The advice behind any major decision affecting Kiwis' rights in a future pandemic will be published within five working days, under the Government's response to both phases of the Covid-19 inquiry, released today.
Health Minister Simeon Brown released a response to the pandemic inquiry, which has spanned across two governments, tens of thousands of submissions, and which both sides of Parliament have accused of being politicised at points in the process.
Of the 63 recommendations across 23 agencies, the Government has accepted 21 in full, 36 "in principle" — with modification — and partially accepted the remaining six.
The headline commitments include a new rule requiring the advice behind major pandemic decisions to be published within five working days, and a pledge that emergency economic support in future shocks will be "timely, temporary, and targeted".
Second and final phase of the Covid inquiry covered the period from February 2021 to October 2022. (Source: 1News)
Brown also highlighted that all advice from a pandemic-era technical advisory group on Covid-19 vaccines has since been proactively released following a dispute over if and how ministers were advised about myocarditis risks post-vaccination.
The minister said the response was about learning from the past and restoring trust.
"New Zealanders placed enormous trust in their government and made real sacrifices to protect one another. They deserve a clear account of what happened, and this response is about learning from it," he said in a media release.
"Restoring trust and confidence in decision-making is critical to maintaining social cohesion and ensuring New Zealanders are willing to make the sacrifices asked of them.
"No one can say what the next shock will be, or when it will land.
Labour pandemic-era ministers Chris Hipkins, Grant Robertson and Ayesha Verrall have also declined. (Source: 1News)
"This Government is committed to building New Zealand's future, and strengthening our resilience to future shocks is a key part of that."
The minister leaned on the inquiry's criticisms of the previous government's spending and decisions, which he said meant "restrictions stayed in place for longer than needed".
"Having learnt from the previous Labour government's mistakes, we are restoring fiscal discipline and making sure that when support is needed it reaches those who need it most, rather than spraying tens of billions of dollars across hundreds of programmes with little to show for it," Brown said.
Some recommendations implemented 'in principle'
In its response to the inquiry phases, the Government stated it would not create dedicated pandemic legislation, declining to pursue the recommended standalone approach from the royal commission, instead opting to review existing legislation.
Brown said a review of the Health Act would "ensure any future response balances the protection of public health, the economy, and New Zealanders' rights".
A report into NZ’s Covid response has found the health system was strained but never overwhelmed by Covid-19 cases. (Source: 1News)
The Royal Commission's Phase Two report, delivered in March, recommended that standing primary legislation covering lockdowns, border closures, quarantine and vaccine requirements be enacted before the next pandemic, describing legislation as "the guardrail for fundamental rights and freedoms".
The commissioners said such a law should go through select committee scrutiny and consultation, rather than being rushed through under urgency as happened in 2020.
The response document itself shows the "accepted in principle" category frequently means recommendations will be implemented differently from what the commission proposed, or only if money is found through existing agency baselines.
Expanded testing and contact tracing capacity, health data systems and quarantine readiness are all described as contingent on funding beyond current baselines.
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The commission's phase one calls for "comprehensive plans" for lockdowns and border restrictions will instead be responded to with "flexible, principle-based frameworks".
Both phases of the inquiry also recommended a permanent strategic or central agency function at the heart of government, in the Treasury or the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet in the case of phase two, to coordinate pandemic preparedness.
The Government instead assigned pandemic coordination to the Health Ministry, while the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet retains a broader stewardship role.
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The six only partially accepted cover health, economic and welfare readiness.
The Government partially supported improving ventilation in public buildings outside healthcare facilities, coordinating an economic response, and keeping ports running in a shock — but ruled out an economic "playbook", fast-tracked value-for-money checks, and any single plan to manage trade bottlenecks it says lie beyond its control.
It also declined to set formal pandemic-preparedness expectations for chief executives, and only partly took up the recommendation to publish human rights advice on pandemic powers, reserving the ability to withhold legally privileged material.
The response sets deadlines through 2026 and 2027 for much of the work, including a Cabinet Office Circular giving effect to the five-day release rule by September 30.
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