Australia/New Zealand New Thread

[Kokeshi123]

www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/09/pandemic-australia-still-liberal-democracy/619940/

Intrastate travel within Australia is also severely restricted. And the government of South Australia, one of the country’s six states, developed and is now testing an app as Orwellian as any in the free world to enforce its quarantine rules. People in South Australia will be forced to download an app that combines facial recognition and geolocation. The state will text them at random times, and thereafter they will have 15 minutes to take a picture of their face in the location where they are supposed to be. Should they fail, the local police department will be sent to follow up in person. “We don’t tell them how often or when, on a random basis they have to reply within 15 minutes,” Premier Steven Marshall explained. “I think every South Australian should feel pretty proud that we are the national pilot for the home-based quarantine app.”

This is... really really disturbing, honestly.

I grew up admiring (and, let's be honest, envying) Australians because as a nation, they always came across as a down-to-earth, fearless lot who had a healthy skepticism of authority while also being basically very civic/community minded.

What's gone wrong?

I think ‘deluded fools’ is a bit harsh In order for a government to run a successful zero-Covid strategy, promoting that kind of mentality is absolutely necessary for it to work.

There’s no doubt about it, zero-Covid has saved countless lives in Oz and NZ, but one of the the consequences is the potential difficulties in changing people’s feelings about Covid once the government starts opening up.

Our family has had a shit year for various reasons and the MIQ situation has made already stressful situations even worse. I think it's time to allow double vaxxed people to home quarantine for a specified time followed by a negative test. I also think family members (who may not be citizens) should be allowed to visit under the same criteria. I hope the Aucklanders on here are doing okay. I wouldn't like to be in Jacinda's shoes next Monday. Whatever she does it's not going to go down well is it?

Today has been the worst day so far for me I think @Cousinit

45 cases is nothing in the context of the world but I think it spells at least another 2 weeks lockdown for us. If not longer. Honestly fuck this 😫😫😫

Yeah, I thought it must be feeling a bit like that It sucks. I just don't know how they are going to keep people on board with another 2 weeks of level 3.

That’s really hard Gennz18 I’m sorry. The impact of lockdown on the population has been so overlooked. Particularly when some parts of the country are having to shoulder much more of it than others.

I can’t see how level three will do it if four can’t. Plus after suppression you get a bounce with any restriction lift. Asking people to be cautious doesn’t work behaviourally.

Very hard

Good news for Australian citizens who w t to visit or return. Vaccinated citizens and PRs will be able to do a 7day home quarantine.

Gladys has just resigned. Will be interesting to see how the new leader handles the pandemic.

Good to see Gladys go. Corruption in plain sight is not pretty.
I wonder if there will be enough actual flights and seats for Australians to get home?

Wow was that predicted at all?

@PileOfBooks

Wow was that predicted at all?

I thought she should have done it long ago. Her handling of covid in NSW has very probably fucked Australia.

However the corruption? Not a clue.

It's some years ago now, but my late DH was headhunted for job in NSW government and he turned them down because 1) they wouldn't pass the laws to enable him to do his job 2) NSW is byword for corruption.

Wow re your late DH. Is this the sort of thing they've known and hung onto until the "right time"? Like when uou have a file on a politican that comes out when you want them gone?

I wonder where things will lead next.

Must be really messy if she’s sacrificing herself for the party... most politicians ride it out in the hope of political survival...

It was a very spicy day on the east coast of Australia today.
Gladys resigned due to ICAC investigation into corruption and Dan Andrew’s mandates the jab for every essential worker in Victoria.
What a time to be alive!

@Kokeshi123

www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/09/pandemic-australia-still-liberal-democracy/619940/

Intrastate travel within Australia is also severely restricted. And the government of South Australia, one of the country’s six states, developed and is now testing an app as Orwellian as any in the free world to enforce its quarantine rules. People in South Australia will be forced to download an app that combines facial recognition and geolocation. The state will text them at random times, and thereafter they will have 15 minutes to take a picture of their face in the location where they are supposed to be. Should they fail, the local police department will be sent to follow up in person. “We don’t tell them how often or when, on a random basis they have to reply within 15 minutes,” Premier Steven Marshall explained. “I think every South Australian should feel pretty proud that we are the national pilot for the home-based quarantine app.”

This is... really really disturbing, honestly.

I grew up admiring (and, let's be honest, envying) Australians because as a nation, they always came across as a down-to-earth, fearless lot who had a healthy skepticism of authority while also being basically very civic/community minded.

What's gone wrong?

Australia has always been a nanny state though.

That is a pretty disturbing app and sold to the people as something they should be proud of

Australia has always been a nanny state though.

😂😂

Ah no it's not! I found England very much a nanny state, it tried to take care ownership over everything, including educating my DC.

That app is for people who are home quarantining in SA. It's only for 2 weeks. Would stop all the feckless 'just popping to Coles for bread and milk' while in quarantine.

And the only way they could really enforce home quarantine for larger numbers. They're utilizing technology most people have (mobiles) with software that's been around for ages (anyone else ever use those photo/geolocation alarm apps?).
Its a cost effective way to monitor large numbers of people so more people can come home/visit.

Would stop all the feckless 'just popping to Coles for bread and milk' while in quarantine.
Depends where people live. In the UK, but I could go to a couple of shops and back home within 15 min easily.

I would not want to be forced to reply in that timeframe because I could be doing other things:

1. work call
2. putting DS down for a sleep
3. in the bath/ shower
4. taking a nap
5. having sex Etc Maybe I also wouldn't want to take photos of my face at whatever time is demanded either, it isn't up to the state to decide if I can be vain or not.

The principle that people need to stay home and the need to check people are at home is fine, but the approach is problematic. I'd prefer to trust people, and if heavy handed methods are essential then there should be alternatives e.g. an ankle tag that alerts if stepping off the property, it's less intrusive.

@BootsScootsAndToots

Australia has always been a nanny state though.

😂😂

Ah no it's not! I found England very much a nanny state, it tried to take care ownership over everything, including educating my DC.

That app is for people who are home quarantining in SA. It's only for 2 weeks. Would stop all the feckless 'just popping to Coles for bread and milk' while in quarantine.

What do you mean re educating your children in U.K.?

Do you mean you wanted to homeschool?

Aus imo is more of a nanny state although I don’t see it as a bad thing - public TV ads m, helmets etc

But this app I think is off, but can see why some people like it.

Aus seems more of a nanny state to me (amd to ozzy husband) but I think its because you notice what is different - so we currently notice the compulsory preschool jabs/helmets (neither of which are bad) and lack of same risk/adventure playgrounds as here. An australian might take all that as "normal" and instead notice england fines you if you take your children out of school and are much more regulared with building regs for example.

I really really sont like the sound of the app! I cant3see that ever being accepted hefe in England. There does (did?) Seem more of a trust in Australia in their leaders -particulalry Dan Andrews had a following, and less sceptisim/cynicism in general. But thats all generalisations and everyone's different etc etc. And just how it looks from here. I know my relatives always get fed doom and glooom about the UK in their media!!!

Gladys had a secret relationship for years with a corrupt politician. She ladled money to his electorate and shredded key documents. This investigation has been simmering for some time. They clearly have a lot of evidence to be moving now.

Wow!

I'm sad about Gladys. I wish they'd let her just get through this year, and this part of the pandemic response before hauling her over the coals.