Guard against march of Big Brother in coronavirus crisis

As most of us find every day, Australians are working to a whole new set of rules, as Scott Morrison noted on Monday. The actions of government, the Prime Minister said, need to be well considered, well tempered, targeted and effective. They also must be “clear in their purpose and they must be efficient in their execution. It is never the time for rash and ill-conceived decisions”. Caution, fairness and good judgment are essential, especially in relation to the loss of basic freedoms as the states, in different ways, have toughened restrictions on what citizens may and may not do, where they are allowed to go, and with whom.

NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller has taken on a mammoth challenge in taking charge of the response to the pandemic in our largest state. Earlier mistakes, unfortunately, by NSW authorities in relation to the Ruby Princess cruise ship and by the thoughtless crowd on Bondi Beach 11 days ago have contributed to the caseload in NSW exceeding 2000. Mr Fuller is doing the job well. But he set alarm bells ringing when asked if people could drive to their own holiday homes at the coast. “No,” he said. “And if you do that, and you’ve done that, that’s where you’re staying.” Really? People with holiday homes in driving distance of their main residences were gobsmacked by the idea of being barred from driving between their own properties while still obeying the rules for isolating themselves from the community. That is why those with homes on both sides of the NSW-Queensland border at the southern end of the Gold Coast bristled at Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk closing the border and posting police on guard duty. Often, the tone and the language are as important as the message. Mr Fuller explained his reasoning on Tuesday when he said if too many Sydneysiders shifted to the south or north coast and the virus spread, local health systems were not designed to manage such an influx. The argument makes sense, although common sense on the part of property owners would avoid most problems. Queenslanders, stunned by their state’s clumsy, confusing ban on recreational boating, can see little point in the move when family fishing is still allowed.

Extraordinary times demand extraordinary measures. And to their credit, most Australians have been compliant with the new rules governing their lives. At the same time the public should be conscious of George Orwell’s observation in Nineteen Eighty-Four that “no one ever seizes power with the intention of relinquishing it”. Rather than becoming accustomed to their loss of liberties, governments and citizens need to remind themselves, frequently, that the newly introduced restrictions are temporary. Firm commitments as to their reversal as soon as COVID-19 is no longer a significant threat are vital. The sight of worshippers kneeling outside churches is a reminder that faith communities have complied overwhelmingly with the restrictions, sometimes going beyond what was asked. It will be a while before large gatherings such as sporting events and Sunday services can be resumed. But incremental steps, such as allowing places of worship to be unlocked on quiet weekdays, while insisting on health precautions, should be considered as soon as it is prudent.

Like government officials, retailers, too, should be mindful of when to be firm and when relaxing restrictions is in the public interest. Limitations to prevent panic buying and hoarding groceries and alcohol are helpful. But where plenty of stock of perishable essentials such as milk is available, limiting families, as some supermarkets do, to two containers of fresh milk can be counter-productive. It necessitates shoppers venturing out daily when it would be better if they were home.

The curtailing of other freedoms, while less obvious, must also be monitored. The 700-page Biosecurity Act of 2015, we argued last week, has a “whatever-it-takes” clause giving the federal health minister unfettered power to take whatever action they deem necessary once a biosecurity emergency has been declared. It has been in the case of COVID-19. Such provisions, a necessary evil in the modern world, must be used sparingly and never abused. As Mr Morrison said on Monday, it is “our principles and values as Australians” that will guide us through uncharted waters to the other side. Federal and state governments have worked hard to minimise loss of life from this insidious virus. They must also ensure it does not kill our liberties.