While the economic impact of COVID-19 varies across the globe – depending on factors from economies’ efforts to contain it, le

‘‘Politics needs a reference point outside of politics,’’ argues Hebrew University religious philosopher Moshe Halbertal.

A powerful group of retired judges and leading QCs has written to the Victorian Premier expressing alarm over proposed laws giving

"On the outside, the triumph of liberalism so richly celebrated during the 1990s faces severe challenges, exacerbated by the COV

“We must make the building of a free society once more an intellectual adventure, a deed of courage… Unless we can make the philosophic foundations of a free society once more a living intellectual issue, and its implementation a task which challenges the ingenuity and imagination of our liveliest minds, the prospects of freedom are indeed dark. But if we can regain that belief in the power of ideas which was the mark of liberalism at its best, the battle is not lost.”   Friedrich Hayek

The Covid-19 pandemic has demonstrated both strengths and weaknesses across Australia’s governance systems. However, the full impacts of the pandemic in both health and economic terms are far from clear. And the ultimate levels of trust and confidence in our elected leaders far from certain.  If we are to effectively address the economic and social fallout of the pandemic, politicians will need to engage with the electorate as they have never done before.  Confidence and trust will be needed in large measures for our people to make the required sacrifices to revive the economy and maintain social harmony.