Commenting on the story: COVID-19 exemption granted to SA anti-racism protesters

Once again,  I am impressed with the way SA authorities are dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Commonsense – not kneejerk or playing to any audience. Throughout this pandemic the Premier, the Police Commissioner and the Chief Public Health officer, plus the Opposition and other political figures etc, have been measured and sensitive in their approach. Well done everyone. They’ve all, it seems, acted true to themselves. 

I applaud the SA decision about the rally on Saturday. Many said the pandemic was a moment in history, the chance to realise what we were doing to the environment, watching the skies and the waters clear, the roads quieten and families heading to the Adelaide Hills for an injection of nature.

This could be a moment in history too – coming to some kind of realisation about our behaviour to each other.

Perhaps those who are concerned about the spread of the virus could do what they can to be supportive of the rally, like offering masks to protesters.

Those masks are meant to protect us all – not for hiding behind. – Rosemary Cadden

I cannot fathom this decision, given the restrictions applied to other aspects of life in SA.

I respect the right of people to protest. However, let’s put this in perspective.

It’s OK for hundreds or potentially thousands of people to gather in close proximity to protest, but it’s not OK for more than 20 people to gather in a licensed venue area and these people must be seated to enjoy a meal and or a drink. (Yes I am in hospitality). Also shopping centres are packed with people without any real form of control.

Apparently COVID-19 can be caught by people standing up in a licensed venue but cannot be attained if you are seated and cannot be caught by significantly larger of numbers of people protesting standing and not seated.

The same appears to apply to people who use public transport who are packed into confined spaces, standing and seated.

Also it appears that our police are immune as they travel in vehicles without complying with social distancing obligations.

I can categorically tell you there is not 1.5m between the drivers and passengers front seat of a police vehicle.

Uber et al and taxis have been requiring all passengers to travel in the back seats only.

Its time for the hypocrisy to stop and the same rules to apply for all. – Gavan Fox

But why? Is social isolation in the state over?

The police commissioner is unreasonable, as too the chief health officer.

And the Premier needs to step in, or he should lift all  restrictions in place now. Let all pubs, restaurants and gyms go back to normal numbers. And let churches have service without restrictions.

Black lives do matter but so too, rights of all South Australians. – Bernard Phillips

Commenting on the story: Centrelink “mutual obligations” to resume for unemployed – but questions remain

It is absolute rubbish.  How do you expect all of these people on welfare, myself included, to apply for 20 jobs a month? There just isn’t that amount of jobs available.

And talk about jump through hoops to get your payment. Job club. Work for the dole. None of this actually helps anybody, just makes these people who work for these employment services feel like they are so much better. One slip up, Bang: payment suspended. Slip up again, payment deductions.

550 dollars a fortnight. I mean really, once you pay rent for 2 weeks what’s left over for food? Someone needs to take a look at this system.

Back to below the poverty line we all go once this COVID-19 stimulus has stopped.

It was good being a part of society again. But beggars can’t be choosers. We can’t be much. Bye bye, society. – Brad King

Commenting on the story: McLeod doubles down on Crows’ criticism: ‘Something is wrong

Well done Andrew for calling this out, keep it up.

If COVID-19 has taught us anything, it is that professional football is nothing without its supporters.

It’s time to open the club up and re-engage with the supporters who helped build it from scratch. Especially the battlers out there who are doing it tough, who live for their football. Now is the perfect time to re-engage.

From an outsider’s viewpoint, the club culture appears to have trended toward elitism, exclusivity and smugness over recent decades, the pinnacle of which was the ridiculous “power ranger” stance at the 2017 grand final.

I believe you are correct to say this has come from the very top, down, in all aspects of club leadership.

Time for less hubris and more humility, time to start respecting opponents and supporters.

Keep up the good work, Andrew. – Paul McKinnon

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