Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis slammed Australia’s government for its draconian response to the coronavirus pandemic on Tuesday, saying the country has gone “off the rails” in its efforts to control the spread of the airborne virus.
“You guys look at what’s going on in Australia right now. You know, they’re enforcing, after a year and a half, they’re still enforcing lockdowns by the military,” he said. “That’s not a free country. It’s not a free country at all.”
The Republican governor later went on to question the current U.S. alliance with the Pacific nation, noting that Australia’s totalitarian behavior is reminiscent of the communist Chinese government.
“In fact, I mean, I wonder why we would still have the same diplomatic relations when they’re doing that,” DeSantis said. “Is Australia freer than China, communist China, right now? I don’t know.”
“The fact that that’s even a question tells you something has gone dramatically off the rails with some of this stuff,” he added.
DeSantis: “In Australia right now, after a year and a half, they’re still enforcing lockdowns by the military…Is Australia freer than communist China right now?…The fact that’s even a question tells you something has gone dramatically off the rails.”pic.twitter.com/YKQ5yAwg4K
— Michael P Senger (@MichaelPSenger) September 28, 2021
Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Australia has instituted some of the strictest lockdown measures in the Western world. According to The Daily Wire, some of the country’s “largest cities have returned to strict lockdowns” following a recent uptick in cases, with several localities “severely limiting people’s ability to leave their homes, even to work, if they are not vaccinated, or if they live in an area with a lower vaccination rate.”
While thousands of demonstrators have continued to take to the streets of Melbourne and other cities to protest the draconian mandates, local police have been quick to crack down on acts of defiance.
“All those arrested will be issued with penalty notices for breaching the [chief health officer’s] directions,” Victoria Police said in a statement. “Police are disappointed to see the number of people who are continuing to breach the CHO directions and will continue to arrest and fine them if they are found to be in breach of the CHO directions.”
Source: The Federalist
