An obvious need for unification

Is it possible to feel blessed and frustrated at the same time? Because that is what we seem to be experiencing as Victoria operates as a divided state.

We have metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire locked down under stage-three restrictions and understandably attracting considerable government and media attention.

On the other hand, for the moment at least, most of a nervous regional Victoria has escaped a return to harsh restrictions and has become the ‘fortunate’ far-removed cousin the state can deal with later. It makes sense.

The government has to hammer the virus hotspots – and that is happening where most of the people in the state live.

Winning the fight in Melbourne is and should be the focus of our state leaders.

But at the same time, circumstances have to some social observers at least, unveiled a confirmation that many people operating from our state’s capital have different general views when it comes to identifying the state of Victoria.

Out in the regions it has been hard to miss the string of faux pas coming from press conferences and many of our state or national media when referring to Victoria.

Yes, to some, Victoria seems to mean only Melbourne and its suburbs, perhaps similar to a way we might consider the Australian Capital Territory as Canberra.

And of course, this had led to ambiguities outlets in messaging and various levels of confusion, especially involving schools.

It was far from immediate, after Premier Daniel Andrews’ initial statement about the profound change in restrictions, that a broad message adopted in state media that ‘Victoria is in stage-three lockdown’ underwent some modification.

This was despite the new restrictions being confined to Melbourne and Mitchell Shire and did not apply, geographically, to most of the state.

Observations of a ‘Melbourne is Victoria’ assessment, either true or imagined, by an apprehensive regional audience, did little to generate morale or confidence.

We can’t help but feel for Mr Andrews, who has the unenviable job of shouldering the burden of the crisis in our state.

All eyes are on him. He has the toughest of gigs to manage and as a leader he’s done as well as anyone.

All we in the regions can really ask for is that if and when the dust of battle finally settles, there is acknowledgement there will be a need, more than ever, to consolidate a sense of unification across the state.