Thank You Victoria – But Enough is Enough

Monday 22 June 2020  5.50am

To start, I will butcher Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Sound of Music Classic, Maria. At least a small part of it. Messrs Rodger and Hammerstein, I apologise.

How do you solve a problem like Victoria

How do they catch a virus and pin it down
How do you find words that mean Victoria
Careless bunch, out to lunch, gather round

Many a thing you know you’d like to tell them

Many a thing they ought to have to hand
Hugs and kisses are not the way
To make this go away
How do you make Victoria understand?

It gave me nausea writing this dribble so I can only imagine how you are feeling now and extend my apology accordingly.

However, how about the good Australian State of Victoria, Australia? *

Victoria, the rest of Australia and perhaps even the rest of the world appreciate what you are trying to do for us but for the most part, it is not necessary.

We already know Covid-19 is a potent and highly infectious virus. We know it can have devasting effects on those who catch it and even death. While we appreciate your efforts this last week to ensure the dangers of Covid-19 remain at the front of our minds, it is really not necessary. Please stop.

Further, I live in one of several States that are reluctant to open its borders to the rest of the country. In recent weeks, many of us believe this is an un-necessary act of over cautious paranoia. We do not need your actions this last week providing other States an excuse to keep borders closed. Besides, I really want to go to Melbourne. We don’t need this. Victoria, please stop.

The rest of the country know you are the head quarters of the dominant, best managed, best attended, most lucrative football code in the country. You tell us all the time.

We also understand Rugby League has taken the initiative and leadership to return football to our fields and TV screens. Quite rightly, Rugby League’s endeavour and brashness has been rewarded by positive media attention and new found respect for doing so. Multiple AFL Covid-19 code breaches may be a way to regain lost media time but it is a big price to pay for doing so. Victoria, you are being laughed at by all non AFL devotees. Please stop.

Also, Victoria, we know you are the intellectual, sporting, arts, horticulture, education, wine, dining, gambling and “every other thing” capital of Australia. Accordingly, we understand your recent acts of stupidity are aimed at making  the rest of us feel better about ourselves. However, as you are prone to do, you are over doing it. We don’t need any more of the bigoted, racist, homophobic, narcissistic displays like we watched on 60 minutes last week. We have enough in Canberra and our own regions. Keep it to yourself Victoria. Just stop it.

*The writer is a born and breed Victorian and proud to be so. He may reside in Queensland however Victoria will always be home.

 

Moving on to other matters Covid – 19.

The number of new cases is growing alarmingly in some parts of the world and in some states in America.

Brazil seems to be breaking records for new case numbers day after day as it continues to pursue a more open strategy. As alarming as it is, only when this is all over or sustainably contained will we able to asses the merits of differing approaches. In the immediate term, it is quite frightening.

In America, new daily record infection numbers roll out for Florida. Again, lets refrain from judging the merits of their strategy. They locked down late (by comparison) and initially granted exemptions for Churches. They then opened early and quickly.

Ideally, they will not have to resort to the latest Presidential Covid- 10 case management strategy. There is little doubt the President is correct when saying slowing the number of tests being conducted will reduce the rate of diagnosed infections.

It is difficult to refrain from wondering about this as a leadership strategy. Perhaps other challenges could be dealt with by adopting a similar methodology. Poverty, unemployment, crime rates? I hope not.

It is far from being confirmed but general commentary and observation including by Pandemic medical experts seems to suggest a few interesting factors evolving.

·         Close proximity indoor contact of 15 or more minutes without a facemask is high risk. For example, the home transmissions in Victoria.

·         Gatherings indoor complying with 1.5 metre separation, no face mask for no more than 2 hours appear to have a low infection risk.

·         Large outdoor gatherings in close proximity while wearing a mask, appear to have a low risk of infection. For example, so far there is no infection spike from the street rally’s held in Australia or overseas where attendees largely wore masks.

The above points are purely my observations and preliminary thoughts based on what I have read, watched and listened too. They are by no means suggested courses of action and are not based on any referenceable scientific evidence or data analysis.

And a few things to finish with.

WIRED Magazine was first published in January 1993. Its founder Kevin Kelly recently turned 68 and offered some lessons on life.

Learn how to learn from those you disagree with, or even offend you. See if you can find truth in what they believe”  

A most valuable lesson in an era where we are losing the ability to disagree and debate in a respectable way. 

He also said: 

“Being able to listen is a superpower. While listening to someone you love keep asking them “is there more?” until there is no more”.

And finally, he wrote about “Habit”:

"The purpose of a habit is to remove that action from self-negotiation. You no longer expend energy deciding whether to do it. You just do it. Good habits can range from telling the truth, to flossing.”

Finally, National Geographic released a video on 15 May 2020 showing some of the major cities in the world during Isolation/Lockdown. It includes Sydney, Delhi, Berlin and New York. It is a fascinating and hopefully unique 7 minute snap shot of a point in world history.

Stay safe, debate with respect, talk and listen and remain inquisitive.

Colin Morley