Dr Ashley Bloomfield has revealed his biggest regret during the pandemic after announcing on Wednesday he's stepping down as Director-General of Health.
Dr Bloomfield, who led the country's health response to COVID-19, will leave his role a year early at the end of July to take an extended break and allow a new Director-General to "shape and lead the organisation in the future".
"[It has] been a huge privilege to be appointed to the Director-General of Health role and I've committed myself wholeheartedly to the role for nearly four years," Dr Bloomfield said in a statement.
As for regrets, Dr Bloomfield revealed not keeping a diary during the pandemic would be his only one, although he notes he was probably too busy to do so.
"It was such an intense and in a sense unforgettable experience," Dr Bloomfield said.
"Some of the moments, some of the decisions that were taken, some of the interactions that play around those decisions, I didn't take notes at the time but maybe my memory will serve me well at some point."
He also revealed what he thinks he could have done better in his role.
"Did I every day think about things we could or should be doing better - absolutely."
Dr Bloomfield said the health and government response to the pandemic still has over 1200 recommendations from various reviews, which he says they take "very seriously".
But he said he always stayed focused on the big picture throughout the pandemic and in terms of outcomes the COVID response has achieved what he hoped it would.
When asked about writing a book Dr Bloomfield did not reveal that was on the cards, so looks like we won't be getting an autobiography any time soon.
