COVID-19 taskforce to establish ‘psychological runaway’ to re-opening

A COVID-19 taskforce has been established to manage Australia’s re-opening to the rest of the world.

It says it’s time for the country to overcome fears of opening borders and to speed up the vaccination process.

The taskforce has created a 58-page report which details how it should work.

Mark Rigotti is chair of the taskforce and told Neil Mitchell it was time for Australia to start living with COVID-19, rather than avoiding it.

He said Australia needed a “psychological runaway” to reopening and it could be achieved within “three to four” months.

“What does that mean? If you’re threatened, all you want is safety,” Mr Rigotti said.

“But once you’ve got safety you can actually start thinking about the future, rather than today.”

He said the national cabinet should be in charge of how Australia approaches the matter.

“It’s not a stable situation and we don’t have the benefit of sending an expert team off for five years and thinking about it to the last degree.”

Press PLAY below to hear his argument

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