Perth has become the third Australian regional capital forced into a business-crippling lockdown ¡ª joining Sydney and Darwin ¡ª as the delta variant spreads nationwide.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison¡¯s balancing act of keeping Australians safe and the economy open is becoming increasingly precarious as the outbreak worsens.

His government¡¯s decision 15 months ago to close international borders was pivotal to Australia¡¯s success in curbing community transmission, allowing life to largely return to normal and the economy to bounce back.