Essential workers
“WE need to restart the economy… We can’t keep Australia under the doona.’’
This was Scott Morrison, May 1, 2020. It was a good one. A call to action and a plan for the future.
Since then, the Prime Minister has spent hours in front of cameras telling us the economy is “fighting back” and that we should all download the APP, that schools are safe and we need to get ready to snap back.
He loves the front foot. He’s not a mask wearer. He’s a family man and he enjoys a few beers at the footy. He is dedicated to giving every positive indication that we are living our best new normal. This is what we get when we go for suppression instead of elimination. This is what living alongside the virus looks like.
On Tuesday, senator Matt Canavan took to Sky News and told the world that he is in favour of reducing the social safety net.
Matt has had conversations with small business people and they say there are plenty of jobs out there but some people just don’t want to take them because they are too comfortable on “the dole”.
The senator has anecdotal evidence to support his opinion. It is time for Australians to step away from the JobSeeker allowance and stare the pandemic down like Mick Dundee in that scene with the buffalo.
Reducing financial support for unemployed people in a pandemic is a big decision and on the same day the federal Treasurer flew into Canberra to present the new plan for reductions to JobKeeper and JobSeeker.
But these plans will not be scrutinised by federal parliament because at the weekend the PM cancelled parliament — again. This time, parliament will not sit until the end of August. This was quietly announced on Saturday morning.
On Monday night, Victorian senator Sarah Henderson went on Q&A and tried to explain why it was too “complex” to come back to Canberra.
Ms Henderson said it was “complex” but was unable to articulate why it is impossible for parliamentarians to do their job.
Yes, it is complex, but it’s not impossible. Pandemic has been our reality for months. There must be secure ways to continue. We have APPs and the NBN. So, what the heck, parliamentarians?
Where is the Department of Home Affairs in this? Isn’t “complex” and “emergency” in its wheelhouse?
The Department of Home Affairs is a super portfolio maintained by former policeman Peter Dutton. Home Affairs “brings together Australia’s federal law enforcement, national and transport security, criminal justice, emergency management, multicultural affairs, settlement services and immigration and borderrelated functions, working together to keep Australia safe.”
That is enormous and totally Zeitgeist for a pandemic.
They have plans for evacuation, extraction, cyber security and border closure. They even have an “Australian Government Space Re-entry Debris Plan” that explains “how the Australian government manages risk posed by reentering space debris, which may impact Australia”.
And they also have a section for; “Catastrophic natural disasters in Australia” which includes a happily complex acronym, and reads thusly: “The National Catastrophic Natural Disaster Plan (NATCATDISPLAN) explains the national co-ordination arrangements for supporting states, territories and the Australian government in responding to and recovering from catastrophic natural disasters in Australia.”
So, what’s happening? Is Dutts still under the doona?
With the enormous scope of his department, it is impossible to believe there is not a binder on a bookshelf somewhere that is specifically entitled: “Plan for Global Pandemic; what to do with cruise ships and how to ensure that parliament can continue to sit in a secure environment.”
The Treasurer flies from Melbourne for a press conference in Canberra, but parliament can’t meet to continue essential work? Nah.
Something has gone wrong. Something “complex” is happening behind the scenes and we deserve to know why federal parliament is getting a hall pass while the rest of the country is adapting and re-engaging.
At the start of all this, the PM said: “Everyone who has a job in this economy is an essential worker.”
So, if you’re on a taxpayer wage but you can’t fulfil the No 1 KPI in your job, representing your constituency in parliament … what are we paying you for?
Ross Mueller is a freelance writer and director.