Why Dan Andrews should follow NSW’s lead, again
It’s time for Dan Andrews to put aside his ego and acknowledge that NSW has got it right again and ditch the vaccine passports.
Rita Panahi
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One of the few things Daniel Andrews has done well during the pandemic is to abandon his own failed policies and belatedly follow the NSW model.
We saw that when the Premier finally walked away from his Covid-zero fantasies and accepted that Victorians, like the rest of the world, would have to learn to live with a virus that will become endemic.
And, we saw it again when Victoria discarded much of the state’s roadmap to follow NSW in re-opening despite high daily case numbers.
Now, it’s time for Premier Andrews to put aside his ego and acknowledge that NSW has got it right again with their plan to ditch vaccine passports and other onerous Covid-19 restrictions next week.
NSW will ditch vaccine passports, density limits, Covid-19 safety check-ins, indoor masks and a bunch of other restrictions on December 15 or when NSW reaches a 95 per cent vaccination rate for over 16s, whichever comes first.
From that day on NSW can claim to be truly re-open, one shudders to think when Victoria can claim the same.
The most significant easing will be the removal of mandatory vaccine passes allowing everyone equal access.
Contrast that with Victoria where 12-year-olds who are not double jabbed against Covid-19 are not permitted to enter restaurants, clothing stores, cinemas or anywhere else that is deemed non-essential.
New South Welshman, and no doubt grateful business owners, will also be free of Covid-19 check-ins with only a small number of settings such as hospitals and aged care facilities requiring every person to register their arrival.
The dreaded face panties will also be a distant memory other than on public transport and on planes.
Plus all density limits for businesses, homes and events will be removed.
Once NSW is truly open to all the pressure will mount on Mr Andrews to relax his boneheaded plan to enforce vaccine passports until 2023.
The fact that Victoria continues to record case numbers significantly higher than NSW should not be an impediment to the state reopening given our high vaccination rate.
On Monday, Victoria recorded six deaths and 1073 new cases from 56,337 tests while NSW had 208 new cases from 61,132 tests and zero deaths.
It has been positive to see NSW and Victoria remain on the same page with a commitment to keeping state borders open.
One can’t help think that if the daily case numbers were reversed Victoria would be imposing restrictions on NSW.
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