Firstly, we can put down the glasses on the lab-escape scenario. It's all over bar the contortions from experts/media that vilified those raising the possibility.

But that space - is exactly where fundamental problems get dispersed. The Vic Govt inquiry into the bungled quarantine program offers a microcosm of how it pans out.

The Inquiry found that no one was responsible.

It said that's a problem that no-one's responsible - but by the same token, we can't hold anyone accountable. Pwhoof! The buck floats off into the ether. Carry on.

Whenever there's 'something rotten in Denmark', always, 100% of the time, it turns out to be the culture. It can be hard to pin that down - well it's not hard - it's obvious - but it's good at unpinning itself - like the Vic Inquiry - no one's responsible.

Sure, there will be a sacrificial lamb - Pete Daszak - it's not looking real flash mate. You made it into eternity as a world record villain - good job - you worked had for it.

But it goes way deeper than a few individuals. There is an entrenched problem with scientific culture. The CCP cover-up job was proudly perpetrated by Nature and Lancet who main-staged the Daszaks and the Lipkins and suppressed all dissension.

What the fuck is up with that? All your peer reviewers, your editors, institutions - you're all rooting for totalitarianism?

Scientific culture has become self-entitled, wealthy, unaccountable, corrupt, off the rails - and dangerous.

It caused the Anthrax terror attack, which paradoxically resulted in a biodefense budget boom, which in turn caused Covid.

Without fixing the corrupt culture of science - this will cycle will continue to repeat.