Susie O’Brien: Victorians are tired of paying the price for Dan’s incompetence
Victorians are tired of being treated like kids because of Premier Daniel Andrews’ incompetence. His refusal to guarantee the 5km rule will be dropped is a prime example of him punishing us for his mistakes, writes Susie O’Brien.
Susie O'Brien
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Victoria is fast becoming the nanny state.
Daniel Andrews isn’t acting like a Premier, but a parent punishing all the kids when only a handful are being naughty.
He’s Daddy Dan — an overbearing, egotistical tyrant who can’t cope with the fact that his kids are able to make their own decisions.
He doesn’t want us all to go to back to school or work, go too far from home, or play with our friends when we want to.
We are tired of being treated like his little children and paying the price for his incompetence.
Andrews’ refusal to guarantee the dropping of the 5km zone on October 19 is a prime example of him punishing us for his mistakes.
The 5km rule is due to be lifted when the state’s cases drop down to less than five per day over a 14-day rolling average. Two weeks out, and we’re still at an average of 11 cases.
We need a plan B that continues opening up our city in case we don’t get down to less than five cases.
On Monday there were nine new cases of coronavirus in this state, and no new deaths.
There are 227 active cases — half of them in aged care and among healthcare workers. The majority of the others come from permitted businesses such as the cluster that started at a Chadstone butcher shop. More supermarkets — which are allowed to operate — have been added to the list.
At this point, the risks do not justify the ongoing draconian measures imposed on us.
Andrews is trying to make up for the hotel quarantine fiasco by elimination of the disease, which isn’t possible.
As Chief Health Officer Prof Brett Sutton, has acknowledged, there are just a dozen local government areas where cases are active.
So why punish those who have spent many long months doing the right thing and following the rules to the letter?
Instead of treating us like kids, there should be world-class testing, tracing and tracking of outbreaks. Only those with the disease and their close contacts should be subject to restrictions.
At the very least, the zone should be extended to 10km by October 19, which would give people a much better chance of spreading out, particularly on weekends.
Then the idiots who are not keeping their distance from each other and not wearing masks would be less of a danger to those around them.
The movement of people isn’t the problem — the concentration of people is the problem.
Why isn’t the government listening to experts like Catherine Bennett, chair of epidemiology at Deakin University, who calls the 5km rule “largely irrelevant”?
As she points out, if people are breaking the current rules to go to the beach, then they’re hardly likely to start behaving in two weeks’ time when the rule is extended.
It also makes no sense for small businesses — including hotels and clubs — to be closed. They should be allowed to operate with limited numbers. People are better off in controlled hospitality venues rather than roaming around in packed parks and crowded beaches.
In any case, even Prof Sutton doesn’t want to own up to the 5km zone. He says it was part of the “public advice to cabinet”.
Yet again we have no responsibility or ownership of decision that restricts the movement of millions of Victorians.
Country Victorians can now go to the Northern Territory. Melburnians can’t even go for a walk in the next suburb.
Andrews’ act as the controlling parent is also evident in his decision not to allow kids from years 8 to 10 back to the classroom until October 26 — two full weeks after everyone else.
Where’s the medical evidence that years 8-10 are more vulnerable to the virus?
The department says the number one priority is mental health — so why further endanger the wellbeing of these children?
They should know kids are the most vulnerable to mental health issues between the ages of 13 to 15. All kids need to be back at school, which are now seen as so safe that students won’t even have to be temperature tested when they return.
Surely kids are better off in controlled environments like schools rather than hanging with their mates at home?
It’s no wonder people have lost confidence in Daddy Dan.
We want our freedom back, we want our kids at school and we want our businesses to reopen.
We are willing to make some sacrifices, but we desperately need the city opened up again.
Please, Dad, we’ll be good. Just give us our lives back.
Susie O’Brien is a Herald Sun columnist