"O Captain! My Captain!"

The COVID-19 pandemic has delivered all number of repeatable adjectives to describe the event and the impact: uncertain, unmatched, unparalleled, unprecedented, extraordinary, incomparable, remarkable, a list of synonyms could be continued unrelenting.

Leaders at all levels of government and community have reacted to the circumstances, implementing a range of health, social, and economic measures to massage our nation through the crisis.

This period of leadership has not been easy. We have witnessed stoic, competent, honest, and compassionate leaders coming to the fore.

On the flip side we have also witnessed significant errors and raw emotion, including sorrow and tears, underpinned by a level of exhaustion that has challenged even the most resilient.

Being the public face of leadership during a significant and ongoing crisis is relentless. Day after day of press conferences answering, or not answering, questions and attempting to share information in an unpredictable environment is tough work.

Due to the tragedy of coronavirus deaths and the loss of businesses and livelihoods, there will be also be a mental health impact across the community.

Mental health is important to all of us. Staying strong during times of challenge or crisis or failure or grief or loss is difficult for the most durable minds. Mental health should not be weaponised,nor hidden or forbidden from conversation.

Further, using the potential of self-harm to decry the rational contribution of another is not leadership.

At a national level, a war cabinet of sorts was formed to combat the pandemic and to deliver a level of consistency in response across Australia. National Cabinet and the remodelling of COAG will be an important improvement driven by the crisis.

Australia's most celebrated wartime leader, Prime Minister John Curtin said: "Captaining the government of a nation is a bit more exacting that captain of a football team. I know for I have done both".

John Curtin suffered depression and anxiety.

He was wracked by the grief and guilt of decision-making during World War II which had a direct impact on his physical health.

Curtin died in office in March 1945, months before the end of the war.

He suffered a heart attack in 1944 and his health deteriorated as a result.

Australia has fared far better than most other developed countries. Unemployment has remained relatively stable and the injection of funds in grants, stimulus and incentive payments, and hardship support was necessary and welcomed.

As a result, communities will quickly readjust taking the good from the experience whilst attempting to forget the bad.

Thankfully, Microsoft Teams and Zoom are here to stay reducing business travel and time away from loved ones, and hand sanitiser will remain a non-negotiable.

Leaders will need to adapt and change with the quickly moving return to normality.

Leadership has many styles. From authoritative to coaching, leaders will need to demonstrate a level of emotional intelligence as they speak to their constituencies.

This period will be a challenge for modern politicians who are so accustomed and comfortable reciting a set of lines, promises, and staying on message with media handlers hypercritical when they falter.

However, this is not one of those times and our leaders will either flourish and cement their position or annoy and disengage the public with their utterances.

And from a political point of view, opinions can change very quickly.

British Prime Minister, Sir Winston Churchill, whose influence on politics across the globe is synonymous with enduring leadership and strength, is regularly heralded for resisting a ruthless enemy and guiding the nation through World War II.

Churchill should also be remembered, as First Lord of the Admiralty, for the ill-fated Gallipoli Campaign, and his "cannon-fodder" view of Australian and New Zealand soldiers during World War I.

And even though a national hero, Churchill's first run as Prime Minister was over by July 5, 1945 with the people opting for a majority Labour government under Clement Attlee.

Churchill would extract revenge returning as Prime Minister from 1951-1955.

He served the British people for an extraordinary 62 years.

Many commentators reflect on the fact that Churchill, who was considered an outstanding wartime leader, found the transition to peace time leadership difficult with the importance of language focused upon recovery and the future non-existent in his rhetoric.

The British people were, at the time and understandably, exhausted by confrontation and death and war and prepared to change political allegiances.

Much like then, there is a need for hope and optimism as we approach 2021.

We have all understood the need for strategic pessimism to keep our behaviour in check through following the rules and we have mostly played our part.

There is a narrative to be told reinforced by trust and accountability and openness and transparency. Tasmania has a wonderful story to tell, building on past successes, and it will be written with the people of our great state.

These are unprecedented times requiring extraordinary leadership. We are in this together and must step up, but we also need captains prepared to show us the way.

For crisis support, call Lifeline 13 11 14.