How We Will Work Te Āhua o Tā Mātou Mahi
This section provides guidance and information on how the Royal Commission will work.
The below information refers to Phase One of the Inquiry. Phase One will report back, and conclude, on 28 November 2024. Phase Two of the Inquiry will follow, and will include an expanded terms of reference and new Commissioners. This page will be updated to reflect Phase Two later in 2024.
Establishment
On 8 December 2022, the Government announced the appointment of a Royal Commission of Inquiry to look at the lessons learned from Aotearoa New Zealand’s response to COVID-19 that should be applied in preparation for any future pandemic.
The Royal Commission is led by three Commissioners and supported by a Secretariat.
The Government has set the terms of reference for the overall Inquiry, including outlining our primary focus and providing guidance in terms of the way we operate and the procedures we follow.
For example, we’re directed to use the most efficient and least formal procedures to gather necessary information and evidence, in addition to what is already publicly available.
This means that during the Inquiry, we’ll be engaging with a wide range of organisations and communities to gather and understand the relevant information that can help us understand the lessons Aotearoa New Zealand has learned from the pandemic.
More information will be available soon on how Phase Two will conduct its work.