David Farrar: The key question that should be asked

Stuff reports:

Dame Jacinda Ardern says she will provide evidence to assist the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Covid-19 response.

This week there was speculation about whether the former prime minister, who is living in the United States, would be called to give evidence at the inquiry, which resumed in Auckland this week.

 

A spokesperson told The Post she had every intention of providing evidence, if asked to.

They key question I would ask is:

Peter Dunne: Covid 19 inquiry

Phase Two of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the government’s response to Covid19 and its effects got underway this week, with the commencement of the hearing of public submissions.

According to the Commission chair, Grant Illingworth KC, the focus of this aspect of the inquiry is to hear from the public about their experiences, including the impacts on "social division and isolation, health and education, and business activity.” It will also " hear from experts about the key decisions and their consequences, and lessons to be learned from what happened."

Alexander Gillespie: What can the US teach NZ about gun control? More than you might expect

The current inquest into the worshippers killed in the Christchurch mosque attacks has been examining gun laws at the time of the 2019 atrocities, and how lax controls helped the terrorist acquire his weapons.

Inevitably, it has also put the spotlight on the coalition government’s proposed changes to the Arms Act, and how changes to licence vetting procedures and regulation might affect public safety.

Roger Partridge: Country may not have Royal Commission it needs

Newly appointed Royal Commission of Inquiry chair, Professor Tony Blakely, says he is happy with the terms of reference for his inquiry. But should we be? And is Blakely even the right person to chair the Commission?

Before answering those questions, it is unequivocally good news that New Zealand is to hold an inquiry into the country’s pandemic preparedness and response. The 2020 election served as a form of scrutiny for the first phase of the pandemic.

But, since then, the country’s Covid course has not been plain sailing. The slow vaccine roll-out. Last year’s long lockdown in Auckland – bringing the cumulative total time the country’s largest city was shut down to over six months. Harsh border restrictions rationing MIQ places for Kiwis wanting to return from overseas. The Ministry of Health’s bewildering decisions on issues like Rapid Antigen testing and PCR saliva testing. And the unravelling of the team of five million - not to mention the “other million” locked out overseas. As I wrote in this column in March, nothing less than a Royal Commission of Inquiry could suffice to evaluate this catalogue of concerns. Without a doubt, there is a lot to learn.

But have we got the right Royal Commission?

Mike Hosking: Time to get on with a Covid inquiry

It is moderately encouraging we have two mutterings from the Government this week so far on the potential for a Covid inquiry.

Grant Robertson told us Monday on this show it was closer, and the Prime Minister is taking advice on what it should look like.

The reluctance to this point is fairly obvious. It's going to be ugly, and they know it.

Government's call inquiries for a couple of reasons. One, to get the subject off the front page. Two, to get a result they need or want. They do that by appointing the right people, so they can fairly confidently tell what's going to happen.

Mike Hosking: Royal Commission into our Covid response would achieve nothing

David Seymour's argument is you need the Royal Commission into Covid despite the fact it will cost tens of millions of dollars.

It will cost tens of millions to save tens of billions, he tells us. But you know what? I don’t think it will.

What I have learned out of Covid very broadly is that a lot of it was luck. That luck, or not, was in who was running your country at the time of the outbreak.

Further luck was involved when it came to the electoral cycle when there was a vote in the middle of it. In this country's case, we had Labour in a coalition, we had our first true MMP government, and we had the main opposition party in turmoil. You could not have dreamed up a bigger mess.

Mike Hosking: The real Royal Commission into Covid will be in Sept 2023

 

National wants a Royal Commission into Covid.   

Well, more specifically, the Government’s lack of preparedness for Delta.   

Britian has had a review of the process. In a nutshell they started slow, finished well, the early days were a disaster but the vaccine roll out was world class.   

The Swedish are currently having a look at their response. Once again, thus far they’ve concluded they started slow but things got better.  

They are looking at their unique, no lockdown approach separately, but the current thinking is it might not have been world’s best practice.  

So, what would we find?

NZCPR Weekly: The Consequences of a Tragedy

Dear NZCPR Reader,   

This week we examine the consequences of the Christchurch shooting – including a growing mass hysteria over security largely created by Government scaremongering to justify its crackdown on gun owners, our NZCPR Guest Commentator Stephen Franks shares his concerns over the Government’s gun law changes, and our poll asks whether you believe the Crusaders should change their name, branding or imagery as a result of the tragedy.

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