Australian Reports of the Virus Spread

[RAM]

I’m so angry at this, it risks everything us victorians have done over the last six months.

There have been many instances throughout Australia of people doing this with flagrant disregard to restrictions. Ever since the pandemic began. Covering a wide range of causes and reasons. Of all of them, this is likely the least risky of them all but obviously let's hope that's the case.

It would be good for Govts Australia-wide to add in the additional 'stick' of instant-visa cancellation for any non-Australian citizens found breaching the restrictions.

According to number one son - some backpackers are boasting about getting issued fines that they'll never pay as they intend staying until it gets safer back in the UK to return.

 

[RAM]

Sure, but its a scheme that's been running for years - many Pacific Islanders, not just Tongans. Works well for eveyone - they work hard, earn decent money, take it home etc. With the current JobSeeker boost, its going to be more difficult than usual to attract locals.

Edit: I should add, the employers like getting back many of the same workers year after year. There are skills involved, so experience is wanted.

A bit like the problem with covidiots - there are too many farmers (although a minority) ripping off backpackers & Pacific Islanders.

A few months back there was an ABC doco on how many backpackers had been 'sexually abused' on isolated properties who were threatened with visa cancellation if they reported it. Every 2nd year there are programs about some farmers etc who charge the Pacific Islanders more than Sydney hotel rates for a bunk bed & cereal for the workers. In a report I remember well - one farmer in FNQ was getting over $5,000 /week for accomodation charges & then charging a per day food 'fee' for the 8 workers from the Islands who shared a 3 room tin shed, outside 'dug' toilet. The local money transfer agent charged them over $50/transaction to send money back to the islands & had a low max amount they could send per transaction (worked out to a 30% fee I think it was). He declined to respond to questions.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

WA 1 new case, in international quarantine, 16 active remaining

SA no new Case, 1 active remaining

 

[RAM]

Tasmania needs to start bringing in international Aussies stranded overseas. Surprisingly people get used to seeing the odd one or two positives emerging in quarantine and the media and people have stopped running around like chicken little when news of a positive breaks.

I agree that it is about time that TAS started pulling its weight on international arrivals. NSW is still 'very disappointed' that it is bearing the load (and costs) of the program. I am waiting for NSW to propose differential pricing for residents of the other states. It currently charges $3000 for an adult. If it raised the cost for interstate residents to cover the real costs (estimate is about $4500 -$5000) then I am sure that would focus the minds of the other states.

As Tasmania did not have international air arrivals previously - a bit harsh to say they need to start 'pulling their weight'. Afterall they had not been ripping off arrivals like Sydney has been with the airport & other charges.

Sydney Airport (& NSW Govt) have plan to get to low 50%s share of all international air arrivals from 46 to 47% it was pre-CV. Until Melb outbreak - Sydney was not pulling its weight, and despite recent changes (+100/day arrivals) is still taking 150 fewer per day than it was back pre the cuts on July 4th & then further cut on July 14th.

If our State Govt was happy to reap the rewards in good times then it should be prepared to weather the costs in bad times.

I agree! But 'Hobart International Airport' can't handle international arrivals. No Border Force or even Federal Police (Federal Police should have been at HBA even in its domestic capacity, but the Feds withdrew the Federal Police from there about 3 years ago. Apparently we are too nice to have a serious incident at the airport. ). I think the Tas govt has been angling with the Feds recently to supply these, so we can take some international quarantinees. With the possibility of NZ arrivals, I'd hope they are redoubling those efforts.

There is a convenient, pretty new hotel right at HBA, away from anywhere else.

Tas Govt does want to make Hobart an International Airport as does the airport owners - on public record some time back pre-CV. Just who foots the bill is a sticking point, similarly finding an airline who would operate flights is another hurdle as the numbers do not appear to stack up.

 

[jakeseven7]

Good to hear the regional VIC case was confirmed as a false positive.

VIC cases revised to just 8 today.

 

[antycbr]

As Tasmania did not have international air arrivals previously - a bit harsh to say they need to start 'pulling their weight'. Afterall they had not been ripping off arrivals like Sydney has been with the airport & other charges.

Sydney Airport (& NSW Govt) have plan to get to low 50%s share of all international air arrivals from 46 to 47% it was pre-CV. Until Melb outbreak - Sydney was not pulling its weight, and despite recent changes (+100/day arrivals) is still taking 150 fewer per day than it was back pre the cuts on July 4th & then further cut on July 14th.

If our State Govt was happy to reap the rewards in good times then it should be prepared to weather the costs in bad times.

Tas Govt does want to make Hobart an International Airport as does the airport owners - on public record some time back pre-CV. Just who foots the bill is a sticking point, similarly finding an airline who would operate flights is another hurdle as the numbers do not appear to stack up.

You do realise that some capacity is used up now with domestic (ex VIC) quarantine? This is leading to capacity problems in Sydney. A casual examination of flight schedules MEL-SYD would explain the 150 fewer per day - there are 3 flights (JQ, VA and QF) arriving, even if only 1/3 full into quarantine that's still 180 odd pax.

Still feels odd going to the Sydney Airport website and trying to find the Melbourne flights - and you have to look at international arrivals...

 

[RAM]

Don't worry its not just NSW that certain people in WA don't want - they don't see any benefit in allowing SA or NT to come either . I'm sure the empty hotels and restaurants would disagree but you know....

'Reopening the borders to South Australia and the Northern Territory would provide Western Australia with no economic benefit', Premier Mark McGowan says.

Very likely to be 100% correct from a pure financial point of view.

On a bigger scale - shutting Australia's international borders has improved Australia's financial position by more than $20bn/year.

In the latest FY figures, Australians spent over $20bn more overseas than international visitors spent within Australia. So all-things-being-equal (of course they neve are but) Australia is better off.

I suspect if you pull out the numbers for WA the outcome may indeed be the same.

In fact it may be even a greater benefit as a few weeks back it was revealed that some of the 'international visitor' benefits were illusory as they assumed the amount spent was not funded by visitors working in Australia to fund their spending. Seems to totally discount the 2nd biggest spending tourist group - backpackers...

 

[RooFlyer]

Tas Govt does want to make Hobart an International Airport as does the airport owners - on public record some time back pre-CV. Just who foots the bill is a sticking point, similarly finding an airline who would operate flights is another hurdle as the numbers do not appear to stack up.

I'll move this over here.

 

[VPS]

Well, given that in SA where rules are relaxed Covid has had quite an effect on the property market when really it shouldn't, I'd expect Victoria to be very heavily impacted because no one, including students country and overseas, are moving in. Whether that is a long term trend remains to be seen.

I'm not seeing any drop in house prices that I'm looking at and real estate agents are saying the same

 

[Pushka]

I'm not seeing any drop in house prices that I'm looking at and real estate agents are saying the same

I think rental market is being impacted which is where I think the quote was taken from. The guy downstairs is trying to sell and not getting much joy and is looking at buying in the hills area but scarcity of properties up for sale is keeping price firm. Maybe it's a case of people with a home staying put but those very keen buyers not seeing much stock so price is holding.

This house is extremely comparable to ours and better in many ways and recently sold for a lower price.

Property Report for 437 Greenhill Road, Tusmore SA 5065

View property information for 437 Greenhill Road, Tusmore SA 5065 which contains sold & rental history, nearby schools and median prices for Tusmore SA 5065

www.domain.com.au

. Only $200k growth in 8 years. I still think we got very lucky selling last year.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1313236400314159107

 

[blackcat20]

Starting to feel like we're never going to get on top of this...

 

[jakeseven7]

Starting to feel like we're never going to get on top of this...

Don't feel that way

There is going to be a bumpy and jumpy tail according to all the medical experts. They say when the numbers are so very very low, you obviously only need a handful to bump the number up the wrong way. When the numbers are as low as they are in VIC now, they will be looking at the composition of the numbers rather than the absolute.

Plus one case has already been reclassified so its 14

 

[blackcat20]

Don't feel that way

There is going to be a bumpy and jumpy tail according to all the medical experts. They say when the numbers are so very very low, you obviously only need a handful to bump the number up the wrong way. When the numbers are as low as they are in VIC now, they will be looking at the composition of the numbers rather than the absolute.

Plus one case has already been reclassified so its 14

Our suburb doubled its active case numbers yesterday....

 

[jakeseven7]

Our suburb doubled its active case numbers yesterday....

But overall active cases have dropped by about 40% over the last week.

There are always going to be bumps where cases pop up - this is going to happen probably for months, years until an effective vaccine arrives.

I'm sorry it has to be your suburb though! Spray everyone with hand sanitiser

 

[blackcat20]

But overall active cases have dropped by about 40% over the last week.

There are always going to be bumps where cases pop up - this is going to happen probably for months, years until an effective vaccine arrives.

I'm sorry it has to be your suburb though! Spray everyone with hand sanitiser

Hopefully they are all isolated and contained as part of the cluster.

 

[33kft]

Honestly, it has to be a hell of a job guiding public sentiment and ensuring compliance, but I think it was a mistake to signal the possible loosening of restrictions for the 19th. They could have retrospectively made that decision if things were looking good by now, but instead they signaled another date that will, in some Melbournians eyes, be missed. The first being the 28th of Sept and now the 19th of Oct - the reality being that it's highly unlikely with the current numbers that this will be reached. Mathematically, Melbourne can't deal with an average daily case rate of more than 4 per day for the next 12 days without blowing it.

People are just a bit too limited in their comprehension of these things, and those who do intend to break rules will simply use it as fodder for their disobedience, as justification. What might seem like a way of rallying support by suggesting a date that restrictions may ease if a certain rate is maintained get ingrained as a hard date in people's minds. Realistically, this will probably end up with some minor concessions on that date that have little impact because they have little utility, and the process will drag on.

 

[Flying mermaid]

I think people were suffering from fatigue and needed to be given hope. If the numbers are very much just a few clusters rather than individual cases spread everywhere with no known source then they can still open. Devil is in the detail

 

[blackcat20]

I think the focus for the next date will be unknowns more than the overall average.

 

[33kft]

I think the focus for the next date will be unknowns more than the overall average.

I am not sure that is any more positive news:

Cases


Unknowns