The CEO of La Trobe Financial, Greg O'Neill, took to his LinkedIn on Sunday evening to urge corporate Australia to “turn its disquiet and rumbling into a roar”.
Calling for “courage and honesty”, Mr O'Neill drew attention to the myriad of problems lockdowns have inflicted on corporate staff, families, casual workers, the vulnerable and, ultimately, on “our country’s future”.
Mr O'Neill’s full LinkedIn message read: “It is time for courage and honesty. Not politics. It is also time for corporate Australia, to turn its disquiet and rumblings into a roar.
“On behalf of staff who can’t work from home any longer whilst schools, parks and child care remain closed except to essential workers. On behalf of families who remain hopelessly separated and crushed by isolation.
“On behalf of casual workers who live hand to fist each week working in industries that cannot open. On behalf of the vulnerable and marginalised who are lectured to about how lockdowns aren’t tough enough or hard enough.
“But ultimately on behalf of our country’s future – our young school age children and emerging adults who are suffering depression and suicides because of disproportionate lockdowns. Delta is different – ZERO IS NOT AN OPTION if we want the social fabric of our society to repair. Even if you get to zero Delta will eventually breakthrough again – ZERO IS NOT proportionate and is causing deep damage. Vaccines yes. Zero no.”
Mr O'Neill’s post was largely welcomed by applause from heads of other financial services companies.
Among them the CEO of Sequoia Financial, Garry Crole, who wrote: “Our advisers are noting that the community is so uncertain about their future security and both small and mid sized business putting on a brace face but behind the make up of fear.”
Similarly, Brett Griffith, director at Colliers Australia, said it’s “about time corporate Australia found a voice”.
Others applauded Mr O'Neill’s courage, with many thanking the CEO for speaking up.
Mr O'Neill has previously voiced his dismay at the government’s zero COVID policy on social media, also regularly calling attention to mental health.
Maja Garaca Djurdjevic
Maja's career in journalism spans well over a decade across finance, business and politics. Now an experienced editor and reporter across all elements of the financial services sector, prior to joining Momentum Media, Maja reported for several established news outlets in Southeast Europe, scrutinising key processes in post-conflict societies.
