Has Australia changed during the pandemic?
Aug 31st 2021, 11:16 am
#46
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Posts: 247
Re: Has Australia changed during the pandemic?
Ok, I probably need to be a bit more specific as the whole world has changed I guess...
So, obviously, no doubt that Australia has handled the pandemic well in terms of overall cases/deaths. However, as we move on from 2020 into a "new normal", I feel that Australia is being left behind while the majority of the world moves on. This is often referenced as "Fortress Australia" and the obsession with zero Covid - and yes, this is probably the only reasonable strategy at this point of time given the slow vaccine roll out.
However, I feel that there has been a shift in Australian society - more insular, more fearful, more parochial and yes, more racist/anti-migrant/anti-expats.
My impression is based on following Aussie news, reading comments on social media/newspapers etc., reading experiences from returning citizens/residents and conversations with friends in Australia.
I usually live in Sydney but made the decision to temporarily move to Europe in October in order to assist a family member after major surgery. The timing was right as my work contract had ended so I just put my stuff into storage and off I went after obtaining a travel exemption. A few months later, I was offered a job in one of our major Covid vaccination centres so I decided to tag along and help. My job finishes end of July and I managed to get a flight back to Sydney early October (even though I am currently holding my breath due to the newly announced flight caps).
It has been absolutely horrifying to read all those comments from Australians who continued to blame returning "travellers" and showed absolutely no understanding for complex situations and lacked of any compassion. A friend of mine who works for Queensland Health (in an emergency response team dedicated to the pandemic) confirms that this view is not limited to uneducated Bogans (sorry...) but is even an acceptable view amongst highly educated health professionals (e.g. being obsessed with zero cases, closed borders, not trusting anyone, not looking at what other countries are implementing, casual racism etc.).
Some friends have asked me if I really want to come back - and tell me to prepare myself for a divided country.
In addition, I read those stories of fully vaccinated people in quarantine which were denied to reunite with their dying relative despite testing negative multiple times. I am health professional myself and I was truly shocked.
I cannot help but wonder - has Australia lost its compassion and mateship? Neuroscientific findings confirm that people are usually unable to make rational decisions when they are living in fear. Is this the case - a fearful country?
I should add that I see one exception - New South Wales. My impression is that the NSW Premier is the exception and has a balanced, compassionate and common-sense approach (e.g. she was opposed to cutting flight caps). Some may recall my older threads where I contemplated moving to Brisbane. Well, to be honest, the last few months have seriously put me off based on the parochial rhetoric coming out of Queensland... so I probably remain in Sydney which appears to be a lot more open based on the NSW approach.
But still.. there is a side of me that feels slightly uncomfortable when I think of my return to Australia - I guess, it's a feeling of being less welcome and being confronted with indifference or even hostility towards my situation. (full disclaimer - I am vaccinated).
Have Australians become less empathetic during the last few months? What's the current vibe in Sydney? I am somehow dreading my return.
Not defending the European handling of the pandemic at all - but this finger-pointing towards individuals (which is often done by politicians in Australia) has not really happened here and Europeans would not cheer if their governments decided to essentially "shut the gates" and lock out their citizens...But this ongoing abuse of "returning travellers" seems to be the new national sport in Australia.
It makes me a bit sad when I observe what happened to this country I once fell in love with...
So, obviously, no doubt that Australia has handled the pandemic well in terms of overall cases/deaths. However, as we move on from 2020 into a "new normal", I feel that Australia is being left behind while the majority of the world moves on. This is often referenced as "Fortress Australia" and the obsession with zero Covid - and yes, this is probably the only reasonable strategy at this point of time given the slow vaccine roll out.
However, I feel that there has been a shift in Australian society - more insular, more fearful, more parochial and yes, more racist/anti-migrant/anti-expats.
My impression is based on following Aussie news, reading comments on social media/newspapers etc., reading experiences from returning citizens/residents and conversations with friends in Australia.
I usually live in Sydney but made the decision to temporarily move to Europe in October in order to assist a family member after major surgery. The timing was right as my work contract had ended so I just put my stuff into storage and off I went after obtaining a travel exemption. A few months later, I was offered a job in one of our major Covid vaccination centres so I decided to tag along and help. My job finishes end of July and I managed to get a flight back to Sydney early October (even though I am currently holding my breath due to the newly announced flight caps).
It has been absolutely horrifying to read all those comments from Australians who continued to blame returning "travellers" and showed absolutely no understanding for complex situations and lacked of any compassion. A friend of mine who works for Queensland Health (in an emergency response team dedicated to the pandemic) confirms that this view is not limited to uneducated Bogans (sorry...) but is even an acceptable view amongst highly educated health professionals (e.g. being obsessed with zero cases, closed borders, not trusting anyone, not looking at what other countries are implementing, casual racism etc.).
Some friends have asked me if I really want to come back - and tell me to prepare myself for a divided country.
In addition, I read those stories of fully vaccinated people in quarantine which were denied to reunite with their dying relative despite testing negative multiple times. I am health professional myself and I was truly shocked.
I cannot help but wonder - has Australia lost its compassion and mateship? Neuroscientific findings confirm that people are usually unable to make rational decisions when they are living in fear. Is this the case - a fearful country?
I should add that I see one exception - New South Wales. My impression is that the NSW Premier is the exception and has a balanced, compassionate and common-sense approach (e.g. she was opposed to cutting flight caps). Some may recall my older threads where I contemplated moving to Brisbane. Well, to be honest, the last few months have seriously put me off based on the parochial rhetoric coming out of Queensland... so I probably remain in Sydney which appears to be a lot more open based on the NSW approach.
But still.. there is a side of me that feels slightly uncomfortable when I think of my return to Australia - I guess, it's a feeling of being less welcome and being confronted with indifference or even hostility towards my situation. (full disclaimer - I am vaccinated).
Have Australians become less empathetic during the last few months? What's the current vibe in Sydney? I am somehow dreading my return.
Not defending the European handling of the pandemic at all - but this finger-pointing towards individuals (which is often done by politicians in Australia) has not really happened here and Europeans would not cheer if their governments decided to essentially "shut the gates" and lock out their citizens...But this ongoing abuse of "returning travellers" seems to be the new national sport in Australia.
It makes me a bit sad when I observe what happened to this country I once fell in love with...
Aug 31st 2021, 11:54 am
#47
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Aug 31st 2021, 12:08 pm
#48
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Joined: Dec 2018
Location: ACT
Posts: 238
Re: Has Australia changed during the pandemic?
Oh gosh, that's not how I would describe Gladys! She dropped the ball big time with Covid, over-rode her health advisers, exposed other states to the risk of transmission and pivots to distract from shocking daily infection figures. Thank goodness Annastacia has got her head screwed on and works in synergy with Professor Young
Aug 31st 2021, 9:29 pm
#49
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Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 14,040
Re: Has Australia changed during the pandemic?
Oh gosh, that's not how I would describe Gladys! She dropped the ball big time with Covid, over-rode her health advisers, exposed other states to the risk of transmission and pivots to distract from shocking daily infection figures. Thank goodness Annastacia has got her head screwed on and works in synergy with Professor Young
You need a bit of a reality check as to what happens in NSW. They try and keep the state open. This is barely a lockdown and so it should be. Case numbers aren't the focus much like they aren't the focus in most other countries in the world. Some parts of Australia are still lagging and all hung up on cases numbers. The focus is on vaccine numbers and hospitalisations. 70% of the adult population in NSW will have some form of vaccine protection by the end of today, in contrast to QLD which will have 50%. If an asymptomatic Covid case was to be on the loose in Brisbane right now, with no restrictions and very few vaccinated what do you think would be the outcome? What's Young going to do with such a terrible vaccination rate?
I did laugh when you said Gladys exposed other states. First and foremost, China created the virus and India created Delta. Other states have borders which they are so eagar shut, if AP and Young can't keep their borders clean with their political antics then you may need to look at different leadership up there.
Last edited by Beoz; Aug 31st 2021 at 11:25 pm.
Sep 2nd 2021, 11:51 am
#50
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Joined: Aug 2021
Posts: 247
Re: Has Australia changed during the pandemic?
I don't agree with her politics but AP and the wonderful Young can do no wrong in my eyes when it comes to keeping Queenslanders safe from Covid. We literally owe them our lives, and I'm very grateful we have them.
Sep 2nd 2021, 1:04 pm
#51
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Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 14,040
Re: Has Australia changed during the pandemic?
I am pretty sure this is a joke post but good to see she's got her goal for some. Fill the bogan full.of fear and make them believe you've kept them safe. Hook line and sinker.
Sep 2nd 2021, 4:20 pm
#52
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Sep 4th 2021, 3:15 am
#53
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Re: Has Australia changed during the pandemic?
Sep 4th 2021, 7:23 am
#55
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Re: Has Australia changed during the pandemic?
Sep 4th 2021, 8:44 am
#56
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Joined: Mar 2009
Location: North Lakes Qld
Posts: 36
Re: Has Australia changed during the pandemic?
Your pretty jealous. Life up here is good. We can go where we want and do as we want. Seems like you have a sad life down there,but then I would if I lived down there.Seems like all your bothered about is getting vaxxed. Should live up here mate we're more relaxed. But then you'd never fit in as you're a southerner.
Sep 4th 2021, 9:01 am
#57
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Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 14,040
Re: Has Australia changed during the pandemic?
Your pretty jealous. Life up here is good. We can go where we want and do as we want. Seems like you have a sad life down there,but then I would if I lived down there.Seems like all your bothered about is getting vaxxed. Should live up here mate we're more relaxed. But then you'd never fit in as you're a southerner.
We are bothered about getting vaxxed. It opens up the freedoms. Look at the rest of the world. Oh sorry Queensland is too blinkered and insular for that.
When is Brisbane going into lockdown. Is it this week, or next week, or the one after? And what's the plan to get out of it?
Last edited by Beoz; Sep 4th 2021 at 9:03 am.
Sep 4th 2021, 9:13 am
#58
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Location: Keep true friends and puppets close, trust no-one else...
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Re: Has Australia changed during the pandemic?
Life is pretty good here in Sydney. Spent the morning on the beach with the kids and the afternoon on the golf course. Nothing not normal about that.
We are bothered about getting vaxxed. It opens up the freedoms. Look at the rest of the world. Oh sorry Queensland is too blinkered and insular for that.
When is Brisbane going into lockdown. Is it this week, or next week, or the one after? And what's the plan to get out of it?
We are bothered about getting vaxxed. It opens up the freedoms. Look at the rest of the world. Oh sorry Queensland is too blinkered and insular for that.
When is Brisbane going into lockdown. Is it this week, or next week, or the one after? And what's the plan to get out of it?
And no, we aren't all happy living in Firtress Qld. Some us are now pretty p@ssed off at missing important family occasions, and with the CHO's emergency powers extended until next April there's not much sign of things improving.
Sep 4th 2021, 9:24 am
#59
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 15,526
Re: Has Australia changed during the pandemic?
You do realise the majority of people around the world that have died from/with Covid are aged 80 and over?
The main threat from Covid, is the collapse of health systems, in dealing with vulnerable and people with pre existing conditions that overload all at once because a novel one in 500 year virus has hit the modern world.....not the actual disease within the vast majority of the population..
When Victoria and NSW plus the ACT and maybe SAustralia do open up then Queensland and it's provincial cousin WA will either have to stay closed indefinitely or it will face 1000's of cases a day as the vaccinated will still spread the disease. So Australias major outbreak is still in front of us, even in NSW and Victoria.
We are all going to catch Covid eventually, if not now, if not next year, if not in 4 years, definitely within the next decade or two...you need to fully understand and realise that. It's what level the Vaccine protects you and most importantly the health system..
UK figures suggest that people from this point on will contract Covid and it's ever-weakening effect but more contagious mutations once every 4 years.
It's looking from here in Victoria, that NSW is backing it's health system to cope once it hits 70pct vaccinated, and dragging the reluctant but capable state of Victoria along for the ride. Once that happens, Queenslands and WA's will get their outbreak.
Sep 4th 2021, 9:43 am
#60
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Re: Has Australia changed during the pandemic?
I've got a sneaking suspicion that Retired now and Brisbainite think the Vaccine is going to stop them catching Covid and maybe even eradicate it.
That surely isn't their belief??? It couldn't be.... Could it???
That surely isn't their belief??? It couldn't be.... Could it???