Last month, Brendan Crabb, the head of the Burnet Institute, a renowned medical research organization, led a delegation to meet Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in his office at Parliament House. The group included Lidia Morawska from Queensland University of Technology, a leading expert in air quality and health. They also met with various ministers and their staff. Their main objective was to persuade the federal government to lead a comprehensive clean indoor air policy and to include it in the national cabinet’s agenda. They highlighted to Albanese that indoor air quality is a neglected area within the public health framework, although most people spend the majority of their time indoors. Unlike food and water, indoor air quality is largely unregulated.
There are many health and economic reasons to be concerned about indoor air quality, with one main reason being the prevention of airborne disease transmission, such as COVID-19. Although COVID-19 has become a distant memory for many, its lasting impacts are still felt. For example, without the pandemic, fewer people might be working from home, small businesses would thrive more in central business districts, and fewer children would be catching up on lost schooling. Although the media’s focus on COVID-19 has waned, and people tend to overlook it, the virus continues to have serious effects.
In 2023, approximately 4,600 deaths were reported due to COVID-19, likely more considering Australia had 8,400 excess deaths, which are deaths exceeding expected numbers. By July of the same year, there were 2,503 COVID-related deaths. In nursing homes, where survival rates have improved with vaccinations and antivirals, there were 117 active outbreaks as of September 19, with 59 new ones occurring in the previous week. There had been 900 deaths in nursing homes that year up to that point. Long COVID has emerged as a significant concern, exhibiting varied symptoms affecting the respiratory, cardiac, cognitive, and immunological systems. Estimates suggest that between 200,000 and 900,000 Australians are currently living with long COVID.
The Albanese government is currently waiting for the report they commissioned on the management of the COVID-19 pandemic. This inquiry examined the Morrison government’s actions, but it did not cover the states, which reduced its comprehensiveness due to political considerations involving high-profile state Labor governments. At that time, notable state and territory leaders are mostly no longer in office, except for Andrew Barr of the Australian Capital Territory.
Leaders like Victoria’s Dan Andrews, Western Australia’s Mark McGowan, New South Wales’ Gladys Berejiklian, and Queensland’s Annastacia Palaszczuk, who were prominent during daily news conferences, have since left the public spotlight. COVID-19 altered or tarnished some leaders’ reputations, with McGowan becoming enormously popular, while Andrews polarized public opinion. Generally, however, COVID-19 increased support for leaders and bolstered public trust in authority figures and government institutions. As uncertainty prevailed, the public leaned on familiar institutions and authority figures. But trust has since diminished once more.
Experts gained prominence during the pandemic but found themselves embroiled in political disputes. In hindsight, some experts’ recommendations were not entirely correct. Overall, Australia managed the crisis well, particularly regarding the death rate and economic measures, but a closer examination reveals a more complex situation. This complexity is detailed in a new book by economists Steven Hamilton and Richard Holden, titled “Australia’s Pandemic Exceptionalism: How We Crushed the Curve but Lost the Race.”
They conclude that Australia had an impressive economic response but a mixed health outcome. While Australia was quick to close borders and apply other measures, there were significant shortcomings. The Morrison government did not secure a diverse range of vaccines and failed to purchase sufficient Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs). Hamilton and Holden describe the vaccine acquisition strategy as a monumental failure, possibly the greatest public policy blunder in Australia’s history, as they relied too heavily on just two vaccine types, both of which proved inadequate.
They argue that during pandemics, the approach should be cautious and well-rounded, not a gamble. Despite Australia’s tax and statistical agencies adapting rapidly to aid the government’s crisis management, the medical regulatory bodies overlooked international evidence, and political leaders followed their guidance. This mismanagement delayed Australia’s vaccination rollout after initial supply issues arose. Strikingly, similar errors were made again when vast numbers of RATs were not procured, reflecting shortsightedness from the federal government akin to the vaccine rollout approach.
The authors attribute these failures to Prime Minister Scott Morrison, then-health minister Greg Hunt, chief medical officer Brendan Murphy, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), and the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI). These failures extended lockdowns, resulted in more fatalities, and delayed reopening. Hamilton and Holden suggest several measures to better prepare for future pandemics.
They recommend ensuring mRNA vaccine manufacturing capacity (progress in this area is reportedly good), appropriately handling vaccine procurement from the outset regardless of cost, and acquiring large quantities of RATs immediately for swift use when necessary. They call for a major restructuring of the medical regulatory system and advise continued investment in economic infrastructure. For example, during the pandemic, the economic response was aided by a single-touch payroll system. They suggest that a real-time GST turnover reporting capability could be the next area to improve. Additionally, they propose adding a comprehensive indoor clean air policy to this list of infrastructure advancements.
The government’s review will deliver its recommendations. Crabb and his team hope these will include prioritizing indoor air quality, following guidance from the Chief Scientist and the National Science and Technology Council. Members of the delegation noted that the Prime Minister paid close attention during their meeting. Anna-Maria Arabia, chief executive of the Australian Academy of Science and a member of the delegation, mentioned that Albanese recognized improving indoor air quality as crucial in preparing for future pandemics. Arabian also noted that the Prime Minister was aware of the practical benefits of having effective indoor air quality systems, such as keeping schools and workplaces operational, reducing absenteeism, and boosting productivity.