New Zealand First leader Winston Peters says former government ministers should be criminally charged over the Covid-19 vaccine rollout, and has labelled the government’s response to the pandemic inquiry a cover up.

Asked directly whether he believed previous ministers should be charged, Peters said yes. Asked whether he meant criminally, he said yes again.

His anger centres on advice about second vaccine doses for 12 to 17 year olds. Peters says roughly 100,000 young people in that age group received a second dose despite advice that they should not.

“Many of those people are going to have truncated and difficult lives as a consequence as time goes forward,” he said. “Mark my words, you’ll see what happens.”

He named former ministers and public health figures he believes should be held to account, including Chris Hipkins, Ayesha Verrall and epidemiologist Michael Baker.

“In small peoples in a first world democracy they should be being charged now, but nothing’s happening,” Peters said.

He argued the absence of legal action against him proved his point. “If they had any evidence against me, they’d be suing me for defamation. But they’re not, because they can’t stand discovery.”

The claims are contested. Health authorities have consistently maintained the Covid-19 vaccines used in New Zealand were safe and effective, and no charges have been laid against any minister or official over the rollout.

Peters has a personal stake in the argument, referring to a condition affecting his daughter that he says followed vaccination.

“What are you going to say to that young person when they’re 19, 20 years of age, maybe 25 years of age, they get a condition that’s brought on by them having the second vaccine that they were warned not to have?”

Inquiry a “sham”

The government released its response to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Covid-19 response this week. Peters said the exercise had been compromised from the start by narrow terms of reference set in 2023.

“I said when I first saw those terms of reference, this is a sham,” he said. “Any self-respecting commissioner looking at those terms said, I’m not doing that job, because the terms aren’t wide enough.”

He described the outcome as a whitewash supported by the older political parties, and contrasted it with the questioning of Anthony Fauci before a United States inquiry.

“Whatever’s wrong with America, they are a more performing democracy than we are when it comes to this sort of issue. We should be famous for accountability.”

Peters said evidence on the second dose advice had to be extracted from the inquiry after being left out, and promised New Zealand First would push for a further inquiry if returned after the election.

“We’re going to give these people a chance to state their case, because we’re not going to deny them freedom, democracy or transparency.”

He also accused mainstream media of being compromised by their acceptance of official information during the pandemic. “Are they keeping the political system honest? No, they’re not, because they’re part of the corruption of it.”

Lyttelton Port bid rejected

On Christchurch City Holdings Limited rejecting an unsolicited proposal from a Dubai based company and three local rūnanga to take over leasing operations at Lyttelton Port, Peters said it was the only sensible outcome.

“The added value of transportation should be going to Lyttelton Port, the people of Christchurch and the economy of New Zealand, not some foreign economy,” he said.

He compared the situation to dairy, pointing to a global infant formula market worth tens of billions of dollars in which New Zealand captures a small share despite being among the world’s most efficient milk producers.

Peters was dismissive of the consortium’s refusal to answer questions about where money from the deal would flow. Told the group had engaged a lobbying firm but would not front, he replied: “If they won’t answer your questions, you know why. Because they can’t.”

Waitangi Tribunal review still under wraps

Peters said he expected the independent review of the Waitangi Tribunal’s governing legislation, completed last year, to be released, and said it should have happened long ago.

He blamed delays partly on what he called 18 months wasted on the Treaty Principles Bill, which New Zealand First and National had already ruled out supporting.

He also took aim at tikanga being taught as part of law degrees. “This is folklore, L O R E,” he said. “You’re going to remove that from being required to get a law degree. We’re not having that sort of bulldust.”

Greyhounds, TOP and the Greens

Peters said a rehoming programme covering about 1400 greyhounds was funded, resourced and under way as racing ends. A dog was put down after breaking a leg in the final race.

“That’s a tragedy, but at least that’s the last one,” he said. “For once, parliamentarians did their duty. Every parliamentarian voted for it.”

He accused media of inflating The Opportunities Party’s prospects, disputing reports it had cleared 5 percent support. “They haven’t polled past 5 percent on any poll at all.”

Asked whether he stood by describing the Greens as “retarded”, Peters said he did, citing their call for a moratorium on artificial intelligence.

“We can’t delay the future,” he said, arguing New Zealand’s water and power resources, and its proximity to Antarctica, made it well placed for AI infrastructure.