Around 11 hours ago the lockdown capital of the universe, Melbourne, relaxed a few restrictions – somewhat. It would be ludicrous to compare this with what happened in NSW a few weeks ago. There they really could celebrate ‘Freedom Day’ under the very strong leadership of Dominic Perrottet. But no such luck here. Consider these grim figures:
- The Czech Republic spent 201 days locked down because of the state’s response to the virus.
- London spent 207 days locked down.
- Buenos Aires spent 245 days locked down.
- Melbourne spent 263 days locked down as of October 21, and it is still not over yet.
The truth is, we are STILL in our sixth lockdown! Yes, we have had a minor reprieve, but madness still prevails. We still have these ludicrous restrictions: a 25km travel limit; retail is still closed; schools are still mostly closed; and so on. Um, that is NOT freedom by any stretch of the imagination.
The very fact that Chairman Andrews has made any moves away from lockdown lunacy here is really due to Perrottet: he has shamed Andrews into action. Sydney and NSW are leading the nation in how to proceed, leaving states like Victoria in the dust. So, Andrews has been forced to act – at least a little bit – in order not to look like the buffoon that he has been.
But the differences between the two states could not be greater. Even the Federal treasurer Josh Frydenberg has spoken out about the marked contrasts between the two. He said in part:
They’re certainly very legitimate questions to ask and I’ve made similar comments in the past because at 70 per cent double dose vaccination rates in NSW, retail was open, indoor cinemas were open, swimming pools were open, gyms were open. You didn’t need to wear a mask outside, some of the larger events could be held. We haven’t seen those sort of freedoms in Victoria at 70 per cent. They are legitimate questions to ask of the state government as to why people in NSW have got more freedoms at the same vaccination rate than the people of Victoria.
The same article offers this handy comparison about a tale of two cities:
70 per cent Victoria
– No home visits
– 10 fully vaccinated people can gather outdoors
– Gyms, spas, saunas and steam rooms closed
– Pubs, clubs and entertainment venues can open to 50 fully vaccinated people outdoors – seated service only
– Outdoor retail only to reopen
– 25km travel limit
– 20 fully vaccinated people allowed at indoor funerals
– 50 fully vaccinated people allowed at outdoor funerals and weddings70 per cent NSW
– 10-visitor limit in your home
– 30 fully vaccinated people can gather outdoors, or two unvaccinated people
– Gyms, indoor recreation and sporting facilities reopen with density limits
– Group bookings of up to 20 people in hospitality settings with density limits, seated service only indoors, seated or standing service outdoors
– Non-essential retail reopens with density limits
– LGA and 5km travel limits lifted
– 100 fully vaccinated people allowed at funerals, or 5 unvaccinated people
– 100 fully vaccinated people allowed at weddings, or 5 unvaccinated people80 per cent Victoria
– 10 people (including dependants) can gather inside the home
– 30 people can gather outdoors
– Masks only required indoors
– Hospitality open for seated service only, up to 150 fully vaccinated people inside and 500 outdoors.
– All retail open
– Beauty, hairdressing and personal care open for fully vaccinated people
– Weddings, funerals and religious services for 150 fully vaccinated people indoors, 500 outdoors80 per cent New South Wales
– 20 people can gather inside the home
– 50 people can gather outdoors
– Masks required indoors, but not in office settings
– Hospitality open for seated and standard service with density limits, group bookings of up to 20. (No booking caps from November 1)
– Retail open, only click and collect for unvaccinated people
– Beauty, hairdressing and personal care open with no customer limits
– No patron caps on weddings, funerals and religious services with fully vaccinated guests
Some of the madness over these past 263 days that I and 5 million other hapless citizens have had to endure include:
- closure of playgrounds, skate parks, tennis courts, golf courses
- no one allowed to visit you at home
- one hour a day allowed outdoors to exercise
- a ban on watching sunsets alone on a windswept beach
- a ban on fishing
- not being able to remove masks while drinking a beer
- not being allowed to sit on a park bench
- overnight curfews
- shutting down construction in Melbourne for two weeks costing us $1.4 billion
And we have been so terribly impacted by all this:
- decimating the economy
- destroyed businesses
- countless lost livelihoods
- 40 businesses a week were closed
- we have had the most deaths in the entire nation
- negative population growth (people are in a mass exodus from here)
- mental health problems escalating
- suicides escalating
- eating disorders escalating
- drug and alcohol problems escalating
- kids scarred for life
And that is just the shortlist. Many experts have said that the extreme lockdowns have not only been counterproductive but have caused more harm than good. Yet power-drunk rulers like Andrews have had to come kicking and screaming to even these very limited rollbacks of the crazy restrictions.
But images are much better than words here. To get a proper feel for what a ghost town Melbourne has been for so long now, please watch this 4-minute video which was taken a few weeks ago – it really does say it all.
But the madness that is Victoria is far from over, unfortunately. Consider one more bit of insanity and heartlessness, this time from the Victorian head of the AMA. As one news report stated: “The AMA Victoria president, Dr Roderick McRae, said those who do not believe Covid-19 is real or a threat should update their advanced care directives and inform their relatives that they do not wish to receive care in the public health system if diagnosed with the virus.”
Good grief, who is this clown? He is actually saying those who have had legitimate questions about all things Covid should be denied health care? Really? Did this guy not take the Hippocratic Oath? You know, the one that says that basic health care should be available to all and denied to none?
Even those who have questions about these matters have paid for the public health system with their taxes. They are just as entitled to make use of it as anyone else. Or will this little medical dictator also be telling us that the obese, or heavy smokers, or drug takers, or alcoholics, or others deemed unworthy by the state should not get access to health care as well? This guy has been hanging around Dan Andrews too long.
So please, none of this nonsense about ‘Freedom Day’ in Melbourne. It is nothing of the sort. We are still imprisoned in so many ways. And it is Andrews and Co who should have been sent to prison long ago for all the horrific harm they have caused, including the over 800 Victorians killed because of their botched hotel quarantine debacle.
We need a prisoner swap here: Free all of us Victorians and lock up Andrews. Throwing away the key might be a good step as well.
