Remember because we haven't had large outbreaks here (comparatively) only a very small number of people have any protection from COVID from actually had COVID. To me, that does change the equation when it comes to vaccination.
Personally I think it's fine for Australians and Americans to have different opinions on things like this. But a politician supporting vaccination in Australia is not facing the same level of grass roots opposition as I'm inclined to think a politician in America would be.
So I don't think it should be viewed in the same way.
That's different from the idea of mandatory vaccinations. There is considerably more opposition to that here, and I certainly do not support forcing people to get vaccinated, except maybe in a small number of high risk roles, like medical care - I certainly do not support the very wide mandates that are starting to appear (like in my state of Victoria where basically if you want to work at the moment you need to be vaccinated or in the process of getting vaccinated). Part of the reason I don't support it, is I don't think it's necessary because Australians mostly support getting vaccinated - we're going to get to over 80% without any need for any sort of mandating, maybe close to 90% so I can't see there's any reason to be pushing for mandatory vaccination - it's not going to make much difference in the end.
But the general support of the idea for vaccination means that I think linking policy settings to vaccine targets that we know will be achieved is defensible. NSW is already due to open a lot more next week - if he is elected Perrottet might speed that up, but I could also see him taking a position - it's going to happen in six days anyway, why spend political capital on that - note, I'm not saying that's what he will do - he might speed things up - but in the circumstances I wouldn't be too worried if he didn't.
I'd be more interested in what he might do with the next target. I can see more value in him bringing that forward. But if he does go too fast, I do wonder what that will do to the Labor controlled states - South Australia doesn't worry me too much (they've actually been more reasonable than the other Labor states). Western Australia - I think they'll just do what they do. But Queensland and Victoria have given some ground - not much, especially for Victoria, but some - in negotiations, and giving them, especially Daniel Andrews right now, any excuse to go back on their plan is problematic.
The emotions run high but seriously people here on the Right not happy with Australia right now.
For me watching top leaders of the federal government promote vaccination to “get back to normal” as in Morrison, Joyce and Frydenberg utter repugnant.
Getting back to the emotions the NSW and Victoria Police have cracked down on protest opposing lockdowns and forced vaccinations.
And Scott Morrison condemned the protest in Sydney at one point in the last several months.
It happened again in Melbourne over the weekend more Victoria Police taking people down who don’t want to be vaccinated or forced into it.
Totally repugnant.
It was Peter Hitchens who wrote about Melbourne in September 2020:
“The most terrible warning of what lies ahead of us-if we cannot smash the Government’s lies-is in Melbourne, Australia, where a vain little despot called Daniel Andrews has locked his subjects in their homes, banned demonstrations against this policy, and unleashed heavy-handed police against protesters and dissenters.
At this rate Melbourne will soon be twinned with Minsk, capital of Belarus. The treatment of protesters on the streets of both cities is remarkably similar. I was most struck by what happened to a young woman demonstrator at the hands of Melbourne police, after they had grabbed and restrained her, so that she was powerless.
An officer actually put a covering over her mouth. It was not the only such incident that day and it explains, to those who object, why I call these things muzzkes.
They are there to humiliate, to cancel individuality and to indicate assent-forced or otherwise-to the crazy policy of trying to treat a virus with naked state power.
If US police handcuffed Left-wing protesters to wear Trumpoid ‘Make America Great Again’ baseball caps it would be about the same”
Really? Man you guys are well and truly screwed then. It's an endemic not a pandemic, which is good and bad news.
Good news: We're going to live with it.
Bad news: Everyone is going to get it sooner or later.
If it were me (I've already had it), just as my backup plan, I'd be charting my drivetime to the closest monoclonal antibody center.