This is edition 2025/151 of the Ten@10 newsletter.
Hi all,
Thank you to all the many people who left messages on Juana's obituary. The sentiments and messages mean a great deal.
This is the Ten@10, where I collate and summarise ten news items you generally won't see in the mainstream media.
Enjoy!
1. Declined with Regret
David Harvey
- 🏫 Old-School Etiquette – In the 1960s, formal invitations required handwritten replies using polite phrases like “accepts with pleasure” or “declines with regret,” a contrast to today’s political avoidance.
- 🏛️ Covid Inquiry Invitations – The Royal Commission invited Jacinda Ardern, Chris Hipkins, Grant Robertson, and Ayesha Verrall to give public evidence on pandemic decisions, but they refused.
- 🙅♀️ Refusal to Appear Publicly – The four agreed to provide evidence privately but declined public hearings, citing legal advice, likely involving Dentons and media lawyer Linda Clark.
- 📜 Reason 1: Private Convention – They argued ministers are usually interviewed privately, but the Commission countered that no law or principle forbids public testimony, citing UK examples like Boris Johnson and Theresa May.
- 🎭 Reason 2: ‘Performative’ Claim – They said public questioning would be “performative, not informative,” but critics note their Covid briefings, media appearances, and documentaries were themselves highly performative.
- 📹 Reason 3: Tampering Fears – They claimed livestreamed recordings could be manipulated online, but the Commission dismissed this as weak, pointing out their images are already widely public and easily accessible.
- ⚖️ Commission’s Powers – The Commission could have subpoenaed them but chose not to, opting instead for alternative evidence-gathering methods and maintaining a “non-adversarial” process without cross-examination.
- 👀 Public Scrutiny Avoided – By declining to appear, the four avoided real-time questioning, limiting spontaneous answers and favoring carefully crafted written statements instead.
- 📰 Media & Public Trust – A NZ Herald editorial blasted the refusal, arguing it deepens public distrust, especially since Labour campaigned on being the “most transparent government ever.”
- 🔄 Political Consequences – Critics suggest Chris Hipkins’ leadership ambitions may suffer unless he rebuilds trust by facing public questioning, particularly among Auckland voters.
- 🕵️ Accountability Concerns – Their avoidance fuels speculation, undermines transparency, and raises doubts about their fitness to hold future leadership roles.
- 🗳️ Voter Response – The writer concludes they would “decline” any invitation to support Hipkins or Verrall politically, believing they don’t deserve a polite reply.
