Covid Committee Summonses Solicitor General
In an unprecedented move, the Epidemic Response Committee has agreed to issue summonses to the Solicitor-General, the Director-General of Health and Police Commissioner seeking the legal advice for the lockdown, Opposition Leader and Committee Chair Simon Bridges says.
“All legal advice on the legality of lockdown and ongoing restrictions has been sought.
“It’s inexplicable that the advice hasn’t been made public when New Zealanders have made so many sacrifices complying with the strict lockdown rules.
“National has asked repeatedly and publicly for this information for the past five weeks.
“Serious concerns have also been raised by academics, lawyers and the Law Society.
“Parliament has never before summonsed the Solicitor-General.
“The people of New Zealand have given up their freedoms for this lockdown. We all deserve to know what the legal basis was for that.
“New Zealanders should be proud of the efforts they’ve made during this lockdown but they also deserve to know whether the lockdown was legal.”