Australia was one of the most successful nations in its pandemic response, but an investigation by the independent COVID-19 Response Inquiry finds the country was not adequately prepared for a pandemic.
The Inquiry is a reminder of the incredible service and sacrifice of so many people, not just frontline workers, but every single person in Australia.
It was a time of great uncertainty and adversity. Thousands of Australians lost their lives. Borders were closed. Australians were asked to stay in their homes.
The Albanese Government believes we need to be transparent about how the response to COVID-19 was managed and learn the lessons to inform the management of future public health emergencies.
The independent Inquiry says Australia went into the pandemic with stretched health and aged care systems, no clear national management plan, and deficiencies in the National Medical Stockpile.
The Inquiry finds the economic response to the pandemic was critical in achieving the desired public health outcomes.
But mistakes were made, and those mistakes were costly, and inflationary.
Modelling cited in the report says peak inflation could have been reduced by at least 2 per cent if the economic policy settings during the pandemic had better matched the public health restrictions.
Global supply shocks contributed to substantial inflationary pressures in the Australian economy, but the impact was clearly compounded by some poor policy choices during the pandemic and its immediate aftermath.
The Inquiry found that trust in governments and in science has waned as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the responses of Australian Governments.
The report says that rebuilding community trust and maintaining it needs to be an immediate and ongoing priority, because a key partner in any pandemic response is the Australian public.
The Inquiry was established in September 2023 to consider Commonwealth responses to the pandemic, including vaccines and financial support. The Inquiry also considered the role of National Cabinet.
It was led by an independent panel with significant experience in public health and economic policy - Ms Robyn Kruk AO (Chair), Professor Catherine Bennett and Dr Angela Jackson.
The Inquiry has 9 guiding recommendations and 26 actions for both short term and longer-term work to improve Australia's preparedness for future pandemics.
The Inquiry received 2201 submissions from organisations and individuals, conducted interviews and roundtables, and commissioned research to understand the experiences of those most heavily affected.
Stakeholder interviews included the former Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, Health Minister Greg Hunt, and Minister for Indigenous Australians Ken Wyatt, as well as a majority of the former State Premiers and Chief Ministers.
The Government will release a response after careful consideration of the Inquiry's findings and recommendations.
In the interim, the Albanese Government will deliver a new Australian Centre for Disease Control, which is one of the central recommendations of the independent Inquiry.
