Former WA Premier Colin Barnett believes National Cabinet has “run out of steam” 16 months after it’s origin in March 2020.

Mr Barnett believes the Cabinet has fallen apart and lost it’s relevancy, due to the miscommunication over the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It started with goodwill on all sides but really it has just gradually degenerated where there’s been confusion, arguments and conflicting issues. It’s pretty well falling apart,” he told Oliver Peterson.

National Cabinet replaced the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) as the primary national forum in May 2020. Mr Barnett says the Cabinet doesn’t cover the ground that COAG did.

“This is just a meeting of the Prime Minister and the Premiers using video conferencing and with one topic only and that’s COVID and dealing with both the health issues and the economic issues related to that,” he said.

Mr Barnett says the meetings have divided the nation, rather uniting Australia.

“There is no doubt COVID and the pandemic is a crisis around the world and around Australia, so we do need to have a good understanding and co-operation across all over Australia. However, states do differ in their circumstance,” he said.

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