Matthew Hague: Lawyer who represented vaccine mandate opponents on the outcome of the Covid Inquiry

A lawyer who represented opponents of vaccine mandates says the real test of the Covid inquiry is whether the country learns from its mistakes. 

The second phase of the inquiry has found New Zealand's overall response was effective. 

But it's found some mandates lasted too long, and the Government didn’t always communicate well with Kiwis. 

Lawyer Matthew Hague told Ryan Bridge people don’t expect perfection if another pandemic hits, but decisions need careful reflection. 

He says one of the report's recommendations is the introduction of legislation to better protect human rights, and he thinks that's a good idea. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
So we've got the COVID Report Phase two. It's come out.
Royal Commission found cabinet cat auckland in and a lockdown
nearly a week longer than n Ashley Bloomfield had advised, though
Chippy is now disputing the exact sequencing of that review.
Also says advice on vaccines for under eighteen's was missed.
Matthew Hag is a lawyer who defended the client who
didn't want a COVID JAB and joins us this morning.

(00:22):
Good morning, Matthew, good morning.

Speaker 2 (00:24):
Right.

Speaker 1 (00:24):
What's your reaction to the report?

Speaker 2 (00:27):
It's well, I'm not really been surprised, to be honest,
The things that are in the report were being said
at the time by many people, and I think what's
disappointing is at the time those people who were saying
those things were ostracized by the government. They were inconsistent
with the one source of truth that the government were

(00:49):
putting out at that time and portrayed it as these uncaring,
unthinking people. In the report I think confirms that in
many aspects that's not the case.

Speaker 1 (00:57):
Is this are you talking about the second dose for
young people in the myocarditist risk, etc.

Speaker 2 (01:03):
I am. And also I'm talking about aspects of the
mandates and the extent of lockdown and testing.

Speaker 1 (01:09):
Problem is that we if we all have to agree
on what we do next time, is anyone going to
agree on anything? You know? Like, that's what it's saying
that we should do, is have some kind of plan.
But then whatever plan we come up with just get
thrown out the window, doesn't it.

Speaker 2 (01:24):
That's exactly right. We had a pandemic emergency planned from
the nineties and that was thrown at the window. You're
absolutely right. Look, there's nothing to stop in future governments
from doing the same thing. But I think the report
is a good thing because it does shine a light
on some of those some of the flaws. And I
don't think people expect perfection, but we need to be introspective,

(01:46):
We need to reflect on things carefully. One of the
recommendations of the report is the introduction of primary legislation
to better protect human rights in relation to some of
those mandates and testing in lockdowns, and I think that's
a good idea.

Speaker 1 (02:00):
There was also some interesting numbers in there about about
how many people didn't get the job and therefore lost
their job, and that kind of drag on their employment.

Speaker 2 (02:10):
Even today, there are teachers, principles, police officers, members of
the forces that are still without a job and we'll
probably never go back, which is really sad, not just
for them and their families, but for communities. And I
think we do need to reflect as a society on
those professions that we hold up highly as people who

(02:33):
serve our community, but we turn our backs on them
when they need society to protect them and their basic
human rights.

Speaker 1 (02:40):
Appreciate your time, Matthew. Matthew Hague, lawyer. He defended the
client who didn't want to COVID JAB talking about the
Report Act yesterday. For more from Early Edition with Ryan Bridge,
listen live to News Talks. It'd be from five am weekdays,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio