This year’s federal election will test a hypothesis. The Australian libertarians believe we share the same…

This year’s federal election will test a hypothesis. The Australian libertarians believe we share the same dislike of government as the public in the UK and US. I think the Oz public has shifted there, and will entertain elements of libertarianism…/1 #COVID19Aus #auspol2021 https://t.co/gBJXSFOmct

…such as tax cuts and free speech. But I think they still expect government to provide essential services, including protection of health. They don’t see it as some dumb freedom thing, they see it as basic delegation of core work, to institutions we invented to do that work. /2

Governments using libertarian political ideology rather than public health to fight a pandemic will test this hypothesis. It could (many of us hope) lead to electoral slaughter. Australians have never supported their health being threatened by their own governments. /end