American lessons
THEPrimeMinistersaidPresident-ElectJoeBidenhadaskedhow Australiahadmanagedthepandemicsowell.IamsureMorrison mentionedtherolethecommonwealthgovernmenthasplayed,but didhetellofthestrengthofleadersinstatesandterritoriesto overcomeseriouschallengesandsticktotheirgunsdespitestrong partisancriticismofsomeofthemfromthecentre?Stateand territoryleadersgenerallyknowlocalneedswell,butbenefitmore whenknowledgeisfreelysharedandjointplanningtakesplace.
Weshouldlearnourlessonfromthedestructivedivideofredand bluestatesinAmerica.Australiahasnotoperatedasefficientlyasit couldasafederation,forsometime.Anyonewhohasworkedin commonwealthorstateagencieswillknowofthemanyfailuresin communication,andtheduplicationthathasgoneonforyears. Thereareeveninstanceswhenthetwoseemtocompeteover projects,andthewasteoffundingisconsiderable.
Thewholecountrywouldbenefitfromamorecohesive,tightknitfederationthatacknowledgesdifferingneedsofstatesand territories,respectstheroleoftheirleaderswithoutpartisanpolitics dominating,andunderstandstheroleandvalueofthe commonwealthgovernment.WiththechallengesAustraliafaces,we mustusewhatwehavelearntfromthecurrentsituationtowork togethertoachieveourgoalsinafair,inclusive,societywhichcares abouttheenvironment. —PennyAndersen, SouthHobart