As Phil Coorey advocates (“Australians are owed a royal commission into the pandemic”, August 4), we urgently need a such an inquiry into COVID-19, while events are fresh. Australia managed the crisis well, but there are lessons to be learnt nonetheless.

I cannot see the Albanese government following through on its commitment, just the same. The issue was hopelessly politicised. Too many health experts have a long history with Labor and endorsed Labor policies without qualification. The demands for non-existent supply of the Pfizer vaccine were disingenuous at best. The scaremongering over the AstraZeneca vaccine was disgraceful, costing many more lives than it saved.