Labor MP Joel Fitzgibbon breaks ranks to back China view on coronavirus probe

Joel Fitzgibbon has backed the Chinese Communist Party’s position that the probe was ‘always going to happen’.

Opposition agriculture spokesman Joel Fitzgibbon. Picture: AAP

Opposition frontbencher Joel Fitzgibbon has broken ranks with Labor colleagues to attack Scott Morrison’s pursuit of a global coronavirus inquiry, backing the Chinese Communist Party’s position the probe was “always going to happen”.

Labor’s agriculture spokesman said the government had undermined Sino-Australian relations by leading the international push for the review. “The world was always going to have an inquiry into COVID-19. Of course it was. And China was always going to agree to an inquiry because it’s in China’s interests too, in the medium to long term,” he told ABC News.

“So what was the interest the Prime Minister was pursuing? Running out there, in front of the pack, not knowing what model he was talking about, without consulting anyone … How did that help Australia?

“We didn’t need to be out there in front, offending the Chinese.”

Mr Fitzgibbon also accused Mr Morrison and his predecessor, Malcolm Turnbull, of “demonising China” through the tightening of foreign investment rules.

His words echoed those of Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian, who said last week that China had always supported an inquiry into the global COVID-19 response and had objected only to an investigation being “politicised” by Australia and the US.

Chinese President Xi Jinping was, however, one of the last world leaders to sign on to the resolution at the World Health Assembly.

Mr Fitzgibbon’s position on Thursday went beyond the agreed Labor position, circulated in daily talking points from the Opposition Leader’s office. The Australian understands the daily briefing to Labor MPs advised them to tell reporters the idea of a review was “unremarkable” and the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister should lead the China debate rather than government backbenchers.

The language used by Mr Fitzgibbon is in stark contrast to Anthony Albanese’s strong support for the review and for taking action against China over new tariffs on our barley products. “We supported (the review) on day one … We supported it consistently. In the end, this was a EU resolution. It’s a good thing,” the Opposition Leader told Sky News on Wednesday.

Liberal MP Tim Wilson lashed Mr Fitzgibbon’s comments, saying China’s anger showed it supported the review only after global pressure.