mhaze.

*…BTW how did Australia get to this point?…*

This is how: (NSW).

http://www.police.nsw.gov.au/recruitment/the_training/associate_degree_in_policing_practice/cost_of_study

Effectively, it is rule by University student!

For $20k deferred, or $17k up front, you too can become a keeper of the peace.

Dan

Well my two cent for what it is worth.

Firstly I am fully vaccinated and absolutely support most efforts to get as many people vaccinated as possible. I feel I know enough about Covid to support mandatory vaccination among heath workers, particularly those in aged care.

Secondly I remain a supporter of Andrew's leadership through the pandemic. However I think he has gotten it wrong on this one.

Mandating vaccines for the building industry and most other sectors is problematic for me. It is a medical procedure however innocuous, so to speak, some consider the jab to be.

I deem those who have decided not to vaccinate for whatever reason to be generally selfish and lacking in the kind of respect for their community that we would hope for all our fellow citizens. However I will defend their right to make that choice.

A significant proportion of the cases from construction sites in Melbourne came from the one project. To have shut down the entire industry shifts the consequences on to it all, even those 50% who have done the right thing.

NSW shuttered its construction sector to a greater degree than that in Victoria without the kind of back lash we are seeing here. They also mandated vaccines but with the exemption to those who were prepared to have a Covid test every 3 days. I feel this would have taken much of the sting out of the protests.

Those who originally gathered at the CFMEU offices were indeed primarily construction workers. That other players joined them before the most serious confrontations is a given however this shouldn't allow the concerns of those workers to be unanswered.

It is the same at the Shrine. Many of those there had genuine reasons for protesting. While I do not agree with the stance of many I understand why they were there. Once again the were bad actors within their ranks as there are within the police, however on the whole the Shrine protest was done peacefully and respectfully.

I agree fully with Melbourne's Lord Mayor
Sally Capp who said:

"It is beyond disappointing and completely disgusting
that rioters would target people who are frontline
workers, health care workers, doing their best to
help us get out of this situation we're in."

"It doesn't make sense. I call them rioters because
there really is nothing about this that is a protest.
There is no cause. This is about self interest. It's
about causing as much disruption and destruction as
possible."

Two health clinics in Melbourne's CBD were forced to
close after their workers were subjected to physical
and verbal abuse from protesters.

The Melbourne Town Hall vaccination centre (normally
packed) and a drop-in health clinic for people
experiencing homelessness have shut for four days.

Staff were spat on and had liquid thrown on them.

No sympathy from me for this behaviour.

Paul, You "read a respected conservative poster calling (me) extreme", did you diddums? Who was this rare "conservative" you deem to be respected?

ttbn, you replied to the "extreme" comment so you must know who I am refering to.

"I replied to the "extreme" comment so you must know who I am refering to." What on earth are you talking about. I replied, so I must know who this person you can’t name is! You don't know either. You make things up as you go along. You have no credibility. Goodbye.