Foreign minister needs to ‘prosecute the case’ for an independent COVID inquiry

Foreign Minister Marise Payne must be more active, both domestically and abroad, in advocating for an independent investigation into the origins of COVID-19, according to Labor backbencher Anthony Byrne. Labor has been urging Minister Payne to play a more active role in advocating for an independent inquiry into the COVID crisis. Ms Payne has supported the idea for an inquiry, telling ABC television she supports a “transparent” investigation. "I think the key to going forward in the context of these issues is transparency," she said. "Transparency from China most certainly. Transparency from all of the key countries across the world who will be part of any review that takes place." Mr Byrne told Sky News the foreign minister must be more visible in this matter. “I don think we can effectively prosecute our case unless we have the foreign minister more active in this case,” he said. “It requires a foreign minister to be prosecuting the case every day. “It is in the national interest for her to be pushing this every day… it’s critical we get this independent inquiry up.”