Sailing: Kiwi sailor Russell Coutts rails against Government's Covid-19 vaccine mandates

Russell Coutts in his role as chief executive of the SailGP series. Photo / Getty

Former sailor Russell Coutts has hit out at the Government over its Covid response for the second time in as many weeks, this time criticising vaccine mandates.

The multimillionaire last week railed against a perceived loss of freedom in New Zealand, with Coutts saying life had "returned to normal" in the rest of the world, as the official global death toll from Covid-19 ticked past 5 million.

Now the 59-year-old has described it as a "tragedy that people are losing their jobs", lashing out at vaccine requirements on Facebook.

"The fact that we've apparently lost that freedom of choice, the right to consult our own trusted medical professional and make our own health decisions, seems like we are now very far away from our democratic roots," Coutts wrote. "Surely such a radical position should be the subject of a national referendum?"

Almost 89 per cent of the eligible population in New Zealand has received at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.

Last month, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety Michael Wood announced all workers where customers must show vaccination certificates were required to be vaccinated or risk losing their jobs.

The mandate, widely welcomed by the business sector, includes those in the hospitality sector, gyms, barbers and hairdressers.

But Coutts said "forced vaccinations" was just one example of the Government's "dictatorial actions" and called on Kiwis to voice their opposition.

"Surely no politician, medical professional or business leader should be able to force such a decision on society," Coutts wrote.

"The Bill of Rights should protect New Zealanders against such dictatorial actions of governments. I would guess most of us never thought we would ever see this happen in New Zealand but it's now obvious that urgent action is needed if we want to protect our country against such radical change.

"Forced vaccinations, forcing the Three Waters policy on us and making media funding conditional on them supporting government policies are three examples of government actions that should never be tolerated in New Zealand society.

"If we believe in the value of freedom, democracy and human rights then the only option is to oppose this."

Coutts, an Olympic gold medallist and five-time America's Cup winner with Team New Zealand, Alinghi and Oracle Team USA, has recently spent plenty of time in Europe in his role as chief executive of the SailGP series.

Plans for the inaugural Christchurch round of SailGP - set for the end of January next year - were sunk due to the New Zealand Government's denial of access to MIQ facilities for the 160-odd contingent of teams and staff to enter the country.

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