Anthony Albanese has been forced into a major policy and political strategic shift in endorsing specific vaccination levels to lift Covid-19 restrictions after misreading the national mood on Covid-19 lockdowns and not appreciating the impact of the pace of vaccinations.
Given that it was a political conversion the Opposition Leader was driven to and that he remains wedded to supporting the lockdown propensities of Western Australia and Queensland and warns of more “restrictions”, the sincerity of his commitment is an easy target for Scott Morrison.
Albanese had hoped to give general support for the Doherty Institute’s national plan recommendations but delay specific endorsement of vaccination levels of 70-80 per cent for easing restrictions and stopping lockdowns, allowing him to set up a new test for the Prime Minister.
Pressure from Morrison to declare a threshold for the easing of restrictions and a positive political lead from former Labor leader and MP for Maribyrnong Bill Shorten wedged Albanese, who had no choice but to adopt thresholds for easing restrictions.
Morrison stung Albanese in parliament when he said: “He may have had a conversion on the road to Maribyrnong but I don’t believe him.”
The bigger problem for Albanese’s conversion is that he wants to say one thing on the east coast and something else on the west. He’s also sticking to a plan that relies on Morrison failing on vaccinations before the election next year.
Albanese wants desperately to side with WA Labor Premier Mark McGowan, who is warning of border closures beyond the time when vaccinations reach 80 per cent as he appeals to secessionist and isolationist sentiment in the west.
Polling from CIS shows WA is the only state in Australia where people describe themselves as West Australians ahead of being Australian, and where there is the lowest support for easing restrictions.
Albanese needs to win seats in WA and exploit McGowan’s refusal to co-operate with Morrison.
The same polling shows strong support in NSW and Victoria for easing restrictions.
By Wednesday morning, Albanese had to commit to the 70 and 80 per cent vaccination thresholds while siding with Labor premiers advocating lockdowns, blaming Morrison for the lockdowns and hoping for another missed timetable on vaccinations.
He has been forced to answer Morrison’s rhetorical question on if lockdowns weren’t restricted at 70 or 80 per cent, “then when?” It is a question that has cut through politically and demonstrated the change in the national mood towards wearisome lockdowns, vaccine hesitancy and the reality of the Delta variant.
Albanese will deny he’s been forced into a shift, and is still trying to encourage lockdowns in WA and Queensland to stymie Morrison’s plan for a new dawn before Christmas.
He has dumped an untenable position but again handed Morrison a ladder to get out of a hole.
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