Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison addressed Parliament on Wednesday morning. He said, “Our sovereignty is demonstrated by the quality of life we afford Australians, with world-class health, education, disability, aged care and a social safety net that guarantees the essentials that Australians rely on.”
“When Australian lives and livelihoods are threatened, when they are under attack, our nation’s sovereignty is put at risk, and we must respond. As a government, as a parliament, as a nation, together,” he said in a speech filled with war analogies.
“Nurses, teachers, drivers, cleaners, doctors, police and paramedics, factory workers, engineers and bankers, grocers, miners, farmers, pastors, priests and Imams. Politicians, union officials, even lawyers. Mums, dads, grandparents, kids, families. All of us.”
He added that “our sovereignty is enabled by having a vibrant market economy that underpins our standard of living, that gives all Australians the opportunity to fulfil their potential, to have a go and to get ago, and we will not surrender this.”
He said that 5956 people have had coronavirus as of Wednesday morning. “Thankfully 2547 have recovered. 294 are hospitalised, 92 in intensive care and 32 are on respirators. Sadly, there have been almost 50 deaths in Australia,” he said, and later added that 16 days earlier, when the house last met the new cases were growing at more than 20 per cent a day, however, in recent days, it has averaged two per cent a day with Australians “flattening the curve”.
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“Tens of thousands more have died across the world. One of those was the member for Cooper’s father-in-law. On behalf of the government and the parliament, I extend our deepest sympathies to the member for Cooper and her family. As they are, with all who have lost loved ones, both in recent times, here and overseas, and are fearful of that event occurring in the future. As a nation, we especially send our best wishes to our good friend the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson. Get well soon, Boris. We need you.”
He outlined the policies that the party has already put in place.
Opposition Labor Leader Anthony Albanese took the floor. “We are here to represent people. We are here to deliver policies which protect people’s health,” he said. “We are here to deliver programs that protect people’s living standards. In the current crisis, statistics and numbers abound, but they are not abstract.”
Mr Albanese pointed to the debt set to come. “We are headed for a $1 trillion debt. It is a bill that will saddle a generation,” he said. “I recognise that many of the measures being advanced by this Government to intervene in the economy stand in direct contravention of their rhetorical position over many years, including, of course, their opposition to much of the economic stimulus program of the Rudd Labor Government that protected Australians through the global financial crisis. Australians can feel comfort that the Government has been prepared to act in a way, which I’m sure makes it feel uncomfortable.”
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He put forth further suggestions to the government, including the inclusion of temporary visa holders for coronavirus support.
“The exclusion of temporary visa holders from the jobkeeper arrangements is also of concern. Now, I agree with the Prime Minister – that if a temporary visa worker can go home in the midst of this crisis, they should,” Mr Albanese said.
“But the reality is that most cannot. As borders close and international flights are cancelled, that means there are some one million people who remain in Australia without work, without access to healthcare, and without a means of support.
“Now, the nature of this pandemic means that that is a health issue, not just for the individual, but for the nation. And that’s why it requires a response from the Government beyond that which is currently being offered.”