ttbn. Andrews, soon to retire? Is pretty much a one-man show at the moment.

His curfews have achieved one thing, enforced (the missing compliance) compliance which has seemed to have been the missing element in his state, given the undeniable community (person to person) transmission rates created that second wave!

It's said, you can always tell a Victorian, but you can't tell them very much.

What I don't yet is the fact that we seem to have a reliable test which gives a conclusie result in seconds, i.e., the Israeli Saliva test. But have yet to acquire it/a licence to manufacture and deploy it ASAP. And I get that that same Saliva could also be used to detect illicit drugs in the system.

[As for those testing positive being allowed to attend a funeral? Allowed if fully dressed in medically approved P.E's, gowns, masks, gloves and face shields. Did not interact intimately with the other attendees! Maintained a two-metre social distance!]

With something like that in the arsenal, we could locate testing stations at the nearest (can't drive around that dumbo) bridge to this or that border crossing, Supermarket, sports or entertainment venues and international exit and entry points, with those testing negative allowed to proceed and those testing positive, sent to our currently unused refugee detention centres for a mandatory two-four weeks or when three conclusive tests prove negative, whichever is the sooner.

Given that was the template, all the lockdowns could cease and borders and economy reopened/restarted.

Albeit, I want to retain social distancing, hand hygiene and the mandated wearing of masks in public. Given the quite massive reduction in the flu and common cold this year!
Alan B.

It'd be a struggle trying to manage on 80 grand a year! And the things I could no longer buy as soon they hit the shelves. Why I'd have to manage with the same car/phone/PC/laptop/tablet etc., for five years! I'd only be able to see the local barber once every two months.

And forgo the pub sessions and take my beverages at home? Or in a flask. Might have to take a packed lunch to work?

May even have to spend some time in the garden planting food/fruit and veges? Lord knows, that'd be too tough surely?

On the flip side, when the economy improves quite quickly, with the huge increase in the discretionary spend, my sacrifice and yours created! And the economy just went from strength to strength. My/your sacrifice would be elimiated via the pay increases that would quickly flow through to all and the increased discretionary spend could become entrenched and permanent.

And we halved the cost of living/just doing business, by outlawing paper shuffling, profit demanding middlemen, who as usual, add nothing productive at all!

In which case a 20% salay sacrifice for all those earning a 100 grand or better a year, would be very worthwhile! As would be, genune tax reform, manifesting as a single unavoidable 15% flat tax we all pay, as the only tax take, above a generous, tax-free threshold!
Alan B.

A salary cut would be of most benefit to the ones taking the biggest cut ! Problem is that they're not smart enough to realise that !