In the wake of the pandemic, will we see a new politics of social
security and concern for the future?
Between the fires and the plague, Scott Morrison had no choice but to
adapt his style of leadership. But does he have an exit strategy for
Australia from the pandemic?
In this original essay, George Megalogenis explores the new politics of
care and fear. He shows how our economic officials learnt the lessons of
past recessions and applied them to new circumstances. But where to from
here? Megalogenis analyses the shifting dynamics of the federation and
the appeal of closed borders. He discusses the fate of higher
education - what happened to the clever country? And he asks: what
should government be responsible for in the 21st century, and does the
Morrison government have the imagination for the job?
'Morrison has no political interest in talking about the future. But
passivity does not reduce the threat of another outbreak. In any case,
the future is making demands on Australia in other ways.'
George Megalogenis has 35 years of experience in the media, including
more than a decade in the federal parliamentary press gallery. His book
The Australian Moment won the 2013 Prime Minister's Literary Award for
Non-fiction and the 2012 Walkley Book Award and formed the basis for the
ABC documentary series Making Australia Great.
