What happens next? Ka aha ā muri ake?

Te Tira Ārai Urutā the Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 Lessons Learned is tasked with examining the lessons learned from Aotearoa New Zealand’s response to COVID-19 that should be applied in preparation for any future pandemic.

This experience report summarises public feedback received during Phase One of the Inquiry, which ended on 28 November 2024.

Phase Two of the Inquiry, which commences on 29 November 2024, is investigating key decisions taken by Government in Aotearoa New Zealand’s response to COVID-19 between February 2021 and October 2022, regarding:

1. The use of vaccines in response to COVID-19, specifically vaccine mandates; the approval of specific COVID-19 vaccines; and vaccine safety, including the monitoring and reporting of adverse reactions.
2. The imposition and maintenance of lockdowns, specifically the national lockdown in August and September 2021, and the extended lockdown in Auckland and Northland in September 2021.
3. The procurement, development, and distribution of testing and tracing technologies and non-pharmaceutical public health materials, specifically the impact of private sector involvement or non-involvement.

Phase Two of the Inquiry will make findings on whether key decisions were well-informed (particularly regarding any social and economic disruption key decisions were likely to cause) and whether those decisions had unforeseen consequences; and make recommendations on considerations that should inform future decisions to best prepare Aotearoa New Zealand to respond to any future pandemics.

Phase Two of the Inquiry will be led by Grant Illingworth KC (Chair), and fellow Commissioners Judy Kavanagh and Anthony Hill. The Inquiry will deliver its Phase Two report by 26 February 2026.