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Watch live: Royal Commission of Inquiry into New Zealand's Covid-19 response public hearing

Watch live: Royal Commission of Inquiry into New Zealand's Covid-19 response public hearing

RNZ News2 days ago
The first public hearings into New Zealand's Covid response continues on Tuesday.
The Royal Commission of Inquiry into Covid-19 is looking into the government's response to the pandemic and its effects.
This week's hearings particularly concentrate on the impact of the extended lockdown in Auckland and Northland in 2021 and on vaccine mandates and safety.
Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Covid-19 pandemic response chair Grant Illingworth KC.
Photo:
Screengrab / Covid 19 Inquiry
Monday hearing
included perspectives from business sectors based in Auckland, Northland and Waikato.
On Tuesday, the Inquiry will hear from research perspectives on the social impacts of lockdowns, as well as from the disabled community, carers and whānau.
Perspectives from support organisations for older people and the Pasifika health and social services sector will also be heard.
The Commission has also
requested former prime minister Dame Jacinda Ardern appear for questions
.
Labour leader Chris Hipkins told Morning Report it was up to Ardern to decide whether she'll front and it was important the inquiry operate independently.
Hipkins said he had been cooperating with the inquiry as much as possible and he was working through answering "a relatively big list of questions" sent last week.
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Defence spending is like insurance – how will NZ pay the higher premiums?
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