The inquiry into the Hazelwood mine fire in Victoria has heard allegations that a Melbourne University researcher was pushed to change her wording to protect the Health Department from blame.

The Victorian Health Department called for independent research into previous reports about the Hazelwood mine fire, and its effects on the residents of the nearby town of Morwell.

QUT public health researcher Associate Professor Adrian Barnett had published a report using four years of data on death rates to suggest that 11 deaths in February and March 2014 were likely due to the mine fire.

The fire at the open-cut mine burned for 45 days, blanketing surrounding communities in thick, acrid smoke and outraging residents who felt they had been ignored by the state government.

The inquiry this week heard that Victoria’s Health Department took an “adversarial approach” to the report linking deaths to the fire.

So the department called in Melbourne University researcher Dr Louisa Flander to review Dr Barnett’s study.

Counsel assisting the inquiry, Peter Rozen, claimed Dr Flander appeared “very keen” to take on wording proposed by health officials.

They allegedly suggested changing the conclusion to dispute the fire’s possible link to deaths.

In one email exchange presented to the inquiry, Health Department senior medical advisor Dr Danny Csutoros wrote:

“Is it possible the conclusion could be drawn instead that the data presented do not suggest strong evidence for the author's hypothesis that the fire had an effect on mortality?”

Dr Flander replied; “Many thanks for these useful comments. We will incorporate all the suggestions”.

Department executive Linda Christine said she could not tell whether the changes weakened the final report.

In her evidence Dr Flander said she did not “copy and paste suggestions” from the department.

She also rejected the claim that her reports were “collaborative”, defending her independence.

Dr Flander was then asked about the time it took to take up suggestions from the department.

The email chain shown to the inquiry allegedly showed her reply email was sent just 38 minutes after the department’s recommendations came through.

Dr Flander said she did not include all the department's suggestions in her work.