Cabinet paper undermines Hipkins’ COVID inquiry defence

Summarised by Centrist

The Royal Commission said ministers could not recall receiving the December 2021 advice and there was no evidence it had been provided to them.

Yet the Herald found a March 2022 Cabinet paper in Chris Hipkins’ name that included that very advice.

Hipkins claimed he had forgotten about the March 2022 Cabinet paper and denied any cover-up, saying suggestions he misled the public were “just utterly wrong.”

🚩YOU BE THE JUDGE

TODAY "I never communicated medical advice around vaccination. That was always done by relevant health practitioners, including the director-general of health and the director of public health. I did not communicate, at any point, right the way through,… pic.twitter.com/WvNMseN0id

— 𝓑𝓸𝓫 𝓜𝓬𝓒𝓸𝓼𝓴𝓻𝓲𝓮 🇳🇿 (@bobmccoskrienz) March 27, 2026

The advice, issued by the COVID-19 Vaccine Technical Advisory Group (CV TAG) in December 2021, warned that requiring two vaccine doses for those under 18 “may add unnecessary risk” of myocarditis and recommended considering a single-dose requirement for mandates affecting young people.

The Royal Commission described the failure to deliver this advice to ministers as “significant,” noting that ministers interviewed could not recall receiving it and no evidence showed it had been formally provided. However, the Cabinet paper uncovered by the NZ Herald indicates Hipkins was aware of the advice and shared it with Cabinet colleagues in March 2022.

At the time, tens of thousands of teenagers had yet to receive their second dose. Despite this, the advice was not made public, and vaccine mandates were not amended to reflect the CV TAG’s recommendation. Hipkins declined an interview and did not directly address why the advice was not disclosed or acted upon.

Coalition ministers have questioned why the information was not released earlier. New Zealand First leader Winston Peters called the situation “alarming,” arguing parents were not fully informed of potential risks, while Health Minister Simeon Brown said decisions should be “evidence-based” and transparent.

Read more over at The NZ Herald**(paywalled)**

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