Public Health's lack of data responsible for rumours and fear around borders reopening

It’s public relations 101 that a lack of information will create rumours and fear – and the state government’s lack of data around borders has done just that, writes Jenna Cairney.

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THE issue of border closures is starting to wedge Tasmanians.

Since Premier Peter Gutwein took the hard-line stance to activate our moat back in March when the first wave of the coronavirus crisis was starting to take hold on the mainland, Tasmanians have stood behind him in staunch support.

The move didn’t stop the North West outbreak from ripping through our community but it did serve its purpose by allowing the island to isolate a cluster without other new cases entering the state.

In June, Mr Gutwein announced a July opening date.

Australia had crushed the first wave of the coronavirus and Tasmania had successfully wrangled back control.

Premier Peter Gutwein and Dr. Mark Veitch at a coronavirus press conference. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

Not long after, Mr Gutwein was forced to place that decision on hold as the situation worsened in Melbourne and the health advice he received urged caution.

Then on July 24, the Premier announced Tasmania would open its borders to South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory.

Early this month, he once again hit the pause button on any interstate travel, saying we would remain in the current state until at least the end of August.

Then last month in parliament we were told that Tasmania would remain closed until December 1.

The Premier has always said if the situation got better, he would consider opening earlier and that if it’s not improved, he would delay.

But the December date has divided opinion.

The business community is split in two over the issue.

Some think they’ll be able to survive on JobKeeper, the state government’s Holiday at Home vouchers and local support.

Others, especially bigger businesses such as inner-city hotels, are on their knees.

All agree that they don’t want to go through a Melbourne-style lockdown again. Having closed borders if it means Tasmanians can roam (almost) freely is the lesser of two evils.

Residents’ views vary.

As the government has been at pains to point out, there is a lot of anxiety in the community. We have a vulnerable population and lives will be lost if there is an outbreak.

But there is a range of complicated family situations and people in a lot of emotional pain at the thought of not seeing loved ones interstate for the best part of a year.

Births, deaths and marriages all missed.

The main reason sentiment has started to change and patience is running out is that government has not explained well the full reasons behind the December date.

We were told travel bubbles with, say, South Australia were taken off the table because of the number of people travelling between SA and Victoria. Yet SA has no active cases.

It’s PR 101 that in a major event a lack of information will create a vacuum and, one way or another, that vacuum will be filled. So now we have rumours of modelling or probability data regarding the likelihood of positive cases coming into Tasmania but the government insists no such information exists.

It seems that an increasing number of Tasmanians are starting to question the logic around the December 1 date and it’s the government’s job to provide further evidence around its decision-making.