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Fury, resignation and black humour: Victorians react to snap lockdown

Irate Victorians have taken to the streets and social media to voice their outrage as the state’s fourth brutal coronavirus lockdown looms.

Candace SuttonCandace Sutton
@candacesutton1
4 min read
May 27, 2021 - 11:07PM
Victorian government has ‘no excuse’ for ‘clear lack of adequacy’

Victorians reacted with fury, frustration, uncertainty and some resignation as they took to the streets and online on Thursday to voice their opinions about Victoria’s snap Covid-19 lockdown – the state’s fourth.

The Victorian Premier announced a “circuit breaker” seven-day lockdown in response to the latest outbreak of cases which has risen to 26. One person who contracted coronavirus in the state has been placed into intensive care.

From 11.59pm on Thursday Victorians can only leave home for five reasons.

As state officials scrambled to contain the outbreak, most did not blame the Victorian Government, instead directing anger at the Federal Government.

Specifically, some blamed the Prime Minister for the fact the low vaccination rate exacerbated the need for restrictions on community contact.

One person dubbed the closure #ScottysLockdown, but it was the hashtags #MorrisonLockdown and #MorrisonOutbreak which began trending on Twitter with posters venting their anger at having to return indoors and wear masks.

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At least 10,000 close contacts and 150 exposure sites have been identified so far with chief health officer Brett Sutton saying “contact tracing is an integral part of how to get control it does not do magic”.

As the deadline approached, dozens of Melburnians also took to the streets, carrying placards with angry messages including “we do not consent to government tyranny”.

Gathering on the steps of Flinders Street station in central Melbourne on Thursday evening, the eve of the midnight lockdown, one of scores of protesters held up a sign saying “no to the new abnormal” and “no to unlawful lockdowns”.

Protesters gather at Flinders Street Station on Thursday evening to protest the looming lockdown. Picture: Jason Edwards
Protesters gather at Flinders Street Station on Thursday evening to protest the looming lockdown. Picture: Jason Edwards
Holding placards which claimed the lockdown was ‘unlawful’ and ‘tyranny’ they gathered in central Melbourne. Picture: Jason Edwards
Holding placards which claimed the lockdown was ‘unlawful’ and ‘tyranny’ they gathered in central Melbourne. Picture: Jason Edwards

On Twitter, users posted “I just don’t get it”, citing the relatively small number of infections, while others tweeted gloomily “it never ends”.

A few groaned about toilet paper panic buying at their local supermarket, but some remarked their locals were remaining remarkably “chill” the fourth time around.

One poster suggested if the Federal Government had bought more vaccines and immunised half the population by now, Victorians wouldn’t have been “left in a position of greater vulnerability”.

Laying it squarely on the Prime Minister, @Kon — K wrote “I want us all to remember we would have all been vaccinated by now if we had competent PM in @ScottMorrisonMP and an effective quarantine system.

“They’re his 2 jobs. Buck stops with him. He’s failed us.”

A similar complaint was posted by @BentonMelissa, who wrote: “Those of us with family there are incandescent too.

“It’s not the Melbourne lockdown, it’s the #MorrisonLockdown. Epic, catastrophic, totally foreseeable failures on quarantine, vax, stranded citizens o’seas.”

Bevan Taylor tweeted that public anger would erupt and suggested defiance of the locking laws.

Tweeting on @realTaylorBevan, he wrote “There is no need for a #Lockdown in #Victoria.

“The more resistance they see, the louder the message of public rage will be.

“Everyone in Victoria should be furious. You cannot keep locking down whenever there is an outbreak.”

Twitter user @PrisonPlanet did not get much traction when he tweeted: “Melbourne introduces lockdown restrictions yet again after just 9 new corona cases. It never ends.”

The response from other Twitter users was largely unsympathetic, with some saying the measure would keep Australia safe, “the economy humming” and that “it protects the other 90% of Australia and is over in a week”.

One Twitter poster wrote: “Get vaccinated, wear a mask, until we can all say goodbye to lockdowns.”

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One Twitter poster suggested people enjoy lockdown with beer and pizza in the bath. Picture: Twitter.
One Twitter poster suggested people enjoy lockdown with beer and pizza in the bath. Picture: Twitter.

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Also on Twitter, @LeVoyageurOz complained “It just takes one incident in a city CBD quarantine hotel and we have Victoria on lockdown for at least a week.

“And that incident wasn’t even in Melbourne. @JoshFrydenberg”

Others, like @nietzsche — VEVO posted fears the snap lockdown would extend much longer, tweeting “Lockdown 4. I will be stuck in Melbourne for the duration. hope this doesn’t turn into a 3 or 4 month lockdown again!”

One meme about the fourth lockdown showed an exploding dust storm heading for a screaming man, while @Samishah joked about making sacrifices to the gods.

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He tweeted “In two days Melbourne’s had a double rainbow, a blood moon, and now a lockdown. In ancient times we’d sacrifice a leader to the elder gods by now. #justsaying.”

A complaint by @smithy — deb did not get much sympathy, when she tweeted “The whole State has to suffer. People 3hrs++ away from Melbourne, WHY ARE WE IN LOCKDOWN AGAIN, we don’t pose a risk.”

Another Twitter user suggested the virus would spread anyway, posting “Don’t worry half the Melbourne population are driving into Sydney so expect a total lockdown everywhere.”

Some people were taking advantage of the lockdown, advertising takeaway food, their forthcoming books, paintings, and even sexual services.

Aaron Dodd reworked a dad joke about beer maker Carlton United Brewery, posting “What do Scott Morrison and CUB have in common? They both make Victoria bitter.”

People created memes, including a mocked-up Victorian car registration plate depicting “Vicdorkia – The Lockdown State”.

Others were more philosophical about the closures, posting images of their pets at home, the Melbourne streets, and in one case, themself in the bath awaiting an UberEats delivery and suggesting Victorians do the same during lockdown.

Posting an image of Melbourne early on Thursday morning @Alan87206 tweeted that his daughter had taken the photo of “Melbourne waking up” on her way to work.

“I guess a quiet week ahead for this beautiful city with the snap 7 day lockdown,” he wrote.

“I personally trust our State Government’s decision and believe it is for the best. Stay safe all.”

candace.sutton@news.com.au

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Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/world/coronavirus/closures/fury-resignation-and-black-humour-victorians-react-on-twitter-to-snap-lockdown/news-story/8fe8c8ffdcb08cc5e3158863e4590492