Covid-19 Inquiry Chair Welcomes Additional Commissioner Appointment

The COVID-19 Inquiry Chair, Professor Tony Blakely, has welcomed today’s announcement from the Minister of Internal Affairs that a new Commissioner will join the Inquiry from Friday 2 August.

“My Co-Commissioner John Whitehead and I welcome the appointment of Grant Illingworth, KC, to Te Tira Ārai Urutā – the NZ Royal Commission Covid-19 Lessons Learned. Our Commission’s phase one work is well advanced, and Mr Illingworth’s likely focus will predominantly be on how the second phase of the Inquiry will be conducted. However, we also look forward to Mr Illingworth bringing a complementary perspective to the work of the Inquiry to date,” says Professor Blakely.

The Covid-19 Inquiry has had a Commissioner vacancy since Hon Hekia Parata stepped down in November 2023. The Minister has indicated her intention for Mr Illingworth to continue as a Commissioner with the Inquiry into the second phase, while the current Commissioners have indicated their intention to step down at the completion of Phase One.

Professor Blakely says a further phase of the COVID-19 Inquiry provides an opportunity to complement the work already undertaken by the Royal Commission, and for Aotearoa New Zealand to be even better prepared for future pandemics.

“We acknowledge the decision by the Government to conduct a second inquiry phase into New Zealand’s COVID-19 response, and the likely range of additional topics it will consider.

“Our current terms of reference are broad enough to allow us to look at a wide range of COVID-19 related topics, like mandates, lockdowns, and social impacts such as the impact on education and mental health. However, we recognise there are specific areas that people have said they would like considered and that’s been reflected in what has been outlined previously by the Government.

The first phase of the Inquiry is due to report back by 28 November 2024, while the second phase will report back in February 2026.

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