Australian Reports of the Virus Spread

[Pushka]

Fear of what actions governments will take is greater than the fear of the virus.

And as The Australian wrote today, people are more in fear of the lockout impact than the virus.

 

[milehighclub]

Any person employed by either directly or indirectly by industries that are in or around tourism, hosipitality and events / or any industry that comes off second best to state governments randomly shutting borders are absolutely fearful of those border decisions.

Agree with you 100%. There were cabin crew who were worried about leaving their secondary employment because they can be told to come back to QF at anytime. QF did absolutely everything not to force anyone back up unless they had to in order to resume flying and no sooner did they start flying, 270 are facing stand down again. QF is doing everything to prevent forced stand down with leave, LWOP, volunteering to be stood down, part time etc.

I wonder if QF is providing any of the charters for tennis players?

Not that I am aware of.

 

[jakeseven7]

With this kind of language in public statements the other states will have NSW locked out for months ​

——

COVID-19: NSW testing rates ‘too low’, virus ‘likely still circulating undetected’ in Sydney​

The NSW Government and NSW Health have issued urgent pleas for more Sydney residents to be tested for COVID-19, as the NSW testing numbers fall behind Victoria again

“Our testing rates are not where we would like them to be,” Ms Berejiklian said pleading with the public to stop being complacent.

While case numbers over the last few days have been “encouraging”, NSW Health said it’s still highly likely “COVID-19 is continuing to circulate in the community”.

“To detect cases in the community effectively, we need to see much higher testing numbers,” the department said in a statement.

“This is a key component of our suppression strategy, but one we are behind on.”

“This is particularly important in Sydney’s west, south-west”

Follow our live coronavirus updates

Russian-born New Zealand tennis player Artem Sitak has delivered some much needed perspective to his fellow players complaining about hotel quarantine arrangements ahead of the Australian Open.

www.news.com.au

 

[jakeseven7]

 

[jb747]

Any person employed by either directly or indirectly by industries that are in or around tourism, hosipitality and events / or any industry that comes off second best to state governments randomly shutting borders are absolutely fearful of those border decisions. Most are irrational and at best unpredictable.

We are talking about people’s livelihoods and sometimes their entire life’s work of their own business.

I work for one and we are in touch every day with other people in businesses up and downstream that are going under / barely staying afloat. It’s absolutely heart breaking and it’s very easy to tell on this forum who is / isn’t affected deeply by these closures by the lack of understanding of what this is doing to hundreds of thousands of people.

My next door neighbours have lost their business because of the lockdowns that were imposed upon regional Victoria, even though there were zero cases of CV. As best we can tell, it was done just so that Melbourne wouldn‘t feel that it was being singled out. Even though it needed to be.

The border between NSW and Victoria has closed twice. Once driven by NSW, and the second time by the Victorians. The NSW closure was initially absolute, not allowing anyone across, unless they lived in a zone that was so narrow that it barely made it to the Murray’s shoreline. It was almost funny watching them realise that a huge percentage of their workers, especially in the hospitals, lived south of the border.

Albury business has been devastated twice now. Most of their customer base actually comes from Victoria. Not just Wodonga, but further south in the valleys. Again no evidence of CV, just bloody mindedness.

The queues used to be huge. Now they barely exist. Not because they’ve become more efficient at handling them. Simply because people no longer make the effort to cross. I probably used to go to Albury 3-4 times per week, but now only go to replenish the supply from Dan’s.

 

[justinbrett]

With this kind of language in public statements the other states will have NSW locked out for months ​

​

——​

​

COVID-19: NSW testing rates ‘too low’, virus ‘likely still circulating undetected’ in Sydney​

The NSW Government and NSW Health have issued urgent pleas for more Sydney residents to be tested for COVID-19, as the NSW testing numbers fall behind Victoria again

“Our testing rates are not where we would like them to be,” Ms Berejiklian said pleading with the public to stop being complacent.

While case numbers over the last few days have been “encouraging”, NSW Health said it’s still highly likely “COVID-19 is continuing to circulate in the community”.

“To detect cases in the community effectively, we need to see much higher testing numbers,” the department said in a statement.

“This is a key component of our suppression strategy, but one we are behind on.”

“This is particularly important in Sydney’s west, south-west”

Follow our live coronavirus updates

Russian-born New Zealand tennis player Artem Sitak has delivered some much needed perspective to his fellow players complaining about hotel quarantine arrangements ahead of the Australian Open.

www.news.com.au

NSW have been saying that for 12 months.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Ironically, those who most loudly oppose citizens returning home would generally be the ones worst impacted if they were in the same position - except I guess the chance of that happening is slim.

There is a flip side to this. There are people who did come home early... often with considerable impact on their careers, family life, income, or social lives. It was a tough decision but they made it.

 

[Must...Fly!]

There is a flip side to this. There are people who did come home early... often with considerable impact on their careers, family life, income, or social lives. It was a tough decision but they made it.

True, and others stuck it out either by choice or by absolute necessity. I don't see why they should be discriminated against while Novak Djokovic sits in a hotel suite in Adelaide for 2 weeks.

 

[jakeseven7]

This won’t stop and the EK pull out is creating an enormous s***storm that will draw in the Federal Government.

We have a federal government?
I bet they won’t say boo.

Qatar just reaffirmed they will continue to fly thankfully. And Cathay.

 

[antycbr]

We have a federal government?
I bet they won’t say boo.

They will get asked their thoughts on the matter, and will quite rightly point the finger at Dan Andrews, continuing last years blame festival between our leaders.

I fully support EK in withdrawing from east coast ports, I’m surprised it’s taken this long. I wonder if others will pull the plug now.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

VIC Presser.

Greater Brisbane changed to orange as of 6PM tonight.


Greater Sydney will be shrunk within the next several days as to what is red zone. ie Much to go to orange.


Qld Presser

No new local community cases.

 

[dajop]

I fully support EK in withdrawing from east coast ports, I’m surprised it’s taken this long. I wonder if others will pull the plug now.

Why would other carriers withdraw? They can take up some of the capacity that was allocated to EK. This is probably good for them, and actually is sensible to consolidate on fewer flights/carriers. Harsh to individuals booked on EK, extremely harsh, whilst some of those who've been booted off other carriers may have their bookings re-instated.

Why did EK completely pull their services, instead of reducing them. MEL did not alter its current cap (although it seems increase has been deferred). SYD and BNE halved their weekly caps, so why didn't EK reduce to 1-2 weekly services instead of daily? Same net effect (except I guess crewing costs could be higher). I suspect this may also have to do with new rules if crews test positive, that's got to hurt the far flung carriers much more.

Also EK does not have "cheaper" aircraft in their fleet ... A350's and 789's ... all they have is the gas guzzling 777's and A380's so their ability to economically run flights is less than competitors, and it is also more economic for SQ, CX and MH to run "empty" flights to Australia as they are much shorter routes,

 

[SydneySwan]

I fully support EK in withdrawing from east coast ports, I’m surprised it’s taken this long. I wonder if others will pull the plug now.

I have been amazed that so many airlines have continued to fly to Australia especially as AJ waved the Qantas white flag so early. One investment analyst explained to me that some airlines make a profit just from the freight alone on passenger flights and that he expected more of those airlines to move to freight only and those that needed passengers to remain profitable to abandon Australia in the short-term. I have no idea if that applies to Emirates and hence their withdrawal.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

I have been amazed that so many airlines have continued to fly to Australia especially as AJ waved the Qantas white flag so early. One investment analyst explained to me that some airlines make a profit just from the freight alone on passenger flights and that he expected more of those airlines to move to freight only and those that needed passengers to remain profitable to abandon Australia in the short-term. I have no idea if that applies to Emirates and hence their withdrawal.

Online sales have boomed in the pandemic, and a fare chunk of that gets delivered by air freight as part of the logistics chain.
ie I ordered a replacement brake light for my 4WD from Thailand.

Then air freight for many other reasons. Also freight out, even if WA lobster sales to China have dipped.

Not all comes on just the dedicated freight carriers who have their own planes, and some of those firms also sub-contract freight to airlines.

 

[jase05]

Just at a guess how many flights per week were EK flying to Australia and does anybody have any figures on the weekly passenger arrival numbers on average?

 

[dajop]

One investment analyst explained to me that some airlines make a profit just from the freight alone on passenger flights and that he expected more of those airlines to move to freight only and those that needed passengers to remain profitable to abandon Australia in the short-term. I have no idea if that applies to Emirates and hence their withdrawal.

If, to take a baseline the end of 2019 figures, you look at the freight uplift/discharge, I’m betting SQ do very well out of freight as SIN routes make up 4 of the top 6. DXB is number 9 - with SYD/DXB taking but 1/3 of the freight of SYD/SIN.

This probably makes it more difficult for EK (in addition to having gas guzzling aircraft) compared to SQ, who have been operating a number of “normal” passenger flights (eg SQ 238 MEL-SIN has been operating regularly throughout most of the pandemic, but never taking pax). Even QF have been operating semi- regular A330 freight flights to Asia.

 

[SydneySwan]

VIC Presser.

Greater Sydney will be shrunk within the next several days as to what is red zone. ie Much to go to orange.

I realise that this is very important to Vic residents currently marooned by the Vic Government in NSW but as a NSW resident I have long since ceased to care how the Vic Govt designates areas of NSW.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

NSW Update today. Short and sharp!
One new local case in Western Sydney.

It is believed to be linked to the Berala cluster.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1350231290600185865

 

[zenyattamondatta]

NSW Update today. Short and sharp!
One new local case in Western Sydney.

It is believed to be linked to the Berala cluster.

One probably-linked case should hardly be frown material.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

I realise that this is very important to Vic residents currently marooned by the Vic Government in NSW but as a NSW resident I have long since ceased to care how the Vic Govt designates areas of NSW.

Some of us also run national businesses where we are affected by movements of people. So I tend to find that with announcements by any level of government that I am always weighing them up with my "own business" hat, my "community" hat and my "personal" hat. Sometimes my hats align and sometimes not.