The F1 race in Melbourne is set to be called off for the second year in a row.

There was a time and it’s wasn’t that long ago when Australia made much of getting events - getting events was a thing.

And not just Australia but Melbourne in particular. Melbourne positioned itself as the events capital of Australia. They rested the F1 off Adelaide to much hoopla.

The F1 will roll on no problems at all; they raced this past weekend at the red bull ring in Austria. They’re heading now to Silverstone in Britain in a week and a half’s time.

There have been other cancellations on the calendar but not many. They, by and large, having got through a reduced season last year, will complete a full one this year.

Except Australia won’t be part of it again. Why?

The vaccine and complacency, the abject failure to do their job.

Kevin Rudd is right in calling for Greg Hunt’s resignation. The roll out and the lockdowns have been an abomination and you can seemingly write the rest of the year off.

We have cancelled the ASB Classic here as well for a second year in a row, the irony bring it’s not even on till next year.

The MIQ places aren’t there. Well, they are, but such is the dysfunction of our system and the diabolical attitude to progress that doing most things is too hard these days.

• Tennis: ASB Classic cancelled for second straight year
• F1 Race Director: Cancellation of Australian Grand Prix ‘highly disappointing’

Hell, opening restaurant doors to getting too hard far less holding a tennis tournament.

Reputations are built in times of crisis, and what has been so heart breaking in this part of the world has been the smug complacency with which we lauded ourselves having done nothing more than closing a border.

Yes, it kept a virus out, but then what? The 'then what' still hasn’t been formulated.

At least Australia last week articulated a rough plan. We haven’t even done that. We are still splashing headlines over the thrill of getting 150,000 jabs arrive two days early, that’s how tragic it’s all become.

Events, whether sports or conferences, cruises or travel, is worth billions. Reputations are worth billions

What was once the great advantage of being at the bottom of the world is now daily being ravaged by our inability to take the next step.