Welcome to the column where you provide the content. Universities are in a mad panic as coronavirus threatens to cook their golden goose, with fears that Chinese students, who are banned from coming here, might take their cash and enrol elsewhere. No sympathy from Newport:
“Why not offer to let the University staff fly into China and teach there. They seem to think there is no risk. Hire a big hall in Wuhan, and away you go. the chancellors and bursars must go too, of course, to show leadership.”
Can’t, said Matt:
“Can’t get into Wuhan, China won’t let me, and no point — only a fraction of 1pc of my university’s students come from Wuhan and the Hubei region. But I’ve got no issues personally going to China to teach a bunch of our students if need be. Done it before.”
Don’t, said Ian:
“Then off you go. I have too. Loved it until I found the party going through my things, bugs in my room and email looked at and told constantly how their brothers and sisters in Tawain want to come home.”
Laurie was cautious:
“Meanwhile in China, assuming the CCP is being truthful, over 400 dead, 40,000 affected, had to cut off Wuhan and another city and build two temporary hospitals. I think we have a reason to be careful.”
Correction, said Chris:
“1,400 dead and going up by 25pc a day.”
Jenna wanted a jab:
“Until a vaccination is available, the ban needs to be not only extended, but also expanded to other countries that are not deploying the same resources as Australia to contain the spread.
I’m growing increasingly weary of comments in this paper to the effect that this virus is similar to the flu and that ‘only the elderly and immunocompromised will die’.
“Firstly, this is not similar to the flu. Every year, Australians can avail themselves of a flu vaccination, and for the elderly or immunocompromised the vaccination is free. There is no vaccine for this virus and, even on the most conservative estimates, the death rate is exponentially higher.
“Secondly, the elderly and immunocompromised in our community are not expendable. Would you have such a cavalier attitude if it was your elderly parent? Your infant child? If you were asthmatic, undergoing chemo or on immune-suppressing medication?”
Bravo, said Brendan:
“Looking only at the numbers of dead vs recovered (ie leaving out the yet to conclude cases) there is roughly an 18pc chance of dying if one gets the virus. That is very high if you ask me. As for the ‘I’ll be right, it’s only the infirm that are dying’ attitude, you are absolutely spot on. How horribly selfish.”
Menzies’ Girl mentioned:
“Well it’s at least 10 times the death rate of seasonal influenza according to the respected MRC Centre for Infectious Disease Analysis in London. The flu kills 0.13 per cent of those infected according to the WHO. Then factor in that it’s way more contagious than the flu and undetectable during a 14 — possibly 24 — day incubation period and infects at least three people to one carrier. Then add to this the fact that it doesn’t seem to have developed and morphed YET — I think we need to take this very seriously.”
No love from Logical:
“The blindingly obvious fact is that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has failed the citizens of China. Hence there is no reason our Prime Minister must fail the people of Australia merely to placate the CCP. Let the members of the Party stew in their own juices.”
Hmm, said Uncle Ho:
“Managing this week by week is absolutely the way to go. Having lived in Shanghai for 4 years and seeing the manner in which the PRC govt manage information, I am highly sceptical about the data.”
Remember Chernobyl, said Chris:
“ ‘An accident occurred at the Chernobyl atomic power plant and one of the reactors was damaged. Measures have been undertaken to eliminate the consequences of the accident.’ The first voice coming out of communist USSR to the West just over 25 years ago … never trust communist propaganda.”
Maic backed ScoMo:
“I say good for the Prime Minister. The safety and welfare of Australians come first. So some groups are losing money? Well if the coronavirus hits Australia they will lose money in that situation.
“Any reasonable Australians will appreciate that in situations like this the Prime Minister must make definite and hard decisions and if anything to err on the side of caution. Yes, there are those who criticise him but that’s hardly new.
“Actually, isn’t he doing the opposite of what some Chinese bureaucrats did, facing up to the problem and taking preventive as well as remedial action. Personally I am not weeping for the universities in their hour of trial. Their reluctance to protect and promote genuine free speech and thought has not been to their credit.”
Tim was terse:
“Anyone else sick of being lectured by this authoritarian regime and their supplicants yet? Put Australia first, the universities have done enough damage already by toeing the CCP line.”
Chris countered:
“Both directly and indirectly, this ‘authoritarian regime’ is paying for you and family’s house, flat screen tele, holidays etc and is the reason Australia hasn’t had a recession for more than 25 years. It’s called biting the hand that feeds you.”
High dudgeon from Rupert Pupkin:
“We decide who comes into our country and under what circumstances. John Howard was right on that. What a cheek. I bet many other countries will be slapping those travel bans on as well and that is what this reprimand is all about; to send a message to other countries. Don’t give in this week, next week or for months if necessary.”
Helen got heated:
“How dare the Chinese Embassy castigate our PM! Treating us as if we’re Taiwan! They might own the majority of our farms, businesses and homes. But they don’t own us! This is a sovereign country, protected by our geography (island nation) and we intend to keep it that way. The Chinese can stay put until they have got the disease under control.
“Our universities may be crying poor. But this is what happens when you put all your eggs in one basket. Maybe they’ll be forced to diversify and start teaching … Australian students.”
Peter’s point:
“Japan, Singapore, Vietnam and others are doing the same thing. I was watching on CNA (Singapore) news some video on a town in Vietnam that has been isolated and everyone entering or leaving is getting checked. If you have a problem with countries isolating people to stop this disease spreading then I cannot agree with you.”
Euan argued:
“I will wait and see, but I think ScoMo’s response like the bushfire and water debacles is poorly addressed, ill timed and puts another break on the export education economy that provides Australia $32 billion a year. Scott Morrison should have allowed students in with exception from Wuhan with border exit conditions such as testing at departure gates. He is allowing free passage to Chinese Australian residents and nationals so it does not make sense. “There are border exit control mechanisms to test for this, this action sends a bad message and signals a potential major blow to the nation’s GDP, employment and export earnings.
“So far this is little difference between a Turnbull government and a Morrison government when it comes to the number of blunders and missteps taken.”
Jonathan said:
“ScoMo has 26m Australians to consider and protect. I’ll back him, the government and medical advice to determine the most appropriate course of action.”
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President Bernie Sanders? You can’t rule it out yet, wrote Greg Sheridan. Yes you can, said Gary:
“Bernie has no chance, and now that Joe Biden fades because the negative news of his Ukraine dealings were revealed during the impeachment exercise, neither does anyone else.
A seasoned incumbent with a good economy who hasn’t started any new wars is always given a second therm. This is especially true if the challenger is a rookie touting radical economic ideas which threaten to upset current prosperity.
“Joe, at least, was perceived as a moderate with strong support from the black community, and who did have that eight years of invaluable experience as vice president. But, Joe’s a goner.
And for all this talk about ‘centrists’, most people fail to realise that this is precisely the ground Trump has staked out. He is a pragmatist, not an ideologue, and is prepared to strike deals that advance an agenda rather than hold out for pie-in-the-sky purity.
“Democrats oppose Trump not because of a ‘far right’ agenda, but because they are stuck in ‘resist’ mode. We saw this during the recent state of the union speech. Democrats sat in stony silence while shining examples of achievement by African-Americans were introduced by Trump and rightly given standing applause by the non-Democratic audience, and cheered by average Americans viewing at home.
“On policy, Trump did propose a merit based immigration system like Australia’s. Democrats once supported such a system, but they opposed it simply to deny Trump a success. This is what happens when a political party operates on emotion and not logic.
“Trump might indeed be the self-proclaimed genius he claims to be. By occupying the centrist policy ground, he forces Democrats to move further left in order to differentiate themselves. And, his name calling and goading causes otherwise smart people to become irrational. He knows that their extreme-left policy positions, and their apoplectic rants against him, will be laughed at by the ordinary middle-ground Americans who decide elections.”
Wayne of the Glen said:
“The Dems are continuing to move further and further left, ceding the middle ground (and majority of votes) to Trump. By the time 2024 rolls around, Bernie will seem like a moderate to the Dems.”
Martin mused:
“America will never elect a full blown socialist! Says an expat yank from California! Add to that history says a sitting president is never voted out of a good economy and the current is best in 65 years!”
Dianne doubted:
“America would never elect a socialist like Sanders. But there is a growing trend among young voters to vote for someone like Sanders with his socialist policies of free healthcare, free universities and present student fees written off. Maybe not this election, but the next election. When you have the four freshmen congresswomen known as the Squad pushing the Democrat Party to the far left, it will not be the Party you grew up to know.”
Gavin said:
“All the hip hip hoorays from the Democrats will never hide the fact that Americans, and I even include here, Trump-deniers, won’t stomach someone like Sanders, an avowed socialist who would bankrupt the US with his wild promises and his questionable ability to steer the world’s most senior office as a near octogenarian with a few health issues to boot.
“Trump certainly has his faults but his strengths lie in the fact that he has the runs on the board and he does what he says he will do, in spite of probably the most vicious ongoing campaign acting against him from some parts of the media and a few has-been movie stars.”
Sandra said:
“There are not enough socialists in the US, other than college students, to get Bernie over the line next November. Trump has been incredibly successful, economically and in every other sense. Why would a majority of Americans throw his achievements away for an old socialist ‘Democrat’ (Sanders is an Independent, not a Dem) who has been in the Congress for 40 years without any particular achievement? Trump will win in a landslide if Bernie is his opponent.”
Wrong, reckoned Robert:
“In your praise of Trump why have you not mentioned his great talent in the area of telling lies? No one can match him. My tip is Bernie can win, all those who value honesty are looking away from Trump and his Republican yes men. Go Bernie go and bring in a hospital system that stops people going broke if they fall ill.”
Iain took aim:
“Good old fashioned Bernie with his good old fashioned salute to the Troopers. Funny how President Trump is very rude and therefore is just the devil incarnate and the embodiment of evil, yet good old Bernie is a lifelong supporter and promoter of a doctrine that has brought destruction to millions and empires that have oppressed billions, yet he’s a ‘progressive’ frontrunner. Ain’t politics, and the human mind, wonderful.”
DonM was chasing Amy:
“Klobuchar is the one to keep very, very safe. She needs to keep the roll going, triggered by the last debate and consequent New Hampshire result, but has a presence and seems to have a clever team behind her. Her post NH ‘victory speech’ was impressive. When the rubber really hits the road, being a ‘strong’ woman should prove a plus. Bernie will be swamped if that much larger combined vote, for the more moderate lefties, consolidates behind her — which seems quite possible. At $20, she’s definitely the value bet for people who are wagering inclined.”
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An eminent advisory group warned us that the French submarine deal was a debacle, but we didn’t listen, wrote Robert Gottliebsen. Rowena’s other half reckoned:
“We are still too frightened to use nuclear power. Time to join the adults in the world.”
Ryan’s riposte:
“You only use nuclear subs if you’re interested in maintaining a nuclear deterrent capability at sea. Nuclear subs are too noisy to use as attack submarines, because you can’t ever turn them off. That’s why anti-ship subs are diesel or battery.”
Cameron’s correction:
“The USN operates SSNs as attack submarines and SSBNs and SSGNs as ballistic missile and guided missile subs respectively. Modern nuclear propulsion is very quiet particularly when run on passive cooling only.”
Old hat, said John M:
“By the time these subs are working they will be superseded by underwater drones. Sheer waste of money.”
A waste, said William:
“How long can these T-model submarines survive an attack on them by anything more sophisticated than a rubber dinghy manned by sailors with bows and arrows? If we can’t purchase something that gives our brave submariners a fighting chance, don’t buy anything.”
A reaming from Robyn:
“Turnbull always stuffs up on a large scale — NBN, Hydro 2.0, French submarines …
And he now hangs around like the miserable ghost that he is.”
A bashing from Barbara:
“ ‘We’ didn’t ignore those risks. Our prime minister at the time played politics with the security of our nation. He also wanted to save a Liberal minister’s seat, and put his finger in the eye of Tony Abbott by walking away from a deal he had verbally agreed to with the Japanese.”
Last word to Centsworth:
“The USN recommended the Japanese submarine which is arguably the most effective conventional submarine in the world. Tony Abbott wanted to set up a fast tracked, extremely cost effective acquisition that would have had the first submarine operable in the mid 2020s and the US were happy for the Japanese to have full access to the sensor and weapons systems.
“Unfortunately a direct purchase was canned and a horrendously expensive competitive tender was released. Personally I find it very difficult to believe that the Navy were happy to have a decade long capability gap with a French offer consisting of a paper design based on a nuclear submarine that had not even completed builders trials. This seems more like a political decision with Turnbull and his cabinet acolytes vehemently opposed to any of Abbott’s initiatives.”
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