COVID-19 is here and it isn't going away. For a long time now I have been saying we will need to learn to live with this fact.

Many people did not like hearing this but it is the truth.

As Australia opens up, slowly but surely everyone will be forced to accept the truth, we will have to learn to live with COVID-19, just like we live with many other risks.

This is an election year and if I am returned to the senate I will be doing everything in my power to make sure the era of lockdowns, QR codes, vaccine passports and mandatory jabs come to an end.

This New Year, let's move on from the fear and towards a better future.