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Morrison writes to G20 leaders calling for coronavirus review
Scott Morrison has written to G20 leaders to ramp up his calls for an independent review into the origins of the coronavirus, as the Australian Prime Minister has again rejected suggestions there was compelling evidence the virus started in a Wuhan laboratory.
The direct pitch to the world's most powerful leaders, which includes Chinese president Xi Jinping, follows heightened concern within the Australian government that the United States push to pin the virus on the Wuhan Institute of Virology was derailing efforts to eliminate dangerous wildlife wet markets.
Scott Morrison says there is no evidence to strongly suggest the Wuhan lab theory. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo this week claimed there was "enormous evidence" the coronavirus outbreak originated in the Chinese laboratory but did not provide any facts to back up his assertion.
Asked whether he agreed with Mr Pompeo's statement, Mr Morrison on Tuesday said the Australian government cannot rule anything out, but the most likely cause of the outbreak was a Wuhan wildlife wet market.
"We work closely with the United States and I already made comments on this matter and there has been no change to the Australian position," Mr Morrison said.
"That [a wet market] is the most likely outcome, but what's really is important that we have a proper review, an independent review that looks into the sources of these things in a transparent way so we can learn the lessons... and that's what Australia is focused on.
"I have written to all the G20 leaders about that.”
The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age revealed on Tuesday that a 15-page "dossier" has been widely quoted by local and international media about China's alleged cover-up of the virus was entirely based on publicly available information.
Senior sources within the Australian intelligence community confirmed a research document shared by the US government in political circles was mostly based on news reports and contained no material from intelligence gathering.