Premiers’ pandemic restrictions are still bordering on farce

It is a positive first step in opening international travel for travellers from New Zealand to be able to come to NSW and the Northern Territory without the need to go into hotel quarantine. However, the refusal by New Zealand to allow Australians to travel to New Zealand without quarantine shows that so-called travel bubbles are not the answer. All countries will want to continue to decide who enters their borders and under what conditions.

Countries such as Singapore and South Africa that have seven-day COVID-19 infection rates below 20 cases per 100,000 inhabitants will now allow Australians to enter without quarantine. We are also able to enter Europe; however, the infection rates in many European countries are currently quite a bit higher. The ongoing draconian ban on international travel is denying our right to travel overseas, despite us being welcomed by other countries.

To further progress the restart of international travel, Australians should be able to leave the country to travel to lower-risk countries and then return without having to go into hotel quarantine. This is in line with the Prime Minister’s comments that self-isolation at home is being considered for travellers returning from such countries. We need to get this going without delay.

Ian Wade, Teneriffe, Qld

Annastacia Palaszczuk is effectively saying to voters: “There is no need to vote for me if you want the border with NSW to remain closed because after the election the borders will be opened, whoever wins.” So you should make your choice on the ability to manage the budget, create jobs and reduce the size of the civil service together with the deficit.

Other factors to be considered include stamping out corruption, stopping sports rorts, preventing election funding rorting, maintaining good relations with the Prime Minister, using coal, and stopping enforcement of childish rules and regulations controlling Queenslanders’ lives.

R. Watson, Sunnybank Hills, Qld

In Victoria we have experienced, and are still experiencing, the effects of the greatest sociopolitical disaster to hit the state that all happened under the watch of the Daniel Andrews’ Labor government. We have had a $6m quasi-judicial inquiry that unearthed nothing due to legal eagles who were not quite up to the task of asking the tough follow-up questions to every witness who could not recall a single decision, let alone who made it.

The Premier, when he fronted the inquiry, looked very much at home because of the lack of robust questioning. He played the inquiry like a grand piano. The bottom line is only a royal commission will get to the truth but Andrews is the only one who can make the call. He will not do that because he knows the outcome is that he, his government and senior public servants are all guilty of the disastrous hotel quarantine disaster. As far as disgraceful legacies go it is hard to beat. The sad thing is that Andrews is going to get away with it all. So much for where the buck stops.

Peter D. Surkitt, Sandringham, Vic

Is the “dictator” description becoming more apt now that Daniel Andrews has threatened to maintain restrictions on people because some were not obedient enough over the weekend? The 5km bubble is to help limit the spread of the virus. It is a policy designed to mitigate a health emerg­ency. Now it may be used to punish innocent people to force others to listen to government. This threat seems to go against the entire basis of liberal democracy.

Edward J. Ebinger, West Footscray, Vic

The problem with Labor goes well beyond its failure to grasp sound economic principles. Its thirst for power drives all (“Labor keen to draw blood from this fiscal horror show”, 5/10). Labor is incapable of taking a realistic and pragmatic approach to economic issues, not even at a time of national emergency, when constructive rather than destructive criticism should be the objective of opposition parties.

Sadly, Anthony Albanese will likely take every opportunity to condemn Scott Morrison for his handling of the coronavirus and the economic aftermath; not because the Prime Minister did or is doing anything wrong but simply to create doubt and encourage unjustified public concern at the government’s economic recovery plan, It’s called political pointscoring — something that politicians do when they are void of constructive thought.

John George, Terrigal, NSW