Even if Australia’s Covid toll remains low and there’s a quick recovery from the policy-induced economic slump; even if an early vaccine means that Australia does not need to remain closed to the world, this is unlikely to be a time anyone recalls with much pride because so much that’s happened has been out of character with an Australia accustomed “to strive, to seek, to find and not to yield”.
Not only will the Australia that emerges from the pandemic have more debt, higher unemployment and bigger, more-intrusive government; it’s likely to be more lost about what holds us together as a nation and more confused about the things we value.