Opinion

Canberra must create a huge new welfare-state system

The government is temporarily increasing its size by half. But what is the best way of channelling this aid to the people who need it?

Miranda Stewart and Peter Whiteford

Apr 1, 2020 – 3.45pm

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The fundamental role of government is to secure the welfare and safety of its people. The COVID-19 crisis coming so soon after the summer’s extraordinary bushfires has created massive pressure on the Australian government to mobilise government systems to make payments to individuals and businesses.

While a pandemic such as COVID-19 seems to have been foreseeable, the government response is being developed on the run, and the broader economic impact is likely to last longer. The time scale of the COVID-19 health challenge is unclear, but the government package is set for six months.

Miranda Stewart is a professor at Melbourne University Law School.

Peter Whiteford is at the ANU Crawford School of Public Policy.