Fewer Australians will accept lockdowns in future pandemics, report says

By Lewis Jackson

Australians have lost trust in government and many are likely to resist drastic health measures in a future pandemic, the first review of the country's COVID-19 response showed, while the cost of vaccine delays ran into A$31 billion ($20 billion).

Rebuilding and maintaining trust was key to fighting future pandemics, the 877-page report released on Tuesday said. It found programmes like vaccine mandates had left a legacy of fewer vaccinations for COVID and other diseases today.

"Community feedback suggests that since the pandemic some mainstream audiences have become more sceptical and critical of government decision-making," it said.

"The initial high level of adherence and co-operative response to significant restrictions is unlikely to be repeated in a future public health emergency."

In a response credited with helping keep the rate of excess deaths among the lowest in the world, Australia shut its borders to non-citizens in March 2020 and did not re-open them until the following October.

Various states also enforced months-long lockdowns throughout 2020 and 2021.

However, a 2024 survey cited in Tuesday's report found a third of respondents thought the government had over-reacted to the pandemic.

The report also found that controversial delays in acquiring and rolling out COVID-19 vaccines cost the economy A$31 billion.

Australia said it would immediately act on one of the 26 recommendations in the report, by providing A$252 million to fund a permanent Centre for Disease Control to plan for future pandemics.

Health Minister Mark Butler said the government would study the report closely and decide later on other recommendations.