Podcasts about covid inquiry

Today, the former deputy cabinet secretary, Helen Macnamara, speaks to Newscast about the findings of the recent module of the covid inquiry which found that the UK did "too little, too late".Helen had a front seat for those momentous decisions that shaped the direction of the country during the pandemic, and has previously told the inquiry herself that a "toxic" environment affected decision-making during the crisis. She gives her reflections on life inside Downing Street at the time, the inquiry's findings, and how much has changed 5 years on.Warning: this podcast contains strong languageYou can now listen to Newscast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Newscast”. It works on most smart speakers. You can join our Newscast online community here: https://bbc.in/newscastdiscordGet in touch with Newscast by emailing newscast@bbc.co.uk or send us a WhatsApp on +44 0330 123 9480.New episodes released every day. If you're in the UK, for more News and Current Affairs podcasts from the BBC, listen on BBC Sounds: https://bbc.in/4guXgXd Newscast brings you daily analysis of the latest political news stories from the BBC. The presenter was Adam Fleming. It was made by Rufus Gray. The social producers were Darren Dutton and Grace Braddoc. The technical producer was Antonio Fernandes. The assistant editor is Chris Gray. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

Have your say on the issues raised on Any Questions?

The Smart 7 is an award winning daily podcast that gives you everything you need to know in 7 minutes, at 7am, 7 days a week…With over 19 million downloads and consistently charting, including as No. 1 News Podcast on Spotify, we're a trusted source for people every day and we've won Gold at the Signal International Podcast awardsIf you're enjoying it, please follow, share, or even post a review, it all helps... Today's episode includes the following:https://x.com/i/status/1991548034170130892 https://x.com/i/status/1991553808179032555 https://x.com/i/status/1990839006171472256 https://x.com/i/status/1991184412025790535https://x.com/i/status/1991494048457146695 https://x.com/i/status/1990000710298001673https://x.com/i/status/1990034680859824501 https://x.com/i/status/1990011527189987658https://x.com/i/status/1991100614319747114https://x.com/i/status/1991301840118399398https://x.com/i/status/1991513878107213924 https://x.com/i/status/199142681770667222https://x.com/i/status/1990328356110237735 https://x.com/i/status/1991119591955636687https://x.com/i/status/1990091420540022810 https://x.com/i/status/1990920200867246561 https://x.com/i/status/1990440493835022627Contact us over @TheSmart7pod or visit www.thesmart7.comVoiced by Ciara Revins, written by Liam Thompson, researched by Lucie Lewis and produced by Daft Doris. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With just days to go to Rachel Reeves' Budget, George Parker speaks to her Conservative predecessor at the Treasury, Sir Jeremy Hunt MP. They discuss what it's like for Chancellors in the run-up to a fiscal event and the intense speculation around this Budget.Following the publication of the Covid Inquiry's second report George interviews former minister, Lord Frost, who resigned from the then Conservative government over pandemic policy, and Prof Stephen Reicher, who advised both the UK and Scottish governments during the pandemic.To discuss the Home Secretary's overhaul of the asylum system, and the divisions within her party, George speaks to Labour MPs Olivia Blake and Gareth Snell.And, as the London Aquarium responds to concerns raised by a number of MPs over the welfare of its penguins, George speaks to one of those MPs, Danny Chambers, and New Statesman journalist, Rachel Cunliffe.

In this episode we look at the latest Covid Inquiry report addressing the lack of parliamentary scrutiny during the pandemic and the need for a better system for emergency law-making. With the Budget approaching, we explore how the Commons Speaker, Sir Lindsay Hoyle MP, might discipline ministers who announce policies outside Parliament and why a little-known motion could restrict debate on the Finance Bill. Sir David Beamish assesses whether the flood of amendments to the assisted dying bill risks a filibuster and raises constitutional questions. Finally, we hear from Marsha de Cordova MP and Sandro Gozi MEP on their work to reset UK–EU relations through the Parliamentary Partnership Assembly.___Please help us improve Parliament Matters by completing our Listener Survey. It will only take a few minutes.Go to: https://podcastsurvey.typeform.com/to/QxigqshS___As the Covid Inquiry highlights how little parliamentary scrutiny many pandemic restrictions received, we look at the problems in the UK's emergency law-making process and urge parliamentarians to develop a better system for the next crisis.With the Budget looming, we explore how the Commons Speaker, Sir Lindsay Hoyle MP, could discipline ministers who announce major policies outside Parliament (for example, changes to income tax…). We explain why an obscure technical motion might limit debate on the Finance Bill – the legislation that will implement Rachel Reeves' tax plans – and why leading figures in the Government should steer well clear of using it.The assisted dying bill is inching through its House of Lords committee stage. Our Lords procedural guru Sir David Beamish joins us to consider whether the huge volume of amendments proposed by Peers could threaten the bill's progress. When does rigorous scrutiny become filibustering? And would it be unconstitutional for their Lordships to block the Bill?Finally, we meet Marsha de Cordova MP and Sandro Gozi MEP, the parliamentarians quietly working to de-frost the UK–EU relationship through the Parliamentary Partnership Assembly which monitors and reports on our Trade and Cooperation Agreement with Brussels.

Yesterday we had the publication of the second module of the Covid Inquiry on the decision-making at the heart of government. It confirmed a toxic and disorganised culture at the heart of No. 10 and the headline is that the government acted ‘too little, too late', costing as many as 23,000 lives in England.That figure is already disputed, not least by our economics editor Michael Simmons who argues on the podcast that the inquiry is a ‘disgrace' and demonstrates a lack of domain knowledge about the limitations of modelling. Where else does the inquiry fall short? What will be the political ramifications in Westminster?James Heale speaks to Michael Simmons and Isabel Hardman.Produced by Oscar Edmondson.Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts.Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Covid Inquiry led by Baroness Hallett has concluded that the UK did too little too late in response to Covid-19, that the lockdown could have been avoided if steps such as social distancing and isolating had been introduced earlier. Joining Anita Rani to give their response to the findings and tell their stories of that time, are musical theatre actor Ruthie Henshall, whose mother died in a care home during Covid and Naomi Fulop, from Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice UK, who also lost her mother during this time. Another chance to hear a shortened version of an interview Anita recorded last month with Melinda French Gates, the most well known and powerful woman in philanthropy. In 2000, Melinda co-founded the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which has - to date - donated over one hundred billion dollars to charitable projects. She and Bill Gates married in 1994 and divorced in 2021, after 27 years of marriage. Melinda has since left their joint enterprise and set up her own, Pivotal Ventures, which has one purpose: to put power into the hands of women. In a new report 'Care, courage, change,' the World Health Organisation has conducted analysis of the various health and support policies for survivors of violence in the 53 countries of the WHO European Region. The report reveals that almost one in three women and girls aged 15-years and older, will experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetime - but countries' health sectors are failing nearly one in three survivors. Anita Rani talks to Melanie Hyde, WHO Europe's Gender, Equality and Human Rights Technical Officer, author of the report.Poetry, love and an incurable cancer diagnosis are the themes of a new film looking at the relationship between the acclaimed spoken word poet and activist Andrea Gibson and their wife, writer Megan Falley. Megan joins Anita along with the documentary's producer Jessica Hargrave to talk about the film and her late wife. Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Rebecca Myatt

UnHerd's Freddie Sayers gives his reaction to the UK's £200 million COVID inquiry and the official narrative. After 800 pages, the report reaches the conclusion that Britain's only mistake was not locking down sooner - but at what cost? From the missing chapter on Sweden's success to the ignored collateral damage inflicted on a generation of children, was the lockdown experiment actually a civilisational error that the state is now too afraid to admit? And is the inquiry an establishment whitewash that sets the stage for future authoritarianism? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nolan talks to Alliance MLA Eoin Tennyson and Ulster University's Prof Deirdre Heenan

The Smart 7 is an award winning daily podcast, in association with METRO, that gives you everything you need to know in 7 minutes, at 7am, 7 days a week…With over 19 million downloads and consistently charting, including as No. 1 News Podcast on Spotify, we're a trusted source for people every day and we've won Gold at the Signal International Podcast awardsIf you're enjoying it, please follow, share, or even post a review, it all helps... Today's episode includes the following: https://x.com/i/status/1991548034170130892 https://x.com/i/status/1991553808179032555 https://x.com/i/status/1991513878107213924 https://x.com/i/status/1991426817706672228 https://youtu.be/vvbNMBU4ds0 https://x.com/i/status/1991494048457146695 https://x.com/i/status/1991428436326219822 https://x.com/i/status/1991471584712737198 https://x.com/i/status/1991508100306899043 Contact us over @TheSmart7pod or visit www.thesmart7.com or find out more at www.metro.co.uk Voiced by Jamie East, using AI, written by Liam Thompson, researched by Lucie Lewis and produced by Daft Doris. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On 20 November 2025, the UK Covid-19 Inquiry will publish its second report. This module focuses on political and administrative decision making during the pandemic, examining how key decisions were made across government, and civil service performance. This report will also include perspectives from Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. In a rapid reaction webinar the following day, our expert IfG panel unpacked the report's findings and explored their implications for future governance: Tim Durrant, Programme Director for the IfG Ministers work programme Stuart Hoddinott, Associate Director at the IfG Akash Paun, Programme Director for the IfG Devolution work programme Alex Thomas, Programme Director for the IfG Civil Service work programme The webinar was chaired by Dr Hannah White, Director and CEO of the Institute for Government.

Today, the latest report from the covid inquiry has found that the government did “too little, too late” to prevent deaths during the pandemic. Chair of the inquiry, Baroness Hallett acknowleged that Boris Johnson's government faced “unenviable choices” but said that 23 000 deaths could have been potentially avoided and added that regular rule breaking by officials undermined the public's trust.BBC health reporter Jim Reed and Dr Catherine Haddon programme, director at the Institue for Government, join Adam to unpick the report. Plus, Adam is joined by Rachel Kyte UK special representative for climate who's leading the UK's delegation in Brazil at COP 30. You can now listen to Newscast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Newscast”. It works on most smart speakers.You can join our Newscast online community here: https://bbc.in/newscastdiscordGet in touch with Newscast by emailing newscast@bbc.co.uk or send us a WhatsApp on +44 0330 123 9480.New episodes released every day. If you're in the UK, for more News and Current Affairs podcasts from the BBC, listen on BBC Sounds: https://bbc.in/4guXgXd Newscast brings you daily analysis of the latest political news stories from the BBC. The presenter was Adam Fleming. It was made by Anna Harris. The social producer was Joe Wilkinson and Beth Pritchard. The technical producer was Hannah Montgomery. The assistant editor is Chris Gray. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

While we wait for the findings of the Covid Inquiry into the decision-making during the pandemic, Shabana Mahmood has given a statement in the Commons outlining further details of Labour's migration crackdown. The headline is that those who arrived during the so-called ‘Boriswave' will have to wait up to 20 years before achieving settled status.Figures within Reform are having fun with the suggestion that the Home Secretary is more aligned with them on migration, but it is perhaps fairer to say that Shabana is taking her cues from the Blue Labour movement. What is Blue Labour? And is Shabana Blue Labour?Oscar Edmondson speaks to Isabel Hardman and Paul Embery.Produced by Oscar Edmondson.Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts.Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A report by the Covid inquiry has concluded that lockdown could have been avoided entirely if other measures had been implemented urgently at the start of the pandemic. Also: Legal immigrants who claim benefits could be forced to wait 20 years before applying for the right to settle permanently. And Gary 'Mani' Mansfield, the Stone Roses and Primal Scream bassist, has died aged 63.

The UK response to Covid was "too little, too late" and led to thousands more deaths in the first wave, an inquiry into government decision-making has found. The report said lockdown may have been avoided if voluntary steps such as social distancing and isolating those with symptoms along with household members had been brought in earlier than 16 March 2020. A minister during the pandemic years tells us some of the criticism is "unfair".Also on the programme: as Spain marks 50 years since the death of dictator Francisco Franco, a leading historian of the country on why some young people are growing more favourable towards him.Broadcaster Terry Christian reflects on the passing of his friend, The Stone Roses bassist Gary "Mani" Mounfield, who has died aged 63.And turning a tennis match into opera. Shaun Ley visits the set of 'Balls', an musical rendition of the famous 1973 Battle of the Sexes tennis match between Bobby Riggs and Billie Jean King.

Morse code transcription: vvv vvv Ukraine Chernihiv in total blackout after massive Russian assault Boris Johnson left Covid Inquiry in a hurry he wont want to come back The deal that means Andrew can still afford to live in Royal Lodge Labour feel the heat in crucial by election test Dublin Police van set on fire at protest outside asylum seeker hotel Third survivor quits grooming gang inquiry panel Cerys Lupton Jones Hospital neglect contributed to vulnerable womans death, coroner says Louvre heist Stolen jewellery worth 88m, prosecutor says No immediate plans for Trump Putin meeting, White House official says Paris Woman charged after 1.5m euros of gold stolen from museum

The Smart 7 is an award winning daily podcast, in association with METRO, that gives you everything you need to know in 7 minutes, at 7am, 7 days a week…With over 19 million downloads and consistently charting, including as No. 1 News Podcast on Spotify, we're a trusted source for people every day and we've won Gold at the Signal International Podcast awardsIf you're enjoying it, please follow, share, or even post a review, it all helps... Today's episode includes the following: https://x.com/i/status/1980568678849487216https://x.com/i/status/198061202137357117https://x.com/i/status/1980521325560004817https://x.com/i/status/1980507110879150291 https://x.com/i/status/1980585044587471210https://x.com/i/status/1980527045042917833 https://x.com/i/status/1980751499165667329 https://x.com/i/status/1980482073895866599 https://youtu.be/rtEy8GITGWQ Contact us over @TheSmart7pod or visit www.thesmart7.com or find out more at www.metro.co.uk Voiced by Jamie East, using AI, written by Liam Thompson, researched by Lucie Lewis and produced by Daft Doris. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Morse code transcription: vvv vvv Paris Woman charged after 1.5m euros of gold stolen from museum No immediate plans for Trump Putin meeting, White House official says Ukraine Chernihiv in total blackout after massive Russian assault Third survivor quits grooming gang inquiry panel Cerys Lupton Jones Hospital neglect contributed to vulnerable womans death, coroner says Dublin Police van set on fire at protest outside asylum seeker hotel Labour feel the heat in crucial by election test Louvre heist Stolen jewellery worth 88m, prosecutor says The deal that means Andrew can still afford to live in Royal Lodge Boris Johnson left Covid Inquiry in a hurry he wont want to come back

Morse code transcription: vvv vvv Third survivor quits grooming gang inquiry panel Boris Johnson left Covid Inquiry in a hurry he wont want to come back Labour feel the heat in crucial by election test Paris Woman charged after 1.5m euros of gold stolen from museum The deal that means Andrew can still afford to live in Royal Lodge Cerys Lupton Jones Hospital neglect contributed to vulnerable womans death, coroner says Louvre heist Stolen jewellery worth 88m, prosecutor says Dublin Police van set on fire at protest outside asylum seeker hotel Ukraine Chernihiv in total blackout after massive Russian assault No immediate plans for Trump Putin meeting, White House official says

Morse code transcription: vvv vvv Louvre heist Stolen jewellery worth 88m, prosecutor says Third survivor quits grooming gang inquiry panel Labour feel the heat in crucial by election test Dublin Police van set on fire at protest outside asylum seeker hotel The deal that means Andrew can still afford to live in Royal Lodge Ukraine Chernihiv in total blackout after massive Russian assault Paris Woman charged after 1.5m euros of gold stolen from museum Cerys Lupton Jones Hospital neglect contributed to vulnerable womans death, coroner says Boris Johnson left Covid Inquiry in a hurry he wont want to come back No immediate plans for Trump Putin meeting, White House official says

Today, details have emerged about how Prince Andrew can afford his Windsor mansion as pressure builds over whether he should be allowed to keep it. The new document reveals that instead of paying annual rent, Prince Andrew made large lump sum payments up-front, including for renovations. Adam is joined by politics and investigations correspondent Joe Pike to discuss whether political pressure is building for him to give up the property.And, Boris Johnson has been giving evidence at the Covid Inquiry about the impact of the pandemic on children and young people. He told the inquiry that he ‘probably did go too far' with lockdown rules for children, and that the rules were at times overly complicated.Adam speaks to BBC Education Editor Branwen Jeffries and BBC Verify's Ben Chu.You can now listen to Newscast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Newscast”. It works on most smart speakers. You can join our Newscast online community here: https://bbc.in/newscastdiscordGet in touch with Newscast by emailing newscast@bbc.co.uk or send us a WhatsApp on +44 0330 123 9480.New episodes released every day. If you're in the UK, for more News and Current Affairs podcasts from the BBC, listen on BBC Sounds: https://bbc.in/4guXgXd Newscast brings you daily analysis of the latest political news stories from the BBC. The presenter was Adam Fleming. It was made by Jack Maclaren with Shiler Mahmoudi. The social producer was Grace Braddock. The technical producer was Jack Graysmark. The assistant editor is Chris Gray. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

Former Prime Minister Borris Johnson told a Covid inquiry this morning that the Covid rules “probably did go too far" particularly when it came to the impact on children and young adults. Ciara Doherty was joined by TNT Presenter, Enda Brady to discuss.

This week on the Sunday Panel, Coast Day host Lorna Riley and Senior PR Consultant at One Plus One Communications, Damien Venuto, joined in on a discussion about the issues of the day - and more! Should the taxpayer be covering the Covid inquiry legal costs? It is usual for the crown to cover legal costs of ministers and previous ministers – but should we be covering these costs? And how do we get central Auckland as vibrant and exciting as Christchurch? Is the rest of the country moving ahead faster than Auckland? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

NZ Herald political reporter Jamie Ensor joins Francesca Rudkin to review this weeks' top local politics stories. Is it normal for the taxpayers to pay for the legal advice the government received during COVID? Will New Zealand follow suit with Australia and remove the Iranian ambassador following recent anti-semitic attacks? And what does the Government's new Business Investor Visa do for foreign investors? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

THE BEST BITS IN A SILLIER PACKAGE (from Wednesday's Mike Hosking Breakfast) He's Been Acting for a While Now/Strike? What Strike?/Where's Winston?/Putting It Back Together Is the ChallengeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 20th of August, the Reserve Bank has a call to make today – they're expected to cut the OCR by 25 points, but what comes next? Trade Minister Todd McClay joins us out of Saudi Arabia before his flight to the US in which he'll continue to try lower our tariff rate. Mark Mitchell and Ginny Andersen discuss the Covid Inquiry and Winston Peters' exclusion, and Trevor Mallard's ousting as the Ambassador to Ireland on Politics Wednesday. Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today on Politics Wednesday, the Covid Inquiry is still at the top of mind for many. Chris Hipkins, Dame Jacinda Ardern, Grant Robertson, and Ayesha Verrall have declined to publicly answer questions for the Royal Commission's second Covid Inquiry. Labour's Ginny Andersen and National's Mark Mitchell delved into the situation, as well as touching on Trevor Mallard's ousting from the role of Ambassador to Ireland. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Saturday Morning with Jack Tame Full Show Podcast for Saturday 16 August 2025, legendary guitar shredder Joey Santiago of Pixies joins Jack to discuss the unique format of the band's current tour, which is heading to New Zealand soon. Jack considers the levels of fairness and transparency in the latest Covid Inquiry. Haydn Jones joins Jack from the pitch to discuss the pros of volunteering for your local sporting clubs. Nici Wickes shares a delightful recipe for orange-caramel custard filled crepes. And Ed McKnight's finances have been inspired by a tennis great. Plus, Jack shares the breaking updates of Putin and Trump's press conference in Alaska, as it happens. Get the Saturday Morning with Jack Tame Full Show Podcast every Saturday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Grant Robertson retired from politics in early 2024 to take up a new job as Otago University's Vice-Chancellor. He was back in the headlines this week after declining to show up to in-person hearings for the Covid-19 inquiry's second phase. The former Finance Minister spoke to Q+A about that decision and why he doesn't regret the Labour Government's spending decisions during the pandemic. Robertson, who is about to release his memoir Anything Could Happen, also reflects on the impact his sexuality had on his political career.

I think we are all served best by transparency in government. Leaders should be accountable for their decisions, and they should be willing to take our questions and answer them in a public format. But it's pretty clear to me the Covid Inquiry has fallen victim to bad and even cynical design, shaped by politics rather than a sincere desire to get a full accounting of our response. It's a shame, because it threatens to undermine some of the inquiry's more useful conclusions. It is a missed opportunity. In my view, there's plenty of blame to share. I think the first phase of the Covid Inquiry, introduced by the last government, missed some critical elements in its terms of reference. Worst of all was the decision not to include vaccine efficacy. For something so fundamental to the response, and so important to some New Zealanders that they were willing to lose relationships, jobs, and livelihoods over it, I think the effectiveness of vaccines and whatever slim risk they carried, should have been included. I think it's clear that different vaccines had different impacts on different variants. You can see how this might impact our procurement decisions in future. In principle, I supported expanding the inquiry until I saw the refreshed terms of reference. If it was to be a sincere effort to consider our Covid response, the good calls and the bad, in order to move forward and better prepare for the next pandemic shock, how could you leave out the first year of the response? Sure, much of the second phase of the Inquiry might have focused on vaccines, but it also focused on lockdowns and control measures. If you really cared about our Covid response, you'd start that line of inquiry with, you know, the start of the pandemic. To exclude the period when it wasn't just Labour in government and to exclude what have proved to be the more popular components of the government's response was disingenuous and cynical. The Covid-19 response was vast and complex. It's almost impossible to unpick every decision because you have to try and separate the information we have now from the information we had at the time. The virus has cast a long shadow in New Zealand. Our response undoubtedly saved a lot of lives, but it wasn't without costs. The pandemic might have been over ages ago, but the economic and social impacts endure. One thing I'd add to the Royal Commission's conclusions is that next time we need to find a better, respectful way to hear and consider dissenting views. Media obviously plays a critical role in this. But although I think we did a reasonable job last time, I reckon next time is going to be much more difficult. Depending on the circumstances, it may not massively change government policy or the public health response. Given the conspiratorial nature of the fringiest elements, it may be an impossible task. Nevertheless, I think one of the key lessons from the Covid years is that somehow making people feel heard and respected instead of ostracised is a vital part in preventing the worst of the societal division that still afflicts us, years on. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

THE BEST BITS IN A SILLIER PACKAGE (from Friday's Mike Hosking Breakfast) Starting with a Cliffhanger/Water's Back/What Teachers Make/Mark the Week/Some RandoSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A constitutional lawyer says the Royal Commission of Inquiry has the power to summons ex-ministers to front for its Covid enquiry. It's called off its second week of hearings after Chris Hipkins, Dame Jacinda Ardern, Grant Robertson, and Ayesha Verrall declined to appear. It says it shouldn't diminish the inquiry - as all have privately given evidence. Lawyer Graeme Edgeler says the Commission just needs to consider if it'll miss out on key information without a summons. "If the answer to that was yes, then they should exercise it. They seem to think at the moment that they don't need need to have the summons, but it's something they have in their back pocket." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I'm assuming the instigators of the second Covid Inquiry are deeply disappointed in what is unfolding, in terms of accountability. Inquiry Part 1 was a Labour Government stitch up. It was an exercise in smoke and mirrors. Inquiry Part 2 is a coalition deal driven by ACT and NZ First, and was designed to look into areas not touched on in Part 1: access to vaccines, lock downs, economic damage, and so on. I have argued since the start that we needed an advisorial approach. In other words, we do it like the Brits, who called people to a witness stand and held them accountable. We didn't do that and now we're paying the price. Ardern and Hipkins, along with Robertson, have declined to appear. No kidding. What a surprise. I wonder why? Grant Illingworth KC, who is in charge of the current work, has the power apparently to pull them in. He is choosing not to do so, hence my assumption of disappointment at political party level. The Illingworth justification is the aforementioned operators are cooperating with proceedings. That's not good enough in my book, or indeed anywhere close. Simple question: is there a broad expectation among ordinary, everyday New Zealanders that those who made life-changing calls in a life-changing period of New Zealand owe it to us all to front and be questioned under oath about why they did what they did? Another question: what does it say about the morals and characters of said people, who seek public mandate and public support and approval, that when things get a bit awkward they are nowhere to be seen? Where is the courage of their conviction? Where are their spines and gonads? Can a person like Hipkins, and indeed Verrall, who I also understand is refusing to front, possibly present themselves to the voting public next year with a straight face and ask once again for the power to run the land, having been the same people who in august of the year before ran for the hills when accountability came calling? The rules of engagement were lacking. We were let down. As the head of this with power to do better, Illingworth is letting us down. But nowhere near the level of Ardern, Hipkins, Robertson, and Verrall, who should be ashamed of themselves. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

THE BEST BITS IN A SILLIER PACKAGE (from Thursday's Mike Hosking Breakfast) The Mike Hosking Royal InquirySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Current and former Labour leaders and ministers deciding not to appear at the Royal Commission's Covid inquiry is being described as 'disgraceful'. Jacinda Ardern, Chris Hipkins, Grant Robertson and Ayesha Verrall, who were all involved in Covid decisions - have declined invitations to appear. They say it would have been performative - not informative - and there's a risk livestream recordings could be manipulated and misused. National MP Chris Bishop says they should front up because New Zealanders deserve answers over the scale of Covid spending, which is still having impacts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Auckland Councillor Maurice Williamson and Jack Tame from ZB's Saturday Mornings and Q&A joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! Jacinda Ardern, Chris Hipkins, Grant Robertson have all declined to be interviewed publicly by the Covid inquiry. Should they have fronted? Did Chlöe Swarbrick deserve to get booted out of Parliament today? Should she have apologised? What did we make of Debbie Ngarewa-Packer dropping the C-word in Parliament? The Education Minister is cutting Māori words from five-year-olds' school phonics books. Is this a bad look? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Martyn 'Bomber' Bradbury this week is joined by a HEAVYWEIGHT panel comprised of Simon Wilson, Claudette Hauiti, and Prof. Jane Kelsey. Together they tear into the brain fog of a recessionary Kiwi economy, David Seymour’s dodgy Regulatory Standards Bill, and Winston Peters' Covid Inquiry-for-clicks. With 30,000 New Zealanders fleeing and GDP flatlining, the crew ask - who exactly is “growth” growing for? Leader of the Opposition Chris Hipkins is this week's special guest, and of course we have the War on News. Powered by Waatea News.

The backers of the second official inquiry into the Covid response say it's crucial for preparing us for the next pandemic - but the media mostly zeroed in on whether big-name politicians would show up. Also: TVNZ checking itself for bias, a fresh flurry of media French-ification; and do we need to brace for more ‘fiscal hole' fury in Election 2026? Read more about this episode of Mediawatch on the RNZ websiteIn this episode:1:22 The backers of the second Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Covid-19 response said it was crucial to learning lessons for the future, as well as allowing people to have a say. But the media mostly zeroed in on whether big-name politicians would show up at hearings that are still six weeks away.17:03 Remember in the campaign for the last election - and the one before that - how the big political parties made big claims in the media about billion dollar-deep holes in each others' policies? We might have to brace for more in 2026.32:50 TVNZ says it's planning to check itself for bias. But why - and why now?37:21 A fresh flurry of French-ification in our media inspired by Les Bleus on tour.Learn more:https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/mediawatch/566737/mediawatch-pandemic-probe-media-focus-flipped-to-politiciansGuests: Dan Brunskill, economics reporter for Interest.co.nzIf you have any thoughts for us - or ideas for us to follow up - get in touch. E-mail mediawatch@rnz.co.nz. You'll also find us @MediawatchNZ on X.Follow Mediawatch and listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or any podcast app to make sure you never miss an episode.Find more RNZ Podcasts at the new section of the RNZ website at rnz.co.nz/podcastsGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

An immunologist giving evidence at the inquiry into the government's Covid-19 response, has been questioned on claims the debate around mRNA vaccines was shut down during the pandemic. Reporter Lucy Xia has more.

Māori, Pasifika and Asian community leaders have told the royal commission of inquiry into the Covid-19 response how hard it was to adapt to lockdown rules. Victor Waters reports.

Public hearings for the second phase of the Covid-19 inquiry got under way this week, and there's been speculation if Jacinda Ardern will make an appearance. Ardern says she will provide evidence to assist the Royal Commission of Inquiry, if asked to. Newstalk ZB political editor Jason Walls says key decision makers and senior public servants are set to speak next month. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Let me tell you what Chris Hopkins is busy doing to the Covid Inquiry. Let me tell you, when he says that the Covid Inquiry is providing a platform for those who have conspiracy theorist views, he is trying to undermine it, and he's doing that. So it doesn't matter what the outcome of the inquiry is, people have already written it off as a nut job investigation. I suspect Chippy already knows that he's not going to come out of this flash. Neither is Jacinda. Neither is Ashley. Neither is Grant. Because we already know what went wrong. We can see that the lockdowns went too long. We know that the border was done badly. We know how much money was printed, to name just a few things that they did wrong. It's kind of rich of Chris Hipkins to complain that the terms of reference have been deliberately constructed to achieve a certain outcome, because that's coming from the guy whose government did exactly the same with the original Covid Inquiry. They set up such a limited set of terms of references that we had to set up a second inquiry after they lost the election just to get to the stuff that we actually care about, which is the mandates and the Auckland lockdown, and so on. They set up an inquiry, deliberately designed their words to only learn lessons, not assign blame when actually blame, or you can call it just taking responsibility, is exactly what a lot of us affected by all of this stuff would like to see. But what really bothers me about what Chris Hipkins is doing is the continual demonising of conspiracy theorists. Now, look, I don't love a conspiracy theorist. They're a bit nutty. I've had to sit through lectures about the world order hours on end, trying to be polite and pretending that you care because you love the person, right? A lot of these people went down the rabbit hole because Labour forced to the jab on them, so they went off to do their own research and they came back a bit strange. They shouldn't be excluded. They may be conspiracy theorists, but they're still our friends and our brothers and our uncles, even if they're a bit slightly different at the moment. Conspiracy theorists or not, they were as affected by these decisions as everyone else, therefore, they get a say too. And whatever, by the way, happened to “they are us”? Or does that only apply when it suits Labour? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Chris Hipkins won't commit to appearing before the second phase of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into New Zealand's Covid response. The Labour leader earlier said the terms of reference for the second stage - which is currently underway - provide a platform for conspiracies. NZ Herald political editor Thomas Coughlan says Hipkins has some good points - but the Government at the time did make decisions that intruded on people's rights. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's claims comments by Chris Hipkins on the Covid inquiry are 'unhelpful' and 'divisive'. The Labour leader said the terms of reference for the second phase - currently underway - provide a platform for conspiratorial views. He pointed out they exclude decisions made when New Zealand First was in Government . But Internal Affairs Minister, Brooke van Velden, told Ryan Bridge the terms were expanded so people felt listened to. "They wanted the inquiry to be fulsome and to find the truth so that when we have another pandemic, we have less division and we have a better response." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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The second phase of the Covid-19 inquiry has begun, with many voices from business, tourism, and events venting frustration over the response. The Royal Commission of Inquiry will run until Thursday - and many are wondering if former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will be called up to weigh in. Sir Ian Taylor says it would be 'wonderful' if Ardern found a way to give some answers. "It would perhaps reinforce the concept that everything she did was to be kind, to be part of the team of five million - and this is the time for the team of five million to come together to figure out how we deal to this better next time." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The second phase of the Covid Inquiry starts today, with vaccine mandates proving to be a hot topic. The hearings will be held in Auckland, available to watch online and will be chaired by KC Grant Illingworth. Phase two is focused on aspects of the Covid response like vaccine mandates, the approval process and vaccine safety. Illingworth told Heather du Plessis Allan that there are 31-thousand submissions, with a fair chunk focused on the mandates. He says there's a number of people who think the mandates protected them, and many others who have an opposite view. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Educated in India and Canada, Ramesh Thakur has had an amazing career as an academic, lawyer and government adviser. He has taught in universities in Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and Singapore. He offers broad commentary on judicial “adventurism" and growing tyranny, India, Pakistan, China, the U.N. and W.H.O.. His advice on global affairs would unquestionably aid the NZ Government in some of their misguided ideas. We share a medical professional's submission to the second Covid Inquiry, and we visit The Mailroom with Mrs Producer. File your comments and complaints at Leighton@newstalkzb.co.nz Haven't listened to a podcast before? Check out our simple how-to guide. Listen here on iHeartRadio Leighton Smith's podcast also available on iTunes:To subscribe via iTunes click here See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.