NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / New Zealand

'I'll take you on a boot ride': Northland nurse's life threatened by anti-vaxxer

Avina Vidyadharan
By Avina Vidyadharan
Multimedia journalist·Northern Advocate·
13 Dec, 2021 01:21 AM5 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

    Reminder, this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read.

Registered Nurse Hanibrez Sipu says vaccinators are receiving the heat of the vaccine mandate. Photo / Tania Whyte

Registered Nurse Hanibrez Sipu says vaccinators are receiving the heat of the vaccine mandate. Photo / Tania Whyte

A Northland nurse has spoken out about the abuse and harassment she has received describing it 'like we are walking around with a target on our back'.

Hanibrez Sipu who is working as a Covid vaccinator talked about the threats faced by many health professionals as a result of the vaccine mandate.

"They have been mandated to get vaccinated and so have no choice, and they end up reflecting that anger and frustration out on us."

Last week, Sipu received a threat from a parent who had come with their child to be vaccinated.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"This parent asked me if I was going to kill their child – to which I replied no.

"Then she asked if I could be sued if the child died, and I politely denied and said that's not how it works.

"At this point, she looked at me straight and said 'If I can't do that, then I'll take you on a boot ride'."

Sipu said she was upset but kept her composure because she had her nursing hat on at the time and "I cannot bite back" at the comments she made.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

She continued with the vaccination, however, Sipu said it was really upsetting to hear that.

"We are all stressed out, tired and burnt out, and the last thing you want to hear when you are feeling all these emotions is that somebody turning around and threatening your life.

Discover more

New Zealand

Officials expect 95 Covid cases a day in Northland as region braces for influx

12 Dec 04:00 PM
New Zealand

Businesses 'very distressed' by potential impact of checkpoints

10 Dec 04:00 PM
New Zealand

Bleak festive season for unvaxxed DHB staff made redundant

27 Dec 05:00 PM
New Zealand|politics

Police investigating threat against PM delivered to Kerikeri homes

11 Jan 04:00 PM

"I do not take these threats too lightly."

The 29-year-old posted a TikTok video on Thursday to highlight this incident because she said "it is now happening so often".

Sipu reflected that sometimes people forget registered nurses were also human beings and just doing their jobs.

"I feel sometimes the registered nurses are afraid to speak up because one - their job in on line and two - they don't want their name tarnished.

"I may be a registered nurse, but I am also a human, a mother, a daughter, a sister, an aunty ... we just wear different hats.

"At that moment, I was just broken, so I needed to get it out there. People need to know about the way they are speaking to vaccinators, whether they are against the vaccine or the mandate, the anger should not be portrayed towards the vaccinators.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"It is not us who is making policies and we shouldn't be the target.

"We are listening to the Ministry of Health and doing what they have asked us to do. We are just doing our part to protect our community.

"We shouldn't be receiving the heat. It is like we are walking around with a target on our back."

Sipu started her job as a vaccinator in July this year and since then has vaccinated more than 3000 people in Northland. She has worked two jobs - seven days a week - to boost vaccination in the wider community, without taking a single holiday since July.

Sipu hoped to receive some sort of protection for the vaccinators and said Northland was getting closer to that small percentage of people who are really hesitant and with this tiny portion of people, they were going to receive a massive pushback.

"At the moment, I wonder whether this is the right profession for me, my life is being threatened. I am glad I have a support system behind me."

Associate Health Minister Peeni Henare (left) with Hanibrez Sipu (right) and vaccinators from the Te Hau Awhiowhio o Otangarei Trust. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Associate Health Minister Peeni Henare (left) with Hanibrez Sipu (right) and vaccinators from the Te Hau Awhiowhio o Otangarei Trust. Photo / Michael Cunningham

NDHB Northland Vaccination Programme senior responsible officer Jeanette Wedding said Government funding for the Covid-19 Vaccination Programme covered operational costs for vaccination clinics run by Northland DHB, Maori health and other community providers.

Programme delivery costs, such as security, are covered in the funding, she said.

"Northland DHB has security staff assigned to community clinics, and DHB staff are trained to respond appropriately in situations that present an escalating risk.

"We do not tolerate any abuse or threats against our staff and encourage them to report any concerns or risks. We have policies and processes in place to manage and mitigate these, including reporting serious incidents to Northland Police.

"An Employee Assistance Programme is in place to allow staff access to counselling services should they need any additional support.

"Other vaccination providers in the region manage the logistics of their own clinics, so we are unable to comment on the measures in place across all vaccination clinics in Northland.

"However, Northland DHB would offer support to any providers who are concerned about security, to implement plans that ensure the safety of their staff.

"Healthcare workers who are delivering the Northland Vaccination Programme have, and continue to, work incredibly hard to ensure that our community is protected against Covid-19.

"Northland DHB asks that all staff are treated with kindness and patience as any abuse will not be tolerated and as required, incidents will be reported to Northland Police."

Sipu started making TikTok videos to raise awareness in the community, assisting them with their whakapapa, and making sure they have access to the right information, so they can make their decision and get vaccinated without feeling they are pressured into doing so.

Some of her videos received more than 64,000 views and she said most feedback she received was positive.

Save

    Share this article

    Reminder, this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read.

Latest from New Zealand

New Zealand

Heavy rain warnings extended as front sits over central North Island

03 Jul 09:22 AM
New Zealand

Fatal crash charge: 20-year-old to face court over Southland tragedy

03 Jul 08:09 AM
New Zealand

'Needs to be killed': Gang president allegedly ordered fatal attack on fellow member

03 Jul 08:00 AM

There’s more to Hawai‘i than beaches and buffets – here’s how to see it differently

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from New Zealand

Heavy rain warnings extended as front sits over central North Island

Heavy rain warnings extended as front sits over central North Island

03 Jul 09:22 AM

Rain started falling at the top of the country before dawn.

Fatal crash charge: 20-year-old to face court over Southland tragedy

Fatal crash charge: 20-year-old to face court over Southland tragedy

03 Jul 08:09 AM
'Needs to be killed': Gang president allegedly ordered fatal attack on fellow member

'Needs to be killed': Gang president allegedly ordered fatal attack on fellow member

03 Jul 08:00 AM
How student loan penalties are keeping Kiwis from returning home

How student loan penalties are keeping Kiwis from returning home

03 Jul 07:49 AM
From early mornings to easy living
sponsored

From early mornings to easy living

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP