Australian Reports of the Virus Spread

[Seat0B]

Fortunately it wasn’t like that, although I saw photos of some of the walks round the lake in Canberra and they were packed. We were so used to having “our” reserve to ourselves with maybe a few regular dog walkers, that the increase was a bit strange.

same experience for us on the Point Hutt Dam wall - mum, dad, kids and dogs all out enjoying the autumn sunshine during the April/May lock down period. Not unsafe, just a lot more than usual when everyone is at school, in the office etc.

I've been reading a lot in the media about how most people (usually giving stats of 60-75%) don't want to go back to 5 days a week in the office and would rather 3 days in office and 2 days WFH where possible. Employers reporting no loss of productivity during original lockdown. A much better life balance IMO, with reduced commuting time meaning more family or personal time, better sense of community and reduced greenhouse emissions with less traffic jams. Seems like a win for everyone.

 

[jakeseven7]

I missed it....what did the NSW Premier effectively say?

A nothing answer really... she dodged the real intent of the question several times which was more about if we are going for zero community transfer, why do you keep letting it happen with no changes in restrictions

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"We have watched closely what has happened in New Zealand and Victoria. I also want to commend the police for leading a number of scenarios where we have desktopped what might happen if we have to go down that path," Ms Berejiklian said.

The premier said if the lockdown does occur then it wouldn't just be postcodes or government areas being impacted.

"Without passing any judgement or commentary, and I think about the Premier of Victoria every day, the pressure they are under, but it seems apparent that any future scenario would involve cities rather than postcodes or local government areas," she said.

Coronavirus NSW live updates

Home Affairs Minister, Peter Dutton, has hit out at the "childish" way the situation between the Queensland and NSW border is being handled.

www.news.com.au

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

A nothing answer really... she dodged the real intent of the question several times which was more about if we are going for zero community transfer, why do you keep letting it happen with no changes in restrictions

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"We have watched closely what has happened in New Zealand and Victoria. I also want to commend the police for leading a number of scenarios where we have desktopped what might happen if we have to go down that path," Ms Berejiklian said.

The premier said if the lockdown does occur then it wouldn't just be postcodes or government areas being impacted.

"Without passing any judgement or commentary, and I think about the Premier of Victoria every day, the pressure they are under, but it seems apparent that any future scenario would involve cities rather than postcodes or local government areas," she said.

Coronavirus NSW live updates

Home Affairs Minister, Peter Dutton, has hit out at the "childish" way the situation between the Queensland and NSW border is being handled.

www.news.com.au

So the question now becomes what is the level of community transmission (either daily or total) would make NSW Health or NSW Government lockdown Sydney/Hunter/Illawarra/Blue mountains

 

[Flying mermaid]

same experience for us on the Point Hutt Dam wall - mum, dad, kids and dogs all out enjoying the autumn sunshine during the April/May lock down period. Not unsafe, just a lot more than usual when everyone is at school, in the office etc.

I've been reading a lot in the media about how most people (usually giving stats of 60-75%) don't want to go back to 5 days a week in the office and would rather 3 days in office and 2 days WFH where possible. Employers reporting no loss of productivity during original lockdown. A much better life balance IMO, with reduced commuting time meaning more family or personal time, better sense of community and reduced greenhouse emissions with less traffic jams. Seems like a win for everyone.

I can remember years ago when the move to telecommuting was going to be the future but it never happened. Management feared losing control or perhaps tech wasn’t up to it. Maybe the virus will give it the nudge it needed. My husband and I worked at home from the mid 80s.

 

[dajop]

Full disclosure of when the people's statements / videos were made should be released by those releasing the video.

Then it wouldn't support the narrative would it? And thus wouldn't be newsworthy.

 

[get me outta here]

And, hindsight is a beaut thing. Posting that video was designed to get some people going.

Then it wouldn't support the narrative would it? And thus wouldn't be newsworthy.

 

[jakeseven7]

So the question now becomes what is the level of community transmission (either daily or total) would make NSW Health or NSW Government lockdown Sydney/Hunter/Illawarra/Blue mountains

Clearly a number greater than 20 ish a day which is what they are increasing every day.

But ScoMo wants zero. Gladys doesn't mind a few.

And experts are warning there are loads more in NSW just waiting to bubble up:

Tangara School for Girls outbreak in Sydney the 'tip of iceberg' for NSW coronavirus cases


An infectious disease expert has warned a Sydney school coronavirus cluster could be the "tip of the iceberg" for NSW.

There are now 17 cases connected with Tangara School for Girls: 11 students, one teacher and five of their social contacts.

The independent Opus Dei religious school's senior campus at Cherrybrook is closed until August 24 while all students and staff isolate and get tested.

Director of the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS), Kristine Macartney, said NSW had seen very little transmission among classmates and teachers.

But she said this outbreak at the Tangara School could indicate the virus was more widespread in NSW than currently thought.

Tangara outbreak in Sydney the 'tip of iceberg' for state's coronavirus cases

A leading infectious disease expert warns an outbreak at a school in Sydney's north-west may mean coronavirus is more widespread in NSW than first thought.

www.abc.net.au

 

[jakeseven7]

Whoopsies another QLD quarantine breach.....

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Police hunting man who fled hotel quarantine in Queensland


Police are hunting for a man who fled mandatory hotel quarantine in Queensland.

The 25-year-old returned from a declared coronavirus hotspot in New South Wales and entered quarantine at an accommodation facility in Toowoomba, west of Brisbane.

On the ninth day of his compulsory 14-day stay, the man left the hotel, a Queensland Police spokesperson said.

Queensland police refused to answer when the breach occurred, leading to speculation that checks had not been completed frequently on isolating travellers.

Man who fled hotel quarantine in Queensland surrenders to police

A man who allegedly escaped mandatory hotel quarantine in Queensland has handed himself into police after sparking a major manhunt.

www.news.com.au

 

[jase05]

Whoopsies another QLD quarantine breach.....

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Police hunting man who fled hotel quarantine in Queensland


Police are hunting for a man who fled mandatory hotel quarantine in Queensland.

The 25-year-old returned from a declared coronavirus hotspot in New South Wales and entered quarantine at an accommodation facility in Toowoomba, west of Brisbane.

On the ninth day of his compulsory 14-day stay, the man left the hotel, a Queensland Police spokesperson said.

Queensland police refused to answer when the breach occurred, leading to speculation that checks had not been completed frequently on isolating travellers.

Man who fled hotel quarantine in Queensland surrenders to police

A man who allegedly escaped mandatory hotel quarantine in Queensland has handed himself into police after sparking a major manhunt.

www.news.com.au

Doesn’t help that our weak legal system and penalties allow this to happen. A breach such as this should be 6 month’s imprisonment rather than the slap on the wrist they will receive

 

[I love to travel]

Whoopsies another QLD quarantine breach.....

----


Police hunting man who fled hotel quarantine in Queensland


Police are hunting for a man who fled mandatory hotel quarantine in Queensland.

The 25-year-old returned from a declared coronavirus hotspot in New South Wales and entered quarantine at an accommodation facility in Toowoomba, west of Brisbane.

On the ninth day of his compulsory 14-day stay, the man left the hotel, a Queensland Police spokesperson said.

Queensland police refused to answer when the breach occurred, leading to speculation that checks had not been completed frequently on isolating travellers.

Man who fled hotel quarantine in Queensland surrenders to police

A man who allegedly escaped mandatory hotel quarantine in Queensland has handed himself into police after sparking a major manhunt.

www.news.com.au

Geez if I was a Premier boy would be tempted to slam my border shut to everyone no exceptions. This type of coughpy behaviour is outrageous.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

Clearly a number greater than 20 ish a day which is what they are increasing every day.

But ScoMo wants zero. Gladys doesn't mind a few.

Community transmission has been about 1 per day in the first 24 hour, but the total community transmission since CRossroads about month ago is 16 total, so half a case per day average.

But yes average of about 20 new positives per day

 

[dajop]

When in Victoria in self isolation in our holiday house, late March/early April, we had no compliance check at all.

By way of contrast, in a benevolent dictatorship, we are now in Day 2 of hotel quarantine in Singapore and we had three sms messages yesterday requiring us to report our location by clicking on a link (and it takes location data from your phone).

Just a follow up, now in Day 3. Yesterday we had another 3 sms messages requiring us to report our locations. Today (and it's only 11:30) we had a door knock asking us to verify our identities and also had a whats app call, that during the call switched to video call to verify location (they initially called when I was in shower earlier today).

 

[jakeseven7]

Naughty NSW, better start behaving

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Compliance or else: Premier says harsher rules for NSW if states behaviour doesn't fall into line


Premier Gladys Berejiklian has foreshadowed harsher restrictions if she doesn't see more people wearing face masks and businesses heeding COVIDSafe rules as reports of non compliant workplaces flow in.

NSW has recorded 18 new cases in the latest 24-hour reporting period as the Premier escalated concerns about the growing number of mystery transmissions that remain unsolved in the state..

Ms Berejiklian said she expected everyone to be wearing face masks in environments where social distancing was not guaranteed including shopping centres, public transport and places of worship.

She urged people in western and south-western Sydney to come forward for testing in light of several community transmission with no known source in those areas.

Low testing numbers are also causing concern for NSW Health.

More face masks in public or more restrictions, Berejiklian warns

The Premier has foreshadowed harsher restrictions if she doesn't see more people wearing face masks and businesses heeding COVID-safe rules.

www.smh.com.au

 

[kamchatsky]

Naughty NSW, better start behaving

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Compliance or else: Premier says harsher rules for NSW if states behaviour doesn't fall into line


Premier Gladys Berejiklian has foreshadowed harsher restrictions if she doesn't see more people wearing face masks and businesses heeding COVIDSafe rules as reports of non compliant workplaces flow in.

Unfortunately there is no point to "highly recommending" fact masks as it is not a legal requirement. To me, the government should just make it mandatory and done with it.

 

[Seat0B]

I can remember years ago when the move to telecommuting was going to be the future but it never happened. Management feared losing control or perhaps tech wasn’t up to it. Maybe the virus will give it the nudge it needed. My husband and I worked at home from the mid 80s.

yes me too - I've been using the "exciting new model" suggested recently by KPMG since 1996! They have just suggested allowing their consultants to work from client site, office hub and WFH. I ran a registered training organisation on exactly this basis for 20 years until 2017 and it worked a treat, allowing me to secure the services of some excellent staff who did not want to work FT in an office (young mums, people bridging into retirement), and also for me to work from around the world, which was something I loved and never took for granted - who knows when that may ever return.

To bring back onto topic of this thread, I'm sure that more flexible work practices must help reduce the spread of the virus as shown by first lock down. I was quite surprised by the insistence of some employers (including Govt departments) that people MUST return to the workplace in the June-July period. And horrified in the first part of second lockdown in Victoria that it was OK to leave a hot spot suburb to go to work - because obviously you can't catch or spread the virus if you are going to work!

I do understand and appreciate that some jobs can only be done in a face to face setting, although this virus has shown us that the number of these jobs is smaller than many might have thought.

 

[RooFlyer]

What’s the date on that video that I have not been able to look at? Was it like in the beginning, in the middle or recently?

I have no idea. As I've said a few times now, its 'exclusive' to the Herald Sun, and I haven't seen it. (just the various reports on it, with excerpts, stills and quotes). But to satisfy your enquiry, you can see it by going on the link I provided up-thread (EDIT: And Pushka posted); but let me preempt the angle I think being pursued "Oh, it was very early and they didn't know it was going to be a catastrophic set-up, so its fair enough". See how that travels with all the people who have contracted COVID19 from the job they are congratulating themselves on.

 

[SydneySwan]

I wonder what the rules would be if Gladys and Jacinda swopped jobs.

I for one would appreciate Jacinda's uncompromising approach rather than Gladys coughfooting about. I doubt ScoMo would be happy though.

 

[Lat34]

I wonder what the rules would be if Gladys and Jacinda swopped jobs.

I for one would appreciate Jacinda's uncompromising approach rather than Gladys coughfooting about. I doubt ScoMo would be happy though.

I think decision-making in NZ is somewhat simpler given there is basically one government calling all the shots.

 

[Happy Trails]

I could only access a news clip and the only hint of timing was the newsreader saying, "1 month in" to hotel quarantine. But, other than this newsreader, where is the dated stamped info, I haven't been able to find any on when the videos and statement was made. I am aware that media sometimes makes mistakes, especially when a certain political stance is desired.

Based on this sketchy background info and lack of evidence, from my reading, seemingly those people were mainly referring to the project of getting supplies up and running etc in the very early days. Full disclosure of when the people's statements / videos were made should be released by those releasing the video.

I cannot imagine that people thought they were actually celebrating the 'success' of a totally failed project, that would be reprehensible. Evidence would be nice of when it was made is needed.

One of the protagonists states "tomorrow marks four weeks since we got involved in this project".
There was also a reference to supplying dates for those observing Ramadan, which places it after April 23rd.

 

[RooFlyer]

I cannot imagine that people thought they were actually celebrating the 'success' of a totally failed project, that would be reprehensible. Evidence would be nice of when it was made is needed.

No they certainly weren’t celebrating the failed project. It was a case of premature celebration when the battle had just begun.

Exactly. A bunch of people with no experience in health, quarantine etc celebrating the implementation of hotel quarantine without realising what 'success' was. I'm not saying it was malicious, or vindictive, just silly and embarrassing to witness (in report).

Sort of like painter, or a dancer or a chemist designed a bridge and congratulated themselves on the last day of its construction before the structure was tested for efficacy.