How the pandemic delivered political power to the states
It is the states that have the power to lock out infection and deliver life-saving support to their citizens. That has lifted their political clout as well.
It sometimes surprises political watchers that the NSW and Victorian governments are together four times bigger than that of the Commonwealth.
The two largest states between them engage 770,000 full-time public sector workers, compared with the federal government’s 155,000 civil servants.
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Tom Burton has held senior editorial and publishing roles with The Mandarin, The Sydney Morning Herald and as Canberra bureau chief for The Australian Financial Review. He has won three Walkley awards. Connect with Tom on Twitter. Email Tom at tom.burton@afr.com
