Government and little people: the democratic divide in Danandrewstan

The disconnect between the protected public sector and mainstream Victorians was perfectly encapsulated by the Secretary of the Department of Treasury and Finance, David Martine, last week. Martine, giving evidence to the Public Accounts and Estimates Committee said that the snap five-day lockdown of the entire state of Victoria would likely have a ‘minimal’ impact on Victoria’s public finances. 

That forcing 6.7 million Victorians into a strict lockdown does not have a significant impact on public finances demonstrates the entire problem of lockdowns and the government’s response to coronavirus. 

The past year has shown that when lockdown measures are implemented it is the private sector that pays the price. While…