Australian Reports of the Virus Spread

[RooFlyer]

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said the state government was in a “number of discussions” about setting up a remote quarantine facility for returning Australians.

He said no decision had been made but some sites had been identified where there was a large amount of space and an international airport nearby.

Is he talking about Tasmania or Christmas Island, do you think?

But ... an international airport with a large amout of space ... sounds like Tullamarine, doesn't it?

 

[Lynda2475]

That could work well for, say, charter flights, where the Australian government can direct those flights to land wherever they choose.“

But if only for charters does this mean Andrews wants to see no commercial flights?

Geelong isn't really that remote from Tullamarine will still have issue if gets into community via workers, many who would have family members commuting to work or study in Melbourne.

Again maybe focus should be on purpose built accommodation with negative air pressure and uv or other filtering to limit aerosols over moving risk to another community.

NSW does all the heavy lifting and has no realistic options for a remote international airport given majority of international flights right now are for freight with crews staying less than 48hours.

 

[jakeseven7]

Is he talking about Tasmania or Christmas Island, do you think?

But ... an international airport with a large amout of space ... sounds like Tullamarine, doesn't it?

View attachment 241365

Well its Melbourne or Avalon! Process of eliminiation.

HBA yeah right

Post automatically merged: Feb 15, 2021

NSW has no realistic options for a remote international airport

Yes they only have one.... unless they fastrack Western Sydney......

 

[Gremlin]

Looks like next National Cabinet might be interesting with both QLD and VIC pushing for more remote quarantine facilities.

——

Victorian government contemplating setting up a remote quarantine facility​

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said the state government was in a “number of discussions” about setting up a remote quarantine facility for returning Australians.

He said no decision had been made but some sites had been identified where there was a large amount of space and an international airport nearby.

“That could work well for, say, charter flights, where the Australian government can direct those flights to land wherever they choose.“

“We are working on a whole range of different issues, just like [Queensland Premier] Annastacia [Palaszczuk] is working on the Toowoomba option. Hopefully we can have a productive discussion at national cabinet.”

As it happened: First Pfizer vaccine doses arrive in Australia as Victoria records one local COVID-19 case, lockdown continues

The New Zealand travel bubble was suspended late on Sunday following new COVID-19 cases in Auckland. The latest Johns Hopkins University data shows there have been 108.7 million confirmed cases since the start of the pandemic and almost 2.4 million deaths.

www.theage.com.au

One thing that becomes apparent when you read between the lines on this is how long the governments expect quarantining to last. The Calliope option that the Qld Govt considered but now appears dead was an existing unused/underused accommodation facility. The Wellcamp option is a greenfields initiative - right now the proposed facility is literally an empty patch of dirt. Even if it was signed off by National Cabinet on Friday it's going to be many months before the first quarantining Australians arrive. And yet, there must be a strong enough business case, both for the Wagners in building the facility, and for the state and federal governments to utilise the place, for it to still be in consideration. There's no way any such business case stacks up if inbound quarantining is over by the end of the year.

 

[Lynda2475]

they only have one.... unless they fastrack Western Sydney......

Not possible and as much as the majority livingi NB, Eastern suburbs and Inner West consider Badgeries Creek remote (i.e. never plan to use it), its still bascially on outskirts of highly populated area, as is NTL. Badgeries creek will be staffed by people kiving in south west and western suburbs precisely the group that have had higest degree of mystery cases since the start.

Only WA and Queensland have options for genuinely remote sites.

 

[nutwood]

How remote do you need to be? As long as the facility has a fence around it, it wouldn't take many metres of open air to knock over a virus.

 

[jase05]

How remote do you need to be? As long as the facility has a fence around it, it wouldn't take many metres of open air to knock over a virus.

For me the biggest risk is staff going home at night and interacting with others. With a dedicated live on workforce similar to FIFO and some modifications to existing hotels I can’t see why the CBD hotels can’t be used. I just don’t think remote facilities are logistically possible in all states

 

[milehighclub]

For me the biggest risk is staff going home at night and interacting with others. With a dedicated live on workforce similar to FIFO and some modifications to existing hotels I can’t see why the CBD hotels can’t be used. I just don’t think remote facilities are logistically possible in all states

Could this not reduce the number of staff willing to work in the hotels if they have to be permanently isolated too?

 

[zenyattamondatta]

Could this not reduce the number of staff willing to work in the hotels if they have to be permanently isolated too?

If you set the wage at the right level, you will find enough people. Surely it's worth investing a bit to improve upon the current chaos.

 

[dajop]

Could this not reduce the number of staff willing to work in the hotels if they have to be permanently isolated too?

They should be thinking a bit creatively anyway to reduce the number of staff working in hotels. Security is just eyes and ears IIRC, they have to get police involved if there’s a recalcitrant guest anyway. Why not come up with a technological monitoring solution? Forgot the cost of such, wages aren’t cheap and nor are 5 day lockdowns. It’s 2021, not 1921.

 

[Pushka]

Given the cost of leakage and shut downs on various state economies, let alone mental health from the continued threat of leakages and shut downs, an investment in monitoring technology, wages and building infrastructure seems a no brainer.

 

[dajop]

But ... an international airport with a large amout of space ... sounds like Tullamarine, doesn't it?

I would have thought AVV.

MQL could probably handle 737 charters with refuelling stops enroute.

The only other possibility would be RAAF East Sale, but have no idea what the runway can take, and ground handling facilities would be less than ideal ....

 

[Carrots]

There is one problem, these ideas all share a common failing....

They all seem to be far to logical, and well we just can't have anything logical!


*Edit - can't type, far not fair.

 

[nutwood]

There is one problem, these ideas all share a common failing....

They all seem to be fair to logical, and well we just can't have anything logical!

The other issue is that they require someone to be proactive and do something. These days, everything is done on a reactive basis. Whenever a politician does something, no matter how worthwhile, there's almost always someone who is worse off. If the action was a reaction to circumstance it's easy; "we had no choice, thousands would have suffered otherwise". Do something to prevent the original circumstance and they get howled down.
A war is a great boost to a political career. Logically, not starting a war should be more popular.

 

[DC3]

I wonder what the actual arrangement is, I know when I lived Queanbeyan the local NSW police were sworn as 'special constables' in the ACT and vice versa. I believe a similar arrangement is in place in Albury/Wodonga.

I would be surprised if there wasn't something similar along the SA?VIC border.

Yes. A very simple process to appoint Special Constables.

 

[MooTime]

no matter if a facility is remote to whatever degree one may think/want.

If it's run by VIC gov, the same result will eventuate.

If VIC HQ was managed & run by proficient management & workforce & everything in between it would work well where it is at Holiday Inn & Pullman etc, pretty much how NSW has shown.

How a facility is run is oh so vital IMO.
The Vic. premier just avoids the hard questions, so annoying watching his presser.

I expect our VIC lockdown to continue another 5 days.

 

[jakeseven7]

And Avalon appears to be what VIC was alluding to.... Can't wait for National Cabinet should be a thriller

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Avalon Airport confirmed to be pushing for NT-style quarantine base​

​

Victoria’s second international airport is being put forward as a possible site for a remote quarantine base, complete with outdoor cabins for returned travellers, as the state grapples with the fallout from cases in hotel quarantine again leaking into the community.

Avalon Airport boss Justin Giddings says he is waiting to hear back from the state government after submitting a proposal for a facility to be rapidly built on the grounds of the airport, 50 kilometres south-west of Melbourne, which could house upwards of 300 standalone cabins.

Mr Giddings said the plan would involve returned travellers flying into Avalon’s international terminal and walking to nearby quarantine cabins, where people could cook their own meals, clean their own cabins and spend time outside at any time.

As it happened: First Pfizer vaccine doses arrive in Australia as Victoria records one local COVID-19 case, lockdown continues

The New Zealand travel bubble was suspended late on Sunday following new COVID-19 cases in Auckland. The latest Johns Hopkins University data shows there have been 108.7 million confirmed cases since the start of the pandemic and almost 2.4 million deaths.

www.theage.com.au

 

[Lynda2475]

The Avalon proposal still need staff, so will still be some community risk, but better ventilation. I guess by forcing in mates to cook their own meals they remove the risk to uber delivery drivers, but then again they still need to deliver ingredients so risk transferred to Coles/Woolies driver.

Are all freight flights and commercial flights going to AVV too?

Does MEL become a domestic (and NZ when bubble resumes) only aiport.

 

[dajop]

The Avalon proposal still need staff, so will still be some community risk, but better ventilation. I guess by forcing in mates to cook their own meals they remove the risk to uber delivery drivers, but then again they still need to deliver ingredients so risk transferred to Coles/Woolies driver.

What risks to Uber and Woolies/Coles driver? They deliver to the hotel lobby not to the room (unless they are former staff and know the way around the staff entrances). Hotel staff deliver food and groceries to room (outside the door) , as they do with prepared meals.

I thought the exposed person (delivering food to room) at the HI was staff of the hotel or the CQV program - not a random delivery driver, or has a delivery driver tested positive elsewhere?

 

[jase05]

Are all freight flights and commercial flights going to AVV too?

Would very much doubt freight goes to AVV