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Old 31st Aug 2021, 03:58
  #7968 (permalink)  
Lead Balloon
 
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Australia/India
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Treasurer Josh Frydenberg says a world where States and Territories stay at “zero COVID forever” is “unrealistic”, and warns States not to expect the same level of financial support for lockdowns enforced after 80 per cent of the population was vaccinated.

“When is it that businesses can reopen, when is that the kids can go back to school, when is it that when we can attend the funeral is on the weddings of loved ones, when is it that we can move more freely in our own country?”

He warned States that continued to use lockdowns and border closures after 80 per cent of the population was vaccinated should not expect the same level of financial support from the Morrison Government.

“I wouldn’t use that term sanctions but what I would say is that I’ve made it very clear that there should be no expectation on behalf of the premiers and the chief ministers that our emergency economic support will continue at the scale that it is currently when we reach the 70 to 80 per cent targets,” he said.
That looks suspiciously like the Commonwealth government using the vertical fiscal imbalance to bring pressure to bear on the states to behave in the way the Commonwealth wants. Who knew the Commonwealth had powers beyond those listed in s 51 of the Constitution...

Thoughts, Mick?
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