First interim report

December 2020

© Commonwealth of Australia 2020
ISBN: 978-1-76093-173-5

View the report as a single document:

View the report as separate downloadable parts:

Membership of the committee

Table of abbreviations and acronyms

Executive summary

Recommendations

Supporting findings

Chapter 1—Introduction

  COVID-19 cases in Australia
  The scrutiny role of the committee
  Purpose of this report
  Conduct of the inquiry
  Acknowledgements

Chapter 2—Preparation and initial response

  Initial response in January 2020
  Pandemic planning and preparation
  National Medical Stockpile
  Closing Australia's international borders
  Australians stranded overseas
  Containment measures for cruise ships

Chapter 3—Health response part I: managing COVID-19 in Australia

  The overarching health strategy
  Lack of transparency behind key medical decisions
  COVIDSafe app
  Access to a successful vaccine candidate
  An Australian Centre for Disease Control

Chapter 4—Health response part II: aged care

  Responsibility for the aged care crisis
  Preparation and planning for COVID-19
  Failure to anticipate shortages of staff and PPE
  Response to heightened community transmission in Victoria
  The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission

Chapter 5—Economic response part I: The immediate economic fallout and response

  The jobs impact of stage 3 lockdown
  The fiscal response to the economic crisis
  The design of JobKeeper
  JobSeeker
  Economic impact on women
  Early access to superannuation
  Access to paid pandemic leave

Chapter 6—Economic response part II: the recession and the Australian jobs crisis

  The need for ongoing fiscal stimulus and job creation measures
  The 'JobMaker' plan
  Missed Opportunities for Economic Recovery

Chapter 7—National governance, coordination and communication

  National Cabinet
  The National COVID-19 Commission Advisory Board

Chapter 8—Looking ahead

  Concluding comments
  Future direction of the inquiry

Coalition Senators' dissenting report

  Observations about the committee process
  Preparation and initial response
  Timeline of COVID-19 support for people with a disability in 2020:
  Timeline of changes in international travel restrictions and travel advice
  Health Response Part 1: Managing COVID-19 in Australia
  Health Response Part 2: Aged Care
  Economic Response to COVID-19 Part 1: The immediate economic impact and response
  Economic Response to COVID-19 Part 2: The recession and the Australian jobs crisis
  National governance, coordination and communication

Australian Greens Senators' additional comments

  Time to get over neoliberalism
  Reuniting all families living in Australia
  Immigration detention centres
  JobKeeper
  Social security
  Health response
  Aged care response
  Infrastructure investment
  Domestic and family violence
  Arts and entertainment
  Media
  The National COVID-19 Commission Advisory Board

Appendix 1—Timeline of key decisions and announcements

Appendix 2—Public hearings and witnesses

  Thursday, 23 April 2020
  Thursday, 30 April 2020
  Tuesday, 5 May 2020
  Wednesday, 6 May 2020
  Thursday, 7 May 2020
  Wednesday, 13 May 2020
  Tuesday, 19 May 2020
  Thursday, 21 May 2020
  Tuesday, 26 May 2020
  Thursday, 28 May 2020
  Tuesday, 2 June 2020
  Thursday, 4 June 2020
  Tuesday, 9 June 2020
  Tuesday, 23 June 2020
  Wednesday, 24 June 2020
  Thursday, 25 June 2020
  Tuesday, 30 June 2020
  Wednesday, 1 July 2020
  Thursday, 2 July 2020
  Tuesday, 21 July 2020
  Tuesday, 28 July 2020
  Thursday, 30 July 2020
  Tuesday, 4 August 2020
  Thursday, 6 August 2020
  Tuesday, 11 August 2020
  Friday, 14 August 2020
  Tuesday, 18 August 2020
  Thursday, 20 August 2020
  Friday, 21 August 2020
  Thursday, 10 September 2020
  Tuesday, 15 September 2020
  Thursday, 17 September 2020
  Tuesday, 22 September 2020
  Thursday, 24 September 2020
  Tuesday, 29 September 2020
  Thursday, 26 November 2020

Committee Secretariat contact:

Senior Clerk's Office
Department of the Senate
PO Box 6100
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600

Phone: 02 6277 3555
seniorclerk.committees.sen@aph.gov.au