One country, one virus rule book

TASMANIAN BORDER DEBATE

IN March when the threat of COVID-19 became apparent, Tasmania did the right thing by using our moat to protect our vulnerable population and potential excess strain on our health system.

Six months down the track, Australia looks like a broken country. We have eight jurisdictions, all with border restrictions, making free movement around our country all but impossible. Instead of all being Australians, we’ve become inward-looking Tasmanians, Queenslanders, West Australians, each state seeming fearful of what’s over their border. I understand the risk posed by COVID-19, however, isn’t it time we managed risks at a national level?

No state or territory has admitted going for elimination and there is no guarantee of an effective vaccine. Governments need to work together to safely reopen, with a model whereby suburbs, regions or even cities are designated hot spots and locked down when necessary. I’m no fan of our Prime Minister Scott Morrison, but on this I think he is correct.

It’s looking more evident that politics is coming into play in some states’ decisions on the back of polls and upcoming elections. Restrictions should be based on science and risk analysis, not how the general population feels. Australia should have the world’s best contact tracing, used nationwide. NSW has kept the state open while managing outbreaks. Australia could be battling COVID-19 for years. Prohibiting us from travelling around our country cannot be sustained long term. We need to look for smarter ways to manage this virus that all states and territories can agree on. Ryan Kincade North Hobart