zealanders’ health, education and business as a result of the Government’s policies;
• if the Government’s response was consistent with the rule of law;
• how New Zealand’s pandemic preparedness compared to other countries

Prepare Your Feedback: Before visiting the Royal Commission website to give your feedback, open a separate Word document (or grab a pen and paper) and start writing. Start by outlining your key points. Consider your personal experiences, what you believe worked well, what didn’t, and how future responses could be improved. Limit your submission to3,500 characters (approximately 580 words). Remember that if a point you want to make is not specifically mentioned, such as vaccine harms, you can add this under “disruption to New Zealanders’ Health”.

2. Go to the Royal Commission Website: We highly recommend opting for a Desktop or laptop over your mobile device if feasible. On Page 1, head all the way to the bottom and click or tap on continue. Below, we’ve condensed the Supporting Information if you’re short on time.

Use the Feedback Template: To streamline the process, consider using the following template for your submission:   

3. Complete Demographic Questions 2-12 (optional)

After you submit your written feedback, you are invited to answer demographic questions about your background. Without this information, your feedback may be viewed as spam and excluded.

4. Submit Your Feedback: In the final step, the website asks for your email address if you have not already submitted it. If you do provide an email address, you will be sent a receipt and a link to a PDF copy of your response. You may continue to submit a response with or without adding your email address.

Sharing Your Story

While not mandatory, sharing personal stories within the scope of the original ToR can significantly impact the commission’s understanding and perspectives. If comfortable, include a brief account of how the events under review affected you or your community. Authentic stories can illustrate the real-world implications of decisions and policies.

Downloadable Instructions

For ease of access and to encourage widespread participation, consider creating downloadable instructions based on this guide. This can help those less familiar with digital platforms or who prefer to prepare their feedback offline before submitting it.

The People’s Terms

Additionally, NZDSOS supports The People’s Terms, an urgent, passionate call to redefine how the inquiry operates and what it will review.

This comprehensive set of terms demands a thorough investigation into critical issues:

• Removal and replacement of Commissioners Blakely and Whitehead; and
• Disbanding and replacement of all other staff currently engaged for the Commission of Inquiry; or
• Alternatively, the termination of the current Inquiry.

In addition, it will be sought that:

• Three new suitable Commissioners be appointed;
• Key decision makers be compelled to appear and answer questions under oath;
• All evidence be given in public with proceedings being live-streamed; and
• All evidence be made publicly available.

1. The Preliminary Response

• Emergency powers
• Masking, social distancing, gathering restrictions
• Modelling
• Essential vs non-essential businesses
• Government & media messaging

2. The Government Response

• Alert levels & border closures
• Coordination with global agencies (passport systems, etc.)
• Planning & cost-benefit analyses
• Overseas experience and statistical results
• Conflicts of interest

3. The Vaccine Response

• Contracts, approval processes
• Surveillance & assessment of safety and efficacy
• Mandates, incentive schemes, exemptions
• Monitoring systems & ACC Advertising

4. The Social & Economic Impacts

• Bill of Rights implications
• Excess deaths
• Budgetary effects & Inflation
• Judicial approaches
• Systems impacts: health, education, emergency services, and defence
• Economic and commercial impacts

For more detailed information, you can visit The People’s Terms website directly.

Free Speech Union – Terms of Reference Template

The Free Speech Union has also created a template to send in your feedback for the Inquiry. They have highlighted feedback for the Inquiry and you can select one
 or more of them, and the submission builder will generate
 the text for you.

You can also add a personal touch to ensure your submission is valid, 
if you think there is anything else the Royal Commission should investigate, you can add that too. For further information you can visit the Free Speech Union Inquiry site.

Final Thoughts

Even if this public process doesn’t result in the immediate outcomes we want, our voices matter. By providing thoughtful, concise, and constructive feedback, you could play a crucial role in shaping the inquiry’s direction and outcomes. Let your voice be heard and be a part of this vital conversation.