John MacDonald: Boris Johnson fronted-up to a Covid inquiry - Chris Hipkins should too

Labour leader and former Covid-19 Minister Chris Hipkins thinks phase two of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Covid-19 response is a platform for conspiracy theorists, and he is non-committal about turning-up to give evidence.  

The most committed I’ve heard him so far is saying that he’s working on some written responses. But if that turns out to be the extent of his involvement, then he can forget about being prime minister again.  

Because let me remind you of a couple of things.  

While it was the Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern who, generally, fronted the Government’s Covid response. It was Hipkins —as Covid Minister— who drove it behind the scenes. 

Secondly, if it was good enough for former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to front up in person to the UK’s Covid inquiry, then it is more than good enough for Chris Hipkins to front up in person to our inquiry.  

In December 2023, Boris Johnson spent two days being grilled by the committee of MPs, which had the job of looking into how his government handled the pandemic. 

This is the guy who told people they had to isolate at home and then had parties at 10 Downing Street.  

This is the guy who disappeared to his country house when Covid was running rampant.  

This is the guy who, somehow, lost 5,000 WhatsApp messages from his phone, which couldn’t be used as evidence at the inquiry. 

This is the same guy who told the UK inquiry that he was the victim of not being properly informed about the seriousness of Covid. 

Boris Johnson is the guy who is widely considered to have cocked-up the response in Britain but who, despite all that, fronted-up to take questions and take the heat over two days.  

And it wasn’t pleasant for him. He was grilled. But say what you like about Boris Johnson, at least he fronted up.  

From what I’ve seen, at no point did Boris Johnson dismiss the inquiry in Britain as a platform for conspiracy theorists.

At no point did Boris Johnson bang-on about the Covid inquiry in Britain creating an opportunity for theatrics from conspiracy theorists.

And, at no point, did Boris Johnson hide behind written responses and weasel words.  

But that is exactly what Chris Hipkins is doing. 

He says he wants to be “cooperative” but “I don’t want to see a whole lot of theatrics. I’m very interested in engaging with them on how we can capture the lessons”.

To be fair, Hipkins probably does have a point about the time period covered by phase two of the inquiry and how it, conveniently, leaves out the time NZ First was in coalition with Labour, but he needs to get over that.

Just like he needs to get over the fact that, yes, there will be no shortage of conspiracy theorists turning up at the inquiry.

But so what? It’s a free world. And we can decide for ourselves how much credence we want to give them.   

But Chris Hipkins shouldn’t be free to decide for himself whether he fronts up in person at the Covid inquiry, or not.

He was Covid Minister and he has to front. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Canterbury Mornings podcast with John McDonald
from newstalk zb SO.

Speaker 2 (00:13):
Labeling to Chris Hopkins, he thinks Phase two of the
Royal Commission of Inquiry into the COVID nineteen response is
a platform for conspiracy theorists and he is not committed
about turning up to give evidence. The most committed I've
heard him so far is saying that he's working on
some written responses that I'll tell you what. If that

(00:34):
turns out to be the extent of his involvement, then
he can forget about being Prime Minister again. Because let
me remind M remind you of a couple of things. First,
Chris Hopkins, who will be with us one hour from now.
He was the COVID Minister in Dessinda R Durn's government,
and yes it was the Prime Minister who generally fronted

(00:58):
the government's response, but it was Hopkins as COVID minister,
who drove it behind the scenes. And I'm in no
doubt that is the former COVID minister up, in no
doubt that he has no choice about turning up in
person and answering questions in person in real time, not
hiding behind these written responses, which as we know, were

(01:19):
always full of weasel words that go unchallenged because they're written. Secondly,
and I think this is the clincher. If it was
good enough for former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to
front up in person to the UK's COVID inquiry, then
it is more than good enough for Chris Hippins to
front up to our inquiry. December twenty three, twenty twenty three,

(01:42):
it was and Boris Johnson spent two days being grilled
by the Committee of MPs, which had the job of
looking into how his government handled COVID. Now, this is
the guy who told people they had to isolate at
home and then had parties at Downing Street. This is
the guy who disappeared to his country house when COVID

(02:04):
was running rampant. This is the guy who somehow lost
five thousand WhatsApp messages from his phone which couldn't be
used as evidence at the inquiry. This is the same
guy who told the UK Inquiry that he was the
victim of not being properly informed about the seriousness of COVID.

(02:24):
Boris Johnson is the guy who was widely considered to
have copped up the COVID response in Britain. But who,
despite all of that, fronted up to take questions and
to take the heat over two days. And it wasn't
pleasant for him. He was grilled. But say what you
like about Boris Johnson, at least he turned up. At

(02:45):
least he fronted up, and from what I've seen, at
no point did he dismiss the inquiry in Britain as
a platform for conspiracy theorists. At no point did Boris
Johnson bang on about the COVID inquiry in Britain creating
an opportunity for theatrics. And at no point did Boris
Johnson hide behind and responses and weazel words. But that

(03:08):
is exactly what it looks like Chris Hopkins is doing.
He says he wants to be cooperative, but quote doesn't
want to see a whole lot of theatrics. He says,
I'm very interested in engaging with them on how we
can capture the lessons. Lordie. That's ended quote by the way, Lordie,
And in one foul sweet Chris Hapkins has not only
dismissed the need for him to put himself on the

(03:30):
line and defend what he and his government did, and
answer questions about what he and his government did, but
he's also pretty much dismissed the process itself. Now. To
be fair, Hepkins probably does have a point about the
time period covered by Phase two of the inquiry and
how it conveniently leaves out the time New Zealand first
was in coalition with Labor. But he needs to get

(03:51):
over that. Get over it, mate, just like he needs
to get over the fact that, yes, there will be
no shortage of conspiracy theorists turning up at the inquiry.
You know, your Brian Tarmacki's and Yula's guns of the world.
There's some of the names he's been mentioning in the
past twenty four hours. But so what, so what, It's
a free blooming world, and you and I we can
decide for ourselves how much credence we want to give

(04:13):
these people, and we can decide for ourselves whether we
think they're conspiracy theorists or not. But I'll tell you
this for nothing. One thing Chris Hopkins himself shouldn't be
free to decide for himself is whether he fronts out
in person at the COVID inquiry or not. He was
the COVID and minister. There is no way he can

(04:33):
get away not fronting up.

Speaker 1 (04:36):
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