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Your views: on QR codes, COVID messaging and China’s trade clampdown

Today, readers comment on contact tracing technology, pandemic communication, and the impact of choked China exports on regional communities.

Dec 02, 2020, updated Dec 02, 2020
Police Commissioner Grant Stevens checks in with an Adelaide hotel's QR system. Photo: Tony Lewis/InDaily

Police Commissioner Grant Stevens checks in with an Adelaide hotel's QR system. Photo: Tony Lewis/InDaily

Commenting on the story: No new COVID cases amid confusion over QR codes and masks

We visited family in Sydney in early September. We were required to log in each venue’s QR code on our phones everywhere we went, both in Sydney and two regional areas.

It was quick, easy and everyone was complying with the system without complaint. And given the user’s information is then immediately in the system, it must make it so much easier and more efficient for contact tracing in the event of any problem.

It’s no wonder why NSW was the best prepared state to deal with any problems and we cannot understand why SA did not have this system in operation months ago, as did NSW. 

If we are continually sharing information with other jurisdictions, as we are being told, why did we not adopt this technology some time ago? It may well have prevented dodgy stories being told, and then accepted, with the significant adverse consequences of the recent flawed lockdown.

 No “gold star” here, but at least we have it now. – Greg Howe         

Commenting on the opinion piece: Richardson: Mixed messages cloud public health communication

A fully flexible review (learn) and improve system is required during a  pandemic to adjust to constant changes and information from Australia and overseas.

We need to be as flexible  and tough as the virus. For example the daily testing and the no second job proposals in Victoria are an improvement. That state has been prepared to be tough  and focused “under fire”  with great results.

The “blame game” will only waste valuable time but SA has had success and has shown that it can act with speed. Pandemic review needs to be ongoing. The viruses themselves and the pace of world interaction (travel) will ensure a formidable enemy now and into the future. – Robert Scammell  

Not a health professional, only a retired federal public servant with 30 years service.

We’ve never done this before. Had daily updates on something we’ve never before encountered.

We’ve never had to make decisions that affect millions based on something we still know so little about, based on the sum total of what we know so far plus what had been learnt on the previous day.

Public health, commerce, law and order and the enforcement of that order, all with different aims, objectives and rationales.

I’m not smart enough to half even guess the ‘best way to do this’. But perhaps we should stop expecting ‘perfection’.

Perhaps knowing less each day might help? Or at least if we are to have daily updates, making the public announcement that what’s been said today is all we know today and might well change tomorrow, take a new direction, or even be the complete opposite of what we said yesterday?

Surely if at the front of all this we trust those running this literally with our lives, wellbeing and future, that we know that they are doing the best they can, making the best decisions on that day, but knowing that with humans who are fallible, and a disease that we’ve never ‘met’ before, our response will never be perfect.

Just the best we can do on any given day. – Helen Chadwick

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Commenting on the opinion piece: The economic cost of China’s dumping on Australian exports

The article is a very good broad assessment of the impact on Australia’s exports. The missing important point is that the impact will fall most heavily on the regional areas in Australia – just when it makes national economic sense to grow the regions.

The large majority of Australians appear to agree that the fight with China is worth having. The important thing is that everyone has their eyes wide open on the short and longer-term impacts.

 The other important thing is that Australians be honest with one another. The exclusion of Huawei from important areas of business in Australia was debatable. However, the penny dropped for China when their bid for parts of Lion Nathan (a drinks company owned by Japanese) was rejected by the Australian Government as “contrary to the (Australia’s) national interest.”

Yet in 2019 the Government had approved the sale of a major Australian baby food company, Bellamy’s, to the same Chinese company.

This trade dispute will pass by mid-2021 and the damage absorbed in regional Australia. Hopefully, post-COVID, everyone can reflect on the lessons to be learned from the current problems. – Brian Jeffriess

Commenting on Your views, Tuesday December 1

My compliments to Robert Alexander for his excellent analysis.

I agree that our governments need to perform much better, for the money that we taxpayers pay them. If they are not sufficiently competent or are incapable of a sound and meaningful performance, then they should not be in decision making positions that impact the whole nation. – Milena Vasekova

Yes to Robert Alexander’s letter explaining what is going on in our society.

We marginalise people, downgrade how we see their jobs, downpay them and then expect them to starve for our benefit. It isn’t right, it’s never been right but now we see it for what it is, no way of denying it. – Cathy Chua

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