The way out of lockdowns etc in Australia

[Hvr]

Though one comment I have heard holds a little truth-"if State Governments had to pay unemployment benefits the lockdowns would be more lenient.

But the states do pay health costs.

I can foresee the PM being given credit for his handling of the crisis but then being slammed and blamed for the economic consequences.Albanese is already making noises suggesting that is what he intends to do.

Well that's part of being in charge. And if the political parties were in the reverse position then exactly the same outcome would occur.

Here in Victoria the Labor premier is already being abused and ridiculed for not opening the state as quickly as the Liberal party wants.
No matter what he does he can't win.

 

[drron]

HVR I note the little print below your posts.interesting who you think is correct-Jacinda who has announced that from thursday people can go to movies and cafes,restaurants can open plus a few more things or Dan for not opening the state as fast as Jacinda is doing for NZ.
Of course she has one big advantage over Morrison-she doesn't have to deal with State Governments.

PS the extra Health costs are miniscule compared to the extra welfare costs.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

But as we have seen unemployment costs during Covid have skyrocketed and way outstrip tax receipts.I am sure they would be looking at any way they could reduce the loss of jobs.As it is some of their decisions really do not take the economy into account.

As you have said - it's great that all parties have come together with a united front. And that united front is that this is first and foremost a medical emergency. Fix that, then look to repair the economy. That position hasn't changed, and we are now emerging to fix the economy. But it has to be done safely.

 

[drron]

As you have said - it's great that all parties have come together with a united front. And that united front is that this is first and foremost a medical emergency. Fix that, then look to repair the economy. That position hasn't changed, and we are now emerging to fix the economy. But it has to be done safely.

So I will ask the same question I asked of HVR.Who is right-Jacinda for allowing Kiwis to go to movies cafes and restaurants from Thursday or Dan who won't consider that unyil next month?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

So I will ask the same question I asked of HVR.Who is right-Jacinda for allowing Kiwis to go to movies cafes and restaurants from Thursday or Dan who won't consider that unyil next month?

It's not a matter of 'who is right'. Different regions have different challenges and the advice coming from health officials is no doubt reflective of that.

 

[OATEK]

It's not a matter of 'who is right'. Different regions have different challenges and the advice coming from health officials is no doubt reflective of that.

I am not sure about that. If you talk to people in rural and remote areas like I have you will find they think their region has suffered unfairly because of rules designed for crowded cities.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I am not sure about that. If you talk to people in rural and remote areas like I have you will find they think their region has suffered unfairly because of rules designed for crowded cities.

For sure, and last night the reasons given for lockdowns applying in regional areas was that there are people in mandatory isolation in those areas. Once those have ended, there may be the opportunity to relax the rules proportionate to the risk.

 

[Gremlin]

So I will ask the same question I asked of HVR.Who is right-Jacinda for allowing Kiwis to go to movies cafes and restaurants from Thursday or Dan who won't consider that unyil next month?

I think they are both right. NZ has no community transmission - the benefit of going harder, earlier - so they will see the benefit in opening their community and economy faster. Victoria still has clear evidence of community transmission and that means that any move to reopening the economy has to be handled with more patience and care.

I can also tell you that I think several of the US state Governors are wrong in reopening the economy whilst community transmission is accelerating, they have inadequate ability to test and trace and frontline medical staff are still lacking sufficient PPE. Whilst there might be a short-term sugar hit to their respective economies, I have no doubt that in the long run those communities will end up with worse health outcomes AND worse economic outcomes.

One of the really interesting observations out of the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918-1921 was that the communities that locked down hardest and controlled the outbreak ended up with not only the best health outcomes, but also had far better economic recoveries than those that tried to "walk the tightrope" between saving lives and saving the economy.

 

[ramboflyer]

I can’t see a venue concert happening in Australia any time this year...

You may be right but Ticketek are still selling tickets to Rod Stewart in Melbourne and Sydney.

 

[jakeseven7]

I think they are both right. NZ has no community transmission - the benefit of going harder, earlier.

That they know of.

NZ will have to be prepared, to fight clusters, contact trace and quarantine just like Australia as they reopen. It will happen, just a question of when.

But life goes on, we have to live with this and manage the best we can.

I'm really pleased the messaging from the Premiers has changed to this. Expect clusters and outbreaks everywhere. But don't panic. Carry on and we will deal with them.

 

[Gremlin]

That they know of.

NZ will have to be prepared, to fight clusters, contact trace and quarantine just like Australia as they reopen. It will happen, just a question of when.

But life goes on, we have to live with this and manage the best we can.

I'm really pleased the messaging from the Premiers has changed to this. Expect clusters and outbreaks everywhere. But don't panic. Carry on and we will deal with them.

Agreed. From what I read on it, NZ's approach to clusters, contact tracing and quarantining known and potential cases is as good, if not better, than most of Australia (From what I've read, I think South Australia has got it together better than the rest of us). However, without known active community transmission they can be more bullish in moving to that phase faster.

In contrast, Victoria has still known community transmission occurring right NOW. As a result, I believe that it's perfectly reasonable that NZ and Vic are not on quite the same trajectory out of this.

 

[Pushka]

(From what I've read, I think South Australia has got it together better than the rest of us)

I think that is likely true and I have no idea why SA has taken the lead in this - started with testing many people from the get go and isolating and quarantining likely hot spots. Someone in SA Health is very much on the ball and SA Pathology, after some issues in past years, has really come to fore. Maybe some here have some ideas

 

[drron]

I'm not sure you can say NZ has no known active community transmission.They have had only 4 days of no new cases.Of the 11 cases diagnosed during May only 2 had a history of OS travel but one had arrived from France 2 months before testing positive.
Of their total cases 32% had a history of OS travel,24% contact with a known case of overseas travel,24% locally acquired with a known cluster,4% local of unknown source and 1% under investigation.
figures taken from NZ dept of Health website.

I agree SA seems to have handled things well as has WA.Their dividing the State into regions and preventing travel between I feel was a good idea.Certainly parts of western and northern QLD would have liked that to have happened.
I also believe that as for tracing and testing Victoria is doing an excellent job now.

I think NSW and QLD are at the bottom in their handling of this pandemic.

What annoyed me this last weekend was the Vic and NSW Health authorities leaving until Monday the decision about being able to visit family members.Particularly galling was the NSW disaster of a Health Minister saying we have to think about this decision some more over the weekend.Well Mother's Day was known well before this pandemic struck.Surely a decision could have been made either Friday or Saturday that a visit to a mother was OK on the Sunday.I feel sorry for those with an elderly Mother or Grandmother who will have missed seeing family on their last Mother's day on this earth.

 

[Pushka]

What annoyed me this last weekend was the Vic and NSW Health authorities leaving until Monday the decision about being able to visit family members

Grandmother's song to Daniel Andrews this Mother's Day

A Victorian grandmother’s message to Premier Daniel Andrews this Mother’s Day has proven a surprise hit on social media. Janette Young wrote a song addressed to Mr Andrews, asking for restrictions to be eased at the weekend so she can see her family who live in Melbourne, five hours away from...

www.3aw.com.au

I had the best mothers day present ever by having my two sons, and grandson and being able to hug them all after too many weeks apart when they live "just down the road".

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Well Mother's Day was known well before this pandemic struck.Surely a decision could have been made either Friday or Saturday that a visit to a mother was OK on the Sunday.I feel sorry for those with an elderly Mother or Grandmother who will have missed seeing family on their last Mother's day on this earth.

And why can't people celebrate mother's day one weekend later?

If a children only see their mother on the officially designated mother's day, and at no other time in the year, then I agree, maybe this was a problem.

 

[Pushka]

And why can't people celebrate mother's day one weekend later?

If a children only see their mother on the officially designated mother's day, and at no other time in the year, then I agree, maybe this was a problem.

Because then it isnt Mothers Day?

 

[dajop]

OK on the Sunday.I feel sorry for those with an elderly Mother or Grandmother who will have missed seeing family on their last Mother's day on this earth.

At the end of the day, Mothers Day is not tied to a specific date, there is no special significance to the second sunday in May ( not like, for example, Anzac day with a specific date), so there is nothing stopping anyone choosing to celebrate it at another time when they can be together. I missed the last Christmas with both my grandmothers, as they spent it with other family members, but no need to feel sorry for me, and no regrets. We made time to see them for Christmas on a different day. People just need to be a little creative.

 

[Pushka]

At the end of the day, Mothers Day is not tied to a specific date, there is no special significance to the second sunday in May ( not like, for example, Anzac day with a specific date), so there is nothing stopping anyone choosing to celebrate it at another time when they can be together. I missed the last Christmas with both my grandmothers, as they spent it with other family members, but no need to feel sorry for me, and no regrets. We made time to see them for Christmas on a different day. People just need to be a little creative.

As do we with Christmas Day with our family. However, that is your choice to do so.

I think Andrews blunt dismissal of being able to celebrate with mothers, after the Friday Federal announcements, and with the knowledge that other states were giving permission for small family visits, seemed more a case of beligerance on his part knowing that the next day that such gatherings were going to be allowed. Symbolic refusal only.

 

[prozac]

I think traditionally it's referred to as the People's Republic of Moreland, which is a local government area in Melbourne with a particular reputation I've never heard of Victoria as a whole with that moniker. Progressive state? Best state? But not People's Sates

It is to do with the present Victorian government jumping into bed with the Communist Party of China via their Belt and Road initiative.

Daniel Andrews has signed a new deal with China. What does it mean for Victoria?

Victoria's new deal with Beijing has angered some in the Morrison Government who worry about Chinese influence in Australia, but Premier Daniel Andrews says it will boost the state's economy and jobs.

www.abc.net.au

 

[drron]

And why can't people celebrate mother's day one weekend later?

If a children only see their mother on the officially designated mother's day, and at no other time in the year, then I agree, maybe this was a problem.

Because they didn't say that definitely was a possibility before Mother's Day.And Mother's Day is Mother's Day.Important to quite a lot of ordinary people.
This year many had not seen their children,grandchildren for 2 months.Don't no why you assume they only see their family one day a year.Just listen to the song @Pushka posted.