NZ Government Receives Final Royal Commission Report on COVID-19 Lessons

The Government welcomes the delivery of the final report from the Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 Lessons to the Governor-General this morning.

I want to acknowledge the Royal Commission’s work to provide its final report. I also want to thank the thousands of Kiwis who had a part in shaping this report by making their voices heard through submissions on the terms of reference for Phase Two of the inquiry, says Ms van Velden.

Both the ACT-National and New Zealand First-National coalition agreements included commitments to expanding the Inquiry into COVID-19, showing that a review into the response was important to many Kiwis.

New Zealanders told us they weren’t satisfied with the narrow terms of the first phase of the Royal Commission’s inquiry – terms set by the same Government that made the decisions the Commission was investigating. It was important that we expand the Inquiry’s terms of reference to focus on the use of lockdowns and vaccine mandates, in particular inquiring into whether the Government considered the impact these decisions would have on society, our health and education, and on our economy.

The inquiry is not simply about learning what the previous Government did wrong, it is about working out what we need to do right. The social and financial costs of the pandemic response continue to be felt across the economy and society. Even today, New Zealanders are facing the consequences as they struggle with the cost of living and the debt disaster the previous Government left behind. We simply cannot afford to repeat the same mistakes again.

The Royal Commission’s final report will be made public when the report is presented to Parliament on 10 March 2026.

Health Minister Simeon Brown will now take on the Government’s response to the recommendations in the report.

New Zealanders lived through some of the most significant pandemic restrictions in the world. Kiwis remember not being able to visit loved ones in hospital, struggling to secure a managed isolation spot just to return home, and keeping their kids home from school for months on end, Mr Brown says.

Aucklanders felt this more than most, with the previous government's decisions leading to the region spending more than six months in lockdown – the longest of any region in the country.

The uncertainty, the isolation, and the toll it took on families, small business owners, and communities were all a result of decisions made during that time. Those decisions had a significant impact on everyday Kiwis, and it is important we take the time to fully understand why those decisions were made, so that any future response properly weighs the health and economic needs of all New Zealanders.

The Government and relevant agencies will carefully consider the findings of the report before responding to its recommendations.

Note to Editors: The Royal Commission was established on 9 December 2022 to examine New Zealand’s response to COVID-19 and identify the lessons learned that should be applied in future.

In November 2024 the Government announced an expansion on the scope of the Royal Commission of Inquiry  to include a review of the key decisions taken by the Government in New Zealand’s response to COVID-19 during 2021 and 2022.