Rex Patrick (SA, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to the Leader of the Government in the Senate. I first called on the government to consider the establishment of a royal commission inquiry into Australia's COVID-19 pandemic response more than seven months ago. Would you now agree that it's imperative—that a fully independent national inquiry, able to identify all lessons to be learned and able to deliver authoritative findings to guide future policy, is required? Will the government, before the pre-election caretaker period, commit to establishing a wide-ranging royal commission inquiry, fully empowered under the Royal Commissions Act to inquire into federal, state and territory government responses to the pandemic, so that investigations can get underway by the middle of the year? If the government is not prepared to do that now, will you commit to doing so after the election if you get into power?