Covid-19 enquiry must be expanded
Radio NZ reports:
The Royal Commission of Inquiry into the pandemic response last year delayed hearing public submissions until 2024 while the National-led coalition government reviewed its scope.
Public consultation will begin this month on expanding the inquiry’s scope to include:
- Use of multiple lockdowns
- Vaccine procurement and efficacy
- The social and economic impacts on both regional and national levels
- Whether the decisions made, and steps taken, were justified
- The cost-effectiveness of the government’s policies, and whether the rules set by the government appropriately balanced Covid-19 elimination with other goals
- The government’s utilisation of partnerships with business and professional groups
- The extent of disruption to New Zealanders’ health, education, and business as a result of the government’s policies
- If the government’s response was consistent with the rule of law
- How New Zealand’s pandemic preparedness compared to other countries
All these proposed additions are common sense. What is outrageous is they were not included in the first place by the Labour Government.