Thread: Corona Virus

Originally Posted by DiscoMick

Its good to see some publicity about the need for national security planning, not just in fuel, which we've discussed, but also in many other areas.
For example, I didn't realise almost all our water chemicals are imported, so urban water supplies would start to fail after about a week.
As time passed, everything else would degrade until, after three months, society as we know it would collapse, this report says.
I really hope our national leaders take the message from the hoarding and other problems revealed by the pandemic and get serious about making Australia more self-sufficient.

Military leaders warn there are bigger crises than COVID-19 that Australia should prepare for
Think of coronavirus as a test run: Australian military leaders warn we must prepare for worse - ABC News

The whole world needs to consider that Meat is happily not an issue here. It is in the US "Outbreaks at processing plants around the United States have now shuttered much of the nation’s slaughtering capacity, causing food companies to warn of coming shortages at supermarkets and forcing farmers to kill pigs and chickens they cannot get to market."

Culling farm animals is not fun

Originally Posted by DiscoMick

Its good to see some publicity about the need for national security planning, not just in fuel, which we've discussed, but also in many other areas.
For example, I didn't realise almost all our water chemicals are imported, so urban water supplies would start to fail after about a week.
As time passed, everything else would degrade until, after three months, society as we know it would collapse, this report says.
I really hope our national leaders take the message from the hoarding and other problems revealed by the pandemic and get serious about making Australia more self-sufficient.

Military leaders warn there are bigger crises than COVID-19 that Australia should prepare for
Think of coronavirus as a test run: Australian military leaders warn we must prepare for worse - ABC News

At every level, this pernicious (accounting/management) philosophy of "Just-IN-Time" logistics is being exposed as the danger it always has been, more so as too much of our supply line(s) is overseas-sourced.

I'm with the military on this one, their remit is "Defence" of the nation, land/property/lives of citizens AND our 'society', so they have every duty and right to flag deficiencies. And be listened to.

Sovereignty can only be assured if the country can sustain itself. Perhaps it's time to look at our past trajectory, - shutting down local industry, production and control in favour of 'cheaper' and easier and allowing foreign ownership of vital, interesting and productive industries / business.
I'd start with the Federal government department - if any! - which (should ) oversee and regulate overseas capital taking home-grown business, especially ones which might have a future bearing on our Security.

Anyone know how many Australian-invented aircraft companies have landed in foreign ownership ? - and where, if anywhere, are they manufactured today ? Victa went to NZ, I think...a Western Australian one ended up in Malaysia, and the latest I suspect went to somewhere in Asia. - India ?

PAC CT/4 Airtrainer - Wikipedia

Eagle Aircraft Eagle 150 - Wikipedia

Australia CAN produce the Goods, even high tech medical stuff, designed AND built here, like this, OzVader V1 – OzVader a possible answer to the huge shortage of 'ventilators'... compare our result (those pesky Queenslanders again!) with Mercedes Benz racing team, Dyson - 20 M pounds spent, the debacle/Rip-off of the US Federal govt...


Where would the money come from ? - The Parliamentary Pension Scheme could be directed to invest a % in AUSTRALIAN manufacturing... An investment in the future prosperity of the Nation. (and tongue-in-cheek emoji)

I think we ought to redefine what is meant by national security.
There is a lot more to national security than just policing and border controls.
Keeping the nation secure covers everything from fuel, food and water to many everyday items.
Maybe we should copy the approach taken with media content, which says some of it must be locally produced, and define a certain percentage of our supplies as essential to national security and so may not be imported.
Requiring local suppliers could stimulate local manufacturers to have the confidence to invest. For example, Queensland introduced a rule that at least 15% of its electricity must be produced from gas, and now we are the world's largest gas exporter. I see ResMed, the local company which makes CPAP machines, won a big order to make ventilators.
Another approach would be to require that industries must be able to sustain themselves for 90 days on local stocks if imports stopped. That is already the standard for crude oil - we are supposed to stock 90 days, but we don't currently have the storage, so let's build it.
Governments have to take the lead if this is to work. Local suppliers should be favoured wherever possible in government contracts.
This will require a big shift in thinking away from always buying the cheapest imports to placing orders to sustain a reasonable local supply.
Are our leaders forward thinking to put national security ahead of cost-cutting?

The above, YES,, absolutely. I'm told that in the US, in Times Gone By, government departments were "encouraged" to favour local manufacturers for all their needs, from stationery to submarines, and had to supply iron-clad reasons why they might consider a foreign-owned company over 'Made In 'Merica'. - The dollar-difference had to be quite substantial...

We seem to do the opposite.

WHY ?

A quick side-step back to Beer-Virus, this link to a medical blog is useful, if only to help put 'perspective' to the horror-news we're being fed with... Huge infection rates, deaths rising, lock-downs... fear... running around like beheaded chooks...and thus mis ing vital parts of the jigsaw, - 'cos we can't see them.
Ever wondered why Australia has done SO well, both with infection rates and most importantly, mortality ?
Hint: - The season (here) and 'latitude'. plus the average amount of sunlight we normally get.
Just like here, the Comments are well worth reading, as is the link to that research early on.

COVID Update – Focus on Vitamin D | Dr. Malcolm Kendrick

- So, no excuse for not getting your shirt off and mowing the lawn !

Not one of the 11 deaths in the West Sydney home have actually died in hospital where they could at least get decent treatment - all have died in the nursing home.

Looks as if you are elderly you dont rate hospital care - and ventilators.

My 92yo mother still lives by herself in her own home, she was considering going into aged care but in view of the Royal Commission evidence and actions in nursing homes as a result of Covid 19 she has said there is no way she is going into a nursing home now and will stay at home with weekly home care.

Garry

Originally Posted by DiscoMick

I think we ought to redefine what is meant by national security.
There is a lot more to national security than just policing and border controls.
Keeping the nation secure covers everything from fuel, food and water to many everyday items.
Maybe we should copy the approach taken with media content, which says some of it must be locally produced, and define a certain percentage of our supplies as essential to national security and so may not be imported.
Requiring local suppliers could stimulate local manufacturers to have the confidence to invest. For example, Queensland introduced a rule that at least 15% of its electricity must be produced from gas, and now we are the world's largest gas exporter. I see ResMed, the local company which makes CPAP machines, won a big order to make ventilators.
Another approach would be to require that industries must be able to sustain themselves for 90 days on local stocks if imports stopped. That is already the standard for crude oil - we are supposed to stock 90 days, but we don't currently have the storage, so let's build it.
Governments have to take the lead if this is to work. Local suppliers should be favoured wherever possible in government contracts.
This will require a big shift in thinking away from always buying the cheapest imports to placing orders to sustain a reasonable local supply.
Are our leaders forward thinking to put national security ahead of cost-cutting?

Military leaders want us to think like the coronavirus is just a warm up for what may come next, and definitely want Australia to manufacture more at home. For example just about all stocks of chemicals to treat our water and sewage comes from overseas. They war-gamed a War/ major pandemic/ global crisis scenario a while back, and the results were not in our favour. We'd run out of diesel, no trucks to transport food, no chemicals to treat water or sewage, and much more. The Government had a big wake up call, don't be surprised to see big changes on the way.


Think of coronavirus as a test run: Australian military leaders warn we must prepare for worse

Originally Posted by superquag

......
We seem to do the opposite.

WHY ?
......

Simple - Australian voters want the government to do the same as they do, (and insist that companies that they are shareholders of do); that is, to buy everything at the lowest possible cost. To some extent, there is a reason for this - quite a few examples of past pork barrelling in government contracts, plus buying cheapest helps to keep down taxes and charges.

A good example could be seen by a poll among forum members as to who buys from Australian suppliers or the cheaper overseas supplier - or at a more parochial level, who buys from your local supplier rather than the mail order one that is cheaper?

Perhaps this epidemic may change a few peoples views.

While I'm more than happy for more manufacturing to be done here, almost all Chlorine, Hypo, bleach etc - including water treatment plant chlorine and chemicals we use here is made here as it's considered dangerous goods and very expensive to ship. All the Chlorine used in drinking water in Melbourne comes from 2 or 3 suppliers right here in town so transport is reduced. I would imagine most Cities have similar manufactures locally for the same reason.

Plenty of other stuff we use and need isn't though.