Leaders need to rise above the fighting amid the COVID-19 crisis

That our leaders are not talking while Tasmania is still in a state of emergency, with parliament barely sitting and about to head into winter recess, shows neither can contain their worst instincts.

Premier Peter Gutwein and Labor leader Rebecca White.

YOU know some sort of semblance of normality is returning when our political leaders are back at each other’s throats.

The start of the coronavirus crisis was charged.

Labor and the Greens both implored the Tasmanian Government to increase restrictions and go its hardest so as to stop the spread and save lives.

Indeed, in March, when Premier Peter Gutwein made the tough call in the face of growing pressure to close the state’s borders, in an almost unprecedented move, both parties backed him.

Mr Gutwein declared a state of emergency in Tasmania, meaning the State Control Centre was activated to be run by the Police Commissioner, in partnership with the director of Public Health.

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Parliament sittings were then suspended – initially for five months — and instead a weekly phone hook-up was to be held between the three leaders to discuss the best ways to deal with the crisis.

Again, that decision was initially supported by all three parties, who believed the situation was so severe, it merited an extreme response.

Greens Leader Cassy O’Connor a few weeks later started agitating for a tri-partisan committee to oversee the coronavirus response so as to protect the health of Tasmanian democracy.

Greens leader Cassy O’Connor during Question Time in State Parliament. Picture Chris Kidd

Mr Gutwein pledged to the parliament that he would not misuse the powers and, for some weeks, the strategy worked well.

Everyone played nicely, did their bit and, in the main, put the COVID-19 battle ahead of any party politics.

Prior to his appointment as Premier, Treasurer Peter Gutwein was regarded as a bit of a headkicker. Compared to his predecessor Will Hodgman, he had a harder edge.

Yet, during the crisis, Mr Gutwein surprised most with his empathy — often showing a softer side, willing to adapt and even shedding the occasional tear.

The tri-partisan approach worked well for him too.

His popularity soared and Tasmania — after battling the North-West outbreak — successfully flattened the curve.

As the situation seemed to stabilise though, playing nice wasn’t doing much for the Opposition, and the racing industry was wildly unhappy about Tasmania being the only state to have shut them down.

Premier Peter Gutwein with Greens leader Cassy O’Connor. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

Those lobbying for restrictions to ease felt like they weren’t getting a fair hearing — and so Labor pounced on the opportunity.

The Premier felt betrayed by the move.

Labor Leader Rebecca White would argue her party had asked about racing in parliament, flagging the issue before they went out hard publicly in the media, and that ultimately she was doing what an opposition party’s job is — to challenge the government.

Ms O’Connor sided with the Premier, saying Labor had “brazenly and recklessly politicised the pandemic response”.

Mr Gutwein’s response was to cut off contact with Ms White, ending the weekly catch-ups and telling her to put any concerns she had in an email.

That the two leaders are at odds is, ordinarily, what we’d expect from a functioning democracy.

That they are not talking to each other while Tasmania is still in a state of emergency, with parliament barely sitting and about to head into a winter recess, shows neither can contain their worst instincts.

The question is, who will show the ultimate leadership to rise above the pettiness, and rebuild the relationship to ensure functional and appropriate communication while allowing room for scrutiny and opposition?