Covid-19 Royal Commission

The story so far

The second phase of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the government's Covid-19 response began public hearings in Auckland in July 2025, with submissions focused on the impacts of lockdowns and vaccines.^{7 Jul 2025} Business leaders, researchers and people from the nursing, midwifery and mandated industries gave evidence, while people with Long Covid said they were disappointed their voices would not be prioritised.^{7, 11 Jul 2025} Labour leader Chris Hipkins said the inquiry's terms of reference were designed to give a platform to conspiracy theorists.^{8 Jul 2025} In August, a Treasury briefing said the previous Labour government spent about $66 billion on the pandemic and overspent against official advice, which Hipkins called "Treasury spin".^{7, 8 Aug 2025} A week of further public hearings was cancelled after former ministers, including Dame Jacinda Ardern, declined to appear, and coalition parties accused them of avoiding scrutiny.^{13 Aug 2025}

Latest

Hipkins defended the decision to skip the hearings, and the Commission has chosen not to use its power to force attendance.^{14 Aug 2025} Former finance minister Grant Robertson called the process a "show trial", then defended his Covid-era spending and accused Treasury of rewriting history.^{17, 19 Aug 2025}

Key moments

1. 7 Jul 2025Public hearings of the Covid-19 Royal Commission's second phase begin in Auckland.
2. 8 Jul 2025Hipkins says the inquiry's terms of reference give conspiracy theorists a platform.
3. 11 Jul 2025First week of public hearings concludes in Auckland.
4. 7 Aug 2025Treasury briefing says the previous government spent $66 billion and overspent against advice.
5. 13 Aug 2025A week of hearings is cancelled after former ministers decline to appear.
6. 14 Aug 2025Commission chooses not to use its power to force attendance.
7. 17 Aug 2025Grant Robertson calls the inquiry process a "show trial".

Written from the stories below; each sentence links to its sources.