First up, the Royal Commission of Inquiry. Finally, finally, the Government has acceded to requests from a number of different agencies and parties to launch a royal inquiry into the Government's handling of the Covid pandemic. Do not hold your breath waiting for the findings. Given the scope and breadth of the inquiry, it'll be mid-2024 before we can see any kind of official report.  

It is being led by Australian-based epidemiologist Professor Tony Blakely, former cabinet Minister Hekia Parata and former Treasury Secretary John Whitehead. So they've got the chops. They know their stuff. They know the way government departments work. They know their particular specialties and there aren't too many of them, so they'll be able to cut through. All the B.S. hopefully.  

But at least there will be a playbook. At least there will be an official record of a when the world went crazy, when there wasn't any institutional knowledge of how to deal with a global pandemic. Everybody was doing it based on theory, based on historical precedent, when the world was vastly different to the way it is today. I mean, hopefully by the time the next global pandemic arrives this will be slightly old fashioned. It will be out if date, it will be an historic record. But we can't take that for granted. We have to be prepared. We have to be forward-looking as tempting as it is to find a scapegoat. 

I think, to have a panel of this caliber who appear to be impartial, who have the chops to be able to take on a huge job … I mean, Professor Blakely said he didn't think twice about it because he knew just how big it was going to be. I think to have a playbook for how to deal with future pandemics with a record of what worked, what didn't and suggestions on what could be done better, will be invaluable for the country. 

First up, the Royal Commission of Inquiry. Finally, finally, the Government has acceded to requests from a number of different agencies and parties to launch a royal inquiry into the Government's handling of the Covid pandemic. Do not hold your breath waiting for the findings. Given the scope and breadth of the inquiry, it'll be mid-2024 before we can see any kind of official report.  
It is being led by Australian-based epidemiologist Professor Tony Blakely, former cabinet Minister Hekia Parata and former Treasury Secretary John Whitehead. So they've got the chops. They know their stuff. They know the way government departments work. They know their particular specialties and there aren't too many of them, so they'll be able to cut through. All the B.S. hopefully.  
But at least there will be a playbook. At least there will be an official record of a when the world went crazy, when there wasn't any institutional knowledge of how to deal with a global pandemic. Everybody was doing it based on theory, based on historical precedent, when the world was vastly different to the way it is today. I mean, hopefully by the time the next global pandemic arrives this will be slightly old fashioned. It will be out if date, it will be an historic record. But we can't take that for granted. We have to be prepared. We have to be forward-looking as tempting as it is to find a scapegoat. 
I think, to have a panel of this caliber who appear to be impartial, who have the chops to be able to take on a huge job … I mean, Professor Blakely said he didn't think twice about it because he knew just how big it was going to be. I think to have a playbook for how to deal with future pandemics with a record of what worked, what didn't and suggestions on what could be done better, will be invaluable for the country.

Join Kerre Woodham one of New Zealand’s best loved personalities as she dishes up a bold, sharp and energetic show Monday to Friday 9am-12md on Newstalk ZB. News, opinion, analysis, lifestyle and entertainment – we’ve got your morning listening covered.