Grattan on Friday: Albanese government struggles under the ‘stress test’ posed by Middle East war

By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra

Crises “stress test” governments and countries. Memories remain vivid of COVID, which put immense pressures on the Australian economy, the federation and Commonwealth and state budgets.

The domestic crisis triggered by the Middle East war is well short of – and certainly less frightening than – the COVID emergency. But it is imposing major strains on supply chains, businesses, federal and state governments and the public.

The immediate “stress test” for the Albanese government comes from the hit to fuel. But the test is also wider, extending, for example, to how it handles…

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