I'm Australian, and one thing I've noticed is when people from other countries describe working with us, they say we are some of the loudest biggest wingers on

I'm Australian, and one thing I've noticed is when people from other countries describe working with us, they say we are some of the loudest biggest wingers on the planet. Perhaps that gets the nuance slightly wrong, but the general complaint is if an Australian thinks something is wrong, he will tell you long and loudly, and most importantly he will do so regardless of his relative rank to you. I gather other cultures are taken by surprise when a Australian worker tells his boss to his face exactly what he is doing wrong. I suspect he fundamental difference between US citizens is while both cultures aren't authoritarian, unlike the USA Australian's don't hold authority in disdain either. They aren't scared it - they are happy to delegate responsibility and decisions to a central authority where that makes sense. I suspect that is precisely because they are confident in questioning it, and confident they can overturn it if it isn't working out. The lock down's were far more controversial at the start, when nobody had an idea what the cost of them where compared to the alternative. There were vigorous discussions in the media and elsewhere about the right approach, to the extent that different states took very different approaches, one literally shutting it's borders to all other states. A lot of water has passed under the bridge since then. It is now clear what the right approach both economically and health wise - and that is to stop the disease dead in it's tracks so you can re-open the economy a soon as possible. That's obviously is the best approach health wise, and it turns out it's also the best approach economically. We know that because the state that locked down hardest and returned to growth before everyone else, and Australia is now growing economically faster than it has in years, and this happened before just about every other country on the planet. Lock down's are highly intrusive on personal liberties of course. You have to stay at home unless you have a reason, you have to wear masks, you have to "check in" at every shop you visit by scanning a bar code. The rules are policed. It is with a light touch you will get several warnings and you will be given a mask if you don't have one, but if you continue refuse to comply the law you will be prosecuted. Still, it's acknowledged by everyone except nutters it works exceptionally well (and in fact it appears to be the only thing that does work short of full vaccination), and the governments are very careful to lift the restrictions as soon as the threat passes. And as I said, Australian's aren't afraid of authority. It's just a tool - you deploy it when it works.