Emeritus Professor Des Gorman, an influential figure in New Zealand medicine and a trusted voice during the COVID-19 pandemic, has passed away.
Professor Gorman died peacefully at home yesterday, surrounded by his family, in a obituary in the NZ Herald death notices.
A renowned academic and medical pioneer, Gorman served as Emeritus Professor of Medicine in the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences at the University of Auckland.
His contributions spanned multiple fields, including occupational and diving medicine, and his influence on public health policy, particularly during New Zealand’s COVID-19 response, earned him deep respect across the country.
Before his medical career, Gorman served in the Royal Australian Navy as a submariner and diver, a background that shaped his no-nonsense approach to leadership and decision-making.
He was appointed Executive Chair of Health Workforce New Zealand in 2009, holding the position for a decade, and also served on the National Health Board and the ACC board.
During his time in government advisory roles, Gorman pushed for greater transparency, accountability, and smarter workforce planning across New Zealand’s health sector.
He authored more than 300 publications on medicine, injury prevention, and health system design, and played a key role in shaping national conversations about healthcare funding and performance.
In later years, he became an Adjunct Senior Fellow at the New Zealand Initiative, where he co-authored a critical analysis of New Zealand’s COVID-19 response, calling out what he described as poor planning and a lack of clear communication from officials.
The Platform host Sean Plunket, who interviewed Des Gorman on multiple occasions, commented: “Heartfelt thanks Des for your humanity, humility, humour and intellect over many fascinating conversations on and off air. You spread much light and understanding in the world.”
A service to celebrate Professor Gorman’s extraordinary life will be held at St Joseph’s Catholic Church, Takapuna (entrance 10 Dominion Street) on Wednesday 9 July at 1pm.
Des Gorman was the much-loved husband of Christine, father to Anna, Sarah and Emily, father-in-law to Jason, Caleb and Reggie, and treasured grandfather to Ava, Leo, Archie, Isla, Eli, Sienna, Sadie and Madeleine.
