The COVID-19 Pandemic in Australia and The Morrison Legacy of Smoke and Mirrors: A Saga of Debt, Deficit and inaction

Current policy making in Australia is poor: both sides of politics made startling blunders during the COVID-19 pandemic. Productivity and accountability are absolutely fundamental as opposed to transient and cosmetic measures. The Victorian Labor government is much maligned for its unpopular pro-Chinese policy and stance. Deals with Chinese bodies have continued to occur by both major parties in Australian politics up to the present, with some regrettably being seemingly corrupt. Blunders have been rife and double standards notable: Hotel Quarantine, the health blunders of Queensland government, the Ruby Princess fiasco, the dodgy COVID safe application and aged care debacle. There have been conciliatory gestures, but consistency, accountability and transparency have been questionable throughout the pandemic. There have also been issues with the importance of Australian historical facets and intangible culture heritage and potential economic benefits for the elderly and nation, per se and accompanying double standards. This economic disrepute, complete with chronic non-party specific errors has signalled the need for the nature of work to change with results and longevity, rather than statistics being desired. Opinion polls are chronically unreliable, but the party that can affect constructive changes will economically liberate Australia.

The current system of policy making in Australia is poor. The formation of the National Cabinet in March 2020 is a revision of The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) and one hopes genuine accountability is the cornerstone of its function. Traditional xenophobic trends and political banter are rife, and convenience is absolutely fundamental to a seemingly agenda-driven endgame. Many governments on both sides of politics have performed poorly during the COVID-19 pandemic: These include Hotel Quarantine bringing the Andrews government into disrepute. Inconsistencies in the Palaszczuk government to the detriment of working-class Queenslanders. Aged Care Minister Richard Colbeck has almost completely failed to protect the elderly and ageing population, the most vulnerable sector from the ravages of the pandemic which accounted for 68 percent of Australian COVID-19 deaths.[1] The Berejiklian government allowing the cruise liner, The Ruby Princess to disembark in Sydney arguably the start of the COVID-19 crisis in Australia and Minister for NDIS and Services, Stuart Robert for an excessively expensive excessively inefficient health initiative, the COVID safe application.

Public Accountability is always an issue in times of crisis: One can only hope that the dissolution of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) and the formation of the National Cabinet on 13 March 2020 makes for greater productivity and accountability as opposed to micromanagement. It seems that short term deals are made for economic recovery, but these are often transient and short-term measures designed to gain political advantage or alternatively to generate headlines to placate tabloids. Recently, the first post-pandemic budget, handed down Tuesday, October 6, 2020 in which 3.2 billion was spend on the National Disability Insurance Scheme plus an additional 799 million over four years[2] At this early juncture, this seems a suspiciously startling example of what is being referred to, as the disabled and to a greater extent the elderly who received 1.6 billion in the same budget[3] have been the most vulnerable demographics during the pandemic and if these are meant to be valid for an approximated duration of four years, then they will more than likely be cancelled by the next Federal budget and election, hence how can these figures be accurate?

The controversy surrounding much maligned Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews for partaking in the Belt and Road initiative seems peculiar when the Darwin Port lease was struck for 99 years[4] when PM Scott Morrison was Treasurer and while this was touted as a “seriously dumb idea”[5]and Victorian and Andrews’ government treasurer, Tim Pallas on May 21 was accused by Peter Gleeson on Sky News of not being on “Team Australia” and “cosying up” to Beijing “bullies”[6] and PM Morrison on June 11, 2020 feeling Daniel Andrews should withdraw from the Belt and Road initiative citing it is “inconsistent with the Australian government’s policy”[7]

Deals with China have not been uncommon throughout the history of Australian foreign policy. In recent times former Liberal member, for Wagga Wagga, Daryl Maguire was found by the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) to have been handed tens of thousands of dollars in Parliament house as part of a cash-for visa-scheme[8] and that he was paid an allowance by a Chinese business group, according to the testimony of businessman, Ho Yuen Li[9] ICAC have suspected that these deals were more about personal interest, rather than national interest. Before any other form of the proverbial “blame game” occurs, a chronic occurrence in Australian politics, this should be evidence that deals with Chinese bodies continue to occur in Australia by both major political parties. Furthermore, many countries have entered into the Belt and Road Initiative, it seems peculiar that aspersions should be cast on the Andrews government for entering into a legitimate but politically unpopular initiative when controversial deals have been struck on both sides of politics with historical frequency that have and continue to appear politically suspect.

Mr Andrews, further, seems to be the bane of political commentators for Hotel Quarantine. It is being lamented and fixated on as the single biggest failing of the Andrews government with several prominent Australian political commentators commenting that were the Victorian government a corporation the board of directors would be sacked and criminal charges would be laid for the highest ranking members. Firstly to echo the sentiments and observation of Michael Spencer of the Crikey news website most states use private security for Hotel Quarantine so the issue is “who was responsible for them not understanding the public health issues and enforcing the rules”[10] To give ample hearing to those conservative commentators who believe the proverbial “buck” stops with whoever is in charge then by that precise logic, Premier Berejiklian needs to take greater responsibility for the Ruby Princess debacle and the health checks that occurred as this is reputed to be the initial source of COVID-19 in Australia. Queensland Premier, Anastascia Palaszczuk has correctly been criticised for double standards not relaxing border restrictions to enable non-Queenslanders to visit terminally ill relatives in Queensland border hospitals or making conciliatory exemptions that were barely a consolation, such as the notable case of Sarah Caisip[11] when foreign personae, such as Tom Hanks were exempt even from quarantine, despite having tested positive for COVID-19 in March, albeit for purposes of investing in the Australian economy. Premier Palaszczuk has stated of the Tom Hanks-Elvis Presley biopic that there are “a whole lot of jobs relying on that industry.”[12]

Suffice to say, can the logic applied to Premier Andrews be applied to Minster for NDIS and Services, Stuart Robert for an inadequate COVID-19 tracing application that was criticised by Murdoch media commentators for being a dud[13] and finally Minister Colbeck for the state of aged care during the pandemic?

It further begs the question why outgoing finance Minister, Mattias Cormann apologised for the pandemic as a whole on October 2, 2020,[14] which any intuitive reader can see is a conciliatory and cosmetic gesture from a departing minister, more than likely undertaken on instruction from the Prime Minister to redeem government credibility and deter from their accountability. Can Australian commentators and citizens not accept and agree that errors were made at multiple tiers of government. Has anyone been truly consistent with government policy?

Disturbingly, a very recent development in which the cricket pitch, legendary batsman Don Bradman learned to bat on in Sydney suburb, Bowral is in danger of being redeveloped. As a nation that values its sporting history culture and heritage, an argument can be made that this is a triviality and Australia should focus on topics other than our sporting history. Alternatively, with an unprecedented deficit in the vicinity of 100 million[15], and deficit of a trillion[16] recently being alleged to be higher the observation by former Test umpire, Simon Taufel that it needs to be ‘promoted” and ‘protected’ as cricket “tragics” from the subcontinent view Bowral as a cricketing ‘mecca.’[17] As a part of Australian intangible cultural heritage, it has as much potential to facilitate economic revenue as the stadium spend by the Berejiklian government. This spend may admittedly be eventually profitable but, has hitherto proved an excessive spend or proverbial “white elephant”. Furthermore, our veterans are lauded as much a part of our cultural and sociological landscape and intangible cultural heritage and yet a 1.6 billion dollar spend by the Morrison government begs the question: How well will the elderly actually do between now and the next Federal election?

It is striking just how “convenient” and agenda driven contemporary Australian politics seems to be: Our sporting history is lauded as a sacrosanct cornerstone of our national foundations, so such sentiments were alleged during the pre-COVID stadium spend by the Berejiklian government and the Bradman pitch in Bowral is under threat when it could prove economically advantageous in terms of cultural capital and particularly profit. It would further enfranchise the elderly population in places like Bowral in the form of part- time employment as guest curators, for example, many of them being able to recall golden eras of Australian sport, such as the heyday of Don Bradman.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews is frequently sledged by multiple Sky News contributors with and deemed to be unofficially guilty of criminal actions when there are ministers who are arguably more culpable such as Premier Berejiklian, Premier Palaszczuk, Ministers Colbeck and Robert. The Australian situation would clearly be better if action rather than statistics or the issuing of blame were rife. Members on all sides of politics, need to concede that all dastardly blunders made by government bodies occurred on both sides of politics; this is a mere consequence of the state of confusion and anxiety that so commonly manifests during a global disaster such as a financial crisis or global health pandemic. The agricultural initiative by local MP, Anoulack Chantivong at Hurlstone Farm, or Agricultural High School is a good initiative as it is an example of an organisation, specifically that will preserve the health and economic sustenance of working-class Australians.Truthfully, it will be the slightest while before the Australian economy is back in surplus, but policies that will generate long-term growth and investment are required. This includes revolutionising the employment markets so, that work reflects results, rather than results reflecting statistics. The Australian agricultural landscape and flora and fauna are vital and innovation must occur at any cost as Morrison government policies appear to be aiding and abetting stagnation rather than innovation.

The Labor Party has appeared in crisis for some time, but this is due to the world being in crisis. This combination of negative publicity and the fact that Liberal Party rhetoric is positive in the wake of this crisis, but they are in fact doing as poorly; cosmetic measures or “verisimilitude” must not be mistaken for action, : Bill Shorten was “the Bill Australia Can’t Afford” and the Morrison government has led Australia to its first recession in 29 years, hence by their own logic have proven to be no better, specifically the embodiment of their own smear campaign. In recent times it is the Federal Liberal Party that has officially become not “The Party of Debt and Deficit” the Party of Unprecedented Debt and Deficit, further proving they are unfit to lead Australia despite boasting current preferred Prime Minister status. The simple truth is that errors are a ubiquitous symptom of uncertainty and the politician or political group, Labor or Liberal who produces innovatively productive policies will extricate Australia from its current state of crisis and disrepute.

Australian policies are questionable with startling blunders occurring across politics during the pandemic. Productivity and accountability are shunned, the cosmetic being constant.

The Victorian Labor government has proven acutely unpopular for its pro-Chinese policy and stance. Deals with Chinese bodies have continued to occur by Labor and Liberal, some are suspiciously questionable. Blunders and double standards have been chronic: Hotel Quarantine, the dastardly health error of Queensland Labor, the equally shocking shoddy circumstances surrounding the Ruby Princess, the failings of the COVID safe application and almost criminally negligible aged care fiasco. Despite conciliatory measures, verisimilitude is chronic and transparency negligible during the pandemic. Australian historical significance and intangible culture heritage have been all but compromised and may still be along with elderly citizens, who have a stake in bespoke history and heritage. This economic debacle chronic with errors denotes a need for workplace change in the form of results and longevity, not statistics. Opinion polls are misleading and unreliable, it comes down to innovation and constructive changes which will elevate Australia from its present state of disrepute.

Robert E Melato

Footnotes:

[1] Credlin, Sky News, 29/6/2020

[2] https://budget.gov.au/2020-21/content/essentials.htm#three

[3] Ibid.

[4] Christopher Walsh “How and why did the Northern Territory lease the Darwin Port to China, and at what risk?” In Curious Darwin posted March 12, 2019 at 8:05am updated March 13 at 6:30pm

[5] Ibid.

[6] Peter Gleeson, “Across Australia” Sky News March 21, 2020. https://www.skynews.com.au/details/_6158217289001 accessed 1/10/2020

[7] Anthony Galloway and Michael Fowler in Sydney Morning Herald posted June 11, 2020 at 11:39am

[8] Verity Gorman ”Former NSW MP, Daryl Maguire handed cash in Parliament for role in visa scheme, ICAC hears” in ABC Riverina posted Tuesday, 29 September 2020 at 6:49 pm

[9] Lauren Pezel “ICAC hears former MP Daryl Maguire was paid ‘allowance’ by Chinese business group’”in ABC Riverina Posted 30 September 2020 at 4:00pm

[10] M Spencer, in Emily Watkins (eds).“How do you fix a system this broken” in Crikey Daily October 2, 2020 accessed 2/10/20

[11] Sophie Moore and Marty Silk “Qld border reprieve in line for dying dad” in Guardian News September 11, 2020 posted at 1:17pm accessed 12/10/2020

[12] Sophie Moore, “Qld Premer Anastascia Palaszczuk responds to claims Tom Hanks is quarantining at lavish estate” 7 News published September 20, 2020, updated 12:56 pm accessed 12/10/2020

[13] Credlin, “Sky News” 28/6/2020

[14] M.Cormann, “AM Agenda” Sky News 2 October, 2020

[15] Credlin, op cit. 29/6/2020

[16] Ibid.

[17] Chloe Hart “Don Bradman’s childhood cricket pitch under threat to make way for housing development” ABC News 18 September 2020 at 5:54am updated 19 September 2020 at 11:48am

References:

https://budget.gov.au/2020-21/content/essentials.htm#three

Cormann, M. “AM Agenda” Sky News 2 October, 2020

Credlin, P. “Sky News” 28 June 2020

Credlin, P. “Sky News” 29 June 2020

Galloway, A and Fowler, M. in Sydney Morning Herald posted June 11, 2020 at 11:39am

Gleeson, P. “Across Australia” Sky News March 21, 2020.

Gorman. V. ”Former NSW MP, Daryl Maguire handed cash in Parliament for role in visa scheme, ICAC hears” in ABC Riverina posted Tuesday, 29 September 2020 at 6:49pm

Hart, C. “Don Bradman’s childhood cricket pitch under threat to make way for housing development” ABC News 18 September 2020 at 5:54am updated 19 September 2020 at 11:48am

Moore, S. “Qld Premer Anastascia Palaszczuk responds to claims Tom Hanks is quarantining at lavish estate” 7 News published September 20, 2020, updated 12:56 pm

Moore, S. and Silk, M. “Qld border reprieve in line for dying dad” in Guardian News September 11, 2020 posted at 1:17pm

Pezel, L. “ICAC hears former MP Daryl Maguire was paid ‘allowance’ by Chinese business group’”in ABC Riverina Posted 30 September 2020 at 4:00pm

Spencer, M. in Emily Watkins (eds).“How do you fix a system this broken” in Crikey Daily October 2, 2020

Walsh, C “How and why did the Northern Territory lease the Darwin Port to China, and at what risk?” In Curious Darwin posted March 12, 2019 at 8:05am updated March 13 at 6:30pm