Premier, the people of Victoria are at breaking point

One of the elements of training in the specialty of anaesthesia is to avoid what is known in the aviation industry as fixation error, where the pilot (or the person in charge of a medical crisis) can become fixed on an incorrect diagnosis and fail to avert the impending disaster. Anaesthetists must act quickly, but with an open mind, when dealing with a medical emergency. This involves consultation with other staff present — no matter who they are — rapid decision-making and the ability to look for other solutions if the therapy is not working.

When I see Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews in his daily press conferences, in his off-hand replies to questions, his dismissal of quality advice from industry and public health authorities, interstate and overseas, as “loud voices” that will not “distract me from my job”, I cannot but think he is guilty of fixation error. The fact is, the Victorian public is at breaking point and the cure of the pandemic is now far worse than the disease.

Our public hospitals are open and underfilled, our intensive care units are virtually empty. We can effectively treat anybody sick enough, and keep mortality as low as can possibly be achieved, without coming close to stretching our resources. There is now absolutely no reason (if there ever were) to continue with any form of lockdown in some self-obsessed way of demonstrating that I, the Premier of Victoria, have solved the problem. Victoria must open up, and now.

Dr Hugh Pearce, Elwood, Vic

JobKeeper’s big reveal

Certainly, the Coalition has been spending like a drunken sailor who won Lotto, but the cries of despair as JobKeeper and JobSeeker are cut back are instructive. It is apparent that as the number of people dependent on government welfare increases, the greater will be the vote for the party advocating the biggest handouts. Which explains why Anthony Albanese wants to give childcare subsidies to families earning $530,000. The ALP green-left has clearly given up on industry, jobs and the economy — opting instead for renewable energy, social justice and affirmative action at the next election — and the party split favoured by Joel Fitzgibbon may be closer than we think. The inner-city woke half of Labor should merge with the Greens while others, awake to real concerns in the real world, could merge with and reinvigorate the National Party.

Greg Jones, Kogarah, NSW

Ageism hurts

I am an older woman who has been retrenched once and “let go” from the part-time casual work I had been doing since 2015. I live with my two sisters (economies of scale) who have also lost part-time casual roles in the same period. We think the change in attitude to older Australians coincides with our loss of work. I have tried working through employment agencies and they are very positive in telephone interviews, but once I meet with them in person all positivity is lost. Ageism is so obvious the minute the agent lays eyes on me.

Older Australians are great as babysitters and consistent volunteers (including to fight bushfires), but are dismissed as not being “current” or employable. Even our Prime Minister likely sees women in a secondary role only. His go-to model would be his wife, who does not work, seldom attends public events on her own and is generally seen as the “little woman” at home. My experience is once you lose employment you will not gain it back.

Older Australians need more suppport from government. Many pensioners live just above or under the poverty line. Does the government believe a one-off two-part payment of $500 will help to bring pensioners out of poverty?

I understand we are in a pandemic, but older Australians should not be seen as less worthy than younger Australians. We enjoy a “free Australia” due to their sacrifices.

Ann Stewart, Port Macquarie, NSW