Simeon Brown: Health Minister on the findings of the final phase of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Covid-19

The Health Minister is highlighting the importance of the Covid-19 Inquiry.  

The Royal Commission's second phase report's found overall, New Zealand responded well, but highlighted concerns including the length of Auckland's lockdown.  

Health Minister Simeon Brown says it shows the previous Government extended the Auckland lockdown, in spite of official advice saying it was safe to lift. 

He told Mike Hosking the report highlights that, as well as the Government’s overspending, causing many of the challenges New Zealand is facing today in terms of inflation and the economy. 

Brown says this report was needed, as the previous administration didn’t want to the hard questions to be answered, and the reality is that the lockdowns and their economic impact were significant for New Zealanders.  

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
So Part two with the COVID inquiry has been released.
It said, basically, what you thought, the initial response was
balanced because no one had a clue, but by the
time they did, the power had gone to the government's
head and mistakes were being made. Anger was building in,
money was being wasted. Sitming in Browns the Health minister,
good morning, Good morning Mike. Is that a fair summation?

Speaker 2 (00:16):
I think so. I mean, I think for most New
Zealanders that agreed that the starting point of the response,
New Zealand's were on board. They sacrificed a huge amount
to save lives and livelihoods. But as the pandemic continued,
restrictions went on for too long. And what this report
highlights is those restrictions went on beyond what health advice
said they should, and the government spent too much, causing

(00:38):
many of the challenges that we're facing today in terms
of inflation and the economic impacts that we're still dealing
with across New Zealand right now.

Speaker 1 (00:46):
And does this prove that the value we needed Part two?
Because Part one was a stitch up, which is ironic
given the control freak government tried to control Freak themselves
through the first COVID inquiry.

Speaker 2 (00:56):
Look, absolutely this report was needed. The previous government did
not want the hard questions to be answered in relation
to the big cause. The first report didn't look at lockdowns,
didn't look at the vaccine mandates, didn't look at the
economic impact. And the reality for New Zealand is that
those lockdowns were significant the economic impact. We're still paying
the consequences of that today. And of course there's been

(01:20):
some issues raised in relation to particularly childhood or teenage
vaccine mandates that have been brought to the light because
of this report. So this report was needed. It highlights
some significant lessons and listening to Cchross Haipkins yesterday, it
appears he hasn't learned from them.

Speaker 1 (01:36):
No, that's how I'm talking to him later. I worry
about that because I mean, what else can you do.
I mean, he took a beating yesterday because all of
his cohorts run for the hills. One doesn't even love
in the country anymore. In the others down south at
the university, and Ashley's not talking.

Speaker 2 (01:50):
Well ultimately, you know. The statement from the former Prime
Minister c Cinda Adan and Grant Robinson said that they
accepted all of the accepted the report and its entirety.
Chris Hopkins is saying he doesn't. What that says is
that he hasn't actually learned the lessons from his time
as Prime Minister. And what it says is New Zealanders
were right to vote him out at the twenty twenty
three election, and in November the seventh, they'll be right

(02:11):
to keep him out.

Speaker 1 (02:12):
See that's when I can't work out, do you reckon
people are over it and don't want to revisit it,
or people are still in the quiet of the ballot
box angry about it and will act in that sense.

Speaker 2 (02:23):
Oh. Look, I think this was some of the biggest
decisions affecting New Zealander's lives and livelihoods in generations. People
remember this deeply, they feel it deeply. I'm an MP
in an Auckland electorate, in MP for Puckehunger. The people
in my electorate couldn't see their loved ones who were
in hospital dying. They couldn't go and visit family members
outside of Auckland who were who were very unwell. These

(02:47):
came to st help from me and they are still
feeling angry about the decisions that were made, and what
this report says is those lockdowns did go on too long.
That restriction that boundary around Auckland in twenty one twenty
two wasn't necessary. That impacted people's lives. It impacted their livelihoods,
and the right thing for Chris Hipkins to do is
to learn the lessons. That's why we did this report.

Speaker 1 (03:10):
Appreciate your time, Swimming and Brown Health Minister.

Speaker 2 (03:12):
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