It is important to incorporate political and economic histories as well as it is they who have destroyed the world: our economic damage was caused by collapsed cash flows and too-late grants and subsidies.
The National COVID-19 Coordination Commission will have to move forward – with the PM’s support! However, it smacks of the Gaetjens secret report on the rorts – it is advisory to the team that made the errors and even includes Gaetjens to whom it reports as a unit of Prime Minister’s and Cabinet. It is a misnomer: it is a committee, not a commission. It has no statutory abilities or independence. In the four Acts of Parliament available on legislation.gov.au, there is no Appropriation for it.
The House of Representatives Standing Committee on Economics is chaired by Tim Wilson MP but looks outwards to banks and insurance companies and not inwards as do US Committees. A Hearing or similar might have clarified issues well before the deadly 26 days of delay to admit early mistakes were made (due to lack of expertise), and even acted as a part-safeguard. Mr Wilson has declined to comment.
The NCCC was created in late March, to provide advice on PPPs and other recovery implementation mechanisms. The economic assessment and planning side of the crisis has been poorly mapped due to the Bubble’s babble, unlike in the US Congress where President Trump’s reluctance and evasions were countered by both Democrats and Republicans in open exchanges. There is no such debate in the Australian Parliament. The Commission will not have useful backup from Infrastructure Australia or iNSW.