Australian state border restrictions

[Must...Fly!]

It's a nice looking tent!

Can only go on what I'm told which is that it's way more than a tent outside the existing ED.

 

[nutwood]

Myself and daughter spent the last week in NSW again. We covered Byron, Tamworth, Taree and Sydney. One interesting, and somewhat distressing thing, we noticed is how many little take-away places have either completely vanished or changed into something else.
It was a rushed trip so we were relying on Google maps to find somewhere to grab take-away food and more often than not, the place we'd selected was gone. I'm wondering just how many little businesses have vanished in the past year or so? I know several of my regulars in Adelaide are no longer there.

 

[k_sheep]

The McGowan backflips continue. Got my G2G exemption approved really quickly. 36 hours later, got an email saying it was unsuccessful. What the? Glad I hadn't already started traveling.

 

[oz_mark]

The McGowan backflips continue. Got my G2G exemption approved really quickly. 36 hours later, got an email saying it was unsuccessful. What the? Glad I hadn't already started traveling.

It's all a bit of a cluster at the moment.

 

[VPS]

Myself and daughter spent the last week in NSW again. We covered Byron, Tamworth, Taree and Sydney. One interesting, and somewhat distressing thing, we noticed is how many little take-away places have either completely vanished or changed into something else.
It was a rushed trip so we were relying on Google maps to find somewhere to grab take-away food and more often than not, the place we'd selected was gone. I'm wondering just how many little businesses have vanished in the past year or so? I know several of my regulars in Adelaide are no longer there.

Our regular cafe in Adelaide closed last week as has another favourite. When doing searches you are never sure if they are still there or not

 

[JohnM]

The McGowan backflips continue. Got my G2G exemption approved really quickly. 36 hours later, got an email saying it was unsuccessful. What the? Glad I hadn't already started traveling.

A friend of my partner’s daughter is a physician returning to WA from the E states to work in Broome. She had a full 2 week iso accommodation organised. Doing all the ‘right’ things. G2G accepted, then rejected, then eventually reinstated. She is due to hit the deck in PER tonight.

WA Health squealing they can’t get people to work in the Kimberley. She was going there willingly to work and then that happens.

Do McGowan and the other people running this G2G garbage have any idea what they are doing? I think the answer is obvious.

 

[jakeseven7]

A friend of my partner’s daughter is a physician returning to WA from the E states to work in Broome. She had a full 2 week iso accommodation organised. Doing all the ‘right’ things. G2G accepted, then rejected, then eventually reinstated. She is due to hit the deck in PER tonight.

WA Health squealing they can’t get people to work in the Kimberley. She was going there willingly to work and then that happens.

Do McGowan and the other people running this G2G garbage have any idea what they are doing? I think the answer is obvious.

Precisely why we were working with WA Health to boost HCP numbers and now can’t because no one is willing to do the quarantine…. So instead of using the time to get ready, WA is suffering a net LOSS of doctors and more importantly nurses to the eastern states because no one wants to stay there.

The hard border has failed and the ONLY reason it still exists is because one person refuses to accept responsibility and is desperately trying to find a way to save face.

In the meantime I just feel so desperately sorry for those still imprisoned in WA, unable to leave, businesses impacted. It’s just such a mess and I just don’t know where to from here…

 

[jakeseven7]

A floundering Mark McGowan faces barrage of questions as WA border remains firmly shut​

After a week that saw a just a single COVID-19 case close a school and Western Australia likened to North Korea, it is hard to believe WA's borders were supposed to open today.

When the reopening date was announced on December 13, former WA Health Minister Roger Cook warned the state's COVID-free bubble was "about to burst".

With Omicron rapidly spreading in Western Australia, the bubble has already burst but the border remains shut, many argue for purely political reasons.

Confusion and inconsistencies reign supreme on day WA was set to reopen

Today is the day Western Australia was supposed to reconnect with the world, but major disruptions in schools and ongoing confusion about who is allowed into the state indicates it wasn't ready to open.

www.abc.net.au

 

[jakeseven7]

And similar question - what has the Govt been doing with the $$$.

Good question. Ask the WA Treasurer. Oh…. wait….

 

[Must...Fly!]

Asked during an interview on Nine Radio what death rate he would be willing to accept, the Premier, visibly exasperated, said: "My preferred option is that people don't die".

"I think being alive is important.

The guy is completely unhinged.

 

[jakeseven7]

The guy is completely unhinged.

Long lost brother of a retired QLD CHO sometimes I ponder

 

[N860CR]

The guy is completely unhinged.

Such a comment is as dangerous as it is naive. We pay politicians to make these hard decisions. If WA is going down the path of trying to eradicate death, then there’s been some major change in human evolution that I’ve not been made aware of.

Aside from a tiny majority of covid-cling ons, I believe most people have the sense to realize that a global pandemic will sadly equal the loss of some people. Anybody who can’t accept that is probably a touch beyond unhinged, and for the leader of the state to believe it is somewhat terrifying.

 

[andye]

I have heard people say that covid deaths are like a classroom dying each day (nearly all of whom loved in some way)
In context pre-covid about 450 Australians die every day of all sorts of diseases, again loved, many before their time

 

[N860CR]

I have heard people say that covid deaths are like a classroom dying each day (nearly all of whom loved in some way)
In context pre-covid about 450 Australians die every day of all sorts of diseases, again loved, many before their time

It’s certainly very sad when people die. I found out yesterday that a distant friend committed suicide recently. Mid 40s, wife and young child, had a fairly successful business that went bust because of covid restrictions. Sadly, I don’t think his death will slip into the “covid” category as we just try to ignore these.

I’m not sure if it’s been fact checked as yet, but if Hunts claim that 60% of deaths are occurring in palliative care, then I doubt our “excess mortality” is going to be significant. Again, good news (before anyone goes getting worked up)

 

[andye]

It’s certainly very sad when people die. I found out yesterday that a distant friend committed suicide recently. Mid 40s, wife and young child, had a fairly successful business that went bust because of covid restrictions. Sadly, I don’t think his death will slip into the “covid” category as we just try to ignore these.

I’m not sure if it’s been fact checked as yet, but if Hunts claim that 60% of deaths are occurring in palliative care, then I doubt our “excess mortality” is going to be significant. Again, good news (before anyone goes getting worked up)

A good friend who moved to the US also committed suicide last year. I'm quite sure covid restrictions were a contributing factor to his marriage breakdown

I'd be surprised if 60% are officially in palliative care before catching covid though many will be in last two years of life. In many states hospital patients are "service-changed" from "acute care" to "palliative care" when a decision is made to focus on comfort during the admission

Ourworldindata has Australia (and NZ) mortality as negative compared to projections.

 

[Must...Fly!]

I imagine the statistics of relationship breakdowns during COVID would shock most...our lives changed very significantly.

 

[VPS]

There was a line on the ABC website today about Justin Langer refusing to comment when he returned to his home - presumably to go into home quarantine for two weeks or would he get an exemption

 

[jase05]

There was a line on the ABC website today about Justin Langer refusing to comment when he returned to his home - presumably to go into home quarantine for two weeks or would he get an exemption

No exemption

 

[NM]

And of course the WA requirements for entry for those lucky enough to be approved, require the successful hunt for a RAT.

SMS message received following G2G application:

Your application for a G2G Pass to enter Western Australia (WA) was APPROVED and you are due to arrive in WA soon.

You are required to undertake your Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) 24 hours prior to arrival into WA and produce photographic evidence of a negative RAT on arrival.

All travellers are required to undertake COVID-19 testing and self-isolation for 14 days after arriving in WA.

Anyone else who is staying at your suitable premises (household contacts) must also isolate ...

Thankfully my niece has managed to buy a RAT from a pharmac_ in preparation for her long drive home. Timing the 24 hours before crossing the SA-WA border will be a bit of a challenge. The communicaiton was not "within 24 hours", but specifically says "24 hours prior to arrival". Lets hope there is no unexpected delay in the last 24 hours of travel before crossing the border.

 

[oz_mark]

Precisely why we were working with WA Health to boost HCP numbers and now can’t because no one is willing to do the quarantine…. So instead of using the time to get ready, WA is suffering a net LOSS of doctors and more importantly nurses to the eastern states because no one wants to stay there.

The hard border has failed and the ONLY reason it still exists is because one person refuses to accept responsibility and is desperately trying to find a way to save face.

Well, they claim the health system is ready.....While I doubt the health system is ready, I also don't think the hard border is about health outcomes.