abner

Matthew Guy's lobster dinner with the local Mafia don (er, sorry, with "alleged Melbourne mafia boss Tony Madafferi", as described by news.com.au...) was also a bit of a tell regarding poor judgement.

abner

I was in the same boat, as an eastern suburb commuter (though I'd have had used it only at worst-peak hours if there was a toll involved). So on a personal level, it was "nice to have", if the justification behind it whole-heartedly stacked up with regards to its business case, and on other public policy grounds.

But it didn't, according to the relevant report from the Auditor-General's office: "I concluded that the EWL business case did not provide a sound basis for the government's decision to commit to the investment and that key decisions during the project planning, development and procurement phases were driven by an overriding sense of urgency to sign the contract before the November 2014 state election. Over the life of this costly and complex project, advice to government did not always meet the expected standard of being frank and fearless. This highlights a risk to the integrity of public administration that needs to be addressed".

NJJ

Well we had the deadline of 27th September, and the lockdown has been extended for another 3 weeks at least. Some activities have been permitted such as religious gatherings with no more that 5 attendees plus pastor. Public swimming pools (outdoor only) are permitted to reopen. Primary school back on 12th October. Nightly curfew lifted (I wonder how much the legal challenge to that involved it being abolished.) Dan has thrown us a few crumbs until the next lockdown review.

Beoz

It's astonishing to an outsider looking in what Chairman Dan is doing to you guys. Totally blinkered on elimination strategy, which doesn't work as demonstrated by Vic (first wave) and NZ with no thought for anything else. I also see the police were calling the shots in the hotel quarrentine saga and in having mostly blanket restrictions across the entire state.

BadgeIsBack

The lockdown is not extended - we're tracking along a sequence of milestones that have been known since August. The 28 Sep milestone was always a bit - "lite" on, and Dan threw us a few bones - eg 2 households meeting in public, kids going back to school.

The next big one is now 19 Oct - tracking 1 week ahead - and end of November. These are controversial due to the silly targets in place.

Dan has to throw us some bones, likewise, in 2 weeks or he will have some problems, I don't get how he thinks he can almost eradicate it.

All along he has said he is reviewing and monitoring the science - what he means is that he is tracking along on his 'model' - he will be under pressure to use common sense over silly targets as and when milestones arrive.
Many mysterious transmissions are not mysterious - its people not fessing up.

BadgeIsBack

He's blinkered on a model he has been given - a model that purports that having being brought down cases to 'x' you can then trickle along...and keep cases at 'y'.

This does mean using masks etc.

Beoz

If he said, go to the beach, go beyond 5km, go to the pub, but please where a mask, it would demonstrate some sensibility and balance. Sadly you are being treated like servants to the chairman.

BadgeIsBack

correct. Here's to him throwing us a few bones..

Beoz

He might have to throw the Jim Mowing franchise's a few bones. Those sole operators could not mow lawns on their own while council gardeners could work in groups. Shall be an interesting class action.

NJJ

We may be in trouble in Melbourne again thanks to a shopping centre cleaner who tested positive and was instructed to isolate, ignoring that advice and going into work infecting staff & cutomers in the Chadstone shopping centre. They apparently share a house with quite a few family members some of whom they also infected. One of the shopping centre customers who was permitted to travel to regional Victoria also got infected. Against the CHO advice they dined in at a cafe infecting at least one other person so the cafe is closed for two weeks at least whilst the staff isolate.

According to Premier Dan's lines they will not be fined if they cooperate with contact tracing. This is ridiculous, the person who dined in at the cafe against the rules should at least be made to pay compensation to the cafe owner who has had to close their business.

Beoz

Or just get your track and trace sorted. Such low numbers in Melbourne now, a good track and trace system should be able to track down this lot.

abner

We're dealing with ****wits, in terms of the spreaders in such cases.

And the infected ****wits, faced with $5000 fines, however richly deserved, will just clam up in a contact tracing interview unless assured that those fines are off the table. And it's worth far more, in health and economic benefit terms, **at the moment**, to have the ****wits' movement and contact data, than it is to have them clam up.

Beoz

I agree, I know it's hard for Dan to give away control, but "FREE VICTORIA" even it's for clam up sake.

NJJ

Yep likely receive no fine, and now the butcher shop manager where the Covid infected cleaner works is in intensive care:

https://www.theage.com.au/national/v...08-p56335.html

the troubadour

Meanwhile The Feds continue to keep up as in the days of the convict colony. Near impossible to leave. Only advanced Western nation to do so. Good to see Victoria getting on top of their game. Especially seeing some statesmanship at such a time. Something very under appreciated on a forum as this. Obviously errors have been made but nothing along the lines of UK or USA.

QLD's handling of the virus looks set to ensure a continuation of same government. Same in WA. Just shows that the population respects statesmanship being displayed by leaders at such a time.