Politics / Covid 19

Epidemic Response Committee to hold first public meeting today

06:20 am on 31 March 2020

Top health officials will front today as the Epidemic Response Committee holds its first public meeting via video conference.

National leader Simon Bridge is chair of the Epidemic Response Committee. Photo: RNZ / Dom Thomas

The committee was set up to ensure the government's response to Covid-19 is still scrutinised while Parliament is adjourned.

Committee Chair, and National Party leader, Simon Bridges said he would take a "constructive, and principled" approach.

"It's important there is strong scrutiny of our nation's response to this pandemic as it will affect future generations, both in terms of lives but also in terms of the billions of dollars being spent," he said.

"I see our role as asking the questions that New Zealanders want answered. I've been flooded with correspondence from New Zealanders who want answers on a wide variety of topics related to the response."

The head of the All of Government Response, John Ombler, will be the first to appear remotely for questioning, followed by Minister of Health Dr David Clark, and Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield.

  • If you have symptoms of the coronavirus, call the NZ Covid-19 Healthline on 0800 358 5453 (+64 9 358 5453 for international SIMs) or call your GP - don't show up at a medical centre

The committee will also receive independent advice from public health expert Sir David Skegg today.

Tomorrow the focus will be on the government's economic response, while on Thursday the response of police, Civil Defence, and Customs will be analysed.

"We are dealing with, and making decisions, that will affect generations. The constructive scrutiny provided by this committee will make our country's response to Covid-19 a better and a stronger one," Bridges said.

Bridges will be in Wellington for the meeting, while the other 10 MPs that form the committee will dial into the video conference remotely.

It will be livestreamed on Parliament TV, as well as Parliament's website and Facebook page.

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