HALLELUJAH, HELP AT HAND
IT is comforting to recognise that much of our city’s economic salvation will likely come from within Australia.
As people in the Great Depression used to say, “Things is crook in Tallarook” — or to be more precise in this instance, in Melbourne about 90km south of that small town. With the Victorian capital in coronavirus lockdown as a second wave threatens its population, and indeed with Sydney now declared a hot spot and its 5 millionplus inhabitants banned from crossing the Queensland border, life is bleak in the southern states.
On the Gold Coast meanwhile, the population and economy are having to weather — along with everything else — a $20 billion void left by Asian developers who bought property, announced major projects and then faltered as a combination of factors blocked dreams and with them, the promised further investment and creation of thousands of jobs.
As reported today, the slowdown in the economy, lending restrictions, government refusal in some instances to approve grand plans, growing tension between the Australian and Chinese governments, a Chinese crackdown on overseas investment, and now the pandemic have combined to shaft 13 major projects that would have changed the face of the city.
But just as the Gold Coast rallied after the Asian financial crisis of 1997 put the brakes on Japanese investment and the 2008-09 global financial crisis interrupted a wave of investment from the Middle East, the city will recover again. The world economy will regroup. Foreign investors will be even more interested in pouring money in and relocating, given Australia’s relatively good performance in the pandemic compared to the unfolding disaster that continues across the globe.
Observers see the return of US, New Zealand and Middle Eastern investment, but before that will come waves of Aussies who are fed up with the congestion of the big southern capitals and indeed, we would suggest, the less-than-impressive performance of their state governments in these times. Leading property figures like Max Christmas and Norm Rix point to interstate downsizers eager to escape the COVID hot spots in the south as the Gold Coast’s salvation. The signs are already there that this is happening. The Gold Coast has much to look forward to — but for now let’s all be sensible, maintain social distancing, wash hands frequently and get tested at the first sign of illness.
ALERT groups have been around since police began using radar to nab speeding motorists, but posting locations on social media about cameras spotting drivers using handheld mobile phones takes this to a new and deadly level. It is dangerous and in the Bulletin’s view, criminal behaviour.
How smart is it to assist a driver whose actions could kill or maim? And to do this while the cameras are just on trial, with no fines issued? Experts warn that using a handheld device to phone or search the internet while driving is as dangerous as being blind drunk at the wheel. To those posting alerts online, grow a brain. Your warnings could claim an innocent life.
THE level of community anger towards the three young women who showed how easy it was to breach our boader restrictions is obvious and growing.
While no reports of infection to others has become apparent yet we must all consider should community transmission appear in one or all of the many places these women visited while infected, those who they infected may have travelled to the Gold Coast before or since.
Public health and safety of all residents of the Gold Coast is a greater issue than local protests over one suburb and its comfort zone and it is something the entire public is now talking about and showing their concern for.
The Government is now moving to patch up the gate after the horse has bolted and only time will tell if it is enough to see if this was a single incident caused by three women who believe more in having parties in a severely infected state rather than the consequences they brought with them by sneaking back.
The Bulletin has recently released a list of names of people
who have put up their hands to be elected as our next members of the Queensland Parliament (GCB, 31/7).
I believe that this is the perfect opportunity for the public to find out early in the process the private feelings of those candidates concerning this most public concern.
The public needs to know now what these candidates think, not the party line but their personal thoughts on the public’s anger, the public’s disappointment and the public’s fear of the possibility of a second wave which could see us in the same situation as Victoria and NSW.
PLEASE spare a thought for all aspects of the media workforce as they are “feeling the pinch” at this current time as well as the rest of us.
I think it is so easy to forget this essential service due to our own woes with the downturn in our economy/finances at this difficult coronavirus impacted time we are all enduring.
Already, approximately 600 Australian media industry jobs have been lost this year. Most of these positions have been in editorial.
Media coverage is so important, especially now with it’s regular updates of this deadly coronavirus which continues an erratic journey at whim.
Our media provides us with much-needed news/entertainment and it is a powerful tool to keep us informed especially now when the Australian public needs guidance/enforced laws to navigate and contain this coronavirus nationwide.
We need to support all types of our medica including print, broadcast and internet more than ever at this time.
I personally would feel oblivious to all and a tad undressed if I were to start my day without my early morning “newsfeed” hit and white coffee.
AT 11.15am yesterday (Friday) while doing a mountain of ironing, there was a knock at the front door. I was listening to the Victorian Premier’s latest update at the same time.
I opened the door to a male and female. I asked what they wanted, and was told they were from The Stroke Foundation.
I said “Good onya”, closed the door and returned to the ironing, and the Victorian Premier’s update.
Two strangers going door to door, and to my door in times of social distancing.
Gobsmacked.
AND the nominations are ...
1. For flick-passing the blame to everyone else because of my incompetency.
2. For using union mates to stuff things up.
3. For having the Chinese communists as best friends.
4. Having no Victorian Nursing home for Mum, perhaps Wuhan would be good.
5. Bringing back Kennett for sensible decisions.
And the award goes to ...