Morrison steps back from suicidal border opening…for a week

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Via the AFR:

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has moved to get ahead of the coronavirus outbreak being declared a global pandemic and has activated the government’s emergency response plan.

The declaration triggered goverment preparations for a more severe virus outbreak and planning to shore up medical stockpiles, supply chains and health resources.

The health crisis was generating “very significant economic implications” and the government was also working on stimulus measures that would be “targeted, modest and scaleable”.

…While the decision was made to keep the China travel ban in place for at least another week, it was deemed impractical to impose travel bans on other places, including Europe.

The other bans should be put in place immediately for Korea, Italy and Iran, practical or not.

At least the 4m or so 70+ Australians that the good PM was contemplating putting at risk of death can look forward to another week of life.

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The Government should immediately extend the China ban for a month to give these and other Australians peace of mind, as well as shove out the vested interests.

About the author
David Llewellyn-Smith is Chief Strategist at the MB Fund and MB Super. David is the founding publisher and editor of MacroBusiness and was the founding publisher and global economy editor of The Diplomat, the Asia Pacific’s leading geo-politics and economics portal. He is also a former gold trader and economic commentator at The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, the ABC and Business Spectator. He is the co-author of The Great Crash of 2008 with Ross Garnaut and was the editor of the second Garnaut Climate Change Review.