What a difference a couple of weeks makes. Since then he has stepped up and started to look a little more like like a leader, not a follower. The recently unveiled package incorporating the $1500 per fortnight "Jobkeeper " payment is a welcome step in the right direction although the millions of casual workers that miss out is a glaring oversight.
The formation of a national cabinet has been a positive step in forging co-operation across this country regardless of the political colour of the respective state governments, although the mixed messaging re schools is causing some issues.
Most importantly he has finally started to listen to the scientific and medical experts and implement most of their recommendations-better late than never!
This is a big step from the PM who has a long history of ignoring or dismissing expert advice.
Just think of his response to the Fire Chiefs who tried to warn about the impending disastrous fire season last summer.
Remember the fires?? How quickly we forget.
Just think of his dismissive attitude to the Climate Scientists warning of the dangers of climate change.
Remember the Climate Crisis?? How quickly we forget.
When we get through this virus crisis, the problem of climate change will still be there needing to be addressed urgently and the worlds economy and finances will be in a far less robust position to deal with the consequences.
But, just as the money has miraculously been found to get us through this crisis it must be found to tackle the existential crisis that is climate change.
We have proven we can co-operate on a world scale in response to the coronavirus, we must continue this co-operation on the climate change crisis.
Back in Australia it is to be hoped that our PM and the government he leads will
- Continue to listen to the experts and act decisively on climate change policy.
- Continue the spirit of co-operation and bipartisanship shown in the coronavirus response in dealing with the climate crisis.
During the GFC, and for more than a decade after, the Liberal and National party practised pure partisan politics and berated the ALP for the stimulus measures it took to keep Australia's economy (successfully) out of recession. This coronavirus crisis is far deeper than the GFC and the ALP has shown bi-partisanship on most issues supporting the LNP in most of its response measures to the coronavirus.
The issue of climate change is even more serious than this pandemic and will take the full co-operation of all countries and political parties around the world to deal with.
If not, I fear for the liveability of the planet for our children and our grandchildren.
