This document provides an update on the work of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 Lessons Learned and a summary of the public hearings held by the Inquiry in July 2025.
The Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 Lessons Learned was set up to learn from Aotearoa New Zealand’s COVID-19 experience to help our country prepare for future pandemics.
The Inquiry reviewed many areas of Aotearoa New Zealand’s COVID-19 response in 2023 and 2024 and published a report which you can read on our website https://www.covid19lessons.royalcommission.nz/reports-lessons-learned/ (short URL: https://tinyurl.com/2hhm88kw). This part of the Inquiry was called Phase One.
At the end of 2024, the Government asked us to review some new topics and look in more detail at some of the topics we were already investigating. This part of the Inquiry is called Phase Two.
Phase Two of the Inquiry is looking at how the New Zealand Government used lockdowns, vaccines, vaccine mandates, and testing and tracing to manage the pandemic.
Phase Two has gathered submissions from the public, met with the Government, community groups, organisations, and businesses, held a week of public hearings, and gathered written information.
As well as looking at different topics, this phase of the Inquiry is led by different people with different areas of expertise.
We will produce another report on these topics by 26 February 2026.
Public hearings
The Inquiry held public hearings to hear how different people and groups experienced the pandemic in Aotearoa New Zealand.
The hearings also allowed the public to learn more about the kinds of information the Inquiry is gathering about the COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand.
The Inquiry held the hearings in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland. This is because we were asked to look specifically at the impact of lockdowns on Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland and Te Tai Tokerau Northland and we wanted to hear from a range of people who live in those areas.
A full list of the people who spoke at the hearings, as well as recordings of each session with subtitles, are available on our website: https://www.covid19lessons.royalcommission.nz/the-inquiry/public-hearings/public-hearings-session-one-perspectives-on-the-pandemic (short URL: https://tinyurl.com/2snbfm45).
Public hearings: Day one
On the first day of the hearings, the Inquiry heard from organisations who help support businesses in Aotearoa New Zealand.
These organisations said it was hard for businesses to be in lockdown, and many business owners experienced financial and emotional stress.
They said they found Government rules and restrictions confusing. However, they were grateful for the support the Government did provide.
If there was another pandemic, businesses wanted to make sure they could work closely with the Government to make sure businesses could survive another pandemic. They also wanted to see support that suited different areas of the country or different industries depending on what their specific needs were.
Public hearings: Day two
On the second day of the hearings, the Inquiry heard from the following diverse range of groups:
An international group of social sciences experts from Care and Responsibility Under Lockdown (CARUL) Research Collective.
This group told the Inquiry people supported lockdowns when they understood the need for them, not when they were forced to do so.
To be better prepared for future pandemics, they said more and improved social services, mental health support, and financial support during and after lockdowns were needed.
CARUL also suggested making sure different voices are heard to inform decision-making and to help with healing and social cohesion.
The disabled community, their whānau and carers
This group told the Inquiry that there were significant gaps in the support and information available in accessible formats for disabled communities.
They said there was often a shortage of appropriate care staff, which meant family and community groups had to fill the gaps.
If there was another pandemic, the disabled community said the Government needs to actively involve their communities in planning and decision-making.
Perspectives from the general practice sector
General practitioners told the Inquiry early lockdowns were appropriate. They were able to make rapid adjustments to keep providing care. Although they supported vaccine mandates, they said they were difficult to implement.
General practitioners recommended for future pandemics the use of trusted voices, like certain health providers or iwi, should be leveraged to help people feel comfortable with vaccines.
Perspectives of older people
Older people told the Inquiry, lockdowns were hard for older people living alone, especially those who were not digitally connected to access services.
To prepare for future pandemics, they recommended providing free rapid antigen tests (RATs) to help calm the fears of older people.
Perspectives from the Pacific community
This group told the Inquiry that Pacific communities got sick more often from COVID-19 than many other groups. This was partly because of existing social, economic and health challenges in these communities.
For future pandemics they said trusted Pacific leaders should share messages about how to keep safe from pandemics and provide culturally appropriate and local solutions to Pacific communities.
Public hearings: Day three
On day three of the public hearings, the Inquiry heard from Auckland ethnic communities, Te Kaunihera o Tāmaki Makaurau – Auckland Council, Māori health and social service providers, the education sector, and a group of young people.
Perspectives from Auckland ethnic communities
This group told the Inquiry that access to information was an issue for some communities, with both misinformation and a lack of information in other languages causing this problem.
Both Pacific and Asian communities worked together to make their own resources and run their own pandemic responses rather than waiting for Government support.
If there was another pandemic, this group said the Government need to ensure communications are accessible to all ethnicities and communities are prepared for the changes required to face a pandemic.
Perspectives from Te Kaunihera o Tāmaki Makaurau – Auckland Council
Auckland Council told the Inquiry they had to fill a lot of gaps until Government support arrived, and this was challenging.
They said using many different channels to communicate with different communities was important.
To prepare for future pandemics, this group said building and maintaining good community relationships was critical. Auckland Council said the Government should also give Local Government a bigger role in the legislation that covers pandemics.
Perspectives from Māori health and social service providers
These providers told the Inquiry that lockdowns made existing distrust in Government worse for Māori. Vaccination rules were seen as going against Māori self-determination and led to a loss of Māori workers.
They said the best lockdown responses came from strong partnerships with Local Government to create community-led, and culturally appropriate solutions.
The providers recommended involving Māori communities in future pandemic plans, to create effective and trusted solutions.
Perspectives from the education sector
The Inquiry heard from the education sector that many students, especially in rural and low-income areas, lacked computers and reliable internet access,
This group said principals became vital community leaders during the lockdowns, filling gaps in welfare and communication.
If there was another pandemic, they said it was important all students have good access to the internet and devices. They also suggested getting school principals involved in pandemic planning since they play a key role in schools and the wider communities.
Perspectives from young people
This group told the Inquiry lockdowns were hard for young people. They lost social connections and access to education.
To prepare for future pandemics, they recommended developing better support systems for young people during a crisis.
Public hearings: Day four
On day four of the hearings, the Inquiry heard from the following diverse range of groups:
Perspectives on vaccine safety from advocacy groups
The advocacy groups told the Inquiry the Government decisions breached human rights, and trust in Government and medical systems have been damaged.
These groups said many people were concerned about how quickly the Pfizer vaccine was developed. They felt the Government messaging around the vaccine was not clear about side effects.
To prepare for future pandemics, they said the Government needs to address concerns about how quickly vaccines are developed and allow access to alternate treatment options.
Perspectives on misinformation and disinformation
The Inquiry heard from Fighting Against Conspiracy Theories (FACT) Aotearoa – a volunteer group of activists fighting against conspiracy theories and disinformation.
This group felt there was a gap to fill in helping fight disinformation and conspiracy theories.
If there was another pandemic, this group recommended providing people with resources to address misinformation and disinformation.
Perspectives on vaccine science research
The Inquiry heard from a group of vaccine science researchers. This group said the COVID-19 vaccine is very safe. They said vaccine side effects do happen, although they are very rare.
For future pandemics, they suggested the Government base decisions on comprehensive scientific evidence rather than ‘soundbites’. This group also suggested continuing to monitor systems for rare adverse reactions.
Public hearings: Day five
On the final day of the hearings, the Inquiry heard from mandated industries, the nursing and midwifery sector and researchers’ perspectives on the mandates and communication about the vaccine.
Perspectives from mandated industries
The Inquiry heard from a range of mandated industries who said that extra planning was required for disabled communities, since many of their services could not be provided remotely.
Small businesses like restaurants and cafes struggled with understanding and implementing all the rules around mandates.
To prepare for future pandemics, they recommended the Government work with industry bodies to prepare and set up clear guidelines and support.
Perspectives from the nursing and midwifery sectors
The midwifery sector told the Inquiry that midwives supported lockdowns because they kept them and their clients safe from getting COVID-19.
The nursing sector group said nurses struggled with stress and high workloads.
To prepare for future pandemics, these sector groups recommended establishing a New Zealand-based Centre for Disease Control and preparing the healthcare sector by providing more funding.
Research perspectives on mandates
The Inquiry heard from Professor Michael Plank from Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha – University of Canterbury and Professor Denise Wilson from Te Wānanga Aronui o Tāmaki Makau Rau – Auckland University of Technology.
Professor Plank told the Inquiry one of the modelling studies he was involved with showed that without vaccination, 6,500 more deaths and 45,000 more hospitalisations would have happened.
To prepare for future pandemics, he recommended investing in modelling so we are well informed about what might happen.
Professor Wilson said most people they interviewed on mandates were accepting of vaccines but were negatively impacted by the mandates. If there was another pandemic, she said the Government should take a more compassionate and flexible approach to mandates.
Perspectives on communication regarding the vaccine
The Inquiry heard from Associate Professor Petousis-Harris, a researcher in medical and health sciences who specialises in vaccines.
She told the Inquiry vaccination is a very efficient public health tool as it leads to less people getting hospitalised, so the healthcare system can keep working.
For future pandemics, she recommended making sure people understand how vaccines work before a crisis happens and said good communication is vital for building trust in a pandemic response.
What is next for the Inquiry?
The Inquiry has now finished gathering the information we need to finish our work. We will now write a report about what we have found and what we recommend that the Government should do to prepare for another pandemic. All the information the Inquiry has received will be considered for the report.
On 26 February 2026, the report will be given to the Governor-General. It will then be up to the Government to release the report to the public and to act on the recommendations the Inquiry makes.
