Australia is CLOSED until mid-2022!

Their economy is going to tank.

For their sake, I hope they have a "rainy day" surplus fund.

They're very close to India and China, so it makes sense.

I'll bet AUS is doing an across-the-board closed border, because they don't want to seem racist if they restrict Chinese and Indians from entering the country.

Especially since so many Chinese and Indians have emigrated to Australia.

You might say they are building a wall.

This is terrible news. However will the rest of the world know how shitty our coffee is without Australian tourists there to inform us of this fact 24/7 in decibels approaching that of a volcanic incident?

Greece is open!

Actually the Australian economy is larger than it was before the pandemic, R1. I’m no fan of our current government but they have managed the economy very well over the past year.

Now I’ll leave it to all the armchair experts to pile on about the usual stuff regarding Australia - racism, misogyny, homophobia, sharks, Hemsworths etc.

Oh, and R4 - if only your coffee was the shittiest thing about your country! Carry on.

“Very close”, R2?

Sydney and Mumbai are around 12,000km apart. Sydney and Shanghai are around 8,000km apart.

Not exactly close.

The border has been largely closed for over a year - to everybody. There are lots of Australians stuck in other countries because they can’t get the approvals processed or can’t afford the fares as the few airlines operating to Australia are price gouging.

Are Australians okay with this, or is this typical government over reach?

Did Australia do a mass vaccination?

[quote]Are Australians okay with this, or is this typical government over reach?

I think most Australians are relieved that life is effectively normal so they're prepared to overlook the fact that our own government criminalised its own citizens returning home with threats of fines and imprisonment. For the last couple of weeks it was actually against the law for Australian citizens in India to come home.

Australia has very few rights enshrined in our constitution so governments are free to legislate on human rights far more than in most other democracies. Most Australians don't seem to care that much. It's drummed into most Australians that we're the "lucky country" and we should be grateful to live here - there's definitely a view that if people are stupid enough to leave then too bad for them if they can't get back.

Australian -- once again, a prison colony.

OMG R10.

I had no idea your government was like that.

The US has its problems, but I dare say our government would never try bullshit like that.

And to be honest, it doesn't really sound like a "democracy."

[quote] Great way to keep out muslims and chinese.

They've done it before.

So it's kind of unsurprising.

[quote] And to be honest, it doesn't really sound like a "democracy."

I'm in two minds about it. On the one hand, most human rights decisions are made by elected lawmakers rather than judges interpreting a centuries-old constitution. On the other, it means human rights can be easily thrown under the bus for politically expedient reasons (which is what is happening here).

Australia just passed a law that can keep refugees in detention indefinitely and without trial, all based on the sole discretion of the Minister for Immigration. Totally against international law. But totally legal in Australia, AND supported by both major parties.

Australia most certainly has no US-style Bill of Rights ie. iron-clad protection of citizens against government tyranny. Nor does it have a limp-wristed Canadian-style Charter of Rights ie suggestions that the government behave. Human rights in Australia are merely what the current government says they are. More China-style than other Western democracies. It's how they kept gays criminalized far longer than their Western peers. Most Australians are fine with this. But I wasn't, so I left and won't return.

Australia: 910 COVID deaths

USA: 580,000 COVID deaths

Australia is a future Chinese colony, it’s irrelevant.

The Aussies and Kiwis know how to fight disease from agricultural experience. Had the world followed their models, there would be a fraction of the dead.

But at what price, R17?

[quote] Australia is a future Chinese colony

Africa is soon to be Chinese colony.

The USA comes after that.

I'm living here in Australia and honestly, considering what is going on in the rest of the world, I'm relieved that we are opening up slowly (we are open to New Zealand now, and are looking at creating bubbles with Singapore and South Korea, I believe). I mean, mid-2022 is only a year away, it's not that big of a deal if we can keep living as normal. I've never had to wear a mask this whole time, even, in the part of the country I'm living. Life feels pretty much just like it was before, except there is hand-sanitizer everywhere and we're still encouraged to take precautions.

I'm no fan of this government either - particularly this PM, but he's not doing the wrong thing here, I don't think.

Also, despite not having a bill of rights (something I agree we should work on), you'd be surprised how those ideas are still held to very much and are taken seriously. I work in government, and I can tell you that things like freedom of speech are taken incredibly seriously. There are actually a number of rights in our constitution that do exist, contrary to what is claimed above.

We also do shitty things, no country is perfect. We are not more "China-style" than other democracies, that is a ridiculous thing to say. And our electoral system is a hell of a lot better than most in the world.

Believe me, I will criticise this country in many ways that are deserved. But as is usual on this site, it's being spoken about by many people who don't have a clue what they are talking about.

[quote] you'd be surprised how those ideas are still held to very much and are taken seriously

Until it's not.

The point is that your government can suspend your "rights" any time they wish to do so.

You never know what is coming around the corner. In the next week, the next month, the next year.

And if something were to happen which the government deems to be "threatening" to Australia, then POOF. Any rights you thought you had, will be gone in an instant.

That's the danger of not having it written into law.

Except a lot of it IS written into law.

As I said, people here don't know what they're talking about.

Good on you, mates!

R23 You claim that the government can suspend "rights" any time they wish to do so.

Why do you fear that? Has anything happened before that might suggest that fear in you?

R26 The sacking of the Socialist Whitlam Government in November 1975 but the US was behind that. Always sticking their fingers into other countries internal affairs.

The Whitlam Government was sacked because they refused to pass bills which meant thousands of workers were unpaid.

Whitlam was given a second chance to pass the bills but he thought he was more important than his employer (the Governor-General).

We can thank Rita Wilson and Tom Hanks for this. They got the ball rolling last year.

R1 The economy is fine. It is resilient, having weathered the devastating bushfires and droughts in just the past three years. But it is hard not to paint a rosy picture of life here currently:

Australia has jumped forward 2 points in 2021 to become the world's 12th largest economy, with 19% of the global GDP.

The trade sanctions imposed by China did not have the crippling effects some had estimated, with exporters quickly finding there were needs to be met elsewhere.

The lack of net immigration (less than 0.2% in 20/21, the slowest in 100 years) has impacted the economy, but the trade-off has been wage increases for locals, Australians are now actually wealthier per capita than they were before COVID. There has been a major shift in the jobs market with unemployment now lower than before COVID.

There has been a massive $311 billion dollar budget just handed down that supports health and wellbeing packages, the housing sector, upskilling with 1000s of free college places, and support for tourism within Australia. Also, half a billion dollars will be spent to expand existing quarantine facilities in the Northern Territory for future COVID response.

It's just insane that citizens are blocked from entering their own country. But it's shit hole Australia we're talking about. The least rights-respecting Western country.

Australia will be the first first-world nation to become uninhabitable due to climate change. So there’s that.

"Australia has jumped forward 2 points in 2021 to become the world's 12th largest economy, with 19% of the global GDP."

Australia has nowhere near 19% of global GDP. I swear Australians are some of the dumbest blowhards ever.

What do you mean at what price R20?

Where did you get your numbers from R30?

19% is obviously incorrect. Is it a typo? Here are some numbers at the link:

I'm fully vaccinated and have remained cautious throughout the pandemic.

They're being idiots and will likely fold like a lawnchair in a few months. COVID will not be eradicated; however, it can and will be managed, so as not to overwhelm hospitals.

Between being cautious and being ridiculous there's a lot of space.

they are going to lose the Australian Open to start with, because the tennis federation is not going to be in the mood to tolerate a cancelation when all players are vaccinated

R36 You clearly don't work in the public hospital sector.

As always it’s entertaining to watch as a bunch of Americans who know nothing about Australia feel the need to share their parochialism from the comfort of their square state.

What is it about Australia that gets you so invested, but not so invested that you’d actually visit the country? Of course that would mean applying for a passport (scary!), accruing enough leave (difficult!) and saving for the air fare (impossible!).

Then there’s the leap of faith in actually leaving the USA (Foreigners! Time zones! Different menus in MacDonalds!).

They are going to let Jacob Elordi out to come film Euphoria and hopefully show his goods right?

Hopefully, the decreased traffic will be good for the surrounding reefs and ocean.

They can compromise by require all visitors be fully vaccinated and a mandatory 7 day lockdown after arrival.

Australia was once a prison colony. They’re used to rounding up their citizens and jailing them in their own country.

R38, why should we fly halfway around the world to visit a country that is exactly like inland California, physically, culturally, and in your case, educationally?

R39 that is ^

[quote]There are actually a number of rights in our constitution that do exist, contrary to what is claimed above.

Actually, there's hardly any - freedom of religion, freedom to a trial by jury, the right to vote, some property rights and the right to move freely between the states. Freedom of speech (the right to political communication) has been inferred but isn't actually written in the constitution.

The Australian constitution was written with the view that the states would do almost all of the governing but over time state powers have been severely eroded. Fortunately not completely, because it's the states that have best protected us from COVID-19.

Australia is a lovely country. Good for them for locking out Covid threats.

[quote] Actually, there's hardly any - freedom of religion, freedom to a trial by jury, the right to vote, some property rights and the right to move freely between the states.

What else do you want?

Good for them. I’m jealous.

But what about Kylie's tour?!

[quote]What else do you want?

The right to enter my own country without the threat of five-years imprisonment for one.

WTF? Citizens can return.

Gotta love the hypocrisy of people like R39.

I’ve lived in Asia and Europe, and like R39, everyone is a fucking expert on all things related to the US and the people who live there. We’re reduced to our worst stereotypes and life in America is portrayed like some dystopian nightmare.

HOWEVER, as soon as we return the favor and engage in the exact same behavior, it’s somehow a uniquely American act deserving of scorn.

Americans should value the opinions of Australians regarding things related to their country, but they should also know the US will always be trotted out as a foil when an argument can’t be won on the facts. I saw it while living in Germany during the Trump presidency. Despite the rampant racism, wealth inequality, pollution, and selling of weapons to anyone who wanted them, Germans loved to think they were morally superior. And of course they just knew everything about America despite never even visiting, yet they’d get bent out of shape if an American offered an opinion on Germany.

I'm really upset because I had planned on visiting Vienna this summer.

Haha R54. Purposely being stupid. Funny.

R30, I don't believe you.

Where are you getting your "facts" from? And where is Australia getting all this money to fund those initiatives?

R54: You don't need to go all the way over there, Dorothy. We can buy their hot dogs at the super market. It's in the meat section...

I respect a country's right to manage covid as it sees fit. Especially one where they have done as well as Australia has. I'm just gutted I have not seen my grandmother since New year 2020. She's 93 and every time we talk, she asks when I will visit her. I worry we're going to run out of time as Australia continues to close itself from the world. I'm fully vaccinated and my grandmother has had her 1st shot. I hope Australia will reconsider and allow fully vaccinated visitors in before mid 2022.

^ suck it up and Zoom.

R58, we realize the idea of having loved ones who want you around is completely foreign to you, but it’s something most of us enjoy.

[quote] Then there’s the leap of faith in actually leaving the USA (Foreigners! Time zones! Different menus in MacDonalds!).

This snide comment is so ironic considering the topic of this thread.

So you’re basically saying that Americans are prevented from having discussions about other countries. That’s interesting. Are other countries prevented from discussing the USA on similar grounds? Inquiring minds want to know.

[quote]That’s interesting. Are other countries prevented from discussing the USA on similar grounds?

There are a TON of posters who post here from the UK, Europe, and the Middle East who hate America. I wish Muriel would create Datalounge.com.uk for example.

So you're not open to other ideas. You'd like to block foreigners. Sounds familiar.

So move there, dick bitch R17 and all who WW'd you.

They’d never be able to do this if they had killed Tom and Rita.

"Africa is soon to be Chinese colony."

Africa is MINE!

[quote] What is it about Australia that gets you so invested, but not so invested that you’d actually visit the country?

I can buy a flat white coffee and stare at plenty of giant rocks right here in Amurka.

Very considered and measured response, R63. Well done!

You have a “USA - love it or leave it” bumper sticker, don’t you?

Call me crazy, but if a nation's response to an international catastrophe is to tell its citizens outside its borders to essentially fuck off and die, I'm going to say they haven't handled the crisis quite as well as they could.

Also, when you have a head start and nearly zero transmission rates, you'd think planning for a vaccination roll-out would be a snap! But it seems the Australian government thought sticking its thumb up its asshole was the preferable option.

Again.

But congratulations for realizing you're an island and behaving accordingly. I wonder why all the other countries in the world didn't follow your cue oh wait.

Patrick White said it best upon a return to Australia: "No sooner was I off the plane than the heavy plop-plop of Australian bullshit was audible." Not for nothing is he your only literary Noble Prize winner.

Zzzzz

How cute! ^^^ They're hibernating, as do all marsupials.

Nighty-night, Aussies! See you 2022, if we remember to set the alarm.

Does this mean they're keeping Billy Santoro?

Did Australia not hear that our presidential election is over? I thought all these lockdowns were all about the US election?

R71 I thought he was exiled to Germany?

Well, this is one way to stave off immigration for the better part of a year.

[quote] Patrick White said it best upon a return to Australia: "No sooner was I off the plane than the heavy plop-plop of Australian bullshit was audible."

Rofl! Please elaborate.

This statement is hilarious.

R55 I don't see what's funny, I planned my trip to Vienna so I could see the kangaroos in the wild and now I can't.

You could always watch Keeping Up with the Kardashians, which provides insight into the lives of Australian- Americans in California.

I am a carer for my mother, and I still haven't been vaccinated.

[quote]I'll bet AUS is doing an across-the-board closed border, because they don't want to seem racist if they restrict Chinese and Indians from entering the country.

LOL, Australia doesn't care about seeming racist. It is far better than the USA or even Britain in the racism stakes, but Australia is a very institutionally racist country. It may score the government some extra votes. Most people will continue to vote for this awful government provided they provide tax incentives to small business owners.

R79, you have a point, but I still think there's merit to the theory they don't want to be in a position where they have to specifically ban citizens of China, India, and probably the US. It's easier to just ban everyone and open up travel corridors with a select few countries.

It’s nothing to do with racism. India does not allow duel citizenship with Australia. All the Indians who can’t return to Australia until they show a negative test are actually Australians.

Ditto Chinese citizenship. And as for China, Australia dances like a whore for the Dragon. Most of our public assets have been sold to China.

The biggest problem with the borders is that most of the Australian population still is not vaccinated. It’s only been a couple of millions. There simply isn’t enough of vaccines here in the country then the AstraZeneca we purchased was no longer recommended for the under 50s. The USA has done a much better job in this regard. I am a carer for my mother and my appointment for the vaccine keeps being pushed back.

Once we reach a critical mass of vaccinated citizens, then the borders will open.

Proof yet again, that even in the worst of times, the USA is still better and more efficient and productive than most other countries.

Well, I wouldn't say that, R82.

But I prefer Halloween to that horse race any day.

The 580,000+ Americans who have died of Covid may have a different view, R82.

But they’re dead.

I’m American, I love Australia and there’s nothing wrong with what Australia is doing by barring infected people. They can recover and then come home.

A thread about Australia in which 90%+ of the responses are from Americans.

^^^ Who are all experts on Australia, apparently, R86 - all evidence to the contrary.

Americans are just as qualified to spout their expertise on other countries, as people from other countries love to show off their extensive, unbiased knowledge of all things related to life in America.

Non-Americans know more about America than Americans know about the rest of the world.

American Culture (for want of a better word) dominates the world.

Oh ok so we have our answer, marvelous. Americans are not entitled to have opinions about other countries. The converse is not true — people from all over the world are perfectly entitled to form opinions about the USA, based on “superior knowledge.”

What a reasonable position to take.

The funny thing about the American defensiveness on display above is that in demonstrating it you are confirming that what other posters have posited is true - thin skinned, parochial, out of your depth and frightened when dealing with what you like to call “foreigners”. But always ready to offer an ill-informed opinion.

The cognitive dissonance is astounding.

I lived in Germany for several years and posted on Reddit about how high my rent was. A German insisted I was lying because I'm an American. And when I checked their posting history, it was full of declarative statements about how things work in the US.

Let them try and be gatekeepers if they dare. Nobody, regardless of how much they huff and puff, can stop an American from offering their opinion. It can be annoying sometimes, but I take comfort in knowing it drives non-Americans crazy.

R84 - The US death toll is actually [bold]600,533[/bold] people who have died from Covid so far.

Yes, R93 which is why I stated “580,000+“.

It’s a moving target.

R81 is half right. The big problem is that the Federal Government put too many eggs in the Astra Zeneca basket, which has turned out to be both a lot less effective than the MRNA vaccines, and to have a dangerous side-effect. The side-effect is rare, but you need to remember that so is Covid here.

Their reaction to the side-effect has been to strictly confine the small supply of Pfizer to under-50s* (who get more of the side-effect) and offer the far less efficacious Astra Zeneca to the over-50s, no matter how many comorbidities they have. This means the entire vulnerable population of Australia will either refuse to be vaccinated at all, or will remain unacceptably vulnerable to some of the Covid strains. That's why the borders can't open, and why we won't reach herd immunity when everyone else does.

* unless you're a frontline health or quarantine worker. They can have Pfizer.

[quote] to strictly confine the small supply of Pfizer to under-50s* (who get more of the side-effect)

I don't understand this, R95.

Has someone made the decision that under-50s are more likely to cope with Pfizer's negative side-effects?

R96, I think that poster meant under 50 are getting side effects from other vaccines, like AZ and j& j so they give that age group Pfizer.

USA is very lucky. Do you know they have to wait months in Canada between shots??

Get vaccinated today!

What's the end game for Australia? What are the conditions for a return to normality, including open borders? Even with vaccination, zero Covid is not realistic.

Australia - New Zealand's ugly step-sister.

If only Trump had cancelled flights from China when he had the chance...

[quote] the world's 12th largest economy, with 19% of the global GDP.

This literally makes no sense.

R101 if only every country did immediately. Might've saved us all so much suffering. Citizens should've been rushed home and traveling across the globe should've been put on pause.

The virtue of perfect hindsight.

Australia shuts down a whole city when 1 or 2 tests positive. Unreal

I have been working as a RN to vaccinate people in my state. We have to throw away 25-90 doses a day. It is so wasteful. I want to cry sometimes, because we are throwing away vaccines that could be used to save lives in other counties. They have to be used within a very short window, once they reach room temperature.

[quote] The virtue of perfect hindsight.

Quarantine is a medieval invention, no?

I was in a supermarket at 6 this evening when they announced that J&J and Pfizer shots were available on the spot. Think what a stampede an announcement like that would create in India today.

[quote] we are throwing away vaccines that could be used to save lives in other counties

Australia sacrificed some of its doses to help the ravenous hordes of Papua and Niu Gini.

Anybody else nervous that when the open Australia up again in mid 2022 that they will find that everyone there has died and it’s just an island of corpses? And maybe over run by Kane toads too?

I'm more worried that I'll have to go to the emergency room for something, and all the beds will be taken up by Trumpster anti-vaxxers who caught the Indian variant.

[quote] anti-vaxxers who caught the Indian variant.

So how many are there of those?

I believe the polls say 30% of Americans refuse to get vaccinated.

So far, they say we have had 30 million cases in America--so less than 10% of our population has had it.

Anyone's guess how many of the willfully unvaccinated will get it.

[quote]The funny thing about the American defensiveness on display above is that in demonstrating it you are confirming that what other posters have posited is true - thin skinned, parochial, out of your depth and frightened when dealing with what you like to call “foreigners”. But always ready to offer an ill-informed opinion.

The funny thing about someone who is filled with anxiety about a culture that completely overshadows and dominates his own, is his exceptional keenness to “get back at” the culture or people he’s so anxious about. He’s quite keen to do, to find these kind of victories even when they’re not there .. like when someone is gently ridiculing his sloppy logic — that’s not gentle ridicule, made you reply so that’s a victory for me.”

The proof is in the pudding, really. You frequently see foreigners invading US run/dominated forums, looking for just this sort of “revenge.” It helps ease the anxiety to pretend you’ve gotten it I guess. But you don’t see Americans doing that on UK, CA, NZ, AU, etc forums. That’s because we really don’t care about those countries, other than occasional bemusement. We hardly has cause to think about them at all.

I'm glad Australia isn't worrying about lack of hospital beds, crazy gun nutters shooting dozens of people every week and horny Muslim migrants that rape local women because they don't wear hijab. So far we haven't had to worry about the end of democracy.

[quote]What's the end game for Australia? What are the conditions for a return to normality, including open borders? Even with vaccination, zero Covid is not realistic.

I don't think there is any end in sight. I think Australia will watch England closely over the next few weeks. That will be a major testing of vaccine efficacy, as the easing of restrictions is happening just as new varients are taking hold. But apart from that, I don't think many Australians are very worried -- because the economy is good, the hospitals are empty and because all the terrible things we have been told will happen if immigration suddenly stopped happening have so far not happened here.

R16 And we will still be able to bring new migrants to Australia by expanding the quarantine facilitates.

[quote] Australia … kept gays criminalized far longer than their Western peers

Do you have dates or links to back up this assertion?

And yet, here you are, R114.

[quote] Australia isn't worrying about …horny Muslim migrants that rape local women because they don't wear hijab.

His favourite phrase was "I'm going to rape you Leb-style!

R114 With all due respect, I’d suggest that many Americans don’t care about other countries because many Americans are blissfully unaware of their existence, or if they are, couldn’t so much as locate them on a map.

American ignorance of the rest of the world really isn’t something to brag about.

[quote]You frequently see foreigners invading US run/dominated forums, looking for just this sort of “revenge.” It helps ease the anxiety to pretend you’ve gotten it I guess. But you don’t see Americans doing that on UK, CA, NZ, AU, etc forums.

Americans, particularly those on the left, need to realize that those aforementioned countries greatly dislike Americans/USA. I used to be naive and thought, "We're allies; we'll get along," since Americans generally don't have ill-feelings toward them. In fact, we tend to be very welcoming of them here. Look at our movies/shows/media. But the deep resentment from them is palpable! I was caught off-guard. I probably won't visit those countries again.

[quote]That’s because we really don’t care about those countries, other than occasional bemusement. We hardly has cause to think about them at all.

True. Americans see them as allies, but, in general, we don't really think about them, one way or another.

[quote] I think most Australians are relieved that life is effectively normal so they're prepared to overlook the fact that our own government criminalised its own citizens returning home with threats of fines and imprisonment. For the last couple of weeks it was actually against the law for Australian citizens in India to come home.

These people are bi-national who flit back and forth from their homeland to Australia and it's more generous lifestyle.

They go into a diseased zone, catch the disease and then expect the Australian government to fly them here and import the disease.

They shouldn't have left the country in the middle of a pandemic R124.

The coronavirus is not a secret. Why on earth would you leave the safety of Australia to go to India?

Australia has a problem with indecisive dual-nationals who can't make a decision if they want to migrate or not.

These dual-nationals work in Australia for a few years and then get an Australian pension and then go back to their homeland living off the Australian taxpayer.

They are absolutely right.

I was going to say horseshit about being able to collect the pension overseas R127.

But then I looked it up and you're actually correct. I had no fucking idea.

[quote] horseshit

The Australian government is INCREDIBLY generous.

Aussies are lovely

Not really R130. Our unemployment welfare payment is one of the lowest in the world and it's well under the poverty level in Australia.

It is worth noting that India will not allow its citizens to be 'dual citizens'. If they take up citizenship in another country they have to renege their Indian citizenship. However, I doubt now what the implications are for people from India who become 'permanent residents' in Australia.

I hope they do categorize the urgency of return based on the people who were trapped before COVID begin. No sympathy for those people who left to travel after April 2020. It was made clear that people who went after the ban that they did so at their own risk.

There goes my 2021 travel plan .

R132 The Guardian would say that

They're the ones who say 'Roads designed by men are killing women'

Nothing compared to what happened in Germany NYE 2015, R120.

It wasn't just the Guardian R136. It is a factual claim based on a study and fact checked at link as well so just cut the crap.

Facts are facts as much as you might hate them.

And here's a study from The Australia Institute leading to the same conclusion dated February 2021.

And in case those facts aren't enough for you R136 - here's a visual comparing various OCD countries rate of unemployment payments:

I'm actually surprised that the UK and NZ are also lower than the US, which I, an American, expected to be the absolute bottom.

It would be nice if we could at least match Denmark.

The Welfare State in Australia and the UK breeds work-shy spongers.

R126 The person who flew from Australia to India did so in the last week of April.

He flew to India IN THE MIDDLE OF the epidemic. He was infected and then pleaded to be brought to Australia. He died in India.

At least the story had a happy ending, R143.

He flew to India because his mother was dying. It wasn't like he got a sudden urge to revisit the Taj Mahal. However as R126 implies it was a calculated risk, which sadly did not go his way. He was only 47.

R105 is incorrect. It is not usual in Australia to shut down a whole city because of two or three cases. This might happen in Perth or Adelaide, where they've had almost no infections ever and so freak out at the sight of one, but in Sydney and Melbourne these days most often they can quickly trace the link between the infected person and an incoming traveller, and once they know that they just test and isolate every individual in the chain who could have been exposed for a week or two. In Sydney recently there was a case where they knew who the traveller was and they knew the infected person in the community had caught it from them, but the two hadn't met and the authorities couldn't trace the missing link. That spooked them, but all they did was encourage people to get tested, reintroduce mandatory masks in inside spaces and reduce the number of people you could have at your house to 20. Nothing more happened, so they lifted those restrictions after a couple of weeks.

Australians are welcoming the closed borders if it means a rest from the turbo charged mass immigration of the last two decades.

We've had wage stagnation, housing has become unaffordable, reduced living standards, reduced GDP per person, crush loaded transport and reduced health care standards.

Indian-Australians claiming their children have been stranded in India.

Reality is they dump their kids with the grandparents in India to save money, whilst the parents work in Australia. One lot of parents are saying they haven't seen their kid for 2 years - but somehow it's the Australian governments fault they haven't seen their children.

The mass media doesn't even question this.

It seems Indian-Australians have become a very vocal and influential minority that seems to be dictating a 'narrative' through the media that is counter to the reality.

Australians couldn't go to another state during closures within Australia to see loved ones that were sick and or dying.

But now we have to feel sorry for the Indians, because, you know they are Indians, are you're racist if you don't feel sorry for them.

The Indians with their sob stories aren't being honest regarding how things really played out and they certainly haven't been the only ones to face issues with covid restrictions.

Indian migrants are constantly going from their new country back to India. For weddings, festivals, a sick great aunt - it doesn't take much for them to do this.

They can do that, but it's risky, especially if you do this during covid.

And sorry, you don't need to go to your mother's funeral. You may want to, but you don't need to.

R143 We must always feel sorry for the Indians! Especially if they are higher-caste!

R127 Don't understand allowing people to spend their pensions overseas, in another economy.

It's annoying that we allow people to migrate effectively up to the age of 50 to Australia, to then do low skilled low paid (and low tax contributing work), to then collect a pension at 67, which can then be spent overseas.

Mass immigration from India and China has and will continue to be a disaster for Australia. Hopefully we have a reset and return to more sensible migration numbers (and no, that doesn't mean I want a return to the White Australia Policy).

We've been cut off since early last year. There is no way a traveler to India didn't know he would have difficulties getting back home to Australia. It's the same rule for everybody. You can't visit your covid sick loved ones in the hospital. It's just not allowed. But I've seen scenes in hospital in India on twitter. Family gathers around a dying relative, sobbing over his limp body, no masks, no social distancing, no PPE.

R132 we could probably afford to offer more if we weren't carrying the sickly weight of so many migrants that are a burden to Australia.

Not sure how adding middle-aged and overweight migrants is a benefit to any economy.

It's time governments grow a country through industry and productivity, not by importing consuming bodies to fluff up the GDP.

r141 and we're one of the most expensive countries in the world to live in. God, what shit hole fucking dive this country is. We never thought to diversify past farming and tourism, so we slowly limp along...importing cheap labour to keep wages down while young NZers leave for greener pastures in droves.

R154 Do you believe Jacinda will really overhaul immigration there and stop the low-skilled migrants?

I personally don't think so - she's known the score for some time and did nothing.

Australia and New Zealand are addicted to juicing their GDP numbers by importing people. Also, the general public get excited about ever rising house prices (not that it means much if you have to sell and then buy in to the same market). Immigration helps keep the high house prices up.

No one goes to Australia anyway for fun. It's too far. You go only if you are up to something.

I was born in the 80s, when Australia-mania was at an all time high in the US. As a result, I've always wanted to visit, but the outrageous flight time and costs for hotels and transportation have been barriers to taking the leap.

As much effort as they've put into promoting tourism over the past few decades, I seriously doubt they'll stick to the current plan. EU announced today fully vaccinated people will be able to visit, even from the US, and North America will be fully opened by summer. Shutting down costs money and leaving billions of dollars on the table doesn't make sense.

Did pass around bottom whore Gage Santoro remain in Australia or did he absconded with his husband Billy?

I'd like to visit Australia… but indeed, it's so far. So, so far.

No, the reason why AstraZeneca is only recommended for the over 50s is because they are expendable and the government don’t want the the under-50s, being the majority of the population, to be hospitalised and out of the workforce if/when they get blood shots.

[quote] As much effort as they've put into promoting tourism over the past few decades, I seriously doubt they'll stick to the current plan. EU announced today fully vaccinated people will be able to visit, even from the US, and North America will be fully opened by summer. Shutting down costs money and leaving billions of dollars on the table doesn't make sense.

Again, that’s nice but relatively little of the Australian population is immunised. The only people under 50 who have received the shots are those who work directly with patients, or are police and other essential workers. Pfizer is only allowed for the under 50s and there is currently not enough Pfizer in the country. There is a single site in NSW currently providing it.

And it is winter here. Australian tourism is busiest at the start and end of the year. By summer, when the people who want to be immunised ought to have been, things will open up internationally.

[quote] We never thought to diversify past farming and tourism, so we slowly limp along...importing cheap labour to keep wages down while young NZers leave for greener pastures in droves.

Every second Uber driver in my medium sized coastal town is an out of work Kiwi.

I just read an article that pointed out most Australians support the country remaining closed until 2022 (the article was primarily about idiots who went to India and now want to come back).

Even if I disagree, if Australians support the idea, others' opinions don't really matter.

The Australian Aborigines are also like sitting ducks during COVID. There is a big fear of a variant getting into a remote community. Thanks to parties working together, there has not been a single Indigenous death in Australia due to COVID. It's a part of the reason why people pushing and shoving their way across the border won't happen.

[quote] Thanks to parties working together

What parties do you mean?

Fun birthday parties!

R165 Remote communities and health services.

Are you an Aussie, r162?

R163 73% of the population at that.

No Government is going to open the border with those sorts of figures.

It is mainly the business community that want the country open like this cunt linked below Jenny Lambert. I would have thought given she looks to be in a high risk category she'd think otherwise but greed and money grabbing tends to override compassion and empathy.

OMG, OMG!!!! Is Nicole Kidman safe? Does this mean she can't make no movies until 2022. OMG, she is our biggest star. What will we do?

Depressing that as we try to find our way out of a global pandemic all some people continue to do here is argue over whose country has the bigger dick.

Yes, R169, one must make a show of 'compassion and empathy' but we don't want their diseases.

R170 Yes, we must smuggle her out and bring her to the safe arms of HBO. I’m sure Reece has multiple houses, she can put her up at one of them.

yes, heard the cases are increasing worldwide...

stay safe Aussies!

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Confusion and fear in Melbourne as the fifth case of Indian variant confirmed.

Thank goodness it won't affect AFL matches.

Must keep the hysteria going - must not admit it's all been an overreaction!

Fuck off, R178. Without that so-called “hysteria” we’d be another UK, US or India.

Yes, r162

It will not amaze you to learn that the "hysteria" in Oz is pretty much confined to the media. As their Acting Premier said on the news today, Melburnians are better prepared for an outbreak than pretty much any constituency in the world. They don't want any more restrictions or lockdowns but if they have to, they know what to do. They're already turning out in droves to get tested. That sounds less like hysteria than sophistication to me. Of course, if you think it's hysterical to limit your own freedoms for a brief period, see R179.

The media is not really hysterical either; they are just milking the situation. Catastrophising is their catnip.

[quote] Acting Premier

So has the old Premier resigned in ignominy?

I heard he was a Marxist at college, wet behind the ears, who was thrown into situation he just couldn't handle.

So who is picking the crops that Canadians and Brits would pick to obtain extended travel Visa’s?

R82 The premier Daniel Andrews had a fall a few months back and badly hurt his back. He has been on sick leave for a couple of months so far.

R183 They are offering all kinds of incentives including relocation allowances to encourage Aussies to pick their own fruit.

Why isn't retired premier Daniel Andrews wearing a back brace?

He is in the last photo he posted on Twitter, R186. Where have you seen him, that you believe he's not?

Just ignore it R187. Have a look at R186/R182's posting history...

It's Prue Fucking MacSween.

New lockdown in Melbourne due to an increasing number of cases. Yikes!

Told ya so, R189. I am the Rafael Nadal of viruses. I will keep winning and winning. Nothing you humans can do to prevent it.

I've heard that the Australian government has done a terrible job of procuring vaccines, that not enough people will be vaccinated in Australia for herd immunity until Christmas 2022. The Australian prime minister supposedly said that being vaccinated is not a right.

[quote] I've heard…

You've heard wrong.

There's been already 3.7 million vaccinations in an Australia population of 25 mill.

R191 Link please.

Is that 3.7 million Australians with one shot, R192? That's terrible. Canada and the U.S. have about 50% vaccinated with one shot.

Australians aren't dying like flies and filling up hospitals. Calm down you lot out there it will happen.

[quote]The Australian prime minister supposedly said that being vaccinated is not a right.

This is 100% horseshit R191. I loathe that homophobic pig Morrison but he never said anything like that. Every Australian who wants a vaccine will get a free vaccine.

But it is true that the Federal government have done a terrible job procuring vaccines and have also limited the 50 years and over populace to only getting the AstraZeneca vaccine. Many over 50 are not happy about it. They want to get vaccinated but don't want the AstraZeneca vaccine because of all the bad press/health issues/blood clots which have already affected 6 people in Australia with one death. Everyone else 49 and under will receive the Pfizer vaccine.

The reason there hasn't been a massive drive to get everyone vaccinated is because our international borders will remain closed indefinitely (apart from a small amount of travel which must all go into 14 days of quarantine on arrival in Australia) and we had no community transmission of Covid. We were living without masks and normally. Everything is open. The only cases were from returning Australians in hotel quarantine.

We should have already built quarantine centres in VIC, NSW, SA & QLD like the Howard Springs centre. Morrison/Hunt need to stop fucking around and build them right now. Work should start on Monday. Then Morrison needs to get some fucking vaccine into the country so we can all be vaccinated.

I'm in Melbourne and we went into a 7 day lockdown today which is depressing. Not because of the lockdown (well, a little bit) but because of the selfish cunts out there in the general public who have caused this like the man who was Covid symptomatic, yet went about his very busy life for 10 days and spread the scary Indian variant all around Victoria before getting tested 10 days later to find he was Covid positive. Even worse he had just come out of hotel quarantine in Adelaide so would have known that if he was symptomatic then there was a high chance that he was Covid positive. I assume he was a return traveler from India. So now we are in lockdown.

And all the selfish cunts have stripped the supermarkets bare of toilet paper and other products again like hysterical cunts.

The pandemic has permanently changed the way I view and feel towards my fellow Australians because of their appalling and shitty selfish behaviour during the pandemic and I have discovered that I can't undo the changes in me. That's very depressing.

Sorry. I had to vent.

Are you locked down in Melbourne, R196?

Yes R197. The entire state of Victoria, of which Melbourne is the capital city, is locked down for 7 days.

R198, has anyone started a stay-at-home masturbation campaign wherein you switch hands to pretend you’re dating someone new?

Have any over 50 Aussie DLers taken AstraZeneca?

My mother has decided to wait for Moderna, or if it allowed for her age group, Pfizer.

I’ve booked in for my first Pfizer shot in June.

Here you go, R193. It's the 5/27/2021 program called "More lockdowns in Australia". One Australian official says that the percentage of the population which is vaccinated is low. An Australian guy says that he's tired of listening to the news because it's the same thing over and over and that the Australian prime minister said that vaccination is not a right.

The Australian says that the prime minister had said in March that vaccination is not a right at the 13:35 minute mark.

R191, R201, R202 must from America.

In Australia, politics is more like it is in the United Kingdom. There is also cynicism here left over here from the convict days. We're not as complex as America with all those vying interests. People don't really 'expect' politics to be honest here, because we know it's not an honest person's game.

Australians, by and large, also don't trust the media very much, there is a willingness to discount a percentage of what is said by 'those in charge' as political grandstanding. The satisfaction (or not) of the people is more dependant on overall performance and not the soundbites we are given in interviews.

[quote]and that the Australian prime minister said that vaccination is not a right.

As other have said R201- that's total horseshit and completely untrue. The PM didn't say that. It's the right of every Australian to get a vaccination if they want it.

The Australian caller on that show - Miles Harris - clearly says at 13.10 in your link that the Prime Minister said "getting vaccinated was not a [bold]RACE[/bold]". What Morrison actually said was that getting vaccinated was not a race and not a competition because the PM was defending not having enough vaccines available to give at the time. See the fucking link.

For fucks sake [R191], [R201], [R202] why are you linking to a such a low quality source like Charles Adler which [bold]doesn't even listen to what their call in guests are saying?[/bold] I hate that you make me have to defend Scott Fucking Morrison who I loathe with the heat of a thousand suns.

Grrrrr. Be gone troll.

I'm an Australian over 50 but I got the Pfizer as I'm in group 1b. I was very happy I didn't have to take AZ, as it's useless against some of the new strains. I'm even more relieved now as I've just found out a friend's brother is in hospital in Turkey from a stroke he had after taking the AZ shot.

Now I just want to get my second shot and visit friends and family interstate, without fearing I'll get stuck in hotel quarantine.

Are you in Victoria, r205? My GP took AZ because that was all he was sent back in March.

I am 1b as well but I couldn’t actually get an appointment because the local vaccination centre had sweet FA, as I live outside of a capital city. Pfizer only arrived here in the sticks a week or so ago.

As I’m in my 30s anyway I qualify but if I were over 50 I’d bide my time and wait for an mRNA. I think I’d would have a better chance of not dying of Covid than of not dying from a blood clot.

R206 - I'm in Sydney so I could book online if I went to Olympic Park. My workplace had been told we'd be immunised in March by a team that would come to us, still no word of when that will happen, so the team just booked ourselves in individually. We will all have our 2nd dose by mid June.

I am very jealous of you R205. I am in group 1B too but I'm 51. I would take the Pfizer vaccine right this second if I could. I would even pay for it. But I have to have the less effective AZ with blood clots. I've decided to bit the bullet and hope for the best and get AZ now. But we can't even get through on the booking hotline in Victoria anyway. We can't do walkins anymore. I'm in the central west of Melbourne city. What a farce. It's not like any of this is a huge surprise to authorities. Nobody is prepared. Not enough people to staff the hotlines or administer vaccines. No quarantine centres. Just bullshit from Morrison/Hunt and more bullshit on ABC Insiders this morning from Dan Tehan (who I think is mildly retarded actually).

How did you manage to get Pfizer R205? Is there a trick to it or is it just luck of the draw?

Nice work and best to take care of this yourself R207.

R206 get that Pfizer when you can. For those of us over 50 - it worries me to have to wait until maybe October when large quantities of mRNA vaccines arrive. And if those lying weasels Morrison/Hunt say October then it will end up being March 2022 which is why they have prepared us to keep our borders closed until the middle of next year.

Why is the state of Victoria a basket-case while all other states are OK?

What? Your post makes no sense R209.

The place is a mess. I would say the reasons are partially social. There is a fairly large and vocal (compared to other states) division of anti-vaxxers in Melbourne.

No there aren't R211. Just a couple of loud mouthed idiots who always set out to get arrested and make the news.

Loud-mouthed idiots exercising their freedom to spray their saliva around them have shut down a state.

There must be some reason unique to Victoria as to why their COVID track record is so terrible. There have been 30,098 cases in Australia. 20,593 of those have been from Victoria.

Brett!

Brett is looking tired, poor baby!

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You know why R214. Hotel quarantine doesn't work and isn't foolproof because hotels are not designed to be used for quarantine in a pandemic. There are also some incredibly self-absorbed Australian citizens who couldn't give a fuck about any other people than themselves and just walk around in the community as normal with Covid, giving it to others even though they are symptomatic like in Victoria at the moment. And others who won't stay home and isolate even though they have been diagnosed with Covid.

The Australian federal government is responsible for Australia's quarantine and vaccination requirements/programs and needs to stop lying and deflecting and get off their fat arses and build proper, fit for purpose quarantine centres like the Howard Springs centre, in every state. And it needs to happen without delay.

Yes, R218 it isn't Brett's fault. It isn't the Victoria Government's fault.

It's always somebody else's fault.

Go on say it R219! We all know what you're here desperately trolling about.

It's starts with D...

R220 Dannii Minogue?

R220 Dick.

R219 clearly wants to blame Dan Andrews.

So boring.

One of our team's partner is a doctor at RPA, he hadn't been able to get his Pfizer shot back in March because he had a broken leg and the immunisation clinic was up two flights of stairs. The doctor was shown how to book his Pfizer a couple of weeks ago and showed his partner what labyrinthine clicks to make to get to the correct booking page. So our team all booked ourselves in ASAP, as we are actually eligible for the Pfizer.

I wish I could give you a link, but every time I try to get back to that page I end up in the page of "GP's in your local area with the AZ shots".

[quote] the immunisation clinic was up two flights of stairs

That doesn't sound credible.

[quote]Australia is CLOSED until mid-2022!

OH MY GOD!!!

R225 Are you familiar with RPA?

I'm not R224 but RPA is basically third world. And that is thanks to funding cuts at the Federal and State levels over the last two decades. You do NOT want to be a patient at RPA.

The hospital is catering to a population in the area based on 1996 figures not current population figures. It's a hot mess.

[quote] Are you familiar with RPA?

Every building on this map has a lift.

RPA RPA RPA!!!!!

OMG!!!!

Doubt this will happen given the Indian variant and most of the population won't be vaccinated until the end of the year but if the Government go ahead with this it will all end in tears.

That's never gonna happen R230.

R231, OK...

/breathes sigh of relief

Was chatting to a friend who's about to retire and do the big road trip around OZ. He said it's been difficult to book accommodation even months in advance and prices are higher. Without the cheap packages to Bali and Thailand etc everyone is crowding into the domestic market. Swings and roundabouts I suppose, the hospitality sector took a huge hit during the lockdowns and now it's booming.

[quote] That's never gonna happen [R230].

Never trust a newspaper like The Guardian. It's not reporting news or facts.

It's giving a prophecy for something that MAY happen (or may not happen).

The economy is booming.

The real estate market is very hot. There was some breathing room after 2016, not much but it was a refreshing change after the boom. Where I live in riverside/beachside Perth my neighbour's homes are being snapped up literally hours after they are put on the market. This has been going on since March 2020.

Are they being snapped up as investment properties by foreign buyers?

Maybe in Perth, but in Sydney there are heaps of real people bidding at the auctions. A friend just sold a $2.3m house and after two Open Days twelve people had asked for contracts. The auction was still three weeks off at that point. That's a lot of interest.

R237 They are predominantly being snapped up by people who returned from overseas and interstate looking for safety after Covid. It is nearly impossible to get a rental here at the moment.

I have friends who might have returned, but decided to stick it out overseas because they knew it would mean hard times securing a place.

Australia closed for good?

R240 Australia is closed indefinitely. How long that is will depend how the virus and vaccines play out.

Zero new cases today in Victoria.

So much for 'flattening the curve' and protecting the vulnerable.

For political reasons, Australia is going for 'Covid-Zero'.

Australia could easily double its efforts and be 70% vaccinated by the end of the year. The problem is that the majority of the public are happy to see the borders closed for the foreseeable future. For them this has been an unexpectedly warm and cosy side-effect from Covid.

[quote]For political reasons, Australia is going for 'Covid-Zero'.

For [bold]HEALTH[/bold] reasons, Australia is determined to keep it 'Covid-Zero'.

I agree R248. Some people ON DL seem determined to find Satan wherever they can.

(Though I'm unhappy about that couple who left the disease hotspot in Melbourne and drove through three states infecting others)

Good news for students: the Australian government will be allowing up to 500 students into the country per month to quarantine and study.

This will equate to about 25 students per university. Those few enrollments are hardly going to make a dent in the billions in investments over the past decade expanding infrastructure to accommodate international students.

R247 Your mathematics seem to suggest those 500 will be distributed and slotted equally across the gamut of tertiary institutions across the nation.

I doubt that.

Australian universities are traditionally between 25% to 50% international. They have been amongst the most financially devastated sectors due to COVID.

R248 Australian universities are very generic, by and large. They are not big, prestigious institutions like in the USA or Europe with lots of mystique, traditions, or history surrounding them.

They are very standardised places and not all that distinguishable from each other. Apart from a few specialised programs, they are basically all the same. An International student's preference is likely to be based on amenities, or the city it's based in rather than the school's reputation.

Still, billions have dollars have been pumped into these places in the past five years, transforming small campuses into booming mini-cities with international numbers hitting a peak. Covid could not have come at a worse time for them.

The value of foreign students to Australia, as an 'export' earner', is grossly exaggerated.

Most student fees and living expenses are ultimately paid by money earned by these students in Australia. This includes money earned in Australia to pay off student loans offshore - money earned in Australia to be sent off as remittance.

There is also the issue of students earning money here to send back home to support families offshore.

Australia has the most generous working rights for foreign students - including working rights for their partners. It was previously the ability to work 20 hours per week during term - this has no been extended to 40 hours.

Covid may have been a hit to the high-salaried Vice-Chancellors and bloated executive staff - but it's been a blessing for a larger group of Australians - local students in particular (not having to do so much group assignments with foreign students is a good start), as well as the labour market - less competition particularly in the hospitality sector, meaning greater employment opportunities and better pay. There will also be better outcomes for local student upon graduation - given less foreign students holding generous Graduate Visas to compete with.

Australian universities and training organisations, for foreign students, is often an opportunity to work here. Universities have also been a pathway to permanent residency as well.

Lobby groups want the average Australian to think we desperately need these foreign students, but they don't. The elite do at the expense of everyone else - from lower wages, to lower living standards (crowded public transport, higher rents).

Hopefully the higher education system in Australia gets a well deserved overhaul - starting with trimming the fat of inflated salaries, on relying on foreign student fees for questionable research projects, and getting the CCP influence out off campuses.

The universities have so pay for all that themselves so the ones with the deepest pockets will have an advantage (i.e. University of Sydney).

I agree, R252. Most of the new Aussie unis are over-entitled and full of second-raters trying to build up empires on the public purse and relying on foreigners as a cash-cow.

[quote] not having to do so much group assignments with foreign students is a good start

Wow, do you have an anecdote you're willing to share? Such as them being unable to speak the language/

R254 I haven't had to do group assignments for awhile, but have heard from recent students - particularly in business and engineering - there is language barriers - at times the language is not up to academic English standards.

I can only speak one language, so hats of these foreign students studying in English speaking environments, but effective participation in these assignments do require a higher standard of English.

One higher, with all due respect, R255, than you appear to be able to manage yourself, or at least I truly hope.

Time for all Australian universities to dramatically reduce their corporate profits or find a brand new way to grift R247.

In other words - tough titty. Nobody gives a fuck about rich, entitled Chinese international students who are used as cash cows by Australian universities.

A couple of my co-workers are foreign students at the tail end of their studies. One's doing her PHD and the other has finished her masters and just doing her spoken english qualifications. Covid has been a bonus for them. They dodged the pandemic, can work more hours and with the OS students in short supply they will be fast tracked to residency.

Meanwhile Australian tourism is going gangbusters. With everyone stuck here for the next year and bank accounts bursting with foregone meals out, package trips to Bali and movie tickets everyone's decided it's time to finally check out the rainforests, reefs and deserts.

R258 You aren't locked down in Melbourne.

R256 Sorry my casual remarks aren't to the required standard for the few apparently righteous people that frequent a site called The Datalounge.

Don't worry, R260. I estimate that 20% of The Dataloungers are absolute ratbags.

I ignore them.

R260, if you're going to be pissy about the English language, use it correctly. Otherwise you just wind up looking like a racist ocker cunt who thinks them chinks orta be edjamacated afore they come to Arsetrailia.

R262 I do believe I qualified my previous comment - I only speak English, and unlike these foreign students, I do not speak more than one language. Hence why I said 'hats off to them' (even if I didn't get my English write in doing so).

However, the reality remains, to study and participate to a productive and meaningful level within the university or academic environment, students' English needs to be at a higher level (this applies for local 'native' speakers of English and foreign students).

I would suggest you build more robust replies - perhaps not constantly suggesting there's racism where there isn't, and that everyone else must be intellectually or culturally inferior to you if they hold an opinion that differs to your own.

A LOT of American celebrities have liquidated their properties in LA and have moved to Australia full time. Zac Efron, the Hanks, Julia Roberts. What do they know, that we don't. Follow the money. A lot the elites are moving to Austrailia and getting in. This is not just peak pandemic, but I've been reading current articles. I think Rhiana is also building a huge compound there.

[quote] What do they know, that we don't. Follow the money.

R264 bullshit. Or wombat shit. Or just plain shit.

No one in Hollywood wants to live in Australia past Australian film stars.

The Sydney real estate market, especially those in like small beachy enclaves must be commanding a fortune for Covid free living. I won't pretend to know Austrailia at all, but wherever the Hemsworth's live is the place to be and where is every American is flocking.

Every American?

Yeah.

Nah.

Nah Americans are moving to Byron Bay it's too far out of the limelight.

[quote] it's too far out of the limelight

They don't want to be accused of cowardice and running away from their disease-ridden homeland.

Yeah, particularly to a place too stupid to vaccinate itself when it had every opportunity to do so.

What a surprise, R271 - input from an American who knows nothing but sees himself as an expert in all things.

How’s that Covid death toll going for you guys? 600,000 and climbing, isn’t it?

R271, as I've said before we are not dropping dead in the streets!!! Have you heard the expression "Aussies are laid back"? No need to run around like headless chooks...just Chill mate!

R272 - hey, if it means no Australian tourists in New York for another year - then it's not like there's no silver lining.

R274 thank you for so perfectly proving my point about fucking ignorant Americans.

And precisely how did I do that, ocker?

According to the OP, Australian tourists face restricted travel until 2022.

That means no Australian tourists in New York.

Which to this New Yorker, is a good thing.

I mean, why you fuckers bother to visit is beyond me. Evidently everything's better at home in Waggle Waggle or wherever it is.

“Ocker” - now there’s a word that hasn’t been in use for a couple of decades.

I really want to visit Australia. Hopefully things will change before then.

Seriously, Aussies, do me a solid--get vaccinated and open up the borders. I have family to see and time isn't on our side.

The vaccine hubs in Sydney are booked out till August, if you want to get the Pfizer. If you're happy with the AZ then you can get the first shot at a GP's within a week, but then you've gotta wait 6 weeks for the second shot.

Got my first shot of AZ at the GP tomorrow but been told I have to wait 12 weeks for second shot.

[quote] I have been told I have to wait 12 weeks for second shot.

That 12 week wait is standard. The first shot is the effective shot, the second is the so-called 'booster shot'

I met this Aussie in the UK with the perfect, thick cock and we would fuck bareback all over the room. It was really hot! I've had good luck with Aussies.

That's interesting, R283, but did you speak to each other? Did he make intelligent conversation?

I've been told their most popular quiz show is designed for dunderheads. They can win a million dollars by using multiple choice.

An idiot has a 25% chance of being a millionaire.

Wow, R284 - you sound highly intelligent, yourself!

I take that as a compliment, R285, but do you want to check my 'perfect, thick cock' R283?

R284 = Someone said something about somebody who something something Australian and it was something something or other and I didn't actually hear it myself but [bold]I BELIEVED EVERY SINGLE FUCKING WORD OF IT![/bold]

[quote] I BELIEVED EVERY SINGLE FUCKING WORD

I believe Eddie offers a 25% gamble for $1,000,000.

[quote]What do they know, that we don't.

Morrison made the announcement in mid-May, at the very end of that two-month period when UK cases were low and steady. Just days before the numbers started to surge.

Those who keep telling Australians to get vaccinated, as though we're trying to avoid it, don't understand.

The Government decided not to start rolling out vaccines until April. They started with Pfizer, of which they only have very limited supplies, and it was announced it would go to people likely to be exposed to Covid (airport and quarantine workers etc), and then to aged care, over-70s and really sick people. Everybody else was to get Astra Zeneca, 1 million doses a week of which were to be manufactured in Melbourne. Those were delayed, so the first Astra shots probably didn't happen till a week or two into May. You have to wait 12 weeks between Astra shots to get maximum efficacy.

They had barely started the Pfizer rollout when it became clear in Europe that the clotting disease which is a rare side effect of Astra Zeneca wasn't quite as rare as they'd hoped, especally in younger people. The Government suddenly announced that nobody under 50 should have Astra Zeneca, so the precious Pfizer doses were yanked away and offered to 40-49-year-olds. (Why that particular demographic who knows.) In the time since, nearly half the cases of clotting disease in Australia have been among 50-59s, so as of yesterday nobody under 60 can have Astra.

This means that young people can't get either vaccine; over-60s and those with comorbidities, who are the groups Covid is most likely to kill, have an understandable sense that they have had a good thing snatched away from them and replaced by something nobody wants; the rollout to frontline workers, aged care etc was half-done so Covid keeps escaping into the community; and anyone who HAS had one Astra shot is still waiting the three months before they can be fully vaccinated. Because of when the rollout started, hardly any of them have got to the finish line yet.

Those are the reasons why Australia's vaccination rate is so low. Actual anti-vaxxers are very rare.

R290 That pretty much sums up the situation except that people under 60 (previously 50) can still get Astra if they want. They only have to sign a waiver that they are aware of and accept the risks with Astra.

I got vaccinated but I don't remember signing a waiver.

Putting in something like a Bill of Rights into the constitution was discussed and debated when Australia went through federation. In the end it was decided that those rights were already covered by Common Law and it had taken 15 years just to get all the states just to agree on a plebiscite and constitution.

A Bill of Rights would be nice but it can be a two edged sword (e.g. the right to bear arms) and doesn't really guarantee much. It still has to be interpreted by courts just like common law rights.

That said our current Federal Government are a bunch of dickheads, who want total control with no responsibility and way too many Australians fall for their bullshit. So they will look tough passing some draconian legislation then make it the responsibility of the states or courts or other countries to actually enforce their bullshite.

A Bill of Rights would be nice but it can be a two edged sword because those who benefit the most are lawyers.

And lawyers love filibustering at $100 per hour.

^ No, a $1000 per hour.

Australians are going to become like those African bush people. One foreign person will wipe them out b/c they don't have immunity.

No, R296. Australia will reach herd immunity as fast as they can roll out MRNA vaccines to everyone. It's just that, as explained, that isn't very fast. There is very little resistance to vaccination itself.

Why are the moving so slow with the rollout? Maybe Australia has the right idea of being this self contained country non reliant on others. I wish America would do that and boycott China.

Why can't everyone boycott China?

Yes!!!! Boycott China!!!!!!!!!!!!

R298. The reason, look at the flatline of AU/NZ on the graph of Worldwide Covid cases per million. There is hardly a blip on the radar.

My asshole has never been filled with so much cum than by a hot Aussie.

Exactly, R302.

Wow, R301. That graph is good.

This has to be rough for Australians, who seem to truly love to travel and actual get the days off (3-4 weeks paid seems to be the norm and this might be the low end). Whenever I am traveling, I will always run into Australians and they will be traveling to multiple destinations over an extended period of time. Australians and the Chinese probably have to be some of the biggest, most exploratory world travelers. I really appreciate countries that value work/life balance. The US seems shittier by the day.

It's a legal minimum of 4 weeks (20 business days) paid vacation for every 12 months of employment R305 (plus 10 sick days) for all Australian workers. Depending on your industry/employment award these basics can be more generous but never less than the minimum standard.

*Unless you're a casual employee and then you get nothing.

Yes, R305, the rest of the planet is really missing those Australians who really love to travel.

Or maybe not.

Right, R307, and yet you read through 306 responses before you posted your fatuous response. Why do you pretend to care so much, when you so obviously do?

I'm just yanking your chain, R308.

R307 They'd been missing all the money.

[quote]It's a legal minimum of 4 weeks (20 business days) paid vacation for every 12 months of employment

Plus many (most?) workers get leave loading - so not only do you get four weeks of paid leave, you get an extra 17.5% in your pay while you're not at work. It's basically a bonus to go on leave.

I've had a a few female friends who have gone, found a guy, and wanted to stay in the country because it is so nice. It's very hard for an American to get immigration. They ended up having to come back to the US, but they married the men they met. I cannot wait to go. I love Liane Moriarty - I think she and Olivia Newton John are national treasures. I like frau books, I don't care about the judgment.

It is perfectly possible to get a Permanent Partner visa, no matter where you're from, R312. I just looked it up. You apply for a Temporary Partner Visa, which costs about AUD$7,000, and then you go on to a Permanent Partner Visa a year or two later, at no further cost.

In the meantime you have to convince the authorities that your relationship (gay or straight) is genuine. Since you say your friends wanted to stay in Australia "because it was nice", rather than "because they couldn't bear to be parted from their Australian husband", that might be the clue to their difficulties - or they might not have been certain enough to stump up the $7,000. The guy they marry has to be a citizen or permanent resident, too. You can't marry a Japanese man in Australia and expect to stay. I'm sure it is no harder for an American to get such a visa, or a Skilled Worker visa, than anyone else.

The whole of Sydney is in stay-at-home lockdown for two weeks as of this afternoon. Bread and toilet paper are sold out at the shops. Sigh.

There are only about 100 active cases, but the big concerns are their rapid increase and wide distribution. Contact tracing has shown infected people have gone even more widely than where the current cases are: what it can't show is how many as-yet undiagnosed people they infected. Only about 3% of Australians are fully vaccinated, as we've seen in this thread. You can break lockdown to GET a vaccination, if you can find an appointment.

On the plus side, Melbourne has reopened after a 2-3 week lockdown seems to have eliminated infections there.

That bitch won't say lockdown though will she R314. After all of those LNP cunts eviscerating Dan Andrews and government any chance they got for 18 months solid.

I'm sick to death of hearing how terrible Victoria is. It will be interesting to see what is said by NSW and the Federal cunts now...

This:

Quite right. However all the NSW people I know think Daniel Andrews did a great job and really admire Melburnians for the way they coped with that long lockdown last year. Nobody liked the politicisation of the virus involved in the Coalition's criticisms of Andrews. He was meant to come back to work in the next week or so: I hope he rushes back to go neah neah.

The NSW government escaped most of the criticism they should have had for the Ruby Princess debacle. Not a lot was known about the virus then, but enough was certainly known not to let those people just leave the ship and drift off into the night. Nearly all the first-wave deaths were related to that.

Since then they've managed fairly dexterously till this event, and the mass vaccination hub they're running is a well-oiled machine. Sydneysiders would have preferred a quick Melbourne-style lockdown and were impatient that the government has dithered this long and let it get away. Everybody knew locking down four local government areas wouldn't stop the Delta variant. I don't know whether it was pressure from businesses or just not wanting to be seen to do what they criticised Andrews for.

And of course their Federal buddies are responsible for there being airport drivers who have no vaccinations at all, which was the cause of the outbreak. It is indefensible that we are still getting leaks of that kind in the quarantine system.

This is a shame. I have a screenplay idea I wanted to shop around to Australian filmmakers. How can I do that now?

How were you going to do it before? Walk from one to the other?

I was going to fly.

Well, that won't be happening R320.

[quote]I'm sick to death of hearing how terrible Victoria is. It will be interesting to see what is said by NSW and the Federal cunts now...

They will spin it as "at least NSW really, really tried to avoid it."

When is NSW going to get rid of the "Koala Killer' Gladys. God she's boring. Labor had better step up before the next state election.

[quote] she's boring

Is Anastacia more boring?

R324 Anastacia is a moron. Despite her faults Gladys does actually posses intelligence.

I'd like to come and entertain the men of NSW as gesture of solidarity on behalf of your distant second cousin, America.

I want you to run a train on me and just let out all the pent up aggression. You have been in lockdown for 1.5 years with another year to go. Use my hole and vent all your anger. All you have to do is pay for my flight.

Please post a picture R326 and we will let you know if that's possible.

I'm listening to this Aussie who does this amazing ASMR and I need his cum very deep inside me. God Bless, Australia!

.......

Australia was OK until the idiot chauffeur brought in The Delta last month.

The lockdown is going to go on for months and I'm already going mad.

R330 It was OKAY until Gladys failed to lockdown Sydney quickly enough. Now we are truely fucked and the only way out is by vaccination which Scumo has fucked up so we will be in lockdown until the beginning of next year with lots of death and misery.

And because the Delta variant spreads like wildfire it will continue to spread to the other states. Australia, South Korea, Thailand, Fiji and Vietnam have officially joined the club COVID club. New Zealand and other countries aren't going to be far behind.

Look, Aussies, just fucking up your vaccination game! So tired of hearing excuses. My cousin's wedding rescheduled, rescheduled, rescheduled to this Saturday has been delayed once again. Australia has done a great job keeping infections and deaths incredibly low, but it's time to stop clinging to the closed border policy and vaccinate as if your lives depended on it. Because it does! My 60 year old uncle in Sydney is still sitting on one shot, waiting for his second. My 93 year old grandmother is fully vaccinated but her nursing home is locked down and she constantly tells me on our video chats about how lonely she is and that she feels imprisoned.

My uncle thinks it'll be fortunate if I will be able to visit them by early 2022. That will be over 2 years since I have seen my grandmother. Please! She's in her 90's, 1-2 years make a difference.

R333 at least they've kept her alive so far, leaving the possibility to see her at all.

Thanks for your encouragement, R333, but the problem is we don't HAVE enough vaccine. Many people I know have appointments to get their first shot in October.

Mid 2022 at the earliest R333. We don't have enough vaccines because our federal government fucked everything up.

But at least your grandma is still alive. Inthe US & UK she would have died from Covid last year.

Australia is like the United States except they watch Prisoner: Cell Block H, Hey Dad and Hamish and Andy

Er, Hey Dad hasn't been on TV for thirty years, and is unlikely to make a return with its star in jail.

I was under the impression Prisoner was quite the cult in the US.

Aren't VIPs moving easily in and out of Australia? This is about the little people, right?

[Quote] This is about the little people, right?

As per usual 😑

R339 Yeah. If you really wealthy you can move around Australia without any hassles. Likewise if you are really wealthy from anywhere in the world Australia & NZ let you in with open arms.

[quote]Er, Hey Dad hasn't been on TV for thirty years, and is unlikely to make a return with its star in jail.

It's the "I Love Lucy" of Australia. It will be on forever in reruns. And it's star was Cosby'd into jail by a two-face little no talented bitch.

[quote]I was under the impression Prisoner was quite the cult in the US.

Yes it was, in England too. It is on YouTube all episodes. It's the best show ev-ah.

R342 = Bob Hughes.

R343 It's amazing who many of the actresses in Prisoner were dykes. So many of them on Australia TV & Film not to mentioned gay guys.

And Australia is different in this from the rest of the world, R345?

What are you smoking R342 where Hey Dad is on in reruns? Maybe it's just playing on loop in your pedo brain?

Smug NSW is now totally fucked. Lockdown till November at the earliest.

I cannot believe the struggles just to get supplied with vaccine doses in Australia, while assholes in the US find ignorant excuses to not visit the local CVS to get vaccinated!

I've completely stopped thinking or praying for anyone over the age of twelve in the US affected by Covid. Those jagoffs freaking deserve what they get!

I worked in greater Melbourne in January 2020 (Melbourne, Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo) and those Qantas miles are calling me to go visit again! Fantastic people, as a NYer, I loved how open, candid and wonderful everyone I met was.

Admittedly we wouldn't have nearly such a struggle if our incompetent Prime MInister hadn't passed up 50 million Pfizer doses when offered around this time last year, causing Astra Zeneca to be the only option we would have. AZ is made here at the rate of 1 million doses a week, but only since May or June. Since we need 50 million doses to do the whole population twice, you do the math. They have only opened up bookings to 16-29s today, and then only in current "hotspots", but at least it's Pfizer. The medicos haven't approved the vaccination of anyone under 16 yet.

They tell us supply will exceed demand by the end of October, but they've told us a lot of stuff. Actual anti-vaxxing is loud on social media but in fact really low here - ordinary childhood vaccination rates range from 92% to 97%, depending primarily on age (2020 figures). Indigenous rates are among the highest.

NSW (and Australia) just set a record for total daily new covid cases since the pandemic began.

The vaccine rollout is picking up steam. The 70/80%-full vaccination rate expectation is late October/mid-November. Right now, that seems possible, but we'll see where the daily vaccination numbers are in early October.

The turnout for the protests today in NSW doesn't seem as strong as the first wave last month (but maybe it was just Melbourne stealing its thunder). That's encouraging. But the number of people ignoring the mandates isn't just "a handful" as the Premier insists. She is only looking at the ones who get caught.

Unbelievable that beach party in Maroubra. Aparently attendants were not locals, but from the LGAs in lockdown. It seems south western fuckwits deliberately are spreading the virus all over Sydney and regional NSW.

I heard an epidemiologist from Britain today warning Australia and New Zealand that when Britain went unrestricted after 70-ish% were fully vaccinated they had something in their favour we don't: tens of thousands of people there have also HAD Covid, which means that there is more immunity around than just from the vaccinations. We don't have that.

Also, because children are susceptible to Delta young kids should be included in your % vaccinated, which of course they won't be because they're not even eligible.

Hold us Scott, we're scared.

We're pretty much fucked here in Sydney. On a single day I got notified I was a casual contact and a close contact from two seperate events. My brother was a close contact from his neighbour, who caught COVID from her daughter who got it at school. Meanwhile my sister and family were casual contacts from a supermarket. Pretty much the entire family were in isolation. After eight fricking weeks of dithering about the state government has finally ordered a hard lockdown....while in the same breath telling us we will have to learn to live with COVID.