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Earlier this week, the New South Wales health minister, Brad Hazzard, tried his best to appeal to the general population by comparing Australia’s distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine to a similar situation in the Hunger Games. But we’re afraid he might not fully understand the hilarity of that comparison.

“It is almost a sense now of the Hunger Games, of people chasing vaccine,” Hazzard said during a news conference in Sydney on Monday.

“Until we get enough vaccine and enough GPs actually at the front line able to provide that vaccine into arms, we will continue to have effectively the Hunger Games going on here in NSW.”

Of course, if this were the Hunger Games, Mr. Hazzard would most likely be either Plutarch Heavensbee or President Snow in this scenario — neither of which would be flattering.

Perhaps Brad Hazzard did actually get the class system behind the Hunger Games reference

— Josh Taylor (@joshgnosis) July 6, 2021

Without spoiling the plot of the best-selling book series by Suzanne Collins, or the movie starring Jennifer Lawrence, the underlying story involves a tyrannical dystopian government that controls its citizens with a calculated distribution of food and medicine.

The Guardian’s Matilda Boseley does a bang-up job of breaking down the character roles of each member of the Australian government if it were to flip over to that Hunger Games scenario.

“There is no denying that, in this scenario, Scott Morrison is Snow,” Boseley describes. “He is the leader of our great nation of Panem (Australia), and you can’t deny that visiting the gravestone of his ancestors in the UK during a side trip from the G7 while stranded Australians can’t even get a flight home to say goodbye to their dying parents has a real privileged “Capitol” energy to it. Snow is also known for getting rid of his political adversaries, and Morrison did come to power after ousting Turnbull in the Liberal spill. Also, they have the same colour hair. It just works.”

Hazzard was also criticized for his comments on how the average person’s home is actually the most dangerous place during the pandemic. “If you do have the need to go to someone’s home, it would be very wise for you to avoid kissing, cuddling, closeness, any proximity at all, “he said.

Australian television had a field day with that one.

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard is strongly advising/warning against kissing, cuddling and affection in homes during the lockdowns. BUT this shouldn’t surprise anyone considering the GOV published an article about masturbation being the only safe form of sex during the pandemic. pic.twitter.com/EhqrhImRPk

— Evelyn Rae (@_evelynrae) July 5, 2021

Of course, vaccine shortages are no laughing matter, and we do hope that Australia (and the rest of the world) can resolve this situation that, 18 months ago, no one could have imagined. But until things are leveled out, it might be a good idea for government officials to steer clear of comparing themselves to dystopian antagonists.

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