Campaigning in the COVID-19 era splits Liberals and Labor – Sydney Morning Herald

Planning an election campaign and wrangling the dozens of journalists, photographers and camera operators is a logistical nightmare for any leaders office.

Holding a federal election in the era of COVID-19 adds a whole extra layer.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese have different COVID-19 rules for media on their campaign buses.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

An election is anticipated to be called in the next three weeks it has to be held by May 21 and the offices of Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Labors Anthony Albanese are working with campaign headquarters to be ready whenever the PM heads to the Governor-Generals residence in Yarralumla.

The major parties have largely agreed on the need to follow health advice and how best to stem outbreaks over the two years of the pandemic.

But for the coming campaign trail, they have diverged significantly.

Advice from the Liberals to media says anyone on the Morrison bus will be required to follow the relevant state and territory COVID regulations at all times.

As the rules stand, if the campaign heads to the marginal seats in western Sydney everyone can be mask-free (unless the Prime Minister ventures into a hospital or an indoor music festival with more than 1000 people). But if he heads across the Nullarbor to campaign in several key seats in Perth, masks are mandated everywhere indoors and there are limits on gathering numbers.

Should any reporter on the Liberal trail catch COVID, theyre off the bus and its up to their employer to manage their isolation.

Mr Morrison understands well how this works: he spent a week in isolation earlier this month after catching the virus.

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Campaigning in the COVID-19 era splits Liberals and Labor - Sydney Morning Herald