Legislation and key documents

Find legislation and key documents about New Zealand's COVID-19 response.

Key documents

You can read the 'Aotearoa New Zealand Strategic Framework for Managing COVID-19' on the Ministry of Health website. 

Aotearoa New Zealand Strategic Framework for Managing COVID-19 — Ministry of Health (external link)

Proactively released information

The Government publicly released documents relating to decisions as part of its response to COVID-19. The release includes the papers, minutes and key advice for the decisions the Government has made relating to COVID-19 up to 10 August 2020.

Proactively released documents

The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet also proactively released briefings on behalf of Hon Peeni Henare, Minister of Civil Defence.

Briefings on the State of National Emergency for COVID-19 (external link)

Key legislation

COVID-19 Legislation and Orders — Ministry of Health (external link)

Health Act notices

Several orders have been produced under the Health Act 1956 for New Zealand’s COVID-19 response. These have now been revoked or replaced by orders made under COVID-19 Public Health Response Act 2020.

Section 70

To underscore the importance of individuals following the advice they have been given by the public health units or the national contact tracing team, a Section 70 of the Health Act 1956 can be issued.

A Section 70 order enables an authorised Medical Officer of Health to require those in the order to meet public health requirements to undergo testing and to isolate until they receive their result. Any time a person receives a direction from a medical officer of health they must comply with it.

Current section 70 orders on the Ministry of Health website (external link)

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