THE PRIME MINISTER OF AUSTRALIA IS JOINING CALLS FOR AN INVESTIGATION INTO CHINA'S HANDLING OF THE CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK. PRIME MINISTER SCOTT MORRISON SAYS AUSTRALIAN ASSEMBLY MEMBERS ON THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION'S EXECUTIVE BOARD WILL PUSH FOR AN INDEPENDENT REVIEW AT THE NEXT MEETING ON MAY 17. HE SAYS ALL MEMBER NATIONS SHOULD BACK AN INVESTIGATION.
MORRISON SPOKE WITH PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP WEDNESDAY ON THE WHO'S ROLE IN THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC. MORRISON SAID THE TWO DISCUSSED "WORKING TOGETHER TO IMPROVE THE TRANSPARENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF INTERNATIONAL RESPONSES TO PANDEMICS."
THE U.S. SAYS BEIJING AND THE WHO HAVE FAILED TO PROPERLY RESPOND TO COVID-19. PRESIDENT TRUMP ALREADY SAID HE WANTS TO WITHHOLD U.S. FUNDING FOR THE AGENCY “WHILE A REVIEW IS CONDUCTED.”
BUT THE WHO'S DIRECTOR-GENERAL IS DEFENDING THE AGENCY'S RESPONSE. HE SAYS THE ORGANIZATION MADE THE RIGHT DECISIONS, AT THE RIGHT TIME.
"Looking back, I think we declared the emergency at the right time and when the world had enough time to respond."
THE WHO DECLARED A GLOBAL HEALTH EMERGENCY ON JAN. 30 AND DECLARED A PANDEMIC ON MAR. 11 — TWO DAYS BEFORE PRESIDENT TRUMP ANNOUNCED A NATIONAL EMERGENCY.
Contains footage fromCNN.
