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| Coronavirus: How Australia's PM rebuilt his reputation fighting the virus | Coronavirus: How Australia's PM rebuilt his reputation fighting the virus |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| As Australia exits virus lockdown, Prime Minister Scott Morrison's stock is soaring. | |
| It's exactly one year since he was re-elected. Online, there are TikToks of teenagers singing his praises. Shock jocks have apologised for previous criticism. | |
| It's in stark contrast to how he was viewed during the bushfire crisis, where he took a secret holiday to Hawaii while the nation was on fire. | |
| Mr Morrison's perceived failures then sparked immense public anger. Citizens swore at him on camera, while firefighters and survivors refused to shake his hand. | |
| Then, as the blazes were dying down in late January, Australia found itself sucked into the unfolding coronavirus emergency. | Then, as the blazes were dying down in late January, Australia found itself sucked into the unfolding coronavirus emergency. |
| Months later, it has come out on top, seen as a world leader in its handling of the virus. The nation has recorded fewer than 100 deaths and around 7,000 cases. | |
| Only a dozen patients remained in intensive care across the country as of Monday. The leader's approval rating stood at 66% - one of the highest for any Australian prime minister in the past decade. | |
| So how did did Scott Morrison turn things around? | So how did did Scott Morrison turn things around? |
| 'Bold and strong leadership' | 'Bold and strong leadership' |
| Health and political experts say Mr Morrison has benefitted hugely from the expert advice he was given, and that he chose to follow - despite the economic consequences. | Health and political experts say Mr Morrison has benefitted hugely from the expert advice he was given, and that he chose to follow - despite the economic consequences. |
| Underscoring his reliance on this, the chief medical officer Dr Brendan Murphy was never far from his side (or 1.5m at least) at every major announcement. | Underscoring his reliance on this, the chief medical officer Dr Brendan Murphy was never far from his side (or 1.5m at least) at every major announcement. |
| It was on his advice that Australia shut its borders to China when the World Health Organization (WHO) was saying travel bans were unnecessary, and that the nation forecast a pandemic before the official classification. | It was on his advice that Australia shut its borders to China when the World Health Organization (WHO) was saying travel bans were unnecessary, and that the nation forecast a pandemic before the official classification. |
| "Clearly, yes you should listen to the health experts in the middle of a health crisis," says Dr Tony Bartone, the president of the Australian Medical Association. | "Clearly, yes you should listen to the health experts in the middle of a health crisis," says Dr Tony Bartone, the president of the Australian Medical Association. |
| "But listening to the health experts can create an enormous economic disruption. And it takes bold and strong leadership to listen fully and listen early." | "But listening to the health experts can create an enormous economic disruption. And it takes bold and strong leadership to listen fully and listen early." |
| When it became clear that local infections were accelerating, Mr Morrison also took quick action - spurred on by the leaders of Australia's biggest states. Shortly after case numbers tipped over 1,000, bars and pubs were shut and larger social gatherings were banned. | When it became clear that local infections were accelerating, Mr Morrison also took quick action - spurred on by the leaders of Australia's biggest states. Shortly after case numbers tipped over 1,000, bars and pubs were shut and larger social gatherings were banned. |
| The economic consequences of shutting up shop would have appeared daunting, but he didn't drag his feet unlike leaders in the UK and the US, Dr Bartone says. | The economic consequences of shutting up shop would have appeared daunting, but he didn't drag his feet unlike leaders in the UK and the US, Dr Bartone says. |
| Instead, he listened to the science - something he was repeatedly accused of not doing during the bushfire emergency. | Instead, he listened to the science - something he was repeatedly accused of not doing during the bushfire emergency. |
| But that was a crisis of a different sort, and Australia's PM was weighed down by political baggage, says historian Prof Frank Bongiorno, from the Australian National University. | But that was a crisis of a different sort, and Australia's PM was weighed down by political baggage, says historian Prof Frank Bongiorno, from the Australian National University. |
| Scott Morrison's conservative coalition - in power for the past seven years - had long downplayed or even rejected the science of climate change. | Scott Morrison's conservative coalition - in power for the past seven years - had long downplayed or even rejected the science of climate change. |
| Scientists and fire chiefs said their warnings the fire season would be particularly harsh had been ignored by the government. | Scientists and fire chiefs said their warnings the fire season would be particularly harsh had been ignored by the government. |
| Thus during the fires' emergency, the prime minister's critics accused him of failing to acknowledge the severity of the disaster or to announce anything to tackle the underlying cause. | Thus during the fires' emergency, the prime minister's critics accused him of failing to acknowledge the severity of the disaster or to announce anything to tackle the underlying cause. |
| But with a public health crisis, "there wasn't that kind of baggage", says Prof Bongiorno. Australia has an advanced, well-functioning health system primed to respond to outbreaks such as this one. | But with a public health crisis, "there wasn't that kind of baggage", says Prof Bongiorno. Australia has an advanced, well-functioning health system primed to respond to outbreaks such as this one. |
| "No-one has accused the Australian government of being hopelessly underprepared for a pandemic," he says. | "No-one has accused the Australian government of being hopelessly underprepared for a pandemic," he says. |
| 'Incredibly pragmatic' | 'Incredibly pragmatic' |
| This once-in-a-century health and economic crisis was far better suited to Scott Morrison's style of leadership, experts say. | This once-in-a-century health and economic crisis was far better suited to Scott Morrison's style of leadership, experts say. |
| The rapid pace of developments allowed room for experimentation, which he embraced. | The rapid pace of developments allowed room for experimentation, which he embraced. |
| "He's a thoroughly professional politician. He doesn't have a big attachment to any policy position and is prepared to throw off particular positions for pragmatic reasons and move on to something else," says Prof Bongiorno. | "He's a thoroughly professional politician. He doesn't have a big attachment to any policy position and is prepared to throw off particular positions for pragmatic reasons and move on to something else," says Prof Bongiorno. |
| As such, Australians saw its centre-right government - which had for years bemoaned the debt hangover from the global financial crisis - accept that dramatic spending was necessary to protect the economy from collapse. | As such, Australians saw its centre-right government - which had for years bemoaned the debt hangover from the global financial crisis - accept that dramatic spending was necessary to protect the economy from collapse. |
| Charged with the economic health of the nation, Mr Morrison funnelled about 10% of GDP into spending - the biggest public spend on record. | Charged with the economic health of the nation, Mr Morrison funnelled about 10% of GDP into spending - the biggest public spend on record. |
| Decisions included doubling the unemployment payment, pledging free childcare and introducing a wage subsidy essentially guaranteeing a minimum income. | Decisions included doubling the unemployment payment, pledging free childcare and introducing a wage subsidy essentially guaranteeing a minimum income. |
| While there have been quibbles within the application of these policies, largely they've received bipartisan support. | While there have been quibbles within the application of these policies, largely they've received bipartisan support. |
| In fact, the $130bn (£70bn; $84bn) wage subsidy programme - JobKeeper - was proposed by the centre-left Labor opposition during the crisis's early days - and at first rejected. | In fact, the $130bn (£70bn; $84bn) wage subsidy programme - JobKeeper - was proposed by the centre-left Labor opposition during the crisis's early days - and at first rejected. |
| Then "the news vision of the dole queues forced a rethink", says politics professor Mark Kenny, a former political editor at the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age newspapers. Scott Morrison was unafraid to make the U-turn and "voters welcomed that flexibility rather than punished". | Then "the news vision of the dole queues forced a rethink", says politics professor Mark Kenny, a former political editor at the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age newspapers. Scott Morrison was unafraid to make the U-turn and "voters welcomed that flexibility rather than punished". |
| The other key masterstroke, say observers, was the early decision to establish an emergency cabinet with the eight state and territory leaders to make decisions. | The other key masterstroke, say observers, was the early decision to establish an emergency cabinet with the eight state and territory leaders to make decisions. |
| Australia is a federation - meaning it's the state government which control the levers over hospitals, schools, policing, public transport and other services. Establishing a unified message from all tiers of government was an inevitable necessity. | Australia is a federation - meaning it's the state government which control the levers over hospitals, schools, policing, public transport and other services. Establishing a unified message from all tiers of government was an inevitable necessity. |
| But as new restrictions were rapidly rolled out over March and April, people also welcomed the collaboration that this approach guaranteed. | But as new restrictions were rapidly rolled out over March and April, people also welcomed the collaboration that this approach guaranteed. |
| Learning from mistakes | Learning from mistakes |
| Indeed, the strongest criticism of Australia's PM stems from the early weeks of the crisis, when messages from the states contradicted Canberra. | Indeed, the strongest criticism of Australia's PM stems from the early weeks of the crisis, when messages from the states contradicted Canberra. |
| Even after the establishment of the National Cabinet, ongoing disputes over school openings drew bad press. | Even after the establishment of the National Cabinet, ongoing disputes over school openings drew bad press. |
| And crossed wires also led to the biggest failure in Australia's virus response: the Ruby Princess cruise ship in Sydney. In late March, thousands of passengers were allowed to disembark and disperse while there were Covid-19 cases on board. That spread led to 22 deaths, about 700 cases in Australia and more overseas. | And crossed wires also led to the biggest failure in Australia's virus response: the Ruby Princess cruise ship in Sydney. In late March, thousands of passengers were allowed to disembark and disperse while there were Covid-19 cases on board. That spread led to 22 deaths, about 700 cases in Australia and more overseas. |
| While blame has largely fallen on state officials, Prof Kenny suggests the Morrison-led government is also to blame - particularly as the former immigration minister touted himself as the creator of Australia's tough "stop the boats" immigration policies. | While blame has largely fallen on state officials, Prof Kenny suggests the Morrison-led government is also to blame - particularly as the former immigration minister touted himself as the creator of Australia's tough "stop the boats" immigration policies. |
| "However his government failed to stop the one boat that actually could cause direct harm," he says. | "However his government failed to stop the one boat that actually could cause direct harm," he says. |
| Despite this, overall, Mr Morrison appears to have learned from his horror summer. | Despite this, overall, Mr Morrison appears to have learned from his horror summer. |
| There were initial missteps which evoked the bushfire errors - for example, the perception of hypocrisy as the prime minister encouraged people to go to the football while also announcing a ban on gatherings of above 500 people. | There were initial missteps which evoked the bushfire errors - for example, the perception of hypocrisy as the prime minister encouraged people to go to the football while also announcing a ban on gatherings of above 500 people. |
| But his clumsy explanations of lockdown restrictions in the first weeks gave way to clearer public speeches. | But his clumsy explanations of lockdown restrictions in the first weeks gave way to clearer public speeches. |
| His blustering, aggressive style also softened as the virus curve rapidly flattened and the largely compliant population followed the social distancing regime. | His blustering, aggressive style also softened as the virus curve rapidly flattened and the largely compliant population followed the social distancing regime. |
| But as Mr Morrison marks his first year as prime minister, observers say the hardest bit is still to come. | But as Mr Morrison marks his first year as prime minister, observers say the hardest bit is still to come. |
| The nation may yet need to fend off a feared second wave of cases and is braced for the full economic impact. Recovery is a far trickier path to manoeuvre and future generations may well be saddled with the cost of it. | The nation may yet need to fend off a feared second wave of cases and is braced for the full economic impact. Recovery is a far trickier path to manoeuvre and future generations may well be saddled with the cost of it. |
| Unemployment is expected to hit 10%, and Australia has been tipped to enter its first recession in nearly 30 years. | Unemployment is expected to hit 10%, and Australia has been tipped to enter its first recession in nearly 30 years. |
| He has two years to go until he has to face the voters again. Historically, it has been rare for leaders to be re-elected in times of economic strife. | He has two years to go until he has to face the voters again. Historically, it has been rare for leaders to be re-elected in times of economic strife. |
| Can the good will carry through for Scott Morrison? | Can the good will carry through for Scott Morrison? |