When it comes to special treatment during the coronavirus pandemic, sportspeople are more deserving than reality TV stars

PEOPLE in lockdown need sport much more than another dose of mindless reality TV, writes DENISE CAHILL.

Dannii Minogue caused a stir when she was granted an exemption to 14 days of hotel quarantine. Picture: Scott Barbour/ Getty Images

GIVING special treatment to our elite sportsmen and women by creating quarantine hubs provides a much-needed service to Australia during this coronavirus pandemic.

But exempting arts and entertainment personalities like reality TV hosts from the harsh quarantine rules benefits no one but the individual.

When Australians were first told to “stay home” as coronavirus hit with a vengeance earlier this year, it meant no live sport on TV.

Football, soccer, rugby, netball, tennis … there was no professional live sport.

It was a case of binge watching Netflix or re-runs of Friends … unless of course you were glued to the COVID-19 rolling news coverage.

As most Victorians now face at least another six weeks in lockdown, knowing they can watch sport on TV provides some comfort.

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Several AFL teams were sent to Queensland hubs so they could get the 2020 season underway amid cries that AFL players were getting special treatment.

But even the warm weather, occasional golf round and surf wouldn’t have made up for being away from family, friends and a “normal” home routine.

AFL is back and NRL has returned while A-League soccer resumed this weekend and Super Netball is set to return in early August.

Netball Australia is currently working on establishing quarantine hubs for teams so the season can get underway.

As Melburnians shelter in their homes from coronavirus and the dreary winter, they’ll be able to channel surf from sport to sport providing much needed dinner table chat.

But what no one in lockdown needs to be subjected to is mindless reality TV like the Masked Singer Australia.

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Dannii Minogue, the younger sister of the more famous Kylie, caused a stir last week when she was granted an exemption to 14 days of hotel quarantine when she landed in Queensland from the US.

The reality TV host and her son were allowed to quarantine in a palatial Gold Coast home in a move that was labelled double standards by social media users.

But Queensland’s Chief Medical Officer Jeannette Young hit back, saying there wasn’t one rule for celebrities and another for everyone else.

“She has a COVID-safe plan that is being managed by an independent third party,” she said. “She is funding all of those arrangements.”

Dr Young said different groups of people could apply for exemptions to hotel quarantine, including sporting groups, consular officials, Australian Defence Force personnel and film and industry stars.

That last group should be removed.

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What service are film and industry stars providing to Australians during lockdown?

Certainly no more than media, which I note aren’t on the exemption list but continue to update Australians on what could be considered the most important information that Australians need right now.

Live sport and talent trumps reality TV, with or without a coronavirus pandemic.

Denise Cahill is the Head of News at the NT News

Follow @DeniseCahill18