Australian Reports of the Virus Spread

[Lynda2475]

I don't get the State of Emergency necessity, in NSW there is no State of Emergency (last one was during the bush fires) and yet out government and health officials are struggling to implement regulations where needed.

Total overreaction to this whole Kiwis entering Vic and WA thing, no different than any NSW or NT resident doing the same, comply with state requirements on entry. Quite a few of the the kiwis who entered Vic and WA were residents of those states who couldn't get home earlier - i notice both premiers neglected to mention that fact.

 

[Pushka]

Not a state government decision
Dr Spurrier and Commissioner Stevens set the crowd numbers at Adelaide Oval

And given that the pageant will largely be watched by kids and families, no beer drinking yelling footy fans, kids are deemed low risk hence schools never really closed, on what medical evidence was that decision based on?

 

[jase05]

This. A million times. The pandemic in SA has released its grip. Must still be vigilant. Yes Social distancing. Yes Test Test Test. But it’s time for the Premier to take charge and of course, listen to his medical advisors but stop just doing the PR lovey dovey stuff and get on with doing his job.

We all feel the same here but my understanding is that it isn’t that simple. Perhaps some on here with more legal scope would know more but I was chatting to some ABF personnel at work a few weeks back and they mentioned some legality on how the SOE was implemented will stop it being lifted quickly. Apparently if it’s lifted the government would have no legal power to enforce any measures such as SD, venue capacity etc and everything would therefore be open slather. I know we are quite close to open slather as it is though here so perhaps it’s time just to get on with it

Post automatically merged: Oct 19, 2020

And given that the pageant will largely be watched by kids and families, no beer drinking yelling footy fans, kids are deemed low risk hence schools never really closed, on what medical evidence was that decision based on?

No idea, I agree with you. I didn’t hear what justification was given. It doesn’t seem right as the Rugby, cricket etc will all be allowed nearly 30k also

 

[antycbr]

We all feel the same here but my understanding is that it isn’t that simple. Perhaps some on here with more legal scope would know more but I was chatting to some ABF personnel at work a few weeks back and they mentioned some legality on how the SOE was implemented will stop it being lifted quickly. Apparently if it’s lifted the government would have no legal power to enforce any measures such as SD, venue capacity etc and everything would therefore be open slather. I know we are quite close to open slather as it is though here so perhaps it’s time just to get on with it

Post automatically merged: Oct 19, 2020

No idea, I agree with you. I didn’t hear what justification was given. It doesn’t seem right as the Rugby, cricket etc will all be allowed nearly 30k also

The parliament can pass legislation separate from a SoE to enforce this, with appropriate sunset clauses that means that the measures are repealed automatically unless extended by Parliament, or via a disallowable regulation which means there is parliamentary oversight.

I'm sure that the South Australian Government is not so overrun with other legislation that they couldn't draft something.

 

[dajop]

I don't get the State of Emergency necessity, in NSW there is no State of Emergency (last one was during the bush fires) and yet out government and health officials are struggling to implement regulations where needed.

I am not sure about other states, but from memory in Victoria the State of Emergency gives the government powers to enforce the public health measures that are reflected in public health directives (or something like that). In NSW that power is encoded in different legislation, such that a State of Emergency Declaration is not necessary. Rider: this comment is based on media reports that I read ages ago, so I could have remembered incorrectly, or the article was wrong, but I think this was the thrust of it.

Edit: found the article,

There's only one state which requires parliamentary approval to extend a state of emergency

 

[antycbr]

I am not sure about other states, but from memory in Victoria the State of Emergency gives the government powers to enforce the public health measures that are reflected in public health directives (or something like that). In NSW that power is encoded in different legislation, such that a State of Emergency Declaration is not necessary.

We're more than six months in now, probably time to separate State of Emergency from Covid-Normal health orders. Otherwise we will have overlapping SoEs if there is a bushfire or cyclone and this may lead to confusion.

In NSW the Public Health Act allows orders to be made by the Minister of Health, however these orders would be disallowable by the Parliament as all other regulations are, which provides oversight.

 

[RooFlyer]

I'd love to see someone determine if South Australia is justifiably in a State of Emergency. Overuse of this measure is undemocratic and should be used sparingly for genuine emergencies.

Same in Tas.

IIRC other premiers got a free pass as they didn’t need to go back to parliament.

Well, Tas doesn’t get much of a run in the ‘mainland’ press, but locally, the continuing State of Emergency has been negatively reported in the local ( “ Murdoch” - boo! Hiss!) press.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Tests in Vic down to 10,793 .

However tests taken on Sundays are often at a lower total compared to most days in the week..

Post automatically merged: Oct 19, 2020

Good news in NSW. Zero new local cases.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

 

[jakeseven7]

Four cases for NSW, none locally.

Very low tests, hopefully picks up tomorrow.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

4 cases today in Vic.

Comments by Sutton:

One case is a person who tested positive back in July. So possibly old virus. May be a false positive. May be a re-infection, but less likely. Will be investigation and if the first two the case will come off the totals. So cases today is probably 3 and not 4.

Other 3 cases from one household. All in quarantine (isolating at home) when tested and all linked to known cases.

 

[jakeseven7]

4 cases today in Vic.

Comments by Sutton:

One case is a person who tested positive back in July. So possibly old virus. May be a false positive. May be a re-infection, but less likely. Will be investigation and if the first two the case will come off the totals. So cases today is probably 3 and not 4.

Other 3 cases from one household. All in quarantine (isolating at home) when tested and all linked to known cases.

Great news for us all (that no mystery again)

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Great news for us all (that no mystery again)

Well that most likely is the case. However the first case could still be classified a Mystery Case if it is a genuine new positive result. ie Re-infection.

 

[Pushka]

4 cases today in Vic.

Comments by Sutton:

One case is a person who tested positive back in July. So possibly old virus. May be a false positive. May be a re-infection, but less likely. Will be investigation and if the first two the case will come off the totals. So cases today is probably 3 and not 4.

Other 3 cases from one household. All in quarantine (isolating at home) when tested and all linked to known cases.

It’s interesting that someone who had the virus decided they needed to be retested. They must have developed some kind of symptoms? It will be something to determine if the infection simply doesn’t clear from everyone but re-emerges later, or whether it’s an actual reinfection.

 

[dajop]

Another day, another
or so prominent figures (most notably the federal treasurer) criticising the Victorian Government for not relaxing the restrictions quickly enough, with blanket media coverage. Also more “experts” suggesting the ring of steel is not necessary, all getting predictable and quite tiresome.

it’s all very well for people who have no accountability for the outcomes to throw stones, but if any easing of restrictions backfired then who would be blamed?

Also if the ring of steel is not necessary (restriction of movement between regional Vic and Melbourne), maybe the media should be also putting pressure on NSW and SA to open there borders to Vic as well.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

It’s interesting that someone who had the virus decided they needed to be retested. They must have developed some kind of symptoms? It will be something to determine if the infection simply doesn’t clear from everyone but re-emerges later, or whether it’s an actual reinfection.

Based on what journalists asked, but not answered due to privacy concerns the case may be a patient who has ongoing treatment, and as such may have been tested due to that reason rather than being symptomatic, or in them deciding to be tested. It may just have been a consequence of their treatment.

However the vast majority of people with symptoms test negative. So could just have a cold , hay fever etc.

From what Sutton indicated they suspect the person most probably just has very low levels of the virus from a July infection. Such cases occur from time to time.

 

[TheRealTMA]

And this is why people get frustrated, well, I get frustrated, with our SA State Government. It's all about the footy! These two photos of the SA Premier were taken at the AFL final Fri and the SANFL final on Sunday. The first with Wanganeen and the second with another Minister in the Govt. Social distancing? Nah, it's the foooooty. They are able to have 27,000 at the footy and only 20,000 at the Christmas Pageant next month. Same venue. Go figure.

View attachment 230856 View attachment 230857

Footy is the binger religion in Australia you know!

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Another day, another
or so prominent figures (most notably the federal treasurer) criticising the Victorian Government for not relaxing the restrictions quickly enough, with blanket media coverage. Also more “experts” suggesting the ring of steel is not necessary, all getting predictable and quite tiresome.

it’s all very well for people who have no accountability for the outcomes to throw stones, but if any easing of restrictions backfired then who would be blamed?

Also if the ring of steel is not necessary (restriction of movement between regional Vic and Melbourne), maybe the media should be also putting pressure on NSW and SA to open there borders to Vic as well.

One could make the argument that the Second Wave in Vic gained the momentum it did because the Vic Gov and various control measures were not cautious enough.

So it is interesting now that many are critical of Vic for acting too cautiously in coming out of the Second Wave with this measure, and the various restrictions.

Personally I welcome that they they are now acting on the cautious side.


However "Ring of Steel" was an unfortunate terminology as it it implies 100% checking of movement out of Metro Melbourne, when that was never the actual plan.

 

[Lynda2475]

Also if the ring of steel is not necessary (restriction of movement between regional Vic and Melbourne), maybe the media should be also putting pressure on NSW and SA to open there borders to Vic as well.

Well NSW Premier said this morning once remaining intra-state movement restrictions are lifted, so covid-normal, NSW will wait 2 weeks and if no spike in mystery cases open the border to all of Vic. So that coudl be as soon as mid November. NSW were last state to close to Vic and I'm sure will be the first to reopen to Vic.

Whereas unless Qld remove he 28 day rule, there is zero chance of Vic or NSW ever getting back into Qld before a vaccine is in wide use.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Footy is the binger religion in Australia you know!

Yes and especially this year. It is right up there with Netflix