Liberal Party Prime Minister Scott Morrison has told Australians that while not immune to the COVID-19 pandemic, the nation is “well-prepared and equipped” to deal with it. The government will steer us through if only “Team Australia,” as treasurer Josh Frydenberg calls it, can band together. Labor Party (ALP) leader Anthony Albanese has heeded his call and stressed the need for bipartisanship.

But the reality of inequality across the country gives lie to the notion of a Team Australia. Since the early 1980s, wages and conditions have deteriorated along with public services. Both the ALP and Coalition governments have been hacking away at the welfare state. The result is the most unequal and dislocated society in seventy years.

Morrison’s emergency measures have been confused and directed by business priorities. Despite distributing a $750 cash payment to welfare recipients and temporarily raising unemployment payments, according to the Australia Institute, two-thirds of the handouts — which total AU$189 billion — will go to business and are aimed at keeping credit flowing. So far, there have been no serious measures to reinforce a health system weakened by decades of underfunding.