Legal low-down on the lockdown podcasts
Discussion of legal implications of the government’s response to COVID-19 and ongoing developments.
Legal low-down on the lockdown: part 1
In part one Geoff McLay, Joel Colon-Rios, Dean Knight, Nessa Lynch, Marcin Betkier, and Eddie Clark from the Faculty of Law discuss the legality of lockdown law and the legal issues it raises. Topics include suspension of constitutional duties, enforcing lockdown through ‘nudges’, access to justice and privacy, suspension of parliamentary oversight, and continuing to regulate and govern in the long term.
Hear the audio-only version of this podcast.
Legal low-down on the lockdown: part 2
In part two, Geoff McLay, Dean Knight, Nessa Lynch, and Eddie Clark continue their discussion on the legal implications of the government’s response to COVID-19. Topics include: New Zealand’s first judicial review case, A v Ardern, and potential judicial scrutiny going forward; the dual decision-making tracks related to lifting lockdown; enforcement for various breaches; and accountability mechanisms.
Hear the audio-only version of this podcast.
Legal low-down on the lockdown: part 3
In the third episode of the series, Law Faculty academics Geoff McLay, Nessa Lynch, Eddie Clark, and Dean Knight continue their discussion on the legal implications of the government’s response to COVID-19. They discuss:
- the rules under alert level 3
- the disconnect between bubble rules and government messaging
- police warnings and COVID-19 rule breaches
- criminal courts and human rights
- the Attorney-General, policy-making, and COVID-19
- were New Zealand citizens ever going to be banned from coming home?
- the return to Parliament.
Hear the audio-only version of this podcast.
Legal low-down on the lockdown: part 4
Eddie Clark, Dean Knight, and Claudia Geiringer discuss the legality of the lockdown and three recent cases testing this (A & B v Ardern habeas corpus appeal; Borrowdale v Director-General judicial review). They discuss compassionate exemption from quarantine refusal being overturned and events in parliament. Nessa Lynch and Yvette Tinsley discuss police powers, accountability, and criminal justice—the delay in criminal courts and bringing back jury trials.
Hear the audio-only version of this podcast.
Legal low-down on the lockdown: part 5
In the fifth episode of the series, Geoff McLay, Petra Butler, Dean Knight, Eddie Clark, and Nessa Lynch discuss:
- lockdown legality and why it matters
- new COVID-19 Public Health Measures Act (process, framework, and enforcement)
- new alert level 2 rules.
Hear the audio-only version of this podcast.
Legal low-down on the lockdown: part 6
Join our academics as they discuss legal issues and level 2. Including balancing expediency and procedural rights in criminal courts, state surveillance, alert level 2 language, church services, the Borrowdale judicial review, the COVID-19 Public Health Response Act, the Epidemic Response Committee, document dumps, and government openness.
Hear the audio-only version of this podcast.
Legal low-down on the lockdown: part 7
In the final episode of the series, Faculty of Law academics Geoff McLay, Nessa Lynch, Eddie Clark, Dean Knight, Petra Butler, and Joel Colón-Ríos continue the discussion on the legal implications of the government’s response to COVID-19. They discuss what they perceive to be the most striking and most surprising features of lockdown and identify what they view as the main lessons for the future.
Hear the audio-only version of this podcast.
COVID-19 and domestic law
On Tuesday 5 May 2020, our Faculty of Law academics discussed the legal issues surrounding COVID-19 and how they relate to domestic law. In particular, they discussed policy and legislative changes and uses in response to the COVID-19 emergency. Professor Gordon Anderson discusses employment law, redundancy, and the government wage subsidy. Māmari Stephen discusses social welfare responses and their empowering legislation. Ruiping Ye discusses residential tenancies and commercial leases. Finally, Victoria Stace discusses insolvency and changes to directors' obligations.
COVID-19 and international law
On Thursday 23 April 2020, Law Faculty academics discussed the legal issues surrounding COVID-19 and how they relate to international law. Professor Alberto Costi discusses the UN and WHO. Dr Michelle Zang discusses impacts on trade law. Professor Susy Frankel discusses intellectual property, with particular reference to vaccine patents. Dr Bjørn-Oliver Magsig discusses environment law. And Associate Professor Joanna Mossop discusses law of the sea, with particular reference to impacts for cruise-ships.
COVID-19 and international law: Part Two
On Monday, 8 June 2020, our Faculty of Law academics; Petra Butler, Alberto Costi, Susy Frankel, Joanna Mossop and Bjørn-Oliver Magsig sat down to discuss the legal issues surrounding COVID-19 and how they relate to international law:
- US threat to stop funding the activities of, and withdraw from, the WHO
- Call for an independent inquiry into the outbreak of COVID-19
- Effects of border closures on the resettlement of UN refugees
- COVID-19 vaccines in the face of international patent law and public health
- When global demand for a vaccine spurs innovation patents should not stand in the way of equitable access, but they may do
- COVID-19 and flags of convenience
- The impact of COVID-19 on international negotiations for a new oceans treaty
- COVID-19 and climate change
- The need for ‘cooperative sovereignty’ to bridge the gap between (in)action and responsibility.