Progress update - May

Additional requests for information, and follow-up meetings with key organisations, will be a particular focus for the Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 Lessons from May.

Work is also continuing on identifying and examining information from a wide range of publicly available sources about the COVID-19 response, such as published reports or reviews.

There is a great deal of information to consider, says Commission Chair, Professor Tony Blakely, and it’s important for the Inquiry to first use this publicly available information to inform both its thinking on lessons learned, and any engagements it then undertakes.

“We’re getting to a point where we’d like to connect soon with key organisations to better understand what additional information they might be able to share with us, some of which may not be public.

“Access to this information, and to key people, will help the Commission to capture lessons to be learnt from COVID-19, which can then be applied to strengthen the response to future pandemics,” says Professor Blakely.

Over the coming months, the Commission will be progressively contacting a wide range of organisations and institutions including community organisations and NGOs, Iwi and Māori organisations, business associations, academics and researchers, international organisations, and other government agencies not previously contacted, such as Commissions.

“We’d like to better understand what studies or other information these organisations might have that would be of benefit to the Inquiry, and potentially to engage with them more generally about the Commission’s work.”

There will be opportunities, likely later this year, for other organisations and for members of the wider public to input into the Inquiry, says Professor Blakely.

“We know the COVID-19 pandemic has had significant effects for all New Zealanders, and that will remain front of mind for us as the Inquiry progresses.”

Further information and details will be available later in May or early June.