Thread: Corona Virus

Does anyone know our Premier? If so, can they please ask him to stop chucking spears at other States because we've been fortunate in avoiding a mass outbreak (I'm still convinced its good luck rather than good management).
I know NSW are doing it "tough", but they still haven't reached the dizzying heights of Victoria 2020 and they'll eventually learn the lessons Melbourne learned and get it under control.

Just know that there are people over here in the West that support you (and I know a *nutbag with a garage full of poo tickets who'd happily fedex some to those in need) and know you eventually get the "I'm vaccinated, lockdown doesn't apply to me" under control and life will return to the "normal" that the rest of the world envied.

Keep going NSW, you'll eventually get this.

* he may be a nutbag, but he's a nice nutbag who only stockpiles while there is plenty available.

Originally Posted by BradC

Does anyone know our Premier? If so, can they please ask him to stop chucking spears at other States because we've been fortunate in avoiding a mass outbreak (I'm still convinced its good luck rather than good management).

Yes I think it is by good luck and NSW taking more than their fair share of overseas returnees. A recent whistle blower in the WA health system highlighted that it is at max capacity without a Covid outbreak and if that happened the whole WA health system would collapse without help from the other States.

Also WA has the lowest vaccination rate per capita which will also be an issue if there is an outbreak.

All State's management has had its pros and cons - most States have seeded Covid to other areas at one time or another and maybe if we started working together rather than "chucking spears" as we do with other emergencies we would all do better.

I think WA has done really well and dont disagree with its approach but I believe your Premier is working a political angle rather than health angle but to say more gets political.

Garry

Originally Posted by 101RRS

Maybe, but if not a refugee to get permanent residency you have to pass an english literacy test first. I have a Chinese friend who can write, read and speak passable english but he is about to be deported because he failed the test twice and is about to turn 45 so will then not be eligible for permanent residency even if he passed the english test.

That's disgraceful. We should not be deporting anyone merely because of their language skills, I think.
You don't have to have good English to contribute to Australia. A surprising proportion of people born in Australia are functionally illiterate, but still get on with their lives.
This is just Big Brother interfering in peoples' lives for no good reason. Leave them alone.

Originally Posted by DiscoMick

That's disgraceful. We should not be deporting anyone merely because of their language skills,

Not only because he has failed the language test twice - that in itself is not grounds for deportation but does not give you permanent residency - there is an age limit of 45 for permanent residency (in normal processes but there may be exceptions) and he is now 44 and may not pass a test before he turns 45 so off you go back home.

Now while I often correct his english, it is not too bad and is understandable - the biggest problem is that if he does not understand something he just sits there, fat dumb and stupid and does not say he does not understand. It is when I see that look I make him repeat back what I say and go through the issues. That is actually how much of the language test is - something is said in english and the applicant has to paraphrase what has just been said and what it means.

Interestingly his english was good enough for him to gain a Master of Accounting from Uni of Canberra (also studied at Newcastle University) but not good enough to become a resident - he has the professional and academic skills to be a valuable contribution.

in the news



Scott Morrison has revealed an "extraordinary effort" by Australians, with a jawdropping number of vaccine doses administered in the past four days.
One million vaccines administered across Australia in four days.

Originally Posted by BradC

Does anyone know our Premier? If so, can they please ask him to stop chucking spears at other States

pretty sure he is only throwing back the ones that were sent his way

MY son just called from Japan , he is so frustrated on they are handling it there, 5000 a day in Tokyo, people when sick can't get tested, people wanting oxygen getting turned away, the country is open. the vaccine roll out is slow and people are spreading it. Thing like a class room has a couple of cases, so instead of testing the whole class they only test a couple of students even though every one was exposed.,

Just a reminder that vaccinating 80% of the eligible population is only about 65% of the total population, which is not enough to achieve herd immunity, so relaxing then could result in another wave of infections among the unvaccinated, which is happening right now in strongly Republican parts of the USA. Not a good example to copy, I think.