Complacency, greed and a ‘me first’ attitude has led us to the brink of lockdown

“Don’t preach to me about rights when you are a latte-sipping, anti-government, anti-vaxxer hiding under the cloak of security my own Astra Zeneca shots give you.”

Covid testing centre at the Cavanbah Centre on Ewingsdale Road in Byron Bay. Picture: Liana Boss.

It seems inevitable and even desirable for the Northern Rivers to be plunged into lockdown.

While everyone wants to scapegoat the Covid-positive man from Sydney who brought the virus to our doorstep, there’s many other reasons this has been allowed to happen.

From massive holes in out hotel quarantining system, to late blooming and ambiguous lockdown rules, to inadequate screening of passengers and cars heading out of lockdown areas, to big businesses that stay open when they are non-essential, there is a story of complacency all along the way.

But it’s also upon us, the citizens of the Northern Rivers, to accept some of the blame.

From Airbnb property owners still accepting bookings from people even when they know they are coming from lockdown areas, to the people who abuse shop assistants for merely doing their job and asking customers to wear a mask or sign in using a QR code, this is on you.

For the people who have a medical exemption and can show a stat dec or letter from their doctor saying they don’t have to wear a mask, fair enough, good on you.

For every other person who uses that as an excuse without the proof, you should be ashamed.

Don’t preach to me about rights when you are a latte-sipping, anti-government, anti-vaxxer hiding under the cloak of security my own Astra Zeneca shots give you.

Unlike America where they do have a bill of rights guaranteeing a certain amount of personal freedom, there is no similar thing in Australia.

All we have is the constitution and a bunch of laws and a public health orders which are designed to keep the population safe.

Given Covid-19 has killed more than four million people worldwide, my tolerance for people who want to act like dickheads and disregard health orders while out in my community spreading the virus is at an all time low.

Please, please NSW Premier, lock the Northern Rivers down to save us from ourselves.