Not specifically about the WA election... but more about how Australia has coped during the pandemic...
Even with Victoria's heartbreaking errors, even with the other errors that occurred in other states, I'd still rather be in Australia during this time than almost anywhere else on earth.
I consider that our leadership - federal and state, as a combined force - have done something remarkable. (I'm not ignoring the Victorian outbreaks and the long hard lockdown - just putting it to one side for now.) This thing could have overwhelmed us. It's overwhelmed the UK, where the leaders seem to have played patty-cake with the scientific / medical advice, and played yo-yo with their now-we're-in-lockdown-now-we-aren't rules. Too little too late. It's overwhelmed Brazil, where a heartless sarcastic why-are-you-crying monster of empathy-deficiency continues to play down the tragedy. It's overwhelmed Italy where so many have died needlessly; ditto for Spain. It's overwhelmed the Netherlands where idiotic protestors are making a too-late lockdown practically worthless. It's overwhelmed Germany where Angela Merkel has had to contend with state leaders who just won't co-operate when another lockdown was well-and-truly necessary. India - poor India. Russia - probably far more casualties and cases than reported. It's unbelievably distressing.
We have had our tragedies; God knows we have. In the midst of my heartbreak and frustration, I still believe we are one of the lucky countries at this time. There's been strong and welcome co-operation with our decision-makers, and thankfully they have listened to the medical advice and are guided by it (by and large).
That spirit of co-operation is something I would love to see continuing between the states and Federal Government. I'm sick of the bickering that still crops up, and I have no patience for infantile jabs and pinpricks and political point-scoring. I want to see grown men and women in the most powerful positions in Australia take their responsibility towards Australians seriously.
I am hoping that Mark McGowan will move to consider WA not only as a state, but as part of Australia. He has every resource available to him now to get that in play. I don't want to feel as though I am not welcome in WA, as a Victorian resident...
