‘People are tired’: Chris Hipkins, the New Zealand minister battling to eliminate Covid

As the country's much-lauded pandemic policy reaches a critical moment, Hipkins insists it remains committed to elimination

• Ardern looks to life beyond lockdowns with 90% vaccination target

It's New Zealand's 1pm Covid press conference, and Chris Hipkins is eyeballing a room of journalists. He stands, sanitising his hands, and takes a moment to look around.

We'll start with some good news," he begins.