OPENING TASMANIA'S BORDERS
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WE MAY never know what pressures were placed on Premier Peter Gutwein by Prime Minister Morrison and the federal Liberals that resulted in his about turn on the decision to reopen our borders, but presumably there were some, and they were too serious to allow him to refuse.
Of course Tasmania couldn't remain closed to the world forever, but reopening could and should have been far better managed. As it should have been across the country. All governments, but particularly the federal government, have had months in which to plan and prepare for the lifting of border restrictions, but as with so much to do with this pandemic the Coalition government failed to do so.
From the beginning, Scott Morrison has generally played catch-up to our, mostly, far more proactive and capable state premiers every step of the way. From the hotel quarantine debacle, to vaccine supply - and the subsequent vaccination rollout - and now to the reported failure to ensure ample supplies of rapid antigen test kits would be freely available to everyone, Morrison's failings as a leader have been well and truly exposed.
The result is a confused, anxious, and angry population, frustrated by constantly changing advice, with exhausted and overworked health workers in a system that will soon be completely overwhelmed. And all because of federal government decisions that appear to have more to do with securing its own political advantage than the health and welfare of Australians.
Anne Layton-Bennett, Swan Bay.
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