Opposition leaders have been reluctant to challenge the reasoning behind government-mandated lockdowns or restrictions against COVID-19 that have had a serious impact on small businesses and the mental health of Australians, according to Senate hopeful Campbell Newman. The former Queensland premier and long-time Liberal Party member, who quit in July over its policies on COVID-19 restrictions, joined the Liberal Democrats in early August to run in the federal Senate at the next election. Newman spoke to The Epoch Times on the Liberal Democrats’ election prospects saying that opposition leaders have “not had the courage” to confront their respective governments on the consequences lockdowns had on businesses and the well-being of Australians. “The political class we have in this country have basically found it very easy or easier to just not get in the way, and so governments actually haven’t had oppositions,” he said. In fact, New South Wales’ (NSW) Premier …