Commentary
Australia is a federation, although for decades now it has been hard to notice.
But COVID-19 may have changed everything.
In a functioning federation, like the United States, states revel in competition and distinguishing themselves from each other.
While California appears to be going woke and broke at the moment, Florida is where “woke goes to die” and where increasing numbers of California migrants go to live. This state competition is a consequence of legal structures, but just as importantly, mental attitudes.
COVID is the greatest disruption, short of war, in anyone’s lifetime. One of its consequences might be to change the mindset of Australian premiers so that real federalism becomes reborn….