Fresh hope in outbreak I
WAS in the city the other night, to see Parasite, the movie that won the Best Picture Oscar.
I have a thing for disaster movies, ever since my teenage years in the 1970s when a flood of catastrophes hit movie theatres; The Poseidon Adventure, Airport, Airport ’75, and Earthquake, to name a few.
Since then, I’ve made a hobby of cowering in theatres, enjoying the absolute thrill of being up close but not actually involved in the on-screen mayhem.
So you can imagine my confusion when half an hour into Parasite (which I had mistakenly thought was titled “Pandemic”) there appeared to be no sign of anyone suffering an out-ofcontrol stomach bug.
“Strange,” I pondered, as the unsettling black dramedy unfolded. The penny dropped about halfway through that this film depicted parasites of a completely different kind, but although robbed of the opportunity to increase my already high levels of pandemicpanic, I went home and watched “Outbreak”, which incredibly, is unfolding in real life.
Affected parts of the world are currently focused on shortages of immediate requirements such as face masks, Hazmat suits and hospital beds, but if the outbreak continues, our lives may become disrupted in ways we probably haven’t thought of.
Take a look in your loungeroom, pantry, makeup bag, wardrobe, garage or toolshed.
You’ll find “Made in China” is on the back or underside of most items. Most locally sourced products are found in your fridge – fruit and vegies, meat, bread and dairy items.
Almost everything else is “Made in Australia from local and imported ingredients”, which might soon be unavailable, due to the supply chain disruption.
The local seafood industry reported this week it’s struggling, with its live export market to China all but shut down.
Fishing boats converted from refrigeration to salt water tanks are dependent on inflated prices for coral trout, mudcrabs, and other reef fish; and with the tiger prawn season due to start at the end of March, the outlook is grim. But does it have to be?
I’ve been checking out our supermarket seafood; pressing my face up to the glass to read the price tags because I always forget my glasses.
We import fish from Tanzania and prawns from Vietnam, as well as indeterminate “various” locations for marinara mix.
I’ve also spotted oranges from California and tinned pineapple from Hawaii. Why is this, when we have local suppliers?
According to local fishos, China demands fresh produce – the question is, why don’t we do the same? Why are we exporting our stunning produce, and importing inferior products for local consumption?
Sure, China pays a premium for live seafood, but it still has to get there; without international transport and handling, surely there’s a market here?
Burdekin commercial crabbers, Townsville tiger prawn and Bowen’s coral trout fishermen are preparing for a four to six-month industry shutdown – but why not supply the national seafood market?
Imagine if Bowen muddies were sold Australia-wide, and supermarket fish was fresh instead of frozen?
Take it from disaster movies, you’ve got to adapt, and act – anything less equals collateral damage.