Covid 19 -

[falcon_bandit]

Originally Posted by Fed

If they leave the schools open can't the parents simply decide to keep their kids at home?

That's what our family is doing as of today. Clearly the only reason schools are open is to use schools as a daycare facility to keep services running to some degree. Mass gatherings are key to the virus spreading, so my kids stay home.

[xxx000]

Originally Posted by prydey

The govt (state and fed) are under no obligation to fill the public in on the minutes of every meeting they have. Just because it isn't reported in the news, doesn't mean it didn't happen. There is nearly always an agenda with mainstream media (and social media) and sticking up for the govt is never it. Its always trying to tear it down or belittle it. Thats fact. The sheeple then jump on board.

Scomo, like any govt, is just a mouthpiece at the end of the day. The decisions are worked out by those in the meetings and he gets to deliver the news to the public.

Then the public just ignore it and do their own thing creating a mixture of panic and blaze attitudes.

Spot on comments

I'm tired of the countless what ifs and what about

[Poetic Justice]

Originally Posted by Polyal

Have any Liberal states broken ranks.....

From what I gather Fed and State did meet to discuss the latest measures, seems cohesive enough given the situation.

Unless it was a hoax there was a statement at around 3:30 yesterday from Daniel Andrews saying he intends to notify cabinet that Victoria will enter a state of shutdown over the next 48 hours.

This was followed by an inundation from my staff wondering if they still had a job.

By 9:30pm the Scott Morrison had talked them out of it.

[cheap]

Human trials of government-approved social distancing equipment will start soon...

[aussiblue]

Now this is really serious https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/coron...id=mailsignout
"Australia's biggest brewers are warning the country could run out of beer for three months".

[b0son]

Originally Posted by Poetic Justice

By 9:30pm the Scott Morrison had talked them out of it.

And then new cases surged.

Expect the states to tell ScoMo to eat a richard and to make their own announcements.

[cheap]

Originally Posted by aussiblue

Now this is really serious https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/coron...id=mailsignout
"Australia's biggest brewers are warning the country could run out of beer for three months".

Was at local bottle-o last night, it was very busy, staff mention yesterday was busier than either Christmas and New Year Eve, sales up 60%.

I suspect it will get even busier once GovCo cash payments make their way into people's hands.

[cheap]

Originally Posted by Cav

AHPPC does not support the closure of schools given the lack of evidence of significant disease in children and the lack of reported major disease spreading in schools. Furthermore, the closure of schools poses a major risk to children's education, mental health and wellbeing, particularly those from low socioeconomic regions, where schools provide an important environment for nurturing and learning. The impact on the critical workforce and potential exposure of elderly relatives caring for children is also of significance. School closure would achieve some degree of additional social distancing but the evidence of its benefit at this stage is minimal. AHPPC views schools as an essential service and strongly supports keeping schools open.

https://www.health.gov.au/news/austr...-22-march-2020

You know this advice will change, don't you?

The Feds are just figuring out a way to reframe the narrative.

[Polyal]

Originally Posted by Poetic Justice

Unless it was a hoax there was a statement at around 3:30 yesterday from Daniel Andrews saying he intends to notify cabinet that Victoria will enter a state of shutdown over the next 48 hours.

This was followed by an inundation from my staff wondering if they still had a job.

By 9:30pm the Scott Morrison had talked them out of it.

Seems an odd thing to publicly declare intent without knowing if you can do it?

People also need to start thinking for themselves. If they are not comfortable then act, or dont, they are not stood down until told so keep on going otherwise.

Interesting, according to our CEO mining is deemed essential, not sure who is defining that but that will burn the Greens..LOL

[BENT_8]

Originally Posted by falcon_bandit

That's what our family is doing as of today. Clearly the only reason schools are open is to use schools as a daycare facility to keep services running to some degree. Mass gatherings are key to the virus spreading, so my kids stay home.

This is ok, but how long do you keep them home for, if this is just the beginning it could be 6 months, how do they fare when they go back and find themselves 6 months behind everyone else, then apply that theory to teens in yrs 10,11 and 12 who have exams.
Leaving it up to parents will create a divide in education, sending everyone home keeps them all on the same page and having skeleton staff in schools on modified programs allows those who need their kids looked after catered for.

The school I drive for has 3 buses catering to 34 children, today I had 3 of my 15 away with the parents saying they're scared of the virus, one of my colleagues had only 4 of her 14 attend and the third bus had 2 of 5 attend, each of these services costs the Government $700pw to maintain and as of today only half are utilising it.
The School itself was very quiet, hardly any traffic doing drop offs, so too was the other two schools I pass in transit.
This is the problem, some will just send them and some wont and its the children who'll pay the price in 6 months when the divide in level of learning becomes evident.

Don't get me wrong, I fully support a parents right to protect their children at any expense, but all facets need to be factored in by all concerned.

[BENT_8]

Originally Posted by cheap

You know this advice will change, don't you?

The Feds are just figuring out a way to reframe the narrative.

No doubt, they went from threating police intervention if parents keep them home to do as you see fit, word will spread that half the kids are being kept home and it will snowball, then they can say 'well if you're just not sending them we might as well close them'

You made us do it..

[falcon_bandit]

Originally Posted by BENT_8

Don't get me wrong, I fully support a parents right to protect their children at any expense, but all facets need to be factored in by all concerned.

I agree it is more of a primitive decision, and is not ideal at all.

But the wife has a multiple history of pneumonia, & currently (coincidently) has been off work for the last 3 weeks with dangerously high blood pressure. Her poor health means we can't afford to send our kids out right now in the early stages of a pandemic, and bring something home that will almost certainly kill her. Maybe there's nothing we can do, but can try?

No need to wait for a bullsh@t artist in a suit on television, to tell u what to do, and when to do it.

[BENT_8]

Originally Posted by falcon_bandit

I agree it is more of a primitive decision, and is not ideal at all.

But the wife has a multiple history of pneumonia, & currently (coincidently) has been off work for the last 3 weeks with dangerously high blood pressure. Her poor health means we can't afford to send our kids out right now in the early stages of a pandemic, and bring something home that will almost certainly kill her. Maybe there's nothing we can do, but can try?

No need to wait for a bullsh@t artist in a suit on television, to tell u what to do, and when to do it.

Thoughts and prayers are with you all.

[DOC]

Originally Posted by BENT_8

This is ok, but how long do you keep them home for, if this is just the beginning it could be 6 months, how do they fare when they go back and find themselves 6 months behind everyone else

Not sure for all, but my daughter and her colleagues have been spending nights and days preparing to homeschool and could now switch over to schooling the students from home with skype at the drop of a hat.

So as for education, it can be done all uni's are doing this as well, at best it seems scomo is dicing with teachers health over keeping others going to work at best.

[Tonz]

gov & teachers ...poor sods will get ridiculed if they shut down and also if they dont. Shopping centres will have influx of roaming school kids...oh joy

[DOC]

Originally Posted by Tonz

gov & teachers ...poor sods will get ridiculed if they shut down and also if they dont. Shopping centres will have influx of roaming school kids...oh joy

With 170+ ? countries shutting schools, it is only going to take a few kids taking C19 home to the parents before the sheite hits the fan and people scream why were these schools not closed sooner.

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by Poetic Justice

Personally quite frustrated at the lack of cohesion between State & Fed govts - they ought to be on the same page whether rightly or wrongly.

From 3:30pm yesterday afternoon to 9:30pm the Vic govt announcing plans to shut down and then back pedalling at the behest of the PM is wildly unprofessional (lack of a better term) and smashing confidence in people.

I agree. This is not the time for mixed messaging. At this point it should be the federal government running the show, and not the states deciding to do something different.

All it it doing is creating confusion.

[Franco Cozzo]

The messaging from VIC and Federal Government is a bit confusing, yesterday afternoon the statement released by Daniel Andrews seemed more strongly worded then this morning he's parroted Scomo and the Federal Government.

Yesterday it was a case of are any of us going to work? Now it's a case of hospitality/fitness/entertainment is out and the rest of us are fine.

Speaking of which I went to a cafe for lunch this afternoon at about 12:30 - business as usual except no seats and tables out front, got a sanga then sat in my car.

[prydey]

Originally Posted by cheap

You know this advice will change, don't you?

Of course it will. The situation is very fluid. The govt has been open about their response saying it only applies to the situation at the time it's given and that even 24 hours may require a very different response.

[Yellow_Festiva]

This disaster is just showing the tip of the iceberg.

Many that have never applied for benefits MUST do so over the counter to get their reference number. CRN or something (I don't think I have one either).

It flies in the face of advice... Keep your distance, stay home etc.

This all has to be done online and over the phone... With one caveat.....

If you are ever caught rorting the system or providing false documents or misleading information then it's 6months prison and $10k fine plus a ban from any benefits for 5 years.

We can't have lines hundreds long for weeks.

What a joke.

Centrelink and My Gov sites both down, numbers not working.

200k hospitality workers predicted out of a job in the following months.

And it's only the first day.....

Sent from my LG-M700 using Tapatalk

[Franco Cozzo]

The old boy works at Centrelink - 500m long line at his office.

They operate at snails pace that joint so it's going to take months to get through the system, they can't even manage the work they had prior to this **** storm.

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by DOC

Not sure for all, but my daughter and her colleagues have been spending nights and days preparing to homeschool and could now switch over to schooling the students from home with skype at the drop of a hat.

So as for education, it can be done all uni's are doing this as well, at best it seems scomo is dicing with teachers health over keeping others going to work at best.

Yes, great if you are older and have tech savvy, English speaking parents.

In reality - Students in year 4 and below will probably do very little till school is back unless they have a parent capable and willing to sit by them and do everything with them one to one.

Can you imagine a 5-7 year old logging into Skype and teaching themselves or following the instructions online?

I was sitting in on HS classes last week trying to debug the online learning platforms and even years 8-10 were struggling.

Half of them were fooling around on other sites, not bothering with the classes - which is exactly what will happen at home.

This year is going to be a compliance nightmare for education. Passing a class is based on hrs sat per year. With no way to monitor what has and has not been sat at this time some tough decisions will need to be made.

I think they should switch the Summer 6 week holidays to now and hope that in the next few months things settle down and come Dec / Jan students only get 2 weeks.

That is the ONLY way we can keep compliant and ride the year out and start 2021 schooling year as per normal.

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

The old boy works at Centrelink - 500m long line at his office.

They operate at snails pace that joint so it's going to take months to get through the system, they can't even manage the work they had prior to this **** storm.

They need to offer full time work to any Centrelink worker that has left in the last 2 years.

That's a start.

Then they need to keep the offices open earlier and later through to Saturday and half day Sunday.

The current model struggled as it was. Increase customers by 500% and they need to look at the service side of things.

But this will not be suggested till next week with our 'She'll be right mate' attitude....

[Polyal]

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

Yes, great if you are older and have tech savvy, English speaking parents.

In reality - Students in year 4 and below will probably do very little till school is back unless they have a parent capable and willing to sit by them and do everything with them one to one.

Can you imagine a 5-7 year old logging into Skype and teaching themselves or following the instructions online?

I was sitting in on HS classes last week trying to debug the online learning platforms and even years 8-10 were struggling.

Half of them were fooling around on other sites, not bothering with the classes - which is exactly what will happen at home.

This year is going to be a compliance nightmare for education. Passing a class is based on hrs sat per year. With no way to monitor what has and has not been sat at this time some tough decisions will need to be made.

I think they should switch the Summer 6 week holidays to now and hope that in the next few months things settle down and come Dec / Jan students only get 2 weeks.

That is the ONLY way we can keep compliant and ride the year out and start 2021 schooling year as per normal.

Well we have 4 in primary school and will make the call the keep them home later this week. Luckily they all have Chrome Books and the school is setting up what is to be the bare minimum.

To think they will get the full year if this drags on is wishful, so we will stick to the basics which I/we will focus on maths.

Appreciate not all schools have laptops so thats going to be a bitch. Surely schools could print packs off and deliver?

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

They need to offer full time work to any Centrelink worker that has left in the last 2 years.

That's a start.

Then they need to keep the offices open earlier and later through to Saturday and half day Sunday.

The current model struggled as it was. Increase customers by 500% and they need to look at the service side of things.

But this will not be suggested till next week with our 'She'll be right mate' attitude....

They've got the staff who work in other roles who specialise in different fields going to help with claims as well to try get it moving quicker. They weren't meeting their own policy obligations with how they process claims, so they just extended them out another month, and still don't meet their own policy obligations.

MyGov is down, it's effectively under DDOS with everyone trying to use it at once.

Government is like a very large corporation, they're locked to existing policy and procedures, they don't maneuver to changing market conditions very well, it's like trying to turn a massive ship.

Anything outside of the norm happens at glacial pace.

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by Polyal

Well we have 4 in primary school and will make the call the keep them home later this week. Luckily they all have Chrome Books and the school is setting up what is to be the bare minimum.

To think they will get the full year if this drags on is wishful, so we will stick to the basics which I/we will focus on maths.

Appreciate not all schools have laptops so thats going to be a bitch. Surely schools could print packs off and deliver?

Some tough decisions need to be made and soon.

I work at a school with lots of migrants / non English speaking parents etc.

The only tech they have is a smart phone if they are lucky.

One parent cannot afford to stay home to home teach nor do they have the ability to do so if they wanted.

Printing stuff off in bulk is fraught with danger. Unless copyright rules are lifted that will expose the school to legal problems.

It can be done - the chap that runs the 'Teachers Pet' podcast has removed all licencing restrictions for his software and apparently some schools are using it for lessons.

15% of our children can't even afford the text books - we are advised to not copy anything for them.

[DOC]

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

That is the ONLY way we can keep compliant and ride the year out and start 2021 schooling year as per normal.

Not sure if there are right answers buddy, but I do know a lot of teachers are out there just doing thier best. How does that sound?

I guess the alternative is we sacrifice a few teachers so the kids get schooled? or we can send affected kids home to the elderly grandparents etc.

Not sure what works best under these times?

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by DOC

Not sure if there are right answers buddy, but I do know a lot of teachers are out there just doing thier best. How does that sound?

I guess the alternative is we sacrifice a few teachers so the kids get schooled? or we can send affected kids home to the elderly grandparents etc.

Not sure what works best under these times?

Sounds good - and it's the truth. I think one of the main reasons they are trying to keep kids at school is so they keep away from grandparents. But what happens after school?

There is no right answer for this. Only something that's 'best fit' for the current situation.

Another country (England??) has just cancelled their HSC equivalent for this year. What a disaster.

I know some of Europe follows their schooling year similar to our FY so i'm wondering if that means they do their HSC in a few months.

Most of what other countries do we eventually follow.

Edit: Just got notice my daughters school is closed as of tomorrow.

[xxx000]

Finally the government is, or will be, being forced to put significant money back into government services.
Many services were struggling before the virus. Now that's all been highlighted

[BENT_8]

My 19yr old went to Centrelink this morning to provide ID to progress her claim she's had in progress since last week, was there at 9am, line hundreds deep, got to the front, sorry, no face to face interviews ring the hotline which has now crashed.
Multiply that x1000's..