Senator Malcolm Roberts has slammed the Albanese Government’s toothless inquiry into COVID, calling it an effort to hide from a Royal Commission with powers to compel testimony. Senator Roberts said:

“The Albanese Labor government is running away from a Royal Commission that would actually have the power needed to investigate Australia’s COVID response.”

PM Albanese’s proposed Claytons Covid Inquiry will let megalomaniacal Victorian Premier Dan Andrews off the hook. The ALP believes it quite OK for drugged up VicPol cops to fire large rubber bullets at unarmed protesters causing permanent injuries

“Anything less than a COVID Royal Commission is a betrayal of everyday Australians and small business who were badly affected by our COVID response over the last three and a half years.

“One of the first things the Government did when elected was call a Royal Commission into Robodebt. If that justifies a Royal Commission how can the government argue one of the most expensive and invasive responses in our history doesn’t? They can’t unless they’re trying to run a coverup.”

“The COVID response involved over $500 billion in printed money causing the inflation problem we are still facing, 30,000 excess deaths this year with 50% not being attributed to COVID, the largest invasion of civil liberties in modern Australia and all of it was done in secrecy.”

“Instead of appointing three insiders to cover up the actions of their colleagues, we need a Royal Commission with the power to peel back the secrecy that both State and Federal politicians and bureaucrats have hidden behind for years now.”

“Before the end of the year I will ask the Senate to replace the Prime Minister’s Clayton’s inquiry, instead asking the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee to report and recommend terms of reference for a COVID Royal Commission to be established in the first half of 2024.”