04 About the report He kōrero mō te pūrongo

This report comprises three parts:

This first part provides essential context about the Inquiry, the report and the state of Aotearoa New Zealand in the immediate pre-pandemic period.

Part Two: Looking Back examines and assesses Aotearoa New Zealand’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The first chapter provides context: using graphs and other visuals, it is a brief reminder of some of the key pandemic events, impacts, decisions and outcomes New Zealand experienced and how they compared with other countries. With this context in mind, we present our analysis and lessons on seven key aspects of the pandemic response in Chapters 2 to 8:

• all-of-government arrangements,
• lockdowns,
• border restrictions and quarantine,
• the health system,
• economic and social impacts,
• vaccination, and
• the use of mandatory measures.

In each chapter, our approach is to begin by describing ‘what happened’, usually in a broadly chronological sequence and with little evaluative commentary. Short ‘spotlights’ feature throughout, highlighting particular pandemic policies or measures and their impacts. We then set out our assessment of that particular topic, drawing together our major conclusions at the end of each chapter. Finally in Chapter 9, we take stock of New Zealand’s pandemic response and set out some broad reflections on what the country’s experience of COVID-19 taught us.

Part Three: Moving Forward contains two chapters. Chapter 10 sets out the six broad lessons we consider Aotearoa New Zealand should learn for the future and apply when preparing for, and responding to, the next pandemic. Chapter 11 details our recommendations for action. While they are directed at central government and its agencies, our recommendations are also relevant to the many groups and sectors outside of government which – as we saw during COVID-19 – will undoubtedly make critical contributions to the next pandemic response. They include communities, iwi and Māori, non-governmental organisations, local government and the private sector.

A series of appendices concludes the report. These present detailed epidemiological, legal and governance information that supports the ‘Looking Back’ chapters in particular. A glossary is also included.

Endnotes appear at the end of each chapter. As noted earlier, the confidentiality arrangements put in place to encourage the free and frank sharing of information throughout Phase One mean we cannot formally cite much of the evidence provided in direct engagements with stakeholders. Publicly-available sources are cited, and we have tried to provide as much information as possible (including URLs) to help readers access them if they wish. Please note that some hyperlinks in this report may no longer work at the time of publication. Most links should still be accessible when copied and pasted into the National Library webarchive: https://ndhadeliver.natlib.govt.nz/webarchive/