Coalition Partners in New Zealand’s COVID-19 Inquiry Move to Second Phase Despite Disagreements
The Royal Commission inquiry into New Zealand’s handling of the pandemic is entering a second phase, leading NZ First to trigger the ‘agree to disagree’ clause in the coalition agreement.
New Zealand is broadening the terms of the independent Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons Learned, with Internal Affairs Minister Brooke Van Velden announcing a new phase with additional commissioners.
This decision has caused New Zealand First, one of the governing parties alongside National and ACT, to utilize the “agree to disagree” clause to express their dissent.
While the party supports the scope of the next phase of the inquiry, they strongly oppose the continuation of the current commission under the leadership of Tony Blakely until its completion in November. The second phase is set to commence afterward and provide recommendations by February 2026.
The new terms of reference for the second phase will focus on ongoing public concerns such as vaccine efficacy, lockdowns in Auckland and Northland, and the impact on health, education, and businesses, as stated by Ms. Van Velden.
The current commissioners, Professor Blakely and John Whitehead, will step down in November after submitting their report. New Commissioners will be appointed by the Minister in August, ideally possessing expertise in law, medicine, public health, and economics.
The decision by NZ First to invoke the “agree to disagree” provision marks the first instance in this term, highlighting a disagreement over the scope and leadership of the current Royal Commission.
Winston Peters, leader of NZ First, argues that the current inquiry is too narrow and compromised due to the Chair’s involvement with the previous government’s pandemic response, leading to a perceived bias and credibility concerns.
The former Labour Government initiated the Royal Commission in December 2022, focusing on lessons learned for future pandemics. The decision was met with criticism from National, ACT, and NZ First, accusing Labour of evading accountability.
The second phase of the inquiry is estimated to cost around $14 million, with the first phase having incurred approximately $17 million in expenses so far.
