Perspective with Ryan Bridge: Jacinda needs to face the Covid inquiry music

Should Jacinda Ardern return to the country and face the Covid inquiry music? The answer, I think, must be yes.

I confirmed this morning on my Herald NOW show that the Royal Commission has reached out to Jacinda and asked her to attend in August.

The KC running the show would not answer whether she'd replied or whether she'd lawyered up, but he did say that the only way to get out of attending is if you're not the in the country because they don't have jurisdiction.

So the question is: as a former Prime Minister who wielded more power than Muldoon - war-time executive powers - as somebody who's always claimed their intentions were good, and as somebody who's claimed they were in politics for the children, will the former PM front this inquiry and be honest?

Honest about what really went on behind closed doors and behind those PPE masks?

Boris Johnson appeared at his country's inquiry, and twiddled his fingers and answered all that was put before him. Isn't there a moral obligation to the people of New Zealand, too? They still live with the consequences of decisions that she and her Cabinet made.

She's making money off books and all sorts while many businesses here never recovered from lockdowns. Isn't a little truth-telling in order?

I was one of just a handful of interviewers who grilled her on a weekly basis during this time period. I'm saving the best bits for a book one day, but there was image and stage control happening behind the scenes you wouldn't believe.  

The problem for Jacinda if she decides not to front is this - and it's a question Kiwis will be asking themselves - what has she got to hide?

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
So the question should just cinder Adourn return to the
country and face the COVID inquiry music The answer I
think must be yes. I confirmed this morning on our
Herald Now program that the Royal Commission has reached out
to just sinder Adourn and they have asked her to
attend in August. The case running the show basically clammed

(00:23):
up after that wouldn't give an answer about whether she
has even responded, whether she has lawyered up herself. But
he did say that the only way to get out
of attending is if you're not in the country. They
don't have jurisdiction. So the question is as a former
prime minister who wielded more power than Muldoon, more like
wartime executive powers she had, as somebody who's always claimed

(00:47):
their intentions were good, as somebody who's always claimed they
were in politics for the children. Remember that, surely the
good of our Tamadiki should be front and center of
the of one Just Cinda Adourn when deciding whether to
front up and be honest at an inquiry like this,
honest about what really went on behind closed doors, behind

(01:10):
those ppe masks. Boris Johnson appeared at his country's inquiry, inquiry,
twiddling his fingers and thumbs as he answered questions put
before him. Isn't there a moral obligation to the people
of New Zealand as well? Here they still live with
the consequences of decisions that she and her cabinet made.
She's making money off books of all sorts of things

(01:33):
at the moment, and all power to her, while many
businesses here have never recovered from the lockdowns. Isn't a
little truth telling in order? I was just one of
a handful of interviewers who basically got a go at
de Cinda Adourn on a weekly basis during this time period,

(01:53):
and I'm saving the best bits for a book one day,
of course. But suffice to say, there was a lot
of image and stage managing and controlling happening behind the
scenes that you just wouldn't believe. The problem for Jacinda
if she decides not to front is this. It's a
question kiwis will be asking themselves what has she got

(02:16):
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