NZ’s rejection of new WHO pandemic rules makes no real sense
Sharon McLennan
New Zealand’s recent decision to reject the latest amendments to the World Health Organization’s International Health Regulations (IHR) made news largely due to the lack of a clear explanation from the government rather than what the rules actually say.
Health Minister Simeon Brown and Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters made the decision without seeking cabinet approval, but offered different reasons.
Brown’s position was that New Zealand had not completed the necessary domestic processes..