Matthew Hague: Lawyer who represented vaccine mandate opponents on the outcome of the Covid Inquiry

Early Edition with Ryan Bridge · Mar 10, 2026 · 2m · transcript

A lawyer who represented opponents of vaccine mandates says the real test of the Covid inquiry is whether the country learns from its mistakes.

The second phase of the inquiry has found New Zealand's overall response was effective.

But it's found some mandates lasted too long, and the Government didn’t always communicate well with Kiwis.

Lawyer Matthew Hague told Ryan Bridge people don’t expect perfection if another pandemic hits, but decisions need careful reflection.

He says one of the report's recommendations is the introduction of legislation to better protect human rights, and he thinks…