The second phase of the Royal Commision into the government's response to Covid-19 is underway - but Labour leader Chris Hipkins says the investigation was intentionally designed to give conspiracy theorists a platform.

Is this a fair comment - and should Hipkins and former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern front up at the inquiry? 

Also, Resources Minister Shane Jones is not happy with DOC.

They have declined an application to extend an Otago gold mine because the mining company didn’t have a proper lizard management plan, with 700 jobs at risk according to the mining company. What's more important - jobs or lizards? 

To answer those questions, Labour's police spokesperson Ginny Andersen and National's Otaki MP Tim Costley joined Nick Mills for Politics Thursday.

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