Thread by @tanya_plibersek

Thread 👇

Like many of you, I’ve been reflecting on the changes COVID-19 is making to our society, our economy and our way of life.

Up until now, everything has happened so quickly. We haven’t had much time to sit back and think about our experiences as a nation.

But with the scale of Australia’s challenges, both to our health and our economy, it’s unlikely that society will just ‘snap back’ to how it was before. Some things will change forever.

So what have we learned so far in this crisis?

1. Australians are prepared to make sacrifices for one another if we feel like we are all in something together. We tell ourselves that we are larrikin rule breakers, but very few have ignored social distancing rules.

Some have behaved badly in the toilet paper aisle, and too many have gone to the beach; but many, many more have reached out and offered to help neighbours. We are keen to care for each other.

2. We can work together to promote a strong economy which delivers security and stability. Unions and employers can be pragmatic and cooperate to protect and grow jobs. We need to harness this for Australia to have a prosperous future.

People need a secure job and a roof over their head. We need to work together with good faith to deliver full employment.

3. Thank God for Medicare. A universal health system saves lives. User pays health systems cost lives. We have a great public health system, with some of the best medical and support staff anywhere in the world.

In an emergency, that care is equally available to everyone. A two tier health system would allow the virus to spread more freely – which is what’s happening in some other countries.

4. Our democracy still allows for bipartisanship. Political parties can come together for the common good. We should do it more often. And we should thank our public servants who swing into action in such crises, and the experts who guide them.

5. We need to invest in science + medical research – and we need to value the knowledge it provides us. Facts matter. The truth matters. Listen to experts. That also means strengthening + reducing inequalities in our world class education system, including schools, TAFEs, + unis.

6. No one can live on $40 a day. Economic inequality + poverty are bad for everyone. People who can’t pay the bills or buy food will keep working, even if they're sick. A secure job or strong social safety net protects the sick worker, but also protects the rest of the community.

If we want to support demand in the economy, we need to make sure low income earners get the most help, because they will spend on essentials.

7. Some work will and should change. The people who do some of the most important work are not the highest paid. Our economy relies on essential workers, from shop assistants, to delivery drivers, to cleaners. It relies on nurses, aged care workers, and early educators.

Too many of these jobs are undervalued and underpaid. Technology has transformed the way many people can work and live our lives. Lots of jobs can be done effectively remotely – at least part of the time. We also have to build our capacity as a nation to make things.

8. Teaching is hard work. Kids like school + miss it, despite what they say. School is not babysitting for working parents – teaching is a profession which helps our children grow. (But maybe school should start later in the day for teens. They don’t think well in the morning!)

9. We can house rough sleepers if we want to. We just need the political will to do it.

10. Clean air is good. Blue skies and stars in the night are beautiful. We need to generate more clean energy and improve vehicle emission standards.

11. International cooperation is vital to solving our most stubborn problems. Trust, transparency, an effective aid program, and scientific cooperation between nations benefit us all.

12. Connection matters. Our families and friends, our sporting teams, our colleagues, the groups we’re part of all make our lives richer. We need to make the space in our lives for community.