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Your views: on overruling health advice, AFL games and sovereign citizens

Today, readers comment on a decision to relax social distancing rules, AFL at Adelaide Oval, and real versus claimed legal and human rights.

Jul 31, 2020, updated Jul 31, 2020
Photo: AAP/David Mariuz

Photo: AAP/David Mariuz

Commenting on the story: SA officials overruled health advice on easing social distancing restrictions

And so on a day when it’s announced that Victoria’s 2nd COVID wave crisis is spiralling out of control with 700+ reported cases, we learn that the opinions of non-medical officials held sway over the best-practice advice of our chief medicos concerning not relaxing the social distancing protocols.

Can any one of these SA officials tell me how COVID took off again in Victoria? Anyone? I thought not. – Kevin Whitford

Commenting on the story: Adelaide Oval to host Demons-Roos clash

It is with a sense of disbelief that I read of the forthcoming match of two Victorian AFL football teams at Adelaide Oval.

Whilst acknowledging the desire and community support to have AFL matches being played this winter, the logic of hosting two interstate teams in the current COVID-19 pandemic circumstances is perplexing and deeply concerning.

In the past few days there have been multiple instances of determined travellers from pandemic hotspots not only ignoring official directions not to travel, but also successfully circumnavigating checkpoints and border travel control measures to arrive in other states.

Upon arrival, these travellers are then ignoring any self-quarantine or testing protocols, reportedly even when showing symptoms.

Then consider that it is now proposed to host two interstate teams with their respective fan bases located in the centre of the largest pandemic hotspot in the country, just a tempting short drive away.

Thank about this recipe … what could possibly go wrong?!

What is the AFL, and more critically, the government thinking?  

Does it think that local footy fans will fill the arena to watch a match that does not involve their teams? Let’s be real.

Does it not think that the temptation will be for some supporters of the teams playing to try, and on current evidence, succeed in travelling from interstate to attend the match despite official travel restrictions?

After all the efforts taken to contain the spread of the virus and maintain a safe community, at great effort by the majority, why intentionally set up circumstances to undo all this work, and compromise safety?

The best outcome is that the police will, presumably, need to allocate additional resources to control this risk. The worst outcome does not bear thinking about. – James Sage

Commenting on the opinion piece: Don’t mask what is a human right, and what is not

Concerning self-professed “sovereign spirits”.

We might have some respect for such people if they: switched off their community-provided electricity supply, turned off their community-provided water supply, no longer drove on community-funded roads, removed themselves from the taxpayer-funded Medicare system and private heath cover rebate, paid unsubsidised full rates for hospital care, paid full cost-recovery fees for their children’s education without the subsidies available at every school, paid contractors to deliver all mail rather than using the government-owned service …

I won’t hold my breath. – Max Howland

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We’ll publish the best comments in a regular “Reader Views” post. Your comments can be brief, or we can accept up to 350 words, or thereabouts.

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