Prime Minister Scott Morrison wouldn’t say so publicly, but you sense he was privately pleased Qantas chair Richard Goyder was out in the press expressing some concerns about the lockdown.
Given we are at the start of Easter the last message Canberra wants to send is that it is starting to relax about the virus.
Yet the messaging is all about the crisis and how to cope, with nothing about what happens next.
Neville Power’s co-ordination commission is meant to be part of that mission.
If the politicians start musing about the future, it would create an image that they were becoming relaxed about the virus. So the messaging is all lockdown.
What spooked Goyder were comments from NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian that we would be in lock down until a vaccine arrived.
Goyder has a dream portfolio. He’s chair of the AFL, Qantas and Woodside. But right now all three are in various stages of financial stress.
Qantas planes are not flying, the AFL is not playing and Woodside faces a global recession and oil price war.
Australian consumers have $1.8 trillion in housing debt geared at 200 per cent and most of us are on either government supported wages, zero income or reduced hours
Government debt is now at 10 per cent of GDP and the Goyder business portfolio is earning precious little money.
No wonder he is getting a little restless.
What comes next
It is also good people like him are talking about the future because that is a debate which needs to happen because, while the Government books were in fine shape ahead of the crisis, some policy debates needed finalising.
Energy, skills-based learning, digital transformation, increasing power of the digital platforms at the expense of the traditional media industry being just some of the items which were not being addressed By Canberra with the necessary urgency.
That explains why many in business say there is a need for a reset.
Outgoing IAG chief Peter Harmer thinks the reset will happen without the need to flick the switch in Canberra because the people will lead the charge.
He has welcome faith.
Just for starters big companies like his won’t need 20 floors in the centre of Sydney. Ten will suffice, because having learned to work at home, more people will see the benefits. At Flight Centre, Graham “Skroo” Turner has fast forwarded digital revamp of his company.
The debate needs to be broader, and about where Australia will be after the virus. With reasons abounding, it’s just too easy to be bearish at the moment.
Australia is a beneficiary of an open global trading system but globalisation doesn’t have a great name right now and already the loony-tune brigade is out calling for special deals for manufacturing.
The debate is happening and will need some input from Canberra.
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