The Prime Minister has announced a year-long investigation into how the nation handled the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic but he's facing accusations he's letting premiers and chief ministers get off scot-free. Anthony Albanese insists the expert panel can look at whatever issue they deem to be relevant to their inquiry, but his government has excluded state and territory government decision making from the probe.
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00:00 At South Australia's hub for excellence in medical research, the Prime Minister announcing
00:07 an inquiry into whether the COVID-19 response met the nation's lofty standards.
00:13 This pandemic may well be, indeed is not likely to be the last one that occurs.
00:18 A former public servant, an epidemiological expert and a health economist putting pandemic
00:23 preparedness under the microscope. Issues for investigation including the purchase and
00:28 rollout of vaccines and the billions of dollars in financial support offered to individuals
00:33 and businesses during the darkest days of the crisis.
00:36 There were a range of things that we did that were very good. But what can be done better
00:42 in the future? We have the benefit of hindsight, we have the
00:45 benefit that we're not in the middle of a pandemic. To really look closely at all those
00:49 decisions. Some of the most contentious matters, such
00:53 as state and territory border closures and lengthy lockdowns will escape scrutiny, with
00:58 the inquiry's terms of reference expressly excluding actions taken unilaterally by state
01:03 and territory governments. The Prime Minister is putting the interests
01:06 of Daniel Andrews and Anastasia Palaszczuk ahead of the interests of the Australian people.
01:11 At the time of the pandemic, there were three Liberal premiers in states and three Labor
01:18 premiers. If there's nothing to hide here, then why
01:20 not let the sun shine in? In the lead up to last year's election, the
01:24 Prime Minister outlined his intentions. I support looking at it through a measure
01:29 like a Royal Commission. We haven't finalised what the structure would be.
01:35 It should be a Royal Commission, there's no question about that.
01:38 What do you think a Royal Commission could do that this couldn't do? Nothing.
01:43 That's not quite right with the powers a Royal Commission has to compel witnesses and evidence
01:48 going far further than what the Prime Minister has announced today.
01:52 And there will be serious questions about the legitimacy of this inquiry, given that
01:56 carve-out of state and territory decisions and the marked impact they had on the lives
02:01 of millions of Australians over a two-year period.
02:04 [BLANK_AUDIO]