Anthony Albanese breaks election promise to hold a Royal Commission into Australia’s Covid response and announces a weaker ‘inquiry’ without sweeping powers

Anthony Albanese is set to announce his government will hold an inquiry into the Covid pandemic but not a royal commission.

The government’s watered-down commission of inquiry will not have the powers of a royal commission to compel witnesses to appear and testify truthfully.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pledged to hold a royal commission during last year’s successful opposition campaign which saw him oust Scott Morrison.

Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie has already accused the Albanian government of going back on its word.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese accused of breaking an election promise to hold a royal commission into Covid

“This is another broken promise from Anthony Albanese,” Senator Mckenzie told Sharri Markson on Sky News on Tuesday.

“He went into the election promising a royal commission.

“They ran a select committee in the Senate throughout Covid, hearing from experts for over a year, they heard from experts from all over the country and as a result of that investigation they decided that they would have a royal commission.

“They’re not handing out a royal commission.”

She accused Mr Albanese of trying to shield remaining Labor prime ministers from that period, such as Victoria’s Dan Andrews and Queensland’s Annastacia Palaszczuk, from scrutiny of their actions during the pandemic.

“There are areas where we have led the world, and others where politics has gotten in the way,” said Senator McKenzie.

While Mr Albanese said he had committed to a Covid investigation in August last year, he has not spoken about it since.

The commission of inquiry will probably be led by an economist, an epidemiologist and an expert in public administration.

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