New report criticises politicisation of New Zealand's COVID-19 pandemic management

A new report, authored by Emeritus Professor Des Gorman and Dr Murray Horn, reveals that New Zealand's COVID-19 pandemic management was highly politicised and resulted in poor performance during the outbreak.

Lifting the Lid: A Critical Analysis of the Covid-19 Pandemic Management in New Zealand offers recommendations on how to improve future responses.

Professor Gorman states, “New Zealand’s pandemic management was marred by political considerations, which compromised the effectiveness and efficiency of our response.” He adds, “Transparency and collaboration are crucial in managing crises, but unfortunately, these values took a back seat during the pandemic.”

Gorman and Horn argue that the government’s decision to prioritise political interests resulted in a lack of transparency and undermining social cohesion, leading to a loss of confidence in the institutions that sustain a healthy democracy.

To prevent similar issues in the future, the authors recommend:

1. Being proactive and adaptable, avoiding excessive politicisation.
2. Enhancing planning and capacity for better crisis response.
3. Learning from successful governance models that reduce political interference.
4. Involving private sector partners to deliver key response elements.
5. Guiding responses by consistently balancing risks, costs, and benefits.

This report, published by The New Zealand Initiative, is a valuable resource for policymakers and stakeholders looking to learn from the challenges and shortcomings of the COVID-19 pandemic response.