Forget debt: Scott Morrison is on a pedestal

Newspoll surveys this week show personal support for Scott Morrison at rec­ord levels and overwhelming backing for how the government is handling the economy and health risks of the pandemic. Picture: Gary Ramage

Only six months after declaring the budget was “in balance” and promising the first surplus in a decade, Josh Frydenberg has unveiled the biggest budget deficit since World War II and a record national debt edging towards a trillion dollars.

Only six months ago, a budget surplus was the be all and end all of the Morrison government’s economic and political strategies as it talked of fiscal rectitude, not putting up taxes and providing a stark contrast to Labor’s big-spending election agenda.

That’s all gone in a puff of corona­virus: the Coalition has spent more on income support and welfare in a few months than Labor ever has, and warns of higher unemployment and tougher business conditions to come. Yet, politically, it’s almost as if debt and deficit don’t matter anymore.

After three decades of political contests over economic management, recession, jobs, reform, debt and budget deficits, the game has changed.

Instead of being punished for fiscal recklessness, dropping ­Coalition tenets of faith, blowing the budget and failing to deliver on promises, the Morrison government is being supported across the board.

The simple reason for this is that catching COVID-19 is the thing Australians fear above all else, including national debt levels and losing their jobs. Newspoll surveys this week show personal support for Scott Morrison at rec­ord levels and overwhelming backing for how the government is handling the economy and health risks of the pandemic.

The Prime Minister has treated the advice of medical experts as unquestionable while being prepared to spend anything to cushion the economic impact of the virus crisis on families, households and business.

For the moment, it gives the Coalition an unassailable position and leaves Anthony Albanese and Labor with nowhere to go.

While COVID-19 rolls on and the Coalition works to cushion the impact, Labor is sidelined and in danger of appearing negative, while Morrison delivers the occasional barb about “opportunistic” political behaviour.

As the Treasurer delivered the fiscal outlook, Labor Treasury spokesman Jim Chalmers had to cling to Labor’s pre-pandemic position that the Coalition had ramped up debt and failed in economic management as he tried to highlight inefficient payments without appearing critical of the measures themselves.

Chalmers also took the opportunity of a rare spotlight to float Labor’s next phase of ­attack — accusing the Coalition of lacking a plan to create new jobs and new industries when the virus crisis passes.

Yet until the health fears subside and the Coalition’s policies can be tested by outcomes, it’s slim pickings for Labor and a new, winning game for the Coalition.