Rex Patrick (SA, Independent) Share this | Link to 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?

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Patrick for his question and Senator Abetz for his interjection. The government continues, as we've acknowledged along the way, to manage the complicated responses to COVID-19. Those responses are complicated by the fact that it continues to be an evolving and changing situation. For example, had a royal commission of the nature that Senator Patrick proposes delivered interim reports and findings ahead of the omicron variant becoming established and becoming the dominant variant, it would probably have different recommendations at that stage to what it would have today, because that is the nature of the changing circumstance we face in handling a pandemic. There will probably be other changes to come.

We have certainly subjected ourselves to review and scrutiny throughout our responses to the pandemic—the committee that Senator Gallagher chairs being an important vehicle of that, along with the fact that all of the other mechanisms of scrutiny have continued to be in place. I have no doubt that there will be reviews when we are able to put the pandemic more squarely in the rear-view mirror and that those reviews will need to entail a cooperative approach between the Commonwealth, states and territories around how we best prepare ourselves for future uncertainty and future disasters.

But I would underline the word 'uncertainty' in that regard. The next major global disruption we face will, almost unquestionably, not be like the current one. Whilst there are lessons that we should continue to learn from this, I don't think anybody should pretend that a royal commission or any other particular inquiry will be a panacea to answer all questions for the future. (Time expired)

Slade Brockman (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Patrick, a supplementary question?

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

I'll take that as a no. Would you agree that any future inquiries into the government's COVID-19 pandemic response, whether they be a royal commission or whether they be other forms of inquiry, will require full, unrestricted access to the records of Commonwealth departments and agencies? Accordingly, will the government direct the Director-General of the Archives to immediately issue, under the Archives Act, a records retention notice to all departments and agencies, prohibiting them from destroying Commonwealth records or hard copies of documents relating to the COVID-19 pandemic?

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Whilst I don't pretend to be an expert on the legalities of the Archives Act and the obligations that exist across Commonwealth agencies, I am fairly confident in saying that they are not destroying records or documents that would be appropriately considered under any future review or other arrangements. If there's a need to add to that, in terms of the suggestion you have made, Senator Patrick, about an explicit order being made and whether that would provide any additional protection in that regard, I'll bring further information to the chamber if that is necessary.

In terms of cooperation, if an inquiry is established, as I said, I expect there will be not only plenty of reviews but many academic studies focusing on particular areas, all different areas, of response to the pandemic over the years to come. Certainly, where there are reviews of government we will cooperate fully.

Slade Brockman (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Patrick, a second supplementary question?

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

After three years the government has failed to deliver a promised federal anticorruption commission. What guarantees can you give that, if re-elected, you won't continue to duck scrutiny and accountability for the failures of the government's COVID-19 response, border control and quarantine, the vaccine 'strollout', the RAT kit shambles and the continuing tragedy in our aged-care homes? Aren't those failures the reason why you won't support a royal commission?

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I completely reject the many assertions Senator Patrick made in his question. If we were to have the type of fair dinkum independent inquiry that Senator Patrick wants to speak of, and it were to do a global comparison, I am confident it would find that in Australia the fatality rates are some of the lowest in the world, the vaccination rates are some of the highest in the world, and the employment outcomes and business security and safety and survival rates are some of the best in the world.

As I have acknowledged, as the Prime Minister has acknowledged, as Senator Colbeck and Minister Hunt have acknowledged: have we got absolutely everything right in a period of enormous global uncertainty? No, and we don't pretend we have. There are those rear-view-mirror experts opposite who are experts in hindsight, who of course pretend that they would have got everything right. There's no chance they would have. Nor has any other government around the world got everything right. But we have done very well in Australia relative to many other countries, and we continue to respond as comprehensively as we can— (Time expired)