The Albanese government says regaining the public’s trust will be a long, hard road back after the COVID-19 inquiry found heavy-handed, inconsistent and insensitive pandemic restrictions meant people were unlikely to accept such measures again.

In a report more scathing of the states than anticipated, the three-person inquiry panel slammed the approaches towards such issues as lockdowns, vaccine mandates, and school and border closures, saying they lacked transparency and compassion, and were often not evidence-based.