With National Cabinet meeting today, pressure is mounting from business leaders for people to get vaccinated so the country can open up.

South Australian tycoon Sam Shahin has chimed in saying he believes there has been a lack of leadership from all political parties around Australia when it comes to the pandemic.

The Executive Director of Peregrine Corporation told Liam Bartlett leaders have failed to create strategies to navigate out of the COVID crisis with minimal damage.

“My thoughts are solely about refocusing our collective efforts as a nation on how do we navigate this country out of the pandemic rather than having to talk about daily cases,” said Mr Shahin.

“We’re still talking today about the same things.

“If you rewind every media conference, in almost every state over the last 18 months, they’ll almost look identical.”

Mr Shahin wants to see political leaders ditch the Chief Health Officers and talk openly about how they intend to get Australia “back on it’s feet.”

“It needs to be a clear and honest long term view as to how this pandemic will be dealt with,” he said.

“I don’t see that happening at a state level or a federal level.”

While he acknowledges how well the country did at the beginning of the pandemic, Mr Shahin said “we became victims of that early success and did not develop a long term view.”

Singapore announced in June they would treat COVID-19 like the flu by the end of August. They gave themselves three months to get fully vaccinated and then there will be no more lockdowns or restrictions.

“This needs political leadership and conviction to do that,” said Mr Shahin

“We seem to be meandering along without anyone questioning the status quo.”

Mr Shahin came to Australia as a Palestinian refugee child with only the clothes on his back.

“I am a proud Australian,” he said.

“We live in an incredible country and my primary motivation is about protecting what we have.”

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(Photo: Nine News)