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Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the COVID-19 inquiry is designed for leaders to come together in a constructive manner to learn the lessons from Australia’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The prime minister announced an inquiry into the federal government’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic on Thursday.

“This is an independent panel; they’ll decide the process in detail but there will be submissions and input from stakeholders as well as from individuals,” Mr Albanese said during a media conference on Thursday.

“This should not be a source of conflict; part of the lesson of the pandemic is that Australians need to work together; Australians did work together at the community level, at the household level, at the neighbourhood level.

“The idea that this should be subject to political bickering is not what the objective is here, that’s old politics.”