Susie O’Brien: Construction workers should walk a mile in our kids’ shoes

Construction workers have been responsible for more outbreaks than any other sector, but yet it was schoolkids who got more bad news in Dan’s roadmap.

We’re Labor’s lockdown losers, spending more time imprisoned in our homes than people from anywhere else in the world.

Catastrophising health bureaucrats and construction unions are running this state.

Instead of listening to the people, Premier Daniel Andrews is only getting advice from CHO Brett Sutton, who loves a long lockdown.

The only other group that appears to have any power is construction workers and their thug-filled union. Unlike schools, which are the first to close and the last to open, construction sites have been open throughout the pandemic.

When cases in the building industry rose, workers were given Covid marshalls, shift bubbles, staggered start and finish times — and now, mandatory vaccination.

What did schoo kids get from the recent roadmap? Another month mostly studying from home after 20 months of mostly studying from home.

Zac Hay, 11, is upset about not being able to return to school yet. Picture: David Geraghty

If schools were treated like construction sites, one quarter of students would be back on campus right now. By October 26, half of the state’s one million school students would be back and by November 5, all of them.

Schools are highly regulated, teachers are keen to get vaccinated and for students to follow the rules, and yet they continue to be the forgotten underclass.

Compare this to construction workers responsible for more outbreaks than any other sector

who brawled outside their union headquarters on Monday, outraged at being told they had to get vaccinated.

They pelted their union boss with crates and water bottles and chanted the pro-choice slogan “my body, my choice” as part of their brutal, illegal protest.

A few days ago, construction workers walked off work sites and held up traffic after they were told they couldn’t use break rooms because they were key superspreader locations.

They didn’t care that tea and break rooms have been closed at most work sites – including hospitals and health care services – for 18 months now.

Wild scenes outside the CFMEU headquarters in Melbourne. Picture: David Geraghty

I shouldn’t be surprised. Even rule-abiding double-dosed Victorians are getting diddly-squat from Dictator Dan.

Reaching 80 per cent one dose means we can only shop once a day and must be home safely by 9pm tucked up with our teddies.

Then when we reach 70 per cent double dose – which is still more than one month away –

we get to leave home without having permission from Daddy Dan. But there’s still a 25km travel limit and we can only meet others and shop outside.

Where’s the incentive to get the reluctant anti-vaxxers over the line when the best you get after 250 days of lockdown is laneway shopping and fitness classes in the park?

People in NSW at the same point will be able to socialise freely, go to the pub and go to the races with 5000 others.

Even once we hit 80 per cent double vaccination, we will still be subject to some of the most draconian rules anywhere. We can have only 10 people over and have to wear masks inside at work. However, we can remove our masks to drink alcohol. How infantilising.

We’re being told to put our trust in our leaders, but they aren’t putting any trust in us.

Health officials want to keep us locked up even longer.

Premier Daniel Andrews’ roadmap offered little hope. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

It’s telling that the Burnet Institute cares more about making sure the health system doesn’t become overburdened at some point in the distant future rather than looking after the mental health of people right now.

In its modelling that underpinned the roadmap, there’s no mention of looking after the mental health of people or ensuring citizens are not locked up for longer than absolutely necessary.

The modelling makes it clear that even at 80 per cent adult vaccination coverage, case numbers, hospital and ICU numbers should determine whether “restrictions can be safely eased consistent with the roadmap or whether a more staggered approach may be required”.

There’s the escape clause for Dictator Dan.

Even at 80 per cent vaccination rates, the limited freedom we’re being promised is by no means guaranteed.

The Burnet briefing paper notes that “An important question is: as vaccine coverage increases, how best can restrictions be eased that prevents health system capacity from being exceeded?”

It should instead ask: “As vaccine coverage increases, how best can restrictions be eased so citizens can have their lawful rights and freedom of movement returned to them?”

The callous disregard for people’s rights has been demonstrated time and again, most recently with the decision to close public transport to the city to thwart a demonstration.

It’s no wonder people are sick of being told to be grateful for the crumbs we’ve been thrown.

After all this time, we deserve more. It’s not a roadmap, it’s a roadblock and it’s a road to absolutely bloody nowhere.