Final report

April 2022

© Commonwealth of Australia 2022
ISBN: 978-1-76093-391-3

View the report as a single document:

View the report as separate downloadable parts:

Abbreviations

Members

Recommendations

Chapter 1—Introduction

Chapter 2—Failure to plan

  Readiness for a pandemic
  The management of Australia's international border
  National Medical Stockpile and personal protective equipment
  Aged care
  Vaccine supply
  Vaccine rollout
  People with a disability
  Omicron wave: Letting it rip
  Health care system

Chapter 3—Failure to take responsibility

  Quarantine
  Overseas Australians
  Booster rollout
  Rapid antigen test supply
  Business assistance left to the states
  Dangerous and divisive messaging

Chapter 4—Failure to get it right

  Economic assistance
  Aged care
  People with disability
  Children
  First Nations Australians
  National Cabinet
  Communication failures
  Operation COVID Shield
  No urgency on mRNA vaccine
  COVIDSafe app
  The COVID Commission: an expensive failure
  Foreign students
  Vaccination rates in Pacific countries still shocking

Chapter 5—Conduct of the inquiry

  Lacking in transparency
  Obstruction
  Ministerial appearances
  Lessons for the Senate

Coalition Senators' dissenting report

  Introduction
  Health response
  Economic response

Appendix 1—Glossary

Appendix 2—Timeline of key decisions and milestones

Appendix 3—Public hearings and witnesses

Appendix 4—Submissions and additional information

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