Inquiry Praises NZs COVID Response, But Says Mandates Went Beyond What Was Necessary

Former Labour Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announcing her resignation at the War Memorial Centre in Napier, New Zealand, on Jan. 19, 2023. Kerry Marshall/Getty ImagesThe inquiry into New Zealand’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic has concluded the second and last stage of its investigation and produced a report with 25 recommendations on how similar crises should be handled in the future.It found fault with several aspects of the former Ardern Labour government’s actions around balancing civil rights with health priorities but concluded that, overall, lives were saved by the response.