Questions and Answers Ngā Pātai me ngā Whakautu

Why has the Government established a Royal Commission of Inquiry?

A Royal Commission of Inquiry has been established to prepare New Zealand for future pandemics, by providing recommendations based on the key lessons learnt from our COVID-19 experience. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has had, and continues to have, significant, complex, and far-reaching impacts on people, whānau and communities. 

The Government recognises the opportunity and duty to carry out a review of our response to the pandemic, as part of our commitment to laying the foundations for a better future.

A Royal Commission of Inquiry is the highest form of public inquiry for the most serious issues of public importance, so it is the most appropriate type of inquiry for this purpose.

What will the Royal Commission do? 

The purpose of the Royal Commission is to strengthen New Zealand’s preparedness for, and response to, potential future pandemics. The unprecedented and evolving nature of COVID-19 meant that uncertainty was a constant feature throughout the pandemic. A future pandemic will also bring with it uncertainty, along with a unique set of challenges. It will not replicate our experience of COVID-19. The COVID-19 pandemic was caused by a coronavirus – the next pandemic might be an influenza or another infectious agent. New Zealand’s preparation for future pandemics needs to be flexible enough to respond effectively to a broad range of potential infectious agents and events.

The Royal Commission will focus on identifying lessons from New Zealand’s COVID-19 pandemic response that can be applied to future pandemic planning. This involves consideration of the lessons that can be learnt from the elimination and minimisation and protection strategies. 

Will the Royal Commission assess how well the Government responded or where it could have done better?

Yes. To identify lessons that should be applied in preparation for any future pandemic, the Royal Commission will comment on the effectiveness of New Zealand’s initial elimination strategy, and later minimisation and protection strategy. Considerations will include how effective were they in limiting the spread of the virus and its impact on vulnerable groups and the health system. The Royal Commission will look into this in the context of New Zealand’s circumstances, what was known at the time, and the strategies adopted by other countries.

Given how critical the public health system is in a pandemic, will the Royal Commission be able to make recommendations about the recent health reforms?

No. The recent reforms to New Zealand’s health system, including the organisational arrangements for public health services are excluded from the Royal Commission’s scope. The Royal Commission is not invited to relitigate the health reforms in terms of a general examination or to provide recommendations on how health services generally should be organised. It is within scope, however, for the Royal Commission to identify lessons that can be learned about expectations of health services and how they need to be maintained during a pandemic. The Royal Commission’s recommendations will be relevant regardless of the structure of the health system in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Why are democratic accountability mechanisms like parliamentary processes and the general election out of scope? 

The Terms of Reference appropriately restrict the Royal Commission from examining matters that come within the purview of Parliament.

The resilience of the electoral system, including conducting an election in a pandemic or other emergency, is included in the terms of reference for the Independent Electoral Review. Specifically, the terms of reference for that Review include the resilience of the electoral system, including flexibility to use emergency powers to conduct an election.

The Independent Electoral Review is also required to consider recommendations from the Justice and Electoral Select Committee. The Report of the Justice and Electoral Select Committee into the 2020 General Election recommended the legislative framework be reviewed to ensure to ensure that there is adequate resilience to emergencies. 

Will the response of the private sector be part of the Inquiry?

The operation of the private sector is excluded from the Royal Commission’s scope, except where the private sector was responsible for delivering services integral to a pandemic response. 

How will this inquiry benefit New Zealanders?

There will be future pandemics, and it’s imperative Aotearoa is well prepared to respond a future pandemic. 

Learning from our COVID-19 experience will ensure New Zealand has appropriate and effective policies and practices in place for the future that will benefit New Zealanders across many aspects of their lives.

When will the report be completed?

The Royal Commission’s Phase One report will be completed by 28 November 2024.

How can the New Zealand public contribute to the Inquiry?

The New Zealand public were able to provide submissions to Phase One of the Inquiry in February and March 2024. Phase Two will invite public submissions from early 2025. More information on the submissions process for Phase Two will be available soon.

If you have a question about submissions or need to make an early submission, please email the Inquiry at InquiryintoCOVID-19lessons@dia.govt.nz.

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