On 10th March the High Court ruled that the then COVID 19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins’ decision to mandate Family Carers out of work was improper and invalid. Worse, he received no official advice before taking this punitive action.
The Crown accepted they were wrong and promised the Court they would reimburse affected family carers.
Now, more than two months after the High Court decision, both the lawyers for the carers and the carers themselves are being stonewalled on reimbursement – despite numerous requests for the Court decision to be honoured.
Why are the carers facing further legal costs to get the justice the Court has already ruled on? And why isn’t the Minister and government being held to account?
The Minister applied a mandate when he had no legal right to do so – whilst running roughshod over people’s fundamental rights and on a power trip ignoring due legal process.
Two months of inexcusable delay amounts to deliberate obstruction of justice and images gross incompetence.
We say give these long suffering people justice now.
