John MacDonald: Is this the end of Hipkins' election chances?

I think Chris Hipkins’ time could be up. 

He said to me last week that he’d had better weeks, after his ex-wife made those claims about him on social media. 

But, if he thought things were on the improve this week, that’s probably all come crashing down again this morning with the Herald reporting that he knew more about the Covid vaccine risks than he has let on. 

And I think this could be the end of his push to be the next prime minister. 

You‘ll remember when the second covid inquiry report came out recently, one of the more startling things it revealed was that Chris Hipkins and Jacinda Ardern’s Government hadn’t been told about the risks of a second covid vaccine for teenagers. 

The report said health officials hadn’t told ministers that 12-to-17-year-olds shouldn't really have been getting two doses of the vaccine. Because of the risk of myocarditis - which is inflammation of the heart muscle. 

That was an absolute shocker of a revelation. 

And that was the version of the story Chris Hipkins stuck to when he was asked about it. Which deflected attention to the likes of former health boss Sir Ashley Bloomfield and whether he should be taken to task for not sharing that vital information with the Government. 

Now, though, we’re finding out in a report by the Herald this morning, that a 2022 cabinet paper in Hipkins’ name does include the advice. 

Hipkins has declined requests for interviews but has said in a statement that the then-government “had to make tough decisions under extraordinary pressure and a rapidly changing environment”. 

As the Herald reports, Hipkins has declined a request for an interview and, in that statement I mentioned, did not directly address the issue of that advice re: teenagers not being made public. 

Instead, as well as going on about the government having to make decisions when it was under the pump, he says: “the royal commission found that the government made numerous efforts to communicate safety issues, including the risk of myocarditis.” 

I mean, do me a favour Chris. 

If you’ve ever wondered what covering your backside sounds like, that’s it right there. 

Correction. If you’ve ever wondered what someone failing miserably at covering their backside sounds like, that’s it right there.

What’s more, tell that Chris to the parents and caregivers of the 30,000 young people who had to have the second dose as part of the vaccine mandates. 

Tell that to the young people themselves, Chris. 

Now, unless Hipkins can prove otherwise, I think this revelation today blows any chance of voters trusting him again out of the water. 

It’s not like he’s Jacinda Ardern or Grant Robertson who have moved on to other things. Chris Hipkins hasn’t moved on and wants to be Prime Minister. 

He wants to be Prime Minister and he’s been caught out.  

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Canterbury Mornings podcast with John McDonald
from News talks'b.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
I reckon Chris Hipkins's time could be up. He said
to me last week that he'd had better weeks. Remember
this was after his ex wife made those pretty damning
claims about him on social media. He said, I've had
better weeks. Well, if he thought things were on the
improved this week, that's probably all come crashing down again
this morning with the New Zealand Herald reporting that he

(00:35):
knew more about the COVID vaccine risks than he has
let on. And I think this could be the end
of Chris Hopkins, or at the very least, I think
it could be the end of his push to be
the next Prime minister. Now, you'll remember a bit of
background when the second COVID inquiry report came out recently

(00:58):
so a few weeks back. One of the more startling
things that revealed was that Chris Hipkins and Cinder of
Durn's government hadn't been told about the risks of a
second COVID vaccine for teenagers. Remember that the report said
health officials hadn't told ministers that twelve to seventeen year
olds shouldn't really have been getting two doses of the

(01:18):
vaccine why because of the risk of myocarditis, which is
inflammation of the heart muscle. That was an absolute shocker
of a revelation, and that was the version of the
story Chris Hipkins stuck to when he was asked about it,
which deflected attention to the likes of former Health Boss
Sir Rashie Bloomfield and whether he should be taken to

(01:41):
task for not sharing that vital piece of information with
the government. Now though we're finding out in a report
by the New Zealand Herald this morning that a twenty
twenty two cabinet paper and Chris Hipkins's name does include
that advice. Now he's declined requests for interviews. But he
said in a statement that the then government quote had

(02:03):
to make tough decisions under extraordinary pressure and rapidly changing
environment as the end of quote. By the way, as
the New Zealand Herald reports, Chris Hipkins has declined a
request for an interview. And you need to note too
that in the statement I just mentioned, he does not
directly address the issue of that advice read the teenagers

(02:26):
not being made public and instead as well as going
on about the government having to make decisions when it
was under the pump. He says, quote, the Royal Commission
found this is Chris Hipkins. The Royal Commission found that
the government made numerous efforts to communicate safety issues, including
the risk of myocarditist end of quote, Chris Hopkins, when
you do me a favor, Now, if you've ever wondered

(02:49):
what covering your backside sounds like, that's it right there. Ah,
No correction, if you've ever wondered what someone failing miserably
at covering their backside sounds like, that's it right there.
What's more, tell that, Chris, to the parents and caregivers
of the thirty thousand young people who had to have
the second dose as part of the vaccine mandates. Tell
that to the young people themselves. Chris. Now, unless Chris

(03:13):
Hipkins can prove otherwise, I think this revelation today blows
any chance of voters trusting him again, blows it right
out of the water. Why what, It's not like he's
de Cinda Adoun or Grant Robertson, who have moved on
to other things. Chris Hipkins hasn't moved on and he
wants to be the next prime minister. He wants to

(03:33):
be prime minister, but he's been called out and I
think his toast. But what do you think, what do
you reckon? What's your reaction to this news out this
morning that Chris Hipkins did know about the COVID vaccine
risks for teenagers, even though he says he didn't.

Speaker 1 (03:50):
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