Not quite right, people do care, it's a case of what can we do about it in the same way as climate change and plastics in the ocean. One only needs to think about those issues pre -covid, what were your thoughts and what did you do then, it's exactly the same. Opening the borders and pretending the pandemic doesn't exist isn't going to fix the problem, it's only going to make it worse. One step at a time.

Stop lying they were given an exemption to enter queensland, she initially delayed from entering the ICU until they had sorted infection control. Next day she was allowed to enter the ICU in full protective gear, by the time the reports where published she had already visited the child. A few days later the child and the family returned to lismore

I don't appreciate being called a liar, champ - particularly when you've provided no evidence she was indeed reunited with her newborn "after" the original articles were published. However this article states she was not reunited with her infant until after he was returned to Lismore. Do you have any reference to verify your claims these two articles are incorrect?

And This story reports the parents were "Forced to return home"...

So here we are heading to the end of week 5 of stage 4 lock-down and we get 113 new cases in the last 24 hours. We entered stage 3 again on July 8th and on July 22nd face masks became compulsory. There's a lot of people out and about; and I don't think they give a crap.

I am curious as to why numbers are so high in ML still, even with ppl moving about I'm sure the majority are doing the right thing.

Are the testers being tested daily, these are vulnerable if there's an issue with PPE, which clearly there is due to number of medical staff infected already. It only takes one asymptomatic spreader among them. One of our own weaknesses we identified.

A lot of ongoing outbreaks, a couple of days ago Brett Sutton mentioned there being still over 100 active outbreaks

Ragnor - I'd say the vast majority are doing the right thing. Victorians are no different to any other people in Australia. Problem is Victoria is being led by a bunch of inept, incompetent but extraordinarily arrogant fools who dropped the ball on hotel quarantine and once it got out into the community their contact tracing system was exposed as being totally undermanned and inadequate, which allowed the virus to completely get away from them and the only way to stop it was to impose another harsh lockdown. The problem is, they STILL haven't fixed the contact tracing problem and until they do, we're never going to get on top of this. Wouldn't surprise me if they extend Stage 4 to end of September now.
Example :- Someone I know was just informed that their child has been identified as a 'close contact' of another child who has just tested positive and has to be isolated. Problem is, they were informed about this 8 DAYS after the child tested positive. Like I said, we'll never get on top of it under those circumstances. How many others have been unwittingly spreading it at the local supermarket, workplace, school etc due to delays like this..? Victoria is right royally screwed at the moment. I'm not a fan of border closures but I can understand why they're doing it.

1/3 of cases are in the healthcare system & of the 15 deaths 8 or 9 of them are from past couple of weeks which have just come through,14 out of the 15 are from aged care.
The fed govt run the aged care system so they should be answering the questions as to why there is the delay in deaths being reported & also why these deaths are occuring.
Blame Andrews for what hes responsible for but dont put blinkers on when you see facts u dont like,brett sutton is a professor not a fool so those happy to criticise should think about what he is not what state hes working in.

The LGA's of Wyndham, Hume, Brimbank, Hobsons Bay, Moreland, Maribyrnong and Melton have had the highest case rates in the last 2 weeks; with the exception of Maribyrnong, these LGA's also have some of the lowest testing rates. A number of these have been right up there since the beginning when the genie was let out of the quarantine bottle.

Gladys said today she had that phone call with Anastasia about the border, Anastasia told her two incubation periods without community transmission Gladys told her you’re requesting the impossible. I have not posted the storey which is in today’s Australian live updates.

Anyone here over the federal and states rules of parliament and out constitution?

Sco Mo said in question time today borders will be open before Xmas! Does he have the power to overrule a state premier and if so why has he not done so for even the simplest things like medical and contract workers?

She also said she will raise it with her health officials, so it wasn't a blanket refusal and Scomo did not say that. Have another listen to his speech, the media may well have said that.

Make the states fund JobKeeper and watch the restrictions come tumbling down.

That might be a problem for Victoria where most of the jobkeeper payments are and their borders are not closed.

The problem is Anastasia is too unpredictable. We can’t be opening and closing. NSW might maintain 10 cases a day for a month then all of a sudden record 20 and she locks them out again. You then don’t get that border open for months. Madness.

I actually pity AJ and all his employees who have to put up with this BS. By all means vote her out folks.

The real issue is that no-one truly believes having community transmission is containable. Most believe it will blow out and NSW will end up where VIC is. Just quietly the medical professionals believe NSW will fall by Christmas. If they are wrong and NSW does a sterling job and keeps it contained, then that's a fair call for the other states to consider following NSW lead.

This has been the problem since day one. No-one has ever bothered to either set or state the criteria for border openings. It’s an ad-hoc, scattergun process, varying between each state and territory, rather than a national approach in the national interest.

Having said that, Queensland’s CHO stated today they want to see 28 days with no community transmission in NSW before considering opening the border. As Gladys said, we may never see that. If there’s no vaccine, or it’s not completely effective, based on their own criteria, Queensland may stay closed to southern states in perpetuity.

It’s a frankly ridiculous state of affairs and our political leaders should hang their collective heads in shame at their inability to plan a way forward in the best interests of ALL Australians. If they want to stay shut then so be it but find a nationally agreed position, state what it is, and prepare Australians for what is to come.

If there has ever been a stronger scenario in the last 120 years arguing for the abolition of the states entirely, I fail to see it.

What is the Federal Governments criteria for opening the International border. Start with that first.

Source? Or this is just your usual hyperbole.

Xeptu- You are getting a kick out of seeing thousands of lives destroyed. You seem very happy and content that the reaction of premiers will be worse than the virus itself.

My very well integrated family members, you can call it hyperbole from me personally if you wish. It doesn't make any difference.

Did you get a kick out of those who lost everything from the bushfires, Your position is no different, it's the same argument.

Not even close, Xeptu!

The bushfires were a natural disaster. COVID could also be described as a national disaster. Maybe. However, the issue being discussed here is not COVID itself, but the Government response to COVID, and that is what most of have an issue with. Bushfires you can defend against, you know your enemy, you can, if you deem it necessary, prepare your property. If you choose not to do so, and you lose your house, then I'm sorry, but perhaps building among the gum trees with minimal protection wasn't the right idea in the first place but that's as far as it goes for me. If you've done everything right, got a dam or tank, diesel firefighter pump, PPE and hose reels about your house and you still lose it, then you should be supported.

The difference is one of personal responsibility and ability of the individual to control the outcome. With COVID, we have none of that.

Do I want to catch it? Not at all. But I would rather take the chance of catching it, but wear PPE, wash my hands, not pick my nose etc, and have a fully functioning country and economy than what we have now - Governments at each others throats, a budget deficit that will take generations to pay off and tens of thousands of people unemployed.

Can I have my 2011-2012 flood levy back?

Xeptu is safely ensconced in his cave, so screw everyone else. I’d rather take my chances with coronavirus than be living in my car relying on food stamps within 12 months. And at the current rate, the latter is a much more likely occurrence.

Statements clearly made by someone who has never lived in the regions, you don't have any of that in a bushfire either and the outcome is the same, arguably less for you, you still have your house. So when the fires were finally out, where were you, did you join us installing water tanks and demountable accomodation, or was it just thoughts and prayers.

No o did not. That’s a random comment. I helped rebuild those around me donated what I could.

But that comment makes a lot of sense you have had misery recently I feel for you. But don’t sit there behind your keyboard wishing it on others and be happy that others are being destroyed.

I'm actually offended, where on earth do you get the notion I wish it on others. I have always my entire life done what is in the best interest of the greater majority. Your problem is not recognising you are not in that majority.

Zero chance of that happening. That would require the biggest re-writing of the Constitution in history. Australians are notoriously reluctant to change the Constitution, only 8 out of 44 referendums have passed for minor issues. Even relatively straight forward changes for a minimal Republican model failed. Abolition of the states would never get through. I think WA, and maybe others, would rather secede than be ruled from Canberra on the other side of the continent.

The way out of this will be a national road map, but that would take a competent Federal government. Apart from putting us into debt giving pay rises to some casual and part time workers our current government has been quite clueless on how to guide us through this crisis. They've been more than happy to follow the Premiers and Arden's lead, and cowardly hide behind Clive Palmer. They refused to debate Australia's first recession in 3 decades yesterday in Parliament. So it's no surprise some Premiers feel they have to take the initiative on their own.

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Yup, I know it. Doesn't hurt to dream though.

28 days of no community transmission to consider opening. Lets say that happens. What if the very next day sees 5 cases QLD will close the border faster than you can say disease infested. No point having opening criteria without publicising the criteria for shutting the border.

This is the biggest over reaction in history. Efforts are not directed in the right areas.
target protection for the elderly and vulnerable. The rest of us should be getting on with life with the appropriate precautions. Palaszczuk and McGowan have no idea what it means to be Australian. Remove all government subsidies, have them find their own medical care. Perhaps that will remind them. +1 on the flood levy.

My dad lives in QLD. Been a labor voter all his life. Wouldn’t spit on Palaszczuk he says. Both parents moving out of QLD ASAP. Disgusted with the place.

Yes,she is a dreamer whereas Gladys is a realist & doesnt crap on & on about how good she is.
That picture of her holding the footy is an absolute embarrasment & shows (as usual) its all about her.
I havent heard her bleating about how much its costing her bankrupt state to host the afl gf & how much revenue will come from 30,000 fans.

This statement comes up often - but NEVER has anyone supplied any information on how or how long details. I am very interested to hear more about protecting the vulnerable (that group includes the elderly by the way).

Me too, along with the benefits to an unaffected state opening its border and allowing the virus in.

Quarantine shenanigans

You can't make this stuff up. There is some blue ribbon hypocrisy going on here. Nothing to do with an election I'm sure.

So the WA Premier has stated he will not open the borders until the rest of the nation has achieved 28 days COVID-free.

My question to you is: What happens if (when) that is not achieved?

Wait until the virus burns itself out.

I suggested this type (similar) quarantine arrangement before - a one in all in approach at resorts. All arrive together and all depart together 14 days later.

If one case emerges then it is restart of quarantine for all.