Snap-back might turn out to be a mouse trap, but the urge towards a flawed normal grows apace. Signs of hope include the proposed re-opening of Bondi, Tamarama and Bronte beaches next week. A second is my success in purchasing toilet paper for the first time in over a month. In fact, my only option on spotting this exotic item was to take a pack of 45 rolls. This had the twin effect of making me afraid of being mistaken for a hoarder and fearing I may be assaulted on the way to my car, so in demand was the product I was carrying with no possibility of concealment.
Testing is to be ramped up for identified hot spots and at risk communities. Only a trickle more cases today, 21 to total 6,649 and now 74 deaths. NSW has 5 only added overnight for 2,974 and 33 deaths. The world count is 2.5 million cases and over 174,000 deaths. The US had 2,600 deaths overnight for a total of 45,000 deaths from 800,000 cases in the land of the free. America seems already to be in the grip of a virus affecting the mind, whose symptoms are exceptionalism, an obsession with rights and a superiority complex. The vocal are champions of a failed state they want reopened pronto.
It has been suggested, via social media of course, that Mother Nature decided we had made a hash of things and so sent us the virus and directed us to go to our rooms and not come out again until we understand and behave. Now we have that chance to behave. Among the initiatives we could adopt is to arrange a vocational exchange for a year between the PMs of New Zealand and Australia. We can offer Jacinda free child care. On the other side we need to stop pretending trickle-down works, lift the lid on female participation in every facet of public life and industry, and find a way to renew trust in government and re-invigorate democracy.
In bringing a greater variety of minds to work on co-creation we could form a red team, as Travis McLeod has suggested (Centre for Policy Development, 24 March), to provide “an independent critique and a counter to groupthink”. Step into this space progressives. Get your voice heard. How are those behavioural economists in State and Federal nudge teams doing convincing us to behave differently? With Sam Mostyn, Travis McLeod also notes it would be a mistake to go back to where we were and they say: “We need to reflect seriously on our national capacity before the crisis – the lack of complexity in our economy, diminishing capability across our public sector, and the inequity in our communities.” Lets press for a new normal.
Awesomely Astute 