We used to be all in this together

Yesterday I mentioned that there were two categories of people who didn't support the Victorian Government in their approach to slapping down the second wave of coronavirus in the state. The legitimate group - 

"They may have lost their job, they may have gone stir-crazy in isolation, their business may have collapsed under the lockdown and their savings depleted. These folks have suffered and should be assisted."  

So what about this other group? The politically motivated trolling class who have spent an inordinate amount of time attempting to sway public opinion on the Premier and his team, again, for the sake of politics. If you recall, and even if you don't, throughout the pandemic, state and federal leaders took hold of the reins and attempted to guide us through the coronavirus, the consequence being that Opposition Parties were left somewhat muted in the process. Sure, there were complaints from some that even during war, governing parties included the then oppositions in the huddle so that everyone was kept abreast of what was happening, but this wasn't really a war, much like how the 'war against drugs' wasn't really a war or how my 'war against the weeds in my garden' isn't a war. However, we were all in this together!

You know it, Troy!

Moving forward, the leaders in each jurisdiction were in charge and although the Oppositions weren't, they were supporting the push against the virus. It was team "No COVID-19" all the way. Why my slogan never got off the ground I'll never understand. Anyway, that's the way it goes.

So at a Federal level, even without the Opposition ALP being part of the leadership, their influence still managed to come through with the introduction of income support for Australians. Jobkeeper was effectively a welfare program, something usually repellent to the conservative side in this country, but there it was, at the urging of the progressives, a program to support people financially. We were all in it together and leaders had never been more popular. Polls were high, especially in Victoria where Premier Dan Andrews had gone harder on the restrictions to knock the spread of the virus on the head. In fact, a National Cabinet had been formed with the PM and State Premiers/Chief Ministers around the table. Dammit, we really WERE in it together, but those Premiers who were more assertive in their positions reaped the polling rewards.

But then something happened in Victoria. 

As of writing this, we're not exactly sure what it was and how it happened, but the virus escaped Hotel Quarantine and began to spread throughout the community. What happened next lead to the second lockdown in the city, isolation of the state from the rest of the country and the general problems discussed in the previous post. And let's not forget, over 800 deaths, largely in the Aged Care community. But far from rallying behind the team, those who already disliked Premier Andrews and his progressive ways took advantage of the situation and began their program of undermining him and his team.

The early niggles came from monstrous cretins such as the state Liberal party's Lennie Small, Tim Smith, whose method of attack seemed to be to link the Premier to a communist state through multiple and daily posts/interviews/opinion pieces referring to Andrews as 'Chairman Dan' or 'Dictator Dan'. Then followed the usual conga line of Victorian conservatives and "journalists" criticising the Government for their heavy handed response to the Quarantine escape.

Remember, during this time, their criticism was that Andrews and co. were acting TOO harshly to halt the spread of the virus. The cries were loud and regular and most importantly, idiotic. But if you say something often enough, it may not make it true, but it does begin to resonate with people who already feel angry and irritated that a left-leaning Premier is popular and implementing social reforms as part of a policy regime that is both popular and actually happening (as opposed to simply proposals).

In short, conservatives hate that Andrews is talking the talk and walking the walk in Victoria, the most progressive state in the country. Andrews has always been a thorn in the side of the conservatives and a pandemic wasn't going to stop them from trying to take him down.

Now I could go on and on with the number of times the state Opposition Leader, Michael O'Brien, or his team of Jabba's Palace denizens have been interviewed or had their opinions published in which they have simply called for the opposite of what was taking place;

"Open Up!" when numbers were growing.
"Closed too late" when the lockdown eventuated.
"Open up the economy" when numbers were still too high and health experts told them so.
"This is the longest and hardest lockdown in the world!" when it wasn't and never was.

Seriously, you thought Arthur and Martha were confused. 
We've had stunts and we've had...

"My polling is 19%" - Michael O'Brien

What makes all of this worse is that during the largely inaccurately named 'daily briefings' by the Premier, the line of questioning from the Murdoch-based, Nine-based and right-leaning media, was less about what should be done and what the steps were that the Government was taking and more about point-scoring against the Premier for his team's decisions. We may have been in it together, but we were no longer holding hands.

Questions from the media included commentary, riders, stings in the tail and outright criticisms of the actions of the Premier et al. The term 'Karen' was replaced by 'Rachel' thanks to the irritatingly partisan and rude opinions expressed as questions by a certain journalist. And of course, of course of course of COURSE it is important for journalists to ask hard questions of our politicians, however the approach of the various "Rachels" in the media scrum each morning at the Press Conferences was to load their questions with opininated preambles, add "shouldn't you resign" at the end of the question, make assertions throughout the question that were neither provable nor accurate and sometimes, in the case of a certain former Chief of Staff to a horrible former PM, just talk AT the Premier for several minutes, effectively running a commentary of procedures with a question seemingly being optional.

What's the common factor amongst the media responsible for these "questions"? Yes, as I said, they're all conservative commentators or journalists from conservative networks. 

To Premier Andrews' credit, he rarely bit back. Throughout the pandemic, he has remained focused and remained respectful of all concerned, regularly balking at opportunites to criticise back or respond to partisan comments.

It's worth noting that despite Andrews oft-repeated claim that he gets along well with the Prime Minister...what's his name again...oh yes, Scott Morrison, that at no stage during ANY of the relentless barrage of Liberal attacks from state and federal members against Dan Andrews, did the PM dispute their claims. He never called off the attack dogs because that's his MO. 

Ding ding ding...Round 2, fight!

Andrews has been praised for remaining civil. But I suspect post-lockdown and with the virus under control, the gloves may be about to come off, because when it comes to the economy...we're not all in this together and politicians remember.

llama
@SirWonderLlama