What Victoria can learn from New Zealand's drastic lockdown

You can tell a bit about a collective mood from internet memes. Berlin-based author Konstantin Richter, who was stranded in New Zealand during its drastic seven-week coronavirus lockdown, wrote in Politico of a joke doing the rounds: 'God was spotted in New Zealand. 'What are you doing in Aotearoa, God?' 'Working from home, bro!'' Melbourne lockdown memes are comparatively glum: 'COVID and Australia is like the Spice Girls. Everyone is doing their bit but Victoria is ruining it for everybody.' Support for New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is stratospheric following the country’s elimination of the virus from the community. With just weeks until the September election, Labour has soared to 60.9 per cent in polls under Ms Ardern’s leadership, the highest in polling history.