Ashamed to Be a New Zealander

Testimony by Rebecca H

[address withheld]

27 April, 2025

Dear Members of the Royal Commission,

I wanted to briefly share the impact of New Zealand’s Covid-19 response during 2021-2022, on my life.

– the lockdowns caused our successful business of 17 years to go under;
– my parents who should have been allowed to enjoy a happy, peaceful retirement lost most of their friends and were immensely stressed causing irreparable harm to their health;
– having suddenly been diagnosed with breast cancer, I went through a mastectomy without my husband, kids or parents allowed to take me to or visit me in hospital due to lockdowns;
– my child aged 16 then got harassed by his maths teacher in front of his class, being called ‘selfish, stupid and irresponsible’, for not getting the Covid jab;
– my child aged 12 then, had to move to an online school to avoid nasty bullying for not getting vaccinated;
– my child aged 5 then could not understand during lockdowns how playgrounds were closed, or the beach, and why we couldn’t visit her beloved grand-parents;
– our family lost many many friends who refused to accept our different opinions;
– I faced being refused medical treatment for my advanced cancer, unless I received the vaccination that I knew could cause irreparable harm to my body – this was evil blackmail;
– my family’s pride in New Zealand was completely lost and will never be the same again. Almost everything we loved about New Zealand was damaged forever.
– my family will never ever forgive or forget what Jacinda Ardern did to New Zealand, to our friends and family, and the immense irreparable harm she caused to our country and the lies and deception. I am ashamed at the country New Zealand became and still is.

Never again should New Zealanders be forced to endure the abuse imposed by the Labour government during 2021/2022. Every New Zealander should never again have their right to make choices about their bodies, taken away, nor freedom to live in society without being punished for having different opinions.

Unless this inquiry actually recognises the extent of harm the mandates and lockdowns caused to New Zealand, you will have even more blood on your hands and consciences to match. You will live with the knowledge that you failed New Zealand when the country needed you the most. The truth must come out and you have that duty to uncover and acknowledge the harsh realities of the shameful decisions that destroyed our people and country.

Thank you for reading my personal account.
Yours faithfully,
Rebecca H