Scott Morrison slammed for ‘lack of leadership’ during covid

With half the country under lockdown, the boss of travel company Intrepid has hit out at the Prime Minister and backed Singapore’s move to handle the virus.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has been slammed for a “lack of leadership” and a failure to come up with a plan to deal with the pandemic long term.

Brett Mitchell, managing director at Intrepid Travel, told news.com.au the company is one of the thousands of businesses “hurting” around Australia and a plan is needed to “live with the virus”.

He is backing a Singapore style approach, with the country recently announcing a radical overhaul to how it manages the virus.

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Singapore has stated Covid will be treated like other endemic diseases such as flu.

There will be no goals of zero transmission. Quarantine will be dumped for travellers and close contact of cases will not have to isolate. It also plans to no longer announce daily case numbers. But you may need to take tests to head to the shops or go to work.

Mr Mitchell urged the Prime Minister to come up with a roadmap for a way out of the pandemic long term.

“I think from our point of view this is a virus that is not going away, ultimately it’s here to stay and countries need to understand that and they need a roadmap to deal with it. We are calling on the federal government to show clear leadership and have a much stronger plan and at the moment we don’t have that,” he said.

“With the Singapore plan we are a on similar trajectory and it’s seem a bit more mature. We ask that a modern mature society like Australia ultimately deserves a plan that we can start to discuss and debate and work through.

“At some point we are going to need to address this. There is a lot of businesses hurting out there and if we have a plan, businesses can work around a plan. We need some timelines, so we can start to get to work and so businesses can grow again and employ people again and that’s why we think it’s so important.”

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Prime Minister Scott Morrison has come under fire from some circles for his handling of the pandemic and vaccine rollout. Picture: Supplied

While Mr Mitchell praised Mr Morrison for his early handling of the pandemic by keeping Australian’s safe, 18 months on he said he was “really failing on showing natural leadership”.

“At the moment it’s pretty haphazard. The states are in control of their own borders and it’s pretty fragmented and there doesn’t seem to be A unified approach to closing borders, but the pandemic has been going on well over a year now,” he said.

“He started out quite well in protecting Australia but now we are asking him to step up and show leadership and have a plan to open borders and accelerate the vaccination rollout program.”

Mr Mitchell, who recently received his second covid vaccination, said confusion over the different jabs also wasn’t helping the situation.

“People are not comfortable with AstraZeneca as there are as so many conflicting reports as to whether it’s safe or not and there is confusion around this and to me that shows a real lack of leadership,” he added.

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The Intrepid boss has called for the Prime Minister to step up and offer a plan to deal with Covid-19 long term. Picture: Supplied

Intrepid Travel was decimated by international border closures as 95 per cent of their business was based on overseas travel before the virus hit.

While the business has pivoted to local travel, snap border closures and lockdowns isn’t making things easier, added Mr Mitchell.

“We had to reinvent ourselves with a lot of local product but we can’t sell it now – that’s very frustrating,” he explained.

“This uncertainty about travelling interestate knowing borders can close at any time and you have to self quarantine – that is putting people off from any sort of travel and as a business we have had to just hibernate for a bit and reinvent ourselves.”

The UK is leading the global race on vaccinations with 48 per cent of the population fully vaccinated, while Canada comes in second with 46 per cent. Australia sits just above India on the table with 4.7 per cent of the population fully vaccinated.

Countries like Brazil and Mexico have covered more than three times their population compared to Australia

Intrepid had to pivot to local holidays but even that is proving difficult with border closures. Picture: Supplied

As many countries around the world reach over half their population being vaccinated, it could leave Australia in a sorry state, predicted Mr Mitchell.

“We are going to be left behind. We have got offices in the US and the UK with a number of our staff over there and their vaccination rates are going really well and people are moving again. Industries, hospitality and travel businesses are growing again and we are seeing really good sales come out of their markets,” he revealed.

“Here in Australia there are incredible Australian businesses in hospitality and travel that through not fault of their own have seen 100 per cent of revenue has stopped overnight and it’s incredibly hard to plan for that and have a contingency around that.

“A lot of business have used their life savings to keep things going in the last 12 to 18 months. whether its travel agents or travel businesses, and these are individuals that have built something for 20 years that right now is worthless. A lot of these businesses and a lot of people are hurting.”

Intreprid business was 95 per cent international before the borders slammed shut and the Intrepid boss is calling for freedom of movement for people who are fully vaccinated. Picture: Supplied

The country can’t keep its borders shut forever, added Mr Mitchell, noting that North Korea and Australia are the only nations that require it’s citizen to apply to the government to be able to leave.

He believes the federal government needs to open up discussion for allowing freedom of movement for people who are fully vaccinated.

At a press conference announcing people could talk to their GP about accessing the AstraZeneca vaccine, Mr Morrison spoke directly to the millions of Australians who are locked in their homes, telling them to “hang in there”.

“I certainly understand [people’s] frustration when it comes to dealing with this pandemic. We’re very conscious of those great frustrations,” he said. “The pandemic is still upon us. And I know when you’re maybe midway, maybe further through the course of this pandemic, we can grow tired and frustrated and anxious. I understand that, but how should we go forward? Do we give into that?

“Or do we continue to show the same determination that we have showed, particularly over that first year in the pandemic and more? We were able to come through and Australia was able to achieve a result in saving lives and livelihoods like virtually no other country in the world.

“I’d be encouraging Australians to hang in there. We don’t have a choice. The pandemic is still upon us. It’s the pandemic, that’s the reason why these things are happening in places all around the world.”

Originally published as Scott Morrison slammed for ‘lack of leadership’ during covid