Every pandemic will be different depending on the nature and spread of the infectious agent, the disease it causes, the availability of treatments and vaccines, and the nature, strength and agility of existing systems. However, what we do know is that responding to a pandemic will invariably require a whole‑of‑government response, led at the highest levels of government, to ensure the health, economic and social impacts are managed. Rather than seeing these issues in silos, our deliberations highlighted the interplay between them across nine key pillars for a successful pandemic response.

• Minimising harm: Acknowledging harm caused by a pandemic and the response, and the importance of mitigating impacts.
• Planning and preparedness: Robust systems and effective planning before, adaption during and review after the event.
• Leadership and coordination: Leadership, clarity and coherence in roles and responsibilities.
• Evidence and evaluation: The appropriate generation and use of fit‑for‑purpose evidence and evaluation in an uncertain and fast‑evolving environment.
• Agility and innovation: The ability to move quickly and respond in an uncertain and changing risk environment.
• Relationships: Strengthening relationships and networks between systems, organisations and governments.
• Trust: Building and maintaining trust in government, institutions and experts.
• Equity: Monitoring and accounting for differences across the population in risk factors, and impacts arising from, the pandemic disease, and the design and delivery of public health measures.
• Communications: Effective, tailored, timely, evidence‑rich information sharing from respected and authoritative sources.