Australia, so far, has done remarkably well containing COVID-19. The numbers speak for themselves. As of Sunday morning, we have counted just a touch under 7,000 cases and 97 deaths.
Comparing countries with varied populations is disingenuous, but if we take a measure of deaths per million in a country, Australia is doing remarkably well at a rate of only 3.88 per million people. Belgium is actually faring the worst in terms of deaths per million, at 746, Spain is 562, Italy 499 and the UK stands at for 469. Put simply, Australia has been a world leader in terms of containing the spread and limiting deaths caused by COVID-19.
It would appear many Australians are willing to acknowledge Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s central role in our success so far. I deliberately use the term ‘so far’ since what lies ahead is unknown. But according to Newspoll, Morrison’s approval rating sits at a steady 68 percent. Of course, there is always the predictable diehards, misanthropes and haters who refuse to give credit where it is due, so let us review some of their claims.
- “Morrison does not deserve credit but the state leaders do.”
Ah yes. Who has seen this one? Certainly a favourite line of anyone willfully ignoring the fact that Morrison utilised federation to his advantage early in the crisis. Morrison established the national cabinet to coordinate the federal and state responses. He has conducted weekly meetings and briefings with the states to ensure that there has been an agreed, unified strategy for containing the virus. Now, with the staged lifting of restrictions, national cabinet has formulated a road map back to life resuming something close to normal. Effectively, the state premiers have been given the freedom, credibility and authority to act in the interests of their state because Morrison has been able to shepherd that process through via the national cabinet.
These same people who tell you that our success is all because of the state leaders will, in their next breath, remind you of Morrison’s so-called failure to lead during the summer of bushfires. This is the moment when you point out to them that bushfire management is a state issue. Always has been.
And this is where the truth reveals itself. For these people, if we failed at COVID-19, it would be Morrison’s fault. If we succeed, it must be the state leaders’ work, because “Scumo” is bad, you know. (Anyone else notice this pathetic, juvenile name these people use while trying to be taken seriously?)
- “Morrison does not deserve credit because he is only following medical advice”
Well shit, I sure would like to know what else you would suggest here? Tim Minchin and those of his ilk came out with this howler. Fact is that leaders are always relying on experts in any field, be it on economic matters, health, education, foreign affairs. The problem is sifting through conflicting advice and managing priorities. How difficult it must be to make calls that benefit the health of the nation but leave it reeling economically. To so blithely say that it is the experts we should thank is at best, disingenuous, at worst, mind-bogglingly ignorant. Leaders must assess which expert to listen to, in what field, at what time, and then balance whatever decision they make against conflicting priorities. We are seeing this now with the decision to move out of lockdown. Economists are saying one thing, education experts another thing, health experts another thing.
Basically, people who make claims such as this reveal they actually know very little about what leadership is. Or they just don’t care, because ‘Scumo is bad’.
- “Well, Australia has not done as well as New Zealand. I wish we had a leader like Jacinda Ardern.”
Never a day goes by without someone on social media waxing lyrical about how in love they are with the perfect Jacinda Ardern. Except in this case, there is just one problem: New Zealand has not done better than Australia. Despite New Zealand enforcing harsher and more economically crippling measures than Australia, our per capita death rate has been less. Australia’s stands at 3.88 while New Zealand’s is 4.89. Even ABC Fact Check’s investigation into Morrison’s claim that Australia is doing better than New Zealand concluded that his assessment was a ‘fair call’.
You can read that here: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-06/fact-check-is-australia-getting-better-covid19-outcomes-than-nz/12215476
- “Morrison failed to stop the one boat that really mattered.”
Desperate, people cling to the Ruby Princess fiasco as evidence of Morrison’s incompetence. So it must have been really inconvenient when the inquiry into the matter found that ultimately NSW Health made an ill judged call to allow the ship to dock based on outdated medical reports coming from the ship. Based on outdated reports that less than 1 percent of those on board were infected, the ship was given the green light to dock and disembark. Morrison and the federal government had no role to play here.
There are indeed certainties in life. Death, taxes and leftist inconsistency and hypocrisy.
One thing is also certain. If Australia does experience a second wave of infections you can guarantee the blame will be laid squarely at Morrison’s feet. That is how politics works. Yet so far, our Prime Minister has proven to be a world leader at coordinating his nation in the grip of this pandemic. The haters will of course clutch at straws and parrot asinine, cognitively dissonant arguments loaded with bitterness and resentment, but the fact remains that Morrison should be applauded for his leadership so far.
So, thank you, Prime Minister. The quiet Australians are watching and they are grateful.
The Thought Hub 
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