Last week the Albanese government rejected by a single, short sentence, "the government does not support this recommendation", the Senate legal and constitutional committee's proposal for a " ". or signup to continue reading Likewise, the government rejected other recommendations for there to be a federal-state royal commission, the detailed three-page draft terms of reference, and its call for further public consultation. The government gave no detailed explanations for its rejections just noting that it had already announced an " ", the COVID-19 response inquiry, with "an independent panel" and terms of reference "to consider all key aspects of the national response to the pandemic .
.. including with other levels of government".
No need for a royal commission argued the government - they are already doing it. It could be argued that as the Senate committee was dominated by Coalition members and not unanimous and its report was therefore partisan. Certainly, there was a dissenting report by the two Labor senators, but they echoed the government line that an inquiry already existed, but they were not joined in their dissent by the Green senator.
Neither the Labor senators in their brief one-page dissenting report nor the government in its single sentence responses, dissected the 128-page Senate report, or repudiated any of the 600 written and public testimonies from respected professional health bodies, experts and reputable individuals. It was this evidence that underpinned .