Opinion

Overall, Australia’s COVID management was a huge success

Where we succeeded, it was the result of good institutions and good decision-making. But that’s not to say we didn’t stumble.

Steven Hamilton and Richard Holden

Oct 29, 2024 – 5.19pm

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The report into Australia’s COVID-19 response gets some things right, some things wrong, and at times is disappointingly political.

The pandemic was an incredibly difficult time for many Australians – and anyone could be forgiven for never wanting to think about it again. But it’s critical that when (not if) the next pandemic strikes we’re ready to confront it, armed with the right lessons from that period.

Steven Hamilton is assistant professor of economics at George Washington University and visiting fellow at the Tax and Transfer Policy Institute at the ANU.

Richard Holden is Scientia Professor of Economics at UNSW Business School.