COVID-19 Inquiry delivers Phase Two Report to Governor-General

The Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 Lessons Learned has today delivered its Phase Two report to Her Excellency, Dame Cindy Kiro, the Governor-General.

The report will be provided to the Government today, who will determine when the Phase Two report will be publicly released. A statement about this will be made by the Minister of Internal Affairs, Brooke van Velden later today.

Phase Two Inquiry Chair, Grant Illingworth, KC, said he and fellow Commissioners were tasked with learning further lessons from the COVID-19 response, to improve New Zealand’s overall pandemic readiness. 

Specifically, Phase Two was asked to look at key Government decisions from February 2021 to October 2022, and their impacts. Topics included: vaccine safety and approvals; vaccine mandates; testing and tracing technology, and national and regional lockdowns.

The Phase Two Inquiry report is based on evidence gathered over 15 months; the analysis of thousands of documents; and interviews and engagements with a wide range of people and organisations across the country – including former ministers and senior public servants, community and advocacy groups, businesses and experts. The Inquiry also considered more than 31,000 submissions from the public and organisations, including hearing first-hand of people’s experiences living through the pandemic. 

“Thank you to everyone who met with us to share evidence, experiences and expertise. Your contributions have been influential in shaping and informing our work.

“It’s clear that some people continue to feel deeply about the Government’s response to the pandemic – whether strongly in favour, strongly against, or somewhere in between. We have listened closely to this range of experiences and perspectives,” said Mr Illingworth. 

The Inquiry also wishes to acknowledge that since 2020, COVID-19 has either caused or contributed to the deaths of an estimated 5,500 people in New Zealand, and caused many people to be seriously ill. 

“We wish to recognise that many people have suffered as a result of the pandemic, and many people continue to suffer. The damage caused by COVID-19 has been truly immense – the biggest event to affect this country in generations.”

We would also like to acknowledge the work of all who helped Aotearoa New Zealand get through COVID-19, said Mr Illingworth.

“Whether you kept vital services like healthcare or food provision going, supported your neighbours and community, or were involved in making the tough decisions required to lead a country through a pandemic – thank you.” 

With the delivery of its report, the work of the Inquiry is now concluded. Mr Illingworth will not undertake any media interviews in relation to the work of the Inquiry, but a short statement and video from him will be issued by the Inquiry later today. 

ENDS