Don’t cancel modern Oz Use commonsense: keep calm, carry on
THIS week was a turning point in the panic over coronavirus.
We saw the Formula One cancelled in Melbourne after four of the teams refused to compete because their employees tested positive and cricket Australia will play games in empty stadiums.
But not much has changed when it comes to the actual virus.
The truth is the extreme majority of people who will get the virus in Australia will only have a mild case and easily get over it.
Our main worry is of course anyone who has contact with the elderly, especially in nursing homes. But I believe the worst thing we can do is overreact and shut down the country.
It has been infuriating to see much of the media deliberately ignore the fact that most cases have been mild.
While some politicians give into the Twitter mob, who want to shut down much of our public life.
This week the federal government announced almost $20 billion to help keep people spending, and protect our economy from a recession.
To see people demand we close shopping centres, cancel cultural life and empty sporting stadiums will have the exact opposite effect.
We often hear the cry from the Canberra bubble that we have to follow the experts on their pet issues. But those same people ignore the health experts who are on top of this.
These commentators are determined to turn this virus into a political fight and we can’t let them get away with it.
The famous saying of ‘ keep calm and carry on’ should be our guiding light here. Of course, that doesn’t mean put vulnerable people at risk so we can go about our normal lives, or that we aren’t all a little nervous.
But we will get through and have to do so, together. it,
We are working longer outside cities
This week the ABS told us the number of Australians still working over 65 has doubled in the past ten years.
We also learnt that the biggest concentration of those workers is in regional Australia, specifically people still working in agriculture.
We’ve all known this for a while, but it’s good to get the data to confirm that many farmers are staying on the land
THE TRUTH IS THE EXTREME MAJORITY OF PEOPLE WHO WILL GET THE VIRUS IN AUSTRALIA WILL ONLY HAVE A MILD CASE AND EASILY GET OVER IT.
longer than they planned, because the next generation isn’t taking their place.
We need to start making huge efforts to get more young people to not only work in agriculture, but to stay long enough to take over these businesses.
Governments need to listen to these communities to work out how to ensure the next generation steps up.
A life on the land is hard, but can be richly rewarding.
Every year, new technology means the way we farm is changing, to make sure we can ride out the fluctuating weather and the struggles it can bring.
If we don’t, more land will be sold off overseas and none of us want to see that.