Australian Reports of the Virus Spread

[Denali]

Funeral during Covid FYI.

Mum in laws funeral at Rookwood today and we had 2 x visits from NSW police, one when they were putting mum in law in the hearse/after the service and another at the burial plot about 30mins later. We only had 7 at the service and 9 at the burial (2 uninvited drop ins) so no issue with our group. Funeral Director gave all guests a wrist band to wear/show police. There were staff and police at the front gates for Q check-in.

Service was streamed and recorded for download.

Overall, the experienced sucked because I felt that mum in law deserved better. Im atheist so my feelings dont matter but I wonder how other, more believing, families manage through such a sucky time.

 

[Pushka]

Funeral during Covid FYI.

Mum in laws funeral at Rookwood today and we had 2 x visits from NSW police, one when they were putting mum in law in the hearse/after the service and another at the burial plot about 30mins later. We only had 7 at the service and 9 at the burial (2 uninvited drop ins) so no issue with our group. Funeral Director gave all guests a wrist band to wear/show police. There were staff and police at the front gates for Q check-in.

Service was streamed and recorded for download.

Overall, the experienced sucked because I felt that mum in law deserved better. Im atheist so my feelings dont matter but I wonder how other, more believing, families manage through such a sucky time.

I totally understand. Another member here had to farewell her mother via zoom. Similarly, zooming son's wedding in UK isn't real for me. Everyone deserves better right now. Unfortunately I don't think any politician understands the stress and sadness and anxiety that will remain for a very long time, well after covid.

Having the Police rock up, twice, well, what can I say.

 

[hydrabyss]

No.

That's not totally true, she did ask people to not go to regional NSW.

 

[bcworld]

That's not totally true, she did ask people to not go to regional NSW.

...unless they want to go real estate shopping.

Actually her friend Andrew Clenell over at Sky News is claiming that state wide lockdown is now under consideration. There would still be a need for enforcement of course.

 

[Pushka]

So, this exception to be able to view Real Estate. Wasn't this person a close contact of a known positive person, in which case the loophole could not exist for him and he should have been in a 14 day isolation period and three lots of tests?

 

[suze2000]

Governments who haven't invested in the necessary healthcare systems and resources to manage COVID long term have let us down. They are the reason that we are still demanding zero COVID. They are the reason many in the community are scared of an illness that is not going to leave us.

You forget about the hospital staff who have to care for the sick. Reports out of countries like India, the UK and the US tell stories of overwhelmed staff, desperate and miserable, without hope of a respite, burnt out and with no end in sight.

Have you considered the cost the health system of trying to replace those staff as they choose to leave their professions rather than face up, day after day,to hopelessness without respite? It won't be a few. There would be thousands.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

So, this exception to be able to view Real Estate. Wasn't this person a close contact of a known positive person, in which case the loophole could not exist for him and he should have been in a 14 day isolation period and three lots of tests?

Its a great question. I'm sure NSW Police probably haven't thought of that angle yet.

Not sure from my perspective - heard conflicting reports about household contacts in NSW being required to isolate/quarantine.....

 

[nutwood]

That's not totally true, she did ask people to not go to regional NSW.

But did she say "Please"?!!

 

[Lynda2475]

No.

There are travel restrictions, many people have been turned around (and fined) for travelling outside their 5/10km radius. Mandatory testing has been introduced for essential workers who have to travel from locked down areas into the regions.

There is non-compliance but its factually incorrect to infer no action has been taken.

Police and ADF are door knocking homes of people who are supposed ot be isolating.

I seem to recall some rule breakers from Melbourne leaving during a lockdown to relocate to Qld without a permit, exposing several NSW regional town and others in Queensland.

So, this exception to be able to view Real Estate. Wasn't this person a close contact of a known positive person, in which case the loophole could not exist for him and he should have been in a 14 day isolation period and three lots of tests?

Even if he wasnt supposed to be in iso, whilst you are allowed to view real estate, if its out of your 10km restricted area, you are supposed to drive there do the inspection and then return. Not have a holiday, drop into several regional shops, dine out etc.

It looks like they are finding the Byron exposure sites via his credit/debit card use rather than QR code.

Given the behaviour exhibited, even if real estate inspection was not allowed, suspect this jerk would have gone anyway.

Cleary the cops didnt feel this inspection was real as have charged him.

Whilst, you can add more and more restrictions those who flout rules will still do so, because some people just dont care. Making life even harder for the majority of people doing the right thing causes harm, and does nothing to stop certain asshats who simply dont care.

The NSW police lawyers are over the next day rewriting the restrictions to make them easier to enforce.

It is an issue of non compliance by the few causing pain for the majority.

 

[bcworld]

Walgett Shire lockdown

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1425368923420041216

Actually it looks like several more areas.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1425381282616201218

 

[antycbr]

Things are moving fast.

7 far west LGAs going into lockdown just reported on The Project. Bogan, Bourke, Brewarrina, Coonamble, Gilgandra, Narromine, Walgett and Warren

NSW Police rewriting the Public Health Order and more ADF to be requested. Hazzard lost the argument in Crisis Cabinet and Elliott the NSW Police minister won reported on 9.

Andrew Clennell on Sky reporting a full state lockdown is a live option.

 

[I love to travel]

Things are moving fast.

7 far west LGAs going into lockdown just reported on The Project. Bogan, Bourke, Brewarrina, Coonamble, Gilgandra, Narromine, Walgett and Warren

NSW Police rewriting the Public Health Order and more ADF to be requested. Hazzard lost the argument in Crisis Cabinet and Elliott the NSW Police minister won reported on 9.

Andrew Clennell on Sky reporting a full state lockdown is a live option.

And this is all before the 8pm cut off for numbers.

 

[nutwood]

I've spent way too many days of my life driving around western NSW. There's a lot of empty space between towns. Given one good solid rain event, all the minor roads shut and quite possibly some of the major. If the local councils can so totally restrict and focus traffic because of rain, why can they not do the same for Covid?
It would be ridiculously easy for all the regional towns to take ownership of who enters their patch. Why have they not done so?

 

[antycbr]

I've spent way too many days of my life driving around western NSW. There's a lot of empty space between towns. Given one good solid rain event, all the minor roads shut and quite possibly some of the major. If the local councils can so totally restrict and focus traffic because of rain, why can they not do the same for Covid?
It would be ridiculously easy for all the regional towns to take ownership of who enters their patch. Why have they not done so?

Legally they don’t have the power under the Local Government Act. If someone called the police then the council staff would have to let people through.

Could be changed but Council staff aren’t the best people to be manning roadblocks - they have enough trouble with parking fines.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Things are moving fast.

7 far west LGAs going into lockdown just reported on The Project. Bogan, Bourke, Brewarrina, Coonamble, Gilgandra, Narromine, Walgett and Warren

NSW Police rewriting the Public Health Order and more ADF to be requested. Hazzard lost the argument in Crisis Cabinet and Elliott the NSW Police minister won reported on 9.

Andrew Clennell on Sky reporting a full state lockdown is a live option.

Well if it is back of Bourke (not to mention all those other LGA's)....it can be anywhere in NSW

 

[lovetravellingoz]

I've spent way too many days of my life driving around western NSW. There's a lot of empty space between towns. Given one good solid rain event, all the minor roads shut and quite possibly some of the major. If the local councils can so totally restrict and focus traffic because of rain, why can they not do the same for Covid?
It would be ridiculously easy for all the regional towns to take ownership of who enters their patch. Why have they not done so?

Well one can try and block off every small town in NSW, though it would have been much simpler to have tried to lessen the easy movement from one big town.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

I've spent way too many days of my life driving around western NSW. There's a lot of empty space between towns. Given one good solid rain event, all the minor roads shut and quite possibly some of the major. If the local councils can so totally restrict and focus traffic because of rain, why can they not do the same for Covid?
It would be ridiculously easy for all the regional towns to take ownership of who enters their patch. Why have they not done so?

I think the problem with the Western NSW lockdown is that its because it seems a person was in jail in Bathurst and lived in or near Walgett. So its not started in this case by a non-local.

 

[RAM]

As the NSW Premier will not hesitate to say please know we want you to do the right thing - we are $£££"'d.

NSW (& Victoria) face a major issue with 'dormitory regions' not 'dormitory suburbs'.

A challenge, yes, but not insurmountable.

There are (too) many people who live around Woollongong or as far north as Newcastle who commute daily into work in Greater Sydney. There was a great doco in early 2000s on the 'culture' that's developed for the 'tribe' as they were called coming in daily from Newcastle (by train) and stations south.

There were recently qualified doctors, nurses, engineers, tradies on major construction sites, cleaners, cooks etc etc.

So those who mostly cannot work from home.

A true 'ring of steel' will still let thousands/day travel to from Sydney to these regions. But would stop people heading to more regional areas (to potentially buy property) and provide a much higher degree of protection. I know of many businesses that in 2020 provided letters on letterhead to staff living in such areas to ensure that if stopped they were ok.

If Gladys was to ask for ADF personnel to help man road blocks/checking stations - the Federal Government would move like greased lightening to have them in place. That would, however, mean someone in the State Govt was then accountable for leaks through such a regime vs blaming those who will do the wrong thing.

After all, my favourite stat from Don Weatherburn (NSWBoCS) in the early 2000s - counting a person who has served multiple sentences only once - out of every 10 households in NSW is someone who has served a custodial sentence.

So who, in their right (blameshifting mind?), would expect that there would be too large a number of people who will happily break the rules?

Post automatically merged: Aug 11, 2021

I've spent way too many days of my life driving around western NSW. There's a lot of empty space between towns. Given one good solid rain event, all the minor roads shut and quite possibly some of the major. If the local councils can so totally restrict and focus traffic because of rain, why can they not do the same for Covid?
It would be ridiculously easy for all the regional towns to take ownership of who enters their patch. Why have they not done so?

Border towns (in Victoria, NT & Qld) have done just that with loads of sand, & now rocks due to some people driving over the roadblocks.

As NSW doesn't believe in closing borders unless with Victoria....

 

[Lynda2475]

I think the problem with the Western NSW lockdown is that its because it seems a person was in jail in Bathurst and lived in or near Walgett. So its not started in this case by a non-local.

Exactly it didnt get to Walgett via a Sydneysider travelling there. It was brought there by a local returning from another regional area.

But that doesnt suit the narrative that Sydneysiders are easily able to travel anywhere in the state despite restrictions.

 

[Pushka]

Its a great question. I'm sure NSW Police probably haven't thought of that angle yet.

Not sure from my perspective - heard conflicting reports about household contacts in NSW being required to isolate/quarantine.....

Gosh. In SA, depending on circumstances, SA Health have put close contacts into a Med Hotel. The decision making continues to confound me.