Vince Connelly (Stirling, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm reminded today of extracts from Rudyard Kipling's poem 'If':

If you can keep your head when all about you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you

…    … …

Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,

And—which is more—you'll be a Man, my son!

Apart from Mr Kipling's gender-specific language there, this poem could scarcely be more relevant to our society today. As we continue to see state and territories coming on and off the high COVID case number list, it is so important we keep our heads.

For those in lockdown, life is tough and getting tougher. But there is light at the end of the tunnel. This is spelled out in the national plan, as agreed by all state and territory leaders—a plan providing a solid pathway back to a more normal life. Once 80 per cent of the eligible population is fully vaccinated we hit phase C, the consolidation phase, which is where we learn to live with the virus. As the Prime Minister reiterated today, we must not fear the phases but embrace them.

Lockdowns are unsustainable in the long term—unsustainable for businesses, for families with kids at school and for Australia's long-term prosperity and security. Today we hit 30 per cent of the eligible population being fully vaccinated. Our state and territory leaders now have the responsibility to be visionary leaders, not to peddle fear. This is a national plan, and it can only succeed with national cooperation. Australia is the lucky country not because of luck but because we continually and deliberately work at making it so.