Ann Wason Moore: Holistic gimmicks going too far against community's COVID-19 fight
When "holistic health" stops the community's fight against COVID-19 it's a step too far, writes Ann Wason Moore.
Gold Coast
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When will the sheeple finally wake up to Big Phaker?
It seems every time I hear someone talk about ‘holistic health’ I have an allergic reaction which causes my eyes to roll and my mouth to smirk. Holistic? More like whole lot of crap.
Alright, maybe I’m being overly harsh … I’m sure there’s a place for crystals and jade eggs - although I’m sceptical as to whether that’s sticking them where the sun doesn’t shine.
I’m not making that up either (although I suspect someone is). There’s a whole mini-industry built around yoni eggs - the oval-shaped gemstones marketed for vaginas. The belief being that, once inserted, the body is able to harness the energy intrinsic to the stone.
“When inside you, yoni eggs work as little energy healers to help women transform stored trauma, spiritually renew their womb space and hearts, increase [their] sexual energy, and help one connect to themselves and feminine energy,” states Gemstone Yogi founder Alexis Maze.
I mean, surely it’s no coincidence that her name is literally A Maze. As in, amaze-balls … cos that seems like a whole lot of balls right there.
To be honest, I’m annoyed even by the term ‘holistic health’ because taken in its true meaning, I’m a firm believer.
Of course aspects of our physical, mental, spiritual and social needs affect overall health, and we should pay attention to all.
But I just don’t think a crystal will cure a cold, ease anxiety, connect you to Christ, or help you find your soulmate.
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However, if anyone feels that a crystal is the secret ingredient necessary to accomplish all of the above - far be it from me to stop them. If it works for you and doesn’t hurt me, go for it.
When it comes to holistic medicine, I have no issue so long as it’s considered complementary rather than alternative.
Because when it’s the latter, it’s just dead stupid - if not literally deadly.
Take Khemia HI Vibe Frequency Salon in Palm Beach … please.
The hairdressing salon - which also offers aromatherapy, “crystal healing” and “frequency technology and sound healing” (of COURSE it does) - has sparked a social media storm after asking people who have received a COVID-19 vaccination to stay away from the business.
Owner Yazmina Adler (not a doctor) states the measure was taken for the “health and safety of staff and clients”.
“The unknown health effects of the mRNA vaccine are not covered by our public liability insurance,” a statement from the business said.
“... Please notify us if you have had this injection before making an appointment with us.”
While it’s a proven method of attracting attention, that’s pretty much the only fact in play here.
Health experts (actual medical doctors and scientists) say the decision is “absurd, ridiculous and causing a public health risk”. Not to mention discriminatory against our frontline health workers who’ve put their own bodies on the line to keep our city safe.
It seems that rather than following pubic health guidelines, this salon is following in the misguided footsteps of an uneducated school in America.
Centner Academy in Miami, Florida has discouraged teachers from getting the Covid vaccine, saying any vaccinated employees will be barred from interacting with students.
Co-founder Leila Centner said the decision was based on the (false) claim that vaccinated individuals affect unvaccinated people, saying three women in the school’s community had their menstrual cycles "impacted after having spent time with a vaccinated person”.
Better buy a yoni egg, girlfriend.
The truth is that ignoring actual medical advice in favour of whatever trend or conspiracy that supports your own sociopolitical persuasion is a deadly mistake.
Just ask Tina Turner. After ditching her medication for homeopathic remedies, she effectively destroyed her kidneys and only survived thanks to her husband’s organ donation.
What’s science got to do with it, indeed?
But back to the salon that needs its head read … what really irritates me is that while I truly don’t care if they refuse to take my crystal-healing business, they better not stand in the way of this country reopening.
Because once everyone who wants a vaccine has had one, what do we do about those who opted out? Do we open our borders anyway and let natural selection take its course?
What if we never reach that 75 per cent mark necessary for herd immunity? Do we allow these nay-sayers to endanger those who literally and legitimately cannot receive a vaccination?
We could be headed for a whole lot of holistic trouble - not that believing in holistic medicine makes someone an anti-vaxxer.
In fact, the beauty of complementary medicine is that you can take your covid shot and have your yoni egg, too.
So please, believe whatever you like … just don’t put all your eggs in one basket. (And if you do, skip the naturopath and head straight to the gynaecologist.)
Massive chink in Coast's COVID armour
May 2, 2021
There’s a new danger on our horizon.
It’s threatening tourism, hospitality, employment and our economy.
It’s not COVID-19 … it’s Complacency 2021.
Just one year ago (but 500 years in mental and emotional toll), life as we knew it changed. We could no longer travel, could no longer leave our home and could no longer have people visit our home, we were locked down and locked out.
But look at us now. Despite the occasional hiccup, we’re mostly back to doing what we love - going out, visiting friends and family, even limited overseas travel.
There are few restrictions that we still feel in our everyday life. And compare a snapshot of any day here on the Gold Coast to the current lived experience in India, and you’ll remember just how lucky we are.
But we’re kidding ourselves if we think we’re back to business as usual.
Yes, life resembles the old normal … but near enough is just not good enough.
We’ve done magnificently well in this fight against the pandemic, but we’re a long way off claiming victory in terms of the financial toll it’s taken on our city.
Which is why the State Government’s Check-In Qld app, mandatory at all hospitality businesses as of Saturday, is a welcome step forward. The app provides contact tracers with access to streamlined, relevant, legible and timely information and will be a crucial frontline tool for containing any future COVID-19 outbreaks.
But it’s still just a step when businesses need an almighty leap. Just ask Queensland Hotels Association CEO Bernie Hogan.
“It’s tough at the moment, a lot of people say ‘oh, it’s back to normal’, but it simply isn’t. A lot of our businesses are scratching their heads at the moment … and we have to do something to help those venues,” he told ABC Gold Coast’s Breakfast program.
“Hotels, pubs and clubs have not changed in their capacity limits since last September, they’re very constrained and that’s tough.
“It’s a very expensive way of running a business when you have these restrictions because it means you’ve got to have a lot more staff and we can’t have any more capacity.
“The rule is one person per 2sq m - at the very best that’s 50 per cent of regular capacity, but you add in chairs and exits and it’s not even 50 per cent. Then you have restrictions on things like buffets where all food must be handed to you by a staff member - that’s costly.
“No matter what business you’re running, if you can only have at best 50 per cent of your revenue and you have to increase your costs, it’s not a good way to run your business.
“So (with the app) we are looking for anything we can do to make the government feel more comfortable with us having more capacity in these venues.
“Contract tracing is going to be with us for a good while yet, and the app does make it as painless as possible and hopefully gives the government that confidence.”
The sad fact is that this app is overdue in Queensland, with NSW, South Australia and the ACT long before introducing similar technology.
And that speaks to the complacent attitude we seem to have adopted. As patrons, we stopped worrying about restaurant restrictions as soon as we could go back to dining in with friends and family. But if we don’t push to change these restrictions on behalf of venues, those restaurants may not be around much longer.
There’s a similar complacency gap in our airports as well.
While we all dream of the day when we can safely travel the world again - and no doubt our businesses dream of the day when international tourists can visit again - we’re hardly setting up for the future.
Indeed, my own niece - who had to fly home from Germany due to a family emergency - hit an absolute departure dilemma when it was time to return to Berlin.
With almost every country demanding proof of a recent negative Covid test upon entry, she simply could not find a rapid testing service in all of Queensland. Instead, she had to fly to Sydney for one day just to journey to the international airport where she was tested and received results within hours - rather than the days’ wait in this state.
Is this a problem for most Queenslanders right now? No. But why not start thinking of the future … when travel might again become common under the new normal. Our airports should be investing in these rapid test stations now, before we’re scrambling to catch up yet again.
Life on the Gold Coast is good, but let’s not fall into a false sense of security.
Covid was an international game-changer, and now that people are coming back to play - we don’t want complacency to be the reason we lose.
APRIL 3: GLARING DOUBLE STANDARD IN COVID RESPONSE
EASTER is saved.
But like that giant chocolate egg hidden in my back fridge, this victory feels hollow.
We may be freed from the threat of an extended, expanded lockdown, but the fear that COVID is not yet done with us has many hyperventilating behind their masks.
The physical carnage from this week of viral trauma is – thankfully – minimal, but the mental and financial wreckage is piling up like southbound traffic on the M1.
Lost bookings, cancelled plans, stress over employment prospects … it’s enough to make a grown man – or woman – cry.
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It’s a literal blues fest across the region … which makes it all the worse that the iconic Byron Bay music festival of the same name has been cancelled.
Lord knows we could all do with a long weekend to let our hair down and sing along to some sad, sad songs.
But instead, just the day before gates were due to open, Bluesfest was cancelled … sparking chaotic scenes in Byron Bay after thousands of fans were turned away after the last-minute decision.
Bands and fans alike were furious while food vendors, with fridges and freezers full of produce ready to sell to the festival’s 15,000 people attendees, were left stranded.
Ironically, this cancellation is the one instance where it truly is business as usual – because it’s always the arts industry that takes the bullet.
A fact that Bluesfest act Tyde quickly pointed out on social media.
“The double standard of having sports events go ahead and not a socially distanced festival says something about how arts are valued in this country,” they said.
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“While we believe we have to do the right thing to keep everyone safe, it’s disgusting that sports events in stadiums with no social distancing still go ahead (e.g. the Aus Open in Melbourne during peak lockdown, all the AFL and rugby games that went ahead in NSW and the Broncos game in Brissy just a few days ago).
“Absolutely disgusting that a seated, socially distanced arts event gets cancelled next to these sports games going ahead.”
I feel their pain, and agree that the arts is paid short shrift in Australia … not to mention that every time there is a natural disaster, like the bushfires, it’s the artists who we turn to for support and fundraising.
Yet this is just another instance where they get little in return. Still, I also understand that this festival simply couldn’t go ahead without some risk to public safety.
Was cancellation warranted? Truly, we’ll never know.
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But it just goes to show that for all the governmental hype encouraging us to book an Aussie holiday and get back to business, we have every reason to sit tight.
Alas, it’s a lesson learned too late for Bluesfest organisers.
After cancelling last year’s festival, the organisers bravely decided to push on with this year’s event – a calculated risk given COVID is far from eradicated.
But it’s a call that makes sense when taken in the context of the federal government’s decision to axe JobKeeper while subsidising domestic airfares – a clear message for us all to get back to the business of work and pleasure.
If the government wants us all to have the confidence to book a holiday, surely festival organisers should also have confidence in hosting an event.
Alas, COVID crashed that party. And what we’ve learned this week is that this is a risk that no government spin or subsidy can mitigate.
The only way to really get this party started is a literal shot in the arm.
But when it comes to vaccines, Tourism Australia said it best: where the bloody hell are ya? With 670,469 doses administered, the country has fallen 83 per cent short of the initial target of administering 4 million doses by the end of March.
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Now the blame game has begun with federal and state governments pointing the finger at each other, while the rest of us mask up, get tested and wait for news on when we can finally get back to normal life.
When it comes to true confidence in the future, all of our eggs have been put in one basket – and it’s labelled ‘vaccines’.
Bring on Easter 2022.
HOW COAST CAN MAKE MOST OUT OF OLYMPICS
When it comes to the 2032 Olympic Games legacy, the Gold Coast cannot settle for silver.
While Brisbane is already on the front foot to make the most of this singular opportunity with the Committee for Brisbane’s Olympics Legacy Project, our city is not yet out of the starting blocks.
With the southeast Queensland region named the preferred bidder for the Games, it’s as if we’ve been presented with Aladdin’s magic lamp … it’s an opportunity to make our civic wishes and watch them come true.
But, as every good genie must ask, what do we want to wish for?
It may seem that 2032 is more than a decade away (hint: it is) but in terms of construction and infrastructure, that’s merely the blink of an eye. It’s time to start the conversation now.
And that’s precisely the pitch from Dan Barr, the director of Better Cities Group — a Gold Coast consultancy that advises government, ASX-listed companies and the development sector on urban design, economics and city activation.
With qualifications in public health, project management and urban design, Dan has contributed to the delivery of some of the city’s most significant initiatives, including Gold Coast light rail and the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
“This isn’t about what I want, it’s about what the city wants,” he says.
“This is an unbelievable opportunity to not just dream big but to bring forward the completion of huge pieces of infrastructure by decades.”
Dan says it’s time the city creates its own Olympics legacy group to protect and promote the interests of the city, and he has a shortlist of projects prepared to start the conversation.
While some are already up for discussion, like the city’s Greenheart — a giant 220ha parkland two-thirds the size of New York’s iconic Central Park, stretching from Robina to Carrara — he says the opportunity now is to fast-track completion and boost investment.
Other projects like light rail could be expanded even further than already being discussed.
“Light rail to the airport is a constant source of conversation, but I think we should start looking at planning for the spur lines like Nobby Beach to Robina and Broadbeach to Nerang as well,” he says.
“Then there’s the fast rail linking Gold Coast, Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast, and possibly Toowoomba — the opportunity to operate as a sort of supercity would just turbo charge our future.”
Indeed, Dan says the power that the southeast will have as a fully connected region will be worth its weight in gold — and not just in terms of medals.
But perhaps one of the most interesting legacy suggestions could prove a solution to one of our city’s most perplexing problems: that of Southport.
Plagued by a reputation of crime, homelessness and lagging property values, Dan says the Olympic bid could be the inspiration necessary to attract investment to the historic suburb.
“This is a chance to finally make Southport the true CBD of the city and our civic heart.
“It’s time to look at transferring the City of Gold Coast headquarters to Nerang Street, along with its associated offices, and centralising all of our state and federal governments offices in that location as well.
“The council already owns so much of the land there, we could really create a civic plaza in the heart of Southport. It already has the transportation infrastructure in place which is perfect, I know that’s something that (former city architect) Leah Lang has advocated.
“She’s suggested the creation of a sort of green bridge over the highway to connect the Southport Mall to the Broadwater Parklands, finally connecting the two sides of Southport.
“One of the big problems we have in Southport right now is that while there are spots of industry and business, they are not amalgamated in the way they could and should be.
“Once you have more vibrant streets, it becomes a safer space.”
Indeed, the proof of this theory can be found in the reverse experience of Melbourne’s own CBD.
Lord Mayor Sally Capp recently described scenes in the COVID-vacated CBD as “absolutely revolting”, with criminal behaviour and graffiti increasing as the streets emptied of workers.
Dan says creating a civic centre would provide not just a social but an economic boon to Southport.
Meanwhile, in our other problem suburb of Surfers, Dan says it’s time to look at potential public/private collaborations to activate dead and dangerous spaces.
He says travelling through the suburb on light rail, it’s obvious there are sites begging for renewal.
“Working with the City of Gold Coast recently, I think the case is very strong for a collaboration of private and government investors to create a masterplan.
“There are quite a few spaces that are publicly owned — like the Cypress Ave car park which is like a cavity in the centre of the city.
“There’s an opportunity to make that a public square, a green space for people. Cavill Mall needs a redo — you can spot all the places that need work as you ride through on light rail. Some parts are done well, some are not … this is a chance to look at what could be done, look at who would be responsible, figure out the funding and get it completed by 2032.”
Dan says it’s not only big-ticket items we could tick off, but also reinforcing sustainable suburban hearts across the city, from Coomera in the north down to the border.
He says the city has already stated its intent to continue constructing green bridges, a piece of crucial pedestrian infrastructure.
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“It’s just getting the mix right in certain areas. Around the Coomera town centre there is a lot of private investment, but it would be good to get public investment as well — especially in the shape of plazas and parklands.
“Anything that makes our city more walkable and more connected is what makes it more sustainable.
“The Oceanway is another project that is in the public forum, now we have the chance to just get it done.
“Same again with The Spit masterplan, we’re a fair way through that now and it’s crucial that we stick to that masterplan. Interestingly, that actually shows spur lines for trams.
“People often criticise the light rail for just being one line up and down, but that’s only the start. The plan is to have these spur lines and to connect the light rail to other forms of transportation like buses and heavy rail at the airport — it’s all about a solid, reliable network.”
Dan says one of the greatest legacies from the Commonwealth Games is set to benefit again.
He says the Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct was turbo-charged by the 2018 Games, bringing forward development in the precinct by 20 to 30 years.
“There are still a lot of empty blocks out there, now is the time we can attract the investment to fill them in,” he says.
“This will be a catalyst for more growth, for more investors, more researchers, more entrepreneurs and ultimately that means more money and more jobs for our city.
“The Olympics is really going to bring eyeballs and money to our city and this is the time to leverage off of that.”
Dan says despite having his own wish list, these decisions are not his to make — rather, he wants to inspire conversations while we still have time to plan.
“Ultimately, the legacy we want to build is a better, bigger future for the Gold Coast and for our families,” he says.
“It’s not about what I want or what I think, or even what our leaders think, but having the conversation together as a city and being united as we can in our goals.”
Indeed, the Olympics is not just a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our homegrown athletes, but also for our homegrown residents.
The starter’s gun is about to go off, we need to have a Games plan if we’re serious about the Coast going for gold.
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