Idk where you experienced it but I did not get the impression of party politics taking a back seat.

Federally the LNP played with misinformation (e.g. children can't spread it, a completely absurd statement) in order to push on with their business first agenda. Ultimately instituting a deeply corrupt and flawed bastard welfare measure that was terminated early. Not to mention losing vaccine deals because of arrogant pride.

In NSW the LNP favoured the rich east, and played politics with masks. Notably Dom being photographed outside without a mask. They literally deployed the military on westies while being like "oops lmao" every time someone from liberal heartland caused an outbreak.

I was absolutely disgusted with the cowardice, contradictory statements (don't use masks, wait use masks, don't go out, now go out, oops go back), and venal politicking. It is completely unsurprising that despite the admirable performance by the APS and existing strategic stockpiles trust in government was utterly annihilated.

yup. Basically everyone did their own thing and then fucking NSW leeroy jenkins everyone and no matter how hard anyone did the "right" thing jackasses just fucked it up for everyone. So what was the goddamn point.

Yep. It was infuriating to know in Feb that everything was gonna shutdown and watching the Libs drag their feet for weeks. They waited until everyone who could voluntarily isolate already was, and reasserted that Conservatism is too selfishly incompetent to ever make tough decisions and lead anything or anyone. It's a miracle we didn't have a domestic outbreak like Italy; thousands of boomers and up would've been fucked.

While I agree that the federal government response was at best mediocre, the people were just plain stupid. I cannot count situations where people were refusing to were a mask because it "limits the human rights" or "it suffocates". Honestly, I hope next pandemic will be more deadly, so the nature will run its course.