I think Chris Hipkins’ time could be up.

He said to me last week that he’d had better weeks, after his ex-wife made those claims about him on social media.

But, if he thought things were on the improve this week, that’s probably all come crashing down again this morning with the Herald reporting that he knew more about the Covid vaccine risks than he has let on.

And I think this could be the end of his push to be the next prime minister.

You‘ll remember when the second covid inquiry report came out recently, one of the more startling things it revealed was that Chris Hipkins and Jacinda Ardern’s Government hadn’t been told about the risks of a second covid vaccine for teenagers.

The report said health officials hadn’t told ministers that 12-to-17-year-olds shouldn't really have been getting two doses of the vaccine. Because of the risk of myocarditis - which is inflammation of the heart muscle.

That was an absolute shocker of a revelation.

And that was the version of the story Chris Hipkins stuck to when he was asked about it. Which deflected attention to the likes of former health boss Sir Ashley Bloomfield and whether he should be taken to task for not sharing that vital information with the Government.

Now, though, we’re finding out in a report by the Herald this morning, that a 2022 cabinet paper in Hipkins’ name does include the advice.

Hipkins has declined requests for interviews but has said in a statement that the then-government “had to make tough decisions under extraordinary pressure and a rapidly changing environment”.

As the Herald reports, Hipkins has declined a request for an interview and, in that statement I mentioned, did not directly address the issue of that advice re: teenagers not being made public.

Instead, as well as going on about the government having to make decisions when it was under the pump, he says: “the royal commission found that the government made numerous efforts to communicate safety issues, including the risk of myocarditis.”

I mean, do me a favour Chris.

If you’ve ever wondered what covering your backside sounds like, that’s it right there.

Correction. If you’ve ever wondered what someone failing miserably at covering their backside sounds like, that’s it right there.

What’s more, tell that Chris to the parents and caregivers of the 30,000 young people who had to have the second dose as part of the vaccine mandates.

Tell that to the young people themselves, Chris.

Now, unless Hipkins can prove otherwise, I think this revelation today blows any chance of voters trusting him again out of the water.

It’s not like he’s Jacinda Ardern or Grant Robertson who have moved on to other things. Chris Hipkins hasn’t moved on and wants to be Prime Minister.

He wants to be Prime Minister and he’s been caught out.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Labour's Reuben Davidson and National's Stuart Smith joined John MacDonald for Politics Friday this week.

The covered the biggest news of the week, including the revelation that Chris Hipkins had been advised on Covid vaccines for teens, the Governments fuel relief package, and the Parliamentary warning around importing liquid natural gas.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The head of the construction company who built the new One New Zealand Stadium is pleased the stadium has been delivered to the city ahead of time and on budget.

Mark Baker, CEO of Australian firm BESIX Watpac, is in Christchurch for the ribbon cutting ceremony at the new stadium and joined John MacDonald for a chat during his short visit in Christchurch.

"it's been a while in the post COVID era where we're able to say that we've delivered ahead of time, and pleasingly we have."

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

MPs are debating whether New Zealand should get involved in securing and opening up the Strait of Hormuz to shipping again.

Labour is arguing that the Government was too quick off the mark signing an international statement which expressed New Zealand's readiness to do its bit.

Labour says New Zealand needs to be weary of getting involved because of the way the U.S. might go about things.

But I think New Zealand has no choice but to get involved in securing and opening up the Strait of Hormuz to shipping again.

For two reasons.

Back in 2024, we sent six defence personnel to help out behind the scenes with U.S. and British airstrikes on bases used by Houthi Militia.

The Government decided to support America and Britain with their strikes on the Houthi Militia - which is supported by Iran- because they’d been attacking ships in the red sea in retaliation for Israel's attacks on Gaza.

Our government said at the time that it wanted to do its bit to ensure maritime security for trade purposes, because the Houthi’s attacks were having an impact on world trade.

10 percent of New Zealand’s exports and about 20 percent of the stuff we import travels through the red sea between here, the UK, Europe and North Africa.

At the time, prime minister Christopher Luxon said: “Houthi attacks against commercial and naval shipping are illegal, unacceptable and profoundly destabilising.

“This deployment, as part of an international coalition, is a continuation of New Zealand’s long history of defending freedom of navigation both in the Middle East and closer to home.”

And foreign affairs minister Winston Peters said: “these efforts support international security and the free flow of trade on which New Zealanders rely.”

At the time, I was weary of New Zealand getting involved in the red sea. For two reasons.

One reason was that we had no idea what we were getting ourselves into and how long we might be involved and what else might be expected of us.

The other reason I was weary ofit;was what sort of precedent it might set.

And now, the chickens are coming home to roost on that part of it - with the precedent bit.

Because, whether we like it or not, there is no wayNewZealandcan‘thelpget theStrait ofHormuzup and running again.

We have to take part. Because, if it was good enough for us to defend trade routes back in 2024, the case is just as strong now.

If anything, the argument for getting involved in defending the oil shipping route is stronger than defending the red sea.

The other reason why I think there’s no way we can’t do our bit, is that we are so dependent on the Strait of Hormuz that it would be lame-as for us to just sit on the sidelines and watch other countries do the heavy lifting

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Mayor of Christchurch isn't too worried about the impact of fuel prices on the council at the moment but is keeping a close eye on things.

Phil Mauger told Canterbury Mornings that costs will be affected by the Middle East conflict, but a lot of the council's infrastructure runs on electricity.

"A lot of our fleet is electric, the boilers in the building are changed over to electric, we've got solar on our galleries"

"It's not critical yet, but we're certainly looking at it and keeping a very good eye on it."

They also discussed the Crusaders Express train taking fans to rugby games to the new stadium from Rangiora and Rolleston, the councils satisfaction survey, and if there are any updates from his 3am idea to fix Cathedral Square.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Even though the New Zealand government is making the fuel situation sound a bit more urgent than it had been up until now, sounding slightly a bit more antsy than it was, I bet it still isn't enough to satisfy the head of the International Energy Agency.

Fatih Birol is blasting governments around the world, not just ours, for not being as upfront as they should be about the economic carnage from the Iran war.

The International Energy Agency essentially works with countries around the world in the energy sector and, when there are supply disruptions like we have at the moment, gives advice on solutions. It's also in charge of deciding whether to dip into energy reserves to keep supplies going.

Fatih Birol is saying today that the fuel crisis is worse than the combined impacts of the three biggest energy shocks in modern history. And he says that we would be better prepared if we fully understood the magnitude of the economic impacts.

He doesn't think we are because he says our politicians are sugarcoating the situation and says he's had to come out and say what he's saying today because he doesn't think people fully understand the economic consequences of Iran shutting down the Strait of Hormuz.

And he's laying the blame at the feet of politicians who he says should be making people aware that this isn't going to end when the war ends.

Politicians should be making people aware that there are going to be consequences for some time to come. He says households need to be better informed about the magnitude of the challenge we are facing.

“I think they'd be better prepared if they understood what we are facing and what we are dealing with.”

Tell that to politicians though, eh? Especially politicians like the ones here who want to get elected later on this year.

I get it that the last thing government politicians, especially, want in an election year is to say that things are going to be pear-shaped for some time yet.

Because voters don't want to hear that. But I think in the medium to long term, I reckon the Government would have far more credibility if it did do what the head of the International Energy Agency wants it to do and be as upfront as humanly possible.

Because you think about it, all we're hearing from the Government is how much fuel supplies we've got. We're not hearing anything from the Government about what this is going to mean beyond that.

If our politicians had the guts, they'd be telling us right now.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This fuel situation is starting to feel like herding cats.

You’ve got the government, on one hand, going on about seven weeks supply. Don’t panic, keep calm and carry on.

The government is also talking about this rescue package for low-to-middle income earners.

Then you’ve got the hoarders filling up drums and jerry cans with petrol and diesel. I met one on the weekend.

He was doing the drums and the cans but he was also using the fuel tank in his boat for storage. He was a tradie and said all the farming mates he was out with are doing the same.

And now we’ve got businesses deciding to take their own course of action, and some are either putting their prices up or adding fuel surcharges.

One in Christchurch has just announced that, unless customers go to them, they’re going to have to pay an extra $5 while the fuel prices remain high because of the situation in the middle east.

It’s even offering free finance options for people with a community services card.

Didi, the rideshare outfit similar to Uber which operates in Auckland and Wellington, is also introducing a fuel surcharge from Wednesday. Charging passengers 5 cents per kilometre.

Which raises the question: is this reasonable, given we’re all in this boat together?

My view is that a specific surcharge is much more reasonable than a random increase in prices.

There’s a pie shop in the nelson area that has just announced that the prices of its pies are going up 50 cents.

The owner of the shop says the increase is happening immediately, and she’s doing it because the fuel prices have increased her costs by 20 percent.

She says she has no option.

The thing is, though, how do customers know her costs have gone up 20 percent? How does the bakery owner know that charging 50 cents more for a pie is what’s needed to cover that increase?

And more to the point, when this is all over and the fuel prices are down again, are the pies going to be 50 cents cheaper? I bet they won’t be.

Which is why I think a temporary surcharge is a fairer way of doing it.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.