'Sad': Minister fires back as Ted Cruz slams Australia's Covid response

The Northern Territory's chief minister Michael Gunner has taken aim at one of the biggest names in US politics after he criticised Australia's Covid response as "disgraceful and sad".

Texas senator Ted Cruz took to Twitter late last week to blast what he described as the "Covid tyranny" of Australian state and territory governments.

According to the man who unsuccessfully ran for president against Donald Trump, the land Down Under has gone from legendary status to a cautionary tale.

"I love the Aussies. Their history of rugged independence is legendary; I’ve always said Australia is the Texas of the Pacific," he said.

But that's where the praise ended, as Mr Cruz offered Australians his support.

"The Covid tyranny of their current government is disgraceful and sad. Individual liberty matters. I stand with the people of Australia," he said.

Texas has seen more than 4.17 million Covid cases during the pandemic and more than 69,000 deaths, according to an ongoing tally by The New York Times. At the height of the pandemic, inmates were used to deal with the dead bodies overflowing from hospitals.

The chief minister of the Northern Territory, which hasn't registered a single Covid death, took umbrage with the characterisation of Australia's response in the eyes of Mr Cruz.

After pointing out the disparity in death tolls between their respective jurisdictions, Mr Gunner laid out a few facts for the Senator from the so-called Lone Star State.

I'm glad we are nothing like you: Gunner

"We’ve done whatever it takes to protect the Territory. That’s kept us safe and free. We have been in lockdown for just eight days in 18 months. Our business and schools are all open. Did you know that?" he said Monday, in a tweeted statement in response.

"We don’t need your lectures, thanks mate. You know nothing about us. And if you stand against a life-saving vaccine, then you sure as hell don’t stand with Australia.

"When it comes to Covid, I’m glad we are nothing like you," he said.

The pandemic – and the vaccine – have become highly contested grounds in America's bitter and hyper-partisan politics with Australia's strict response frequently singled out by certain US commentators for its more heavy-handed elements.

In New York this month, protesters gathered to show solidarity with Australians suffering under such strict Covid rules and called for greater freedoms to be respected.

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