Grattan Institute

Australia has done better than most countries in limiting the spread of COVID-19. The health crisis is not over, but attention is now turning to the ‘road out’ of the economic shutdown. There are lots of uncertainties. What are the costs of relaxing too late – or too early? Should schools be reopened, and under what conditions? What parts of the economy should be taken out of lockdown, in what order, and with what changes? How much should we prioritise restoring social activities? Well before governments imposed restrictions, many people started spatial distancing. Irrespective of what governments permit, recovery depends on whether individuals choose to go back to work and to resume social activities. As with the COVIDsafe app, much depends on whether governments can win back public trust. In this Grattan Webinar recording, a panel of policy experts provided perspective on these questions, and nominate Australia’s best strategy from here. Featuring John Daley, Marion Terrill, Stephen Duckett, Brendan Coat