Scott Morrison’s coronavirus messaging becoming clearer

Prime Minister Scott Morrison updates the nation on the latest coronavirus measures, from Canberra on Sunday. Picture: Gary Ramage

The federal government’s messaging has significantly improved in the past week. So much so that the strategy for dealing with this pandemic is becoming more clear, and easier to have faith in.

Which is not to say that there aren’t problems in need of solutions. As I said in my weekend column, those overseeing this crisis will make plenty of mistakes, but it is important we understand that comes with the territory in such difficult circumstances. As long as they lead and don’t simply hide behind the cover of the advice of the day feeding into their decision making matrix.

Just because Australia is hopefully doing what it must to avoid becoming an Italy, Spain or perhaps United States, that doesn’t mean there aren’t things in need of doing to lift the response to the next level.

For example: the stimulus money is flowing way too late. People are losing their jobs now. Businesses are going under now. The government has to admit that the crisis has evolved from the initial timelines laid out for the stimulus cash to go out the door and move it out much faster. People can’t wait another month for help.

Allowing people to access their super is a flawed idea which should be reversed. Every dollar someone takes out of their super now is lost income in retirement five or even ten times over. And they are withdrawing money from investments which have already seen upwards of a 50 per cent hit to their value. While accessing super as a last resort has always been a policy setting, the new $10,000 withdrawal allowed over the coming two financial years ($20,000 in total) could see people with well in excess of $100,000 less in their kitty for retirement. And the unintended consequences of such a mass withdrawal of shares could hurt the market and those businesses listed even more right at a time of severe weakness.

And the mistake of not including the opposition in the national cabinet, along side suspending parliament, doesn’t look like being fixed anytime soon. It means that less bipartisanship will follow, and with a concern that our democratic principles aren’t being adhered to. Fewer voices pressure testing ideas via the parliament, hearing from the opposition directly, and via the committee systems means worse public policy outcomes. It also suggests democracy isn’t important.

All of that said, the messages around social distancing are cutting through. States are finally being respected to do their own thing as their widely different circumstances require. This is a very important development in our cooperative federal system. The explanations around the balancing act between managing the economy and the health crisis are clearer, and more reasonable in the way they are being sold. Scott Morrison is striking a more conciliatory tone, and showing fewer signs of belligerence when asked questions.

Even the PM has seen the light when it comes to schools and the need for parents if they can to keep them home. He’s gone from saying his kids are going to school and so should everyone else’s, to telling journalists not to ask about his kids (even though he was the one who first used them to support his defence of why kids should go to school), to telling the nation his wife is buying puzzles for his kids to help get through the months ahead.

Greg Hunt as health minister has done very well to roll out a mental health package not a moment too late, and the capacity for online GP consultations is an important step. The messages from the team of chief medical officers have improved greatly also, since the appointment of Nick Coatsworth as the newest Deputy CMO. A specialist in the field no less, and a clear communicator, he is cutting through with a community crying out for more clarity and expertise all rolled into one.

Australians want their government and their leaders to do well in this crisis, because if they do we are all at less risk from the virus. And the economy when it does charge back up has more chance of doing so effectively if it was shut down in the best way possible.

Peter van Onselen is political editor for Network 10 and professor of politics and public policy at the University of Western Australia and Griffith University.