Perspective: Has Scott Morrison forgotten that he's Victoria's Prime Minister, too?
Essentially, he announced his intention to run a campaign against the Andrews government’s handling of the pandemic and invited stakeholders to help him.
He acknowledged the constitutional reality that he had no direct power to countermand Andrews’ strategy, thus owning up to the political nature of his attack. But he did nominate one area where he could have an effect: his ability to provide further financial support for Victorians who will continue to live under a form of lockdown for possibly two more months.Morrison said he would withhold any extra money for Victoria until the Andrews government stumped up some more of its own.
Where is the real value in undermining that beyond short-term political considerations? It’s in the federal government’s interests that the Victorian government succeeds because if it does, it will be better for the Australian economy in the long run.Victoria’s infection numbers remain stubbornly high. After a big wave of infections, reopening is a fraught exercise. The UK is now reintroducing tougher restrictions after opening up and experiencing a massive leap in its infection numbers.
Clearly, it frustrates the federal government and many in the press gallery that Andrews is taking the state in the direction he wants to take it.
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