Executive director of UN Watch Hillel Neuer says the World Health Organisation picked former New Zealand prime minister Helen Clark to be co-chair of the inquiry into the origins of COVID-19 because “they know she’s going to give them a free pass”.

The UN Watch criticised the appointment of Ms Clark to the position of co-chair of the inquiry, arguing Ms Clark has shown partisan support for the World Health Organisation, who’s actions she is supposed to be investigating throughout the inquiry.

“I think she was chosen for precisely the reason that she’s very close with the World Health Organisation.

“They know that over the past year, through the pandemic, she has given them the free pass,” Mr Neuer told Sky News host Sharri Markson.

“She’s defended their siding with China time after time.

“She’s been in their court from the beginning.

“So, they picked someone who is supposed to investigate the global response to the coronavirus pandemic which includes the WHO response, which includes what China did, and they know that she’s going to give them a free pass. That’ s very clear.

“Certainly… if we’re meant to have trust in this so called independent and impartial international panel, then we need to have a chair who appears impartial. And currently, there are reasonable grounds for a reasonable person to believe that she is not impartial.”