Welcome glimpse of freedom

CAN you smell that?

The scent of freedom is slowly blowing back into North Queensland and it’s a pleasant surprise.

When COVID-19 first began to grip Australia, there was talk the country could be in lockdown for as long as six months, or even until next year.

Now, less than two months after the first social distancing laws were put in place, things are beginning to revert to the way they were.

Townsville was buzzing on the weekend, with busy roads, shopping centres and parks.

Cabin fever had well and truly hit most households, so it was great for us to all get rid of the shackles a little.

The Strand was packed with families enjoying themselves, friends met on the beach to get some sun and some business owners put money in their tills for the first time since March.

It looks like things could get even better, with Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk declaring schools will begin to go back to normal from next week.

Ms Palaszczuk also wants cafes and restaurants to be back in the game sometime in June, which is great news. But we aren’t completely free just yet. To ensure we do get to taste that first beer of a Sunday session with mates, go to the Chinese restaurant for nana’s birthday and watch the Cowboys hit the field at our new stadium, we need to stay vigilant.

The COVIDSAFE app has been a polarising piece of technology since it was introduced last week, but some people have to wake up to themselves.

The PM doesn’t want to know what we’re doing, why we’re doing it and where we’re doing it.

The poor bloke just wants to have some beers at Shark Park followed by a feed at the Engadine Mcdonald’s, and COVIDSAFE is his ticket to do so.

He may be the big man at Kirribilli House, but at the end of the day he misses life the way it was, just like the rest of us. Let’s not mess this up.