Australia will lead a push for the World Health Organisation to be given the same powers as weapons inspectors to forcibly enter a country to avoid a repeat of the COVID-19 global pandemic.

The move would overhaul the operation of the world health body, which currently doesn't have the power to go into a country to investigate a disease outbreak unless it has the express consent of that nation's government.

Scott Morrison will push for reform of the WHO to give the body the powers of weapons inspectors. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

The WHO has come under criticism for not alerting the world sooner to the global pandemic through most of January, and has faced allegations from senior politicians in Australia and the United States that it was too close to China.

The Australian government quietly lost faith in the WHO's global headquarters in late January and early February for uncritically repeating advice from the Chinese government.