The reopening of Australia’s international border on 21 February will mark a major milestone in the nation’s recovery.
This is vital for its own sake, connecting families and businesses to the world and allowing our tourism and education sectors to fire again.
But it is also a shot in the arm for confidence and tangible evidence that Australia (except WA) is making a successful transition to living with COVID-19.
However this very welcome news is a stark contrast to arrangements for many of our CBDs.
It is hard to understand why the official ‘work from home’ advice for Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra is set to remain in place for the rest of the month.
If you can travel internationally and go to the gym, a restaurant, a nightclub, the tennis and the cricket – why shouldn’t you attend your well-ventilated office with a COVID-safe plan in place?
Our CBDs need to be allowed to begin their wind-back up to their natural energy levels, as has now started in Brisbane and Adelaide. It’s a case we’re making loud and strong.
Governments say they want to pass the recovery baton to the private sector, so let’s get on with it.