Take considered approach to opening up

They are now pushing an open up or freedom agenda and make disparaging remarks about leaders in other jurisdictions who understandably want to take a more cautious approach.

I doubt anyone wants to live in a bubble or lockdown. We do however need to ensure our health systems can cope with any proposed policy changes and that everyone eligible has had an opportunity to be fully vaccinated before opening up.

This may require more targeted culturally appropriate or age sensitive information on why we need to vaccinate.

Given the recent outbreaks in regional areas and in vulnerable communities, various comments on the health and aged care systems and vaccination data, I am not convinced all the health, social justice or ethical issues have been adequately addressed by the governments pushing to open up at 70 or 80 percent.

In some jurisdictions young people have only very recently become eligible to make a vaccine appointment. Many have had to wait for a long time for their first dose, let alone the second.

We all want a better life but we need to get there in a safe and kind way. Do not leave the young and the vulnerable behind.

In this letter I was going to try to describe what it felt like not being able to attend the funeral, just over a over a week ago, of my beloved sister-in-law, my husband's only sibling. She lived beyond the ACT border.

I had planned to describe, too, our feelings on Sunday, Father's Day, at not being able to be with our daughter and son-in-law and their baby son. They, too, live outside the ACT.

I was also going to refer to our not being able to see our precious son and daughter-in-law and our much loved, little grandchildren since March 2020. They also live outside the ACT.

Countless families across Australia are enduring separation from family members while complying readily and mostly cheerfully with necessary restrictions on daily life, designed to keep everyone safe during the pandemic.

Imagine my fury and frustration, then, upon learning that the Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, apparently chose to apply the letter but not the spirit of the law, by flying between Canberra and Sydney over the Father's Day weekend.

Of course, he wanted to be with his family.

Of course, I wanted to be with my family.

Just when I thought the Morrison government couldn't get it any more wrong they exceeded my expectations.

Most Australians are doing the right thing to protect each other from COVID-19. For many of us that has meant missing weddings, funerals, birthdays and other important family occasions.

Our family is preparing ourselves for the reality that we may not spend Christmas together - and we'll do that if need be to keep Australians safe.

Meanwhile the PM saw fit to travel from Canberra to Sydney return over the Father's Day weekend and at taxpayer expense. How insensitive and entitled is that? Bring on the next election please.

Generally the Canberra population seems to be responding well to the COVID-19 restrictions.

However there are some obvious failures when one sees masks littering pavements and grassy areas rather than being placed in rubbish bins.

I have also noticed that since the lockdown there are far more dog droppings left on the ground. It is a dog owner's responsibility to pick up the droppings, it is also a matter if courtesy to others.

When walking, I have often been forced off the pavement by people walking two abreast. This is inconsiderate because the required physical distance can not be maintained. It can also force the single walker on to uneven ground.

We are all doing our best in trying circumstances but perhaps we need to be more conscious of the needs of others.

The front-page articles "Fears NSW cases still reaching Canberra" and "PM under fire after weekend Sydney visit" (September 7) are a demonstration of our Prime Minister's apparent "the rules don't apply to me" attitude.

Mr Morrison is all too happy to compel us lesser mortals to follow the rules spelt out by his medical advisers, but is all-too-eager to flout the same rules if and when it suits him.

The day of reckoning at the ballot boxes can't come soon enough.

During the past few weeks I have woken up each day hoping to hear Gladys Berejiklian has apologised for the misery, fear, and despair she has inflicted on millions of households as a result of her woeful lack of judgement and failure of leadership.

In mid-June 2021 many medical experts were recommending the lockdown of greater Sydney. Gladys dithered for several days while the numbers of new infections, then at manageable levels, continued to grow.

On June 26 she announced an immediate lockdown. However, it wasn't a proper lockdown; shopping centres and large retail stores remained open for business.

Unsurprisingly, new infections grew at an accelerating rate. The contact tracking system was overwhelmed; hospital admissions climbed to an alarming level and overworked health workers reached breaking point. All the government does now is to warn us that this disastrous situation will worsen over the next two months.

Both Scott Morrison and Gladys lack empathy and a capacity for sound judgement. They regard the health and welfare of the people they were elected to serve as subservient to the interests of the economy and want to relax restrictions as soon as possible, despite recognising that case numbers and deaths will increase.

When Gladys was asked how many deaths per day she considered "acceptable" in an open economy her response was an evasive flurry of obfuscation. Scott, always the spinner, has pointed out that more people would then be allowed to attend funerals.

They have both failed as leaders and should go now.

Local and federal governments, including the ACT, should immediately mandate the deep cleaning of coronavirus exposure sites and pick up the tab.

It is scandalous that governments let residents go to known exposure which haven't been deep cleaned.

Venues in the ACT that are listed as COVID-19 exposure sites are not formally required to undergo deep cleaning before being able to reopen to the public. Is a absolute disgrace in 2021.

The chorus of political barrow pushers saying what a wonderful job Andrew Barr is doing regarding his COVID-19 policies and messaging is tiresome. I find his performance to be arrogant, patronising and self-centred.

The disingenuous way he announced a short lockdown only then to come out and say the ACT's ability to ease restrictions is largely dependent on what happens in NSW is indicative of his zeal to re-lock us down.

A couple of days after being bogged at Rose Cottage (Letters, September 7) the fencer concerned was busy at the Kambah horse paddocks repairing fences that are regularly being cut by those who choose not to lift their bikes over them or to use the well placed gateways.

While at McQuoid's Hill Nature Reserve he had been subject to abuse by a couple who decided that he should not have his work ute inside the reserve.

I'm sure most of us appreciate the efforts taken to keep our reserves in good condition.

Reading a review of a recently published book on the therapeutic value of reading, particularly in these long, lockdown days ("Reading for therapy in these troubled times", Panorama, September 4), made me think about what constitutes an "essential service".

We see numerous examples, such as liquor stores, cafes, restaurants, hardware and some retail outlets which really stretch the imagination.

I acknowledge these are operating under COVID-19 rules and regulations and some operate virtually. But this then led me to wonder why our bookshops aren't considered to be an essential service?

Scomo calls criticism of his Father's Day trip to Sydney "cheap" politics. It cost at least $4000. That is not cheap. But then it wasn't him paying the bill.

In the aftermath of months of lockdown for millions and predicted new waves of illness the PM will need to be much more intelligent and transparent about his happy family get-together in Sydney this Christmas.

I live in Holt ACT. My daughter lives in Cook ACT. I can't visit her for a hug. She texted me: Happy Father's Day.

If "each way" Albo thinks the Prime Minister only has two jobs heaven help us if he ever gets the top job. His only contribution to the pandemic, apart from constant negativity, is to give people $300 of taxpayer's money for doing something they should be doing.

I think you are doing a great job up front Scomo. No one ever thanks you. But if you have some time this weekend would you be able to do my lawns and clean my gutters at Surf Beach? Much appreciated and I won't tell anyone.

So the PM could fly to Sydney to be with his daughters and wife for Father's Day when ordinary Australians were on strict lockdown. I suppose that's Morrison's idea of the Australian "fair go" Orwell's Animal Farm style. Some pigs are more equal than others.

While I have nothing good to say about Mr Morrison the whole of Australia only has one Prime Minister, I see nothing wrong with him being treated differently from the rest of us. He needs a recharge from time to time. Labor politicians should focus on policies. Cheap politics will take them nowhere.

While a lot of people are lining up to thump the PM over his decision to use an RAAF jet to fly to Sydney on the weekend they are actually ignoring a bigger issue. How much aviation fuel fuel was used, and how much carbon dioxide was emitted, to take one man 570 kilometres?

Okay Jim Graham (Letters, September 6) if we are to control COVID-19 the same way we do animal diseases which mob should we put down first? Sydney or Melbourne?

Just so long as it is not Canberra, or Carwoola.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has achieved what no other Liberal treasurer has ever managed. With the abysmally planned and mismanaged JobKeeper program he's firmly debunked the myth that Liberals are better economic managers than Labor.

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