One thing that I can say without contradiction: Saltpetre is a liar. He said that he would not bother me again, but here he is, again, whining about me and adding ALTRAV to his hate list.

SR, you opined,

"As to history supporting the lockdown it is becoming clear how much high death rates have impacted economies. It will all come out in the wash but I doubt history will look kindly on the more open approaches if a vaccine is secured within the year"

Please direct me to any study showing a causal link between death rate (fatalities per thousand, say) and economic impact. The fact is something less than 2 deaths per thousand population will accompany reaching herd-immunity and I doubt this would have a significant economic impact. Meanwhile, dreams of a vaccine (by year's end?!) in hope of the elimination position being upheld should not be the basis of policy.

Watched '60 Minutes' and a couple of old codgers telling us how character-building the coming depression will be for younger folk, almost as if lockdown is doing them a favour when in fact it's the old codgers receiving the immense favour so they can get on with their lives as normal (or so it seemed until Victoria, Covid will keep coming until herd-immunity is reached.

A friend, prefacing her comments with the fact she has no children, told me, "if lockdown saves one life it will have been worth it", and, "the debt of previous generations has 'always' been carried by the next" (BTW, I'd distinguish between avoidable and unavoidable debt, with what we are imposing through parking the economy fitting into the former category). This injects ethics and philosophy into the discussion and to imply folks are almost eugenicists for opposing waves of lockdown with life and death impacts is simplistic nonsense.

The economist Gigi Foster (60 Minutes) points out that ALL pathways have economic and therefore life-span impacts. Of course they set out to paint her as a heartless bitch, good Sunday fodder, but we have to have a more sensible discussion than a simple emotive one, one based on data and facts. Again, SR, studies please.

'"if lockdown saves one life it will have been worth it", '

yeah one of the dumbest statements ever. If no one ever went in water their would be no drowning, if no one ever drove in a car their would be no road deaths Sounds like a statement from one of the 'experts'.

runner,

Totally agree with your 'dumbest comment ever' observation. Our economy has been wrecked to 'save' people who were on the way out anyway. And it's the youngest ones who were never at risk of death who are going to have to foot the bill for years to come.

As millions of Australians feel the pain of losing their jobs, and the financial hardship it brings, a bunch of LIBERAL POLITICIANS in South Australia have been cough with their hands in the taxpayer till. These reprobates have milked the taxpayer of tens of thousands of dollars. The penalty, sacking from cabinet, and having to pay the money back. I ask is that a reasonable penalty in these very tough times?

Paul,

SERIOUSLY?
REALLY?
C'mon mate don't play that card, you know very well ALL politicians are bent and thieving liars.
I've witnessed a very humble well intentioned man enter politics a very naive saint like demeanor.
What came out the other end was not the same person.
Was he acting on the way in?
Was he truly what came out in the end, only "putting it on" to get elected?
That is partly why I hate politicians, ALL OF THEM!
They cannot be trusted, period!
That's why I arc up when someone sings songs of praise and worship when referring to one of these, better regarded as, "filth".
If you need to be convinced it would take too long using this forum, but suffice to say that once you are "IN" you tow the line or you will never get a word or a bill through edge wise.
Why do you think so many major contracts are given to offshore companies?
Because it is near impossible to trace the "dirty money trail" in a foreign country.
So you can imagine the feeling of rancor and utter disgust, when I hear naive, immature, and childish description of a minister, "The HONOURABLE, the minister".
HONOURABLE my arse.