On Tuesday, Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden announced there would be a second phase to the Royal Commission, featuring new commissioners and an expanded terms of reference. This phase will focus on ongoing public concerns, including vaccine efficacy and safety, the extended lockdowns in Auckland and Northland, and the disruption to New Zealanders’ health, education, and businesses.

Although Auckland-based media covered the announcement, the stories were buried online.

Winston Peters told chrislynchmedia.com that the mainstream media had been “duplicitous.”

“The mainstream media haven’t even covered this matter in today’s Herald and Dom Post. No mention at all,” he said.

New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters

“This is being shut down or gaslit by the mainstream media, who were complicit in the extreme.” Peters doubted the media was doing any soul-searching.

“I don’t think so. And watching TV One last night that never even covered this issue – it tells me these people are doubling down in their arrogance, and they think they’re going to get away with it,” he said.

“That’s the reason why they’re dying because the people know that this is not a place where you’ll find both sides of the story if you go to the mainstream media.”

Peters also said that Dame Jacinda Ardern should be made to publicly front up at the COVID-19 inquiry but doubted she would.

In the interview, Peters said he never speaks to Ardern and they don’t talk to each other.