crikey--2020-04-24--Working from home due to coronavirus? Here are 10 productivity tips

How do you keep productivity up when you are working from home ?
We share 10 tips to stay productive and motivated during the coronavirus pandemic .
Working from home may be a new concept for you .
Maintaining productivity while working from home — especially when your mind may be focused on the pressing issues at hand , such as an impending recession , unemployment , the healthcare system and the uncertainty of the future can be a big challenge .
Here are 10 productivity tips for working from home to keep you motivated and focused during this time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and stick to it • Switch off your devices when the time comes Whether you live in a flat or a beachside mansion , having one designated space for work is paramount to maintaining productivity .
Do not , I repeat do not , work from bed .
Also , avoid working from the couch or garden .
Your space of work should not be the same space where you relax or let ’ s face it , you ’ ll ruin it for yourself .
While the temptation may be to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stay motivated .
Set up a home workspace that is comfortable , functional and equipped with all the things you need to get the job done , and get the job done well .
2 .
Develop a daily to-do list and stick to it You might work in a deadline orientated environment or one that is project-focused .
Either way , create a list of your daily tasks and stick to them .
Do not get into a habit of putting things off until tomorrow .
If you were in an office @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would probably stick around for an extra 15 minutes to finish the task .
Do the same at home and feel the immense satisfaction of crossing out all of the items on your to-do list at the end of the day .
A pen and paper are the only tools you need here .
This is not a big sleepover party people !
Stop baking !
Stop asking me to do home workouts with you while I ’ m on a Zoom meeting !
Setting boundaries with living companions is important .
Whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ friends or pets , tell them to get lost when you need to work or you will only find yourself frustrated , or even worse , distracted .
Have an honest conversation about how you need your working time to be free from distractions , and you will commit to TV , baking , and home work-outs with them at X time .
You ’ ll thank yourself for it later .
Taking regular breaks will give your eyes and brain the respite they need to work harder .
Get up , stretch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ star jumps , whatever it is that helps you .
Create a consistent and regular reset button to punctuate your day .
This reset button will help you stay driven and boost your productivity , especially when you are working in a less stimulating and ‘ samesy ’ environment .
5 .
Switch off your devices when the time comes Work may have entered your home , but that doesn ’ t mean it needs to enter your psyche 24/7 .
When it ’ s time to switch off , turn off your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with via a phone call .
Do not keep your work tabs open if you are using your laptop for personal use , as work notifications will keep you switched on work mode .
You need that space so when it ’ s time to work again , you feel fresh and ready to take on a new day .
Good communication has never been so important .
Where possible , opt for calls over long email chains , as written communication can often be misconstrued or misunderstood .
Save time for yourself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clear and concise .
Try to have video calls where possible , as they will help curb feelings of isolation and loneliness — and it gives you a reason to get up , get dressed and keep it professional !
On that point of looking professional , working from home does not mean working in your pyjamas and rushing to put on a shirt over them when you remember you have a conference call .
I know , it ’ s tempting but to keep productivity levels ‘ lit ’ , try to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can .
Do you wear pyjamas to the office ?
If the answer is yes , then you can ignore this tip , but my point is , subtle signals such as putting on jeans and a shirt , brushing your hair and washing your face are all mental signals that the day has started and it ’ s time to take it on .
The opposite puts you into a state of purgatory or limbo where you don ’ t know the start of the day from the end , and your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time , there ’ s ample time to get yourself feeling good .
Reward yourself for work well done .
If you have hit a target or smashed a goal , treat yourself .
Your reward system could be the good coffee from your local supermarket ; it might be a new pair of runners you have been eyeing-off online ; or it could be spending an hour dedicated to mood-boarding your next holiday for when all of this is over .
If you are lucky enough to have the capability to work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ employed , you are in a good position to save , but make sure you dedicate some of those funds to rewarding yourself for doing good work and staying positive throughout .
Our lives may have changed but that doesn ’ t mean we need to sacrifice a good work-life balance .
For some , the pandemic may also be a good time to hone in on new hobbies that you never would have gotten to otherwise .
For instance , since the pandemic started , I have given up smoking and started @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the plot twist !
A personal project gives you something outside of work to be proud of .
Whether it ’ s knitting or yoga , singing or kettlebell swinging , a new hobby also gives your mind a focus for when you don ’ t have the distraction of work to keep your mind from worrying about the latest influx of global COVID-19 stats and facts .
Woah , we have gotten very holistic over here at Crikey , however , mindfulness is more important than ever .
Some of us — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may be feeling cranky , fatigued or washed out .
Avoid working yourself into state of burn-out to distract from what is going on in the world around us .
It only takes 20 minutes to be mindful .
Find a quiet space ( not your workspace ) and close your eyes .
Take deep breaths and think through the day , picking out your ‘ roses ’ and your ‘ thorns ’ and then letting them go .
Consider writing down four things you were grateful for that day .
Practising mindfulness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thoughts .
It helps to focus on the good and let go of the bad .
Most importantly , it reminds you why the work you are doing is important , and thus increases your productivity .
If you are struggling with brain fog or a lack of motivation during this time , be honest !
Talk to your employer about how you ’ re feeling and see if there is a system that can be worked out that is mutually beneficial .
Maybe it ’ s tweaking your hours , maybe it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you can run it off .
What works for you could also work for them .
If you have reached a point where your headspace is negatively affecting you and your work , there are a number of resources that can help .
Find some here .
Read : After the virus , what will drive our economy and jobs ?

Working from home may be a new concept for you. Maintaining productivity while working from home — especially when your mind may be focused on the pressing issues at hand, such as an impending recession, unemployment, the healthcare system and the uncertainty of the future can be a big challenge.
Here are 10 productivity tips for working from home to keep you motivated and focused during this time:
Set up a home office Develop a daily to-do list and stick to it Set boundaries with living companions Take regular breaks Switch off your devices when the time comes Stay connected with colleagues Mirror office behaviours Reward yourself Maintain a work-life balance Practice mindfulness.
1. Set up a home office
Whether you live in a flat or a beachside mansion, having one designated space for work is paramount to maintaining productivity. Do not, I repeat do not, work from bed. Also, avoid working from the couch or garden.
Your space of work should not be the same space where you relax or let’s face it, you’ll ruin it for yourself. While the temptation may be to get comfy, it will not help you stay motivated. Set up a home workspace that is comfortable, functional and equipped with all the things you need to get the job done, and get the job done well.


crikey--2020-04-24--The bags are back: health concerns and cheap oil sees plastic make a comeback

The bags are back : health concerns and cheap oil sees plastic make a comeback  The lower price of @ @ @ @ @ fear about the coronavirus , is helping fuel a resurgence of single-use plastics .
But @ @ @ @ @ be permanent .
The keep cup has fallen .
Once-fashionable reusable shopping bags are now @ @ @ @ @ .
And on the streets , disposable takeaway containers spill out of overflowing yellow bins @

The keep cup has fallen. Once-fashionable reusable shopping bags are now something of a faux pas. And on the streets, disposable takeaway containers spill out of overflowing yellow bins.
COVID-19 has caused plastic to made a comeback in a big way across the world. Health concerns have fuelled demand for single-use plastic, and negative oil prices mean producing plastic is cheaper than ever before.
Crikey takes a look at the resurgence of the once-dreaded product and asks whether our switch back to plastic could be permanent.


crikey--2020-04-24--Virus Watch: Ramadan goes online and America deports the sick

Before joining Crikey in 2018 , Kishor was an editor of the University of Sydney ’ s student paper Honi @ @ @ @ @ The Sydney Morning Herald on the state news beat , a casual legal reporter for @ @ @ @ @ Law and Journalism , and a research assistant at the Australian Human Rights Commission .
@ @ @ @ @ he is completing a law degree at the University of Sydney .
Kishor will be @ @ @ @ @ immigration , race and religion .

The numbers are looking good
Australia recorded just eight new cases of COVID-19 yesterday, its lowest numbers since early March.
In NSW, which has long been the worst affected state, new cases remained in the single digits for the past five days.
National trajectories and how Australia compares:


crikey--2020-04-24--The right to speak and leak has never been so important

The right to speak and leak has never been so important Leakers and whistleblowers are essential to ensuring a fast @ @ @ @ @ .
We need to make sure they 're protected , now and in the future @ @ @ @ @ doctor and whistleblower Li Wenliang , who died from COVID-19 in February after alerting the @ @ @ @ @ the disease ( Image : AP/Kin Cheung ) Never , in most of our lifetimes @ @ @ @ @ institutions been thrown into such sharp relief as in this time of COVID-19 .
By @ @ @ @ @ , Australia ’ s decision-making has hopefully saved it from the type of calamity engulfing @ @ @ @ @ Kingdom .

Never, in most of our lifetimes, has trust in our institutions been thrown into such sharp relief as in this time of COVID-19. By a hair’s breadth, Australia’s decision-making has hopefully saved it from the type of calamity engulfing the US and the United Kingdom.
But we have to remember this is thanks to our recognition of the rights and duties of people to do their job, by speaking up about critical issues, even when it might make them unpopular.
In Australia, it was everyday health professionals and university-based experts who first alerted and motivated us, as a community, on the need to get serious about our response. Get out of the pubs and restaurants. Cancel the bloody football. Just in time.


crikey--2020-04-24--When this is over, will we recognise the role women played?

When this is over , will we recognise the role women played ?
Doctors , nurses , teachers , carers @ @ @ @ @ the front lines in the fight against coronavirus .
And the vast majority of them @ @ @ @ @ neighbourhood across Australia , doctors , nurses , teachers , carers and childcare workers are @ @ @ @ @ , in a tireless battle against a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic .

In every neighbourhood across Australia, doctors, nurses, teachers, carers and childcare workers are still turning up to work, in a tireless battle against a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic.
These workers are the first responders in an ongoing health and economic crisis. And they are almost all women.
The coronavirus has revealed the true value of the so-called “caring workforce”. As most of the economy grinds to a halt, these essential workers have been left on the frontline, fighting an invisible enemy that threatens our very way of life.


crikey--2020-04-24--How can we be free in an age of surveillance?

Until recently , the question of privacy lurked in the shadows .
Suddenly it ’ s stumbled into the light to become a defining issue of our time .
On a Sunday afternoon last April , long before COVID-19 , my nine year old set up a fish tank , my 13 year old took me to the movies and The New York Times told me to panic .
“ It ’ s time to panic about privacy , ” wrote columnist Farhad Manjoo .
“ Each time you buy some new device or service that trades in private information @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your online activity — you are gambling on an uncertain and unprotected future .
Here is the stark truth : we in the West are building a surveillance state no less totalitarian than the one the Chinese government is rigging up.
” The newspaper then published a series of investigative reports .
One revealed how US law enforcement is using Google ’ s Sensorvault to find criminal suspects ( and witnesses ) by drawing on location data , often without users knowing .
Another showed how China is using facial recognition software and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minority Uighur population , even when they leave their home province .
What happened ?
Until recently , privacy lurked in the shadows .
Suddenly it ’ s stumbled into the light to become a defining issue of our time .
In 2013 , whistleblower Edward Snowden popped up in a Hong Kong hotel room to drop bombshells about government surveillance.
” We are building the biggest weapon for oppression in the history of mankind , ” he said .
Perhaps that was the moment when privacy forced its way into the public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ following year , when nude photos of Jennifer Lawrence , Selena Gomez and dozens more were leaked to 4chan , and then to the wider web .
Several celebrities responded with heartfelt pleas that the content not be shared .
It was shared anyway .
Or perhaps it was in 2015 , when hackers raised intriguing ethical questions by “ doxing ” — that is , exposing — the identities of men using the Ashley Madison adultery website .
Some of the men committed suicide ; others initiated a lawsuit , which ended @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Madison ’ s parent company .
Or perhaps it was in 2017 , when a Canadian court ordered a company that makes vibrators to pay out $ 4 million for tracking users ’ sexual activity .
To cap it all , we then learnt that democracy had taken a hit .
In March 2018 , it emerged that the data of 87 million Facebook users had been harvested in the attempt to influence elections in the US , the UK and many , many more countries .
This was the Cambridge Analytica scandal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was exploited by a seemingly harmless psychological quiz app to manipulate the voting process .
In 2019 , the Federal Trade Commission ( FTC ) responded to this ( and other transgressions ) by imposing a US $ 5billion penalty .
“ The $ 5 billion penalty against Facebook is … almost 20 times greater than the largest privacy or data security penalty ever imposed worldwide , ” the FTC said .
“ It is one of the largest penalties ever assessed by the U.S. government for any violation.
” Admittedly , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unanimous .
Two of the five commissioners wanted the penalty to be bigger .
Cambridge Analytica showed how invasions of privacy can compromise not just individuals , but society .
When privacy is threatened , democracy can falter .
All of which suggests that privacy is collective and “ networked ” , rather than purely individualistic .
My privacy matters for your benefit , and vice versa .
Privacy only properly makes sense when we think of it as relational .
This was a conclusion I came to in a very roundabout manner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worked at the Sydney Morning Herald , where one of my regular topics was film .
Another regular topic was fatherhood , which meant that I was also writing about my wife and children .
I didn ’ t realise at the time , but here was a neat illustration of the relational nature of privacy .
As I wrote about my life , the content was about my family , some of it personal .
In early 2013 , having left the newspaper , I embarked on a PhD into the ethics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my focus .
And the more I studied , the more I became intrigued by a single sentence dating from 1785 .
It comes from Immanuel Kant ’ s Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals .
The Groundwork is slim , but its impact is big .
At its heart is the notion of a “ categorical imperative ” : a supreme moral principle .
Kant expressed this categorical imperative in several forms , but the most enduring is the “ formula of humanity ” , which tells us that we must never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ merely as a means ” , but only ever as autonomous agents who are free to chart their own course .
The formula of humanity prohibits exploitation and mandates egalitarianism .
It tells us to treat all persons as imperfect rational beings of absolute worth .
It commands us all to act with respect .
Today , it is a cornerstone of human rights law .
The task of my research became to apply this single sentence to internet privacy .
As my research took shape , three main questions emerged .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
In the examples cited above , I ’ ve barely skimmed the surface .
Philosophers Jeremy Bentham and Michel Foucault described the Panopticon , in which surveillance leads to conformity and obedience .
In Panopticon 3.0 , we step into the net , where we are all surveillers , and all surveilled .
Potentially , everyone watches everyone , even into the future .
The second main question is in two parts , and concerns the meaning and value of privacy .
It ’ s the second part that often feels particularly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Those with nothing to hide have nothing to fear , right ?
While we ’ ve all heard doomsayers invoke the totalitarian nightmare depicted in George Orwell ’ s 1984 – where privacy and freedom are crushed beneath Big Brother ’ s boot heel – others have been resolutely optimistic .
In 1982 , science fiction novelist Isaac Asimov portrayed the utopian possibilities of a world of total openness and connection .
In Foundation ’ s Edge , Asimov described the planet Gaia , where humans , with the help of robots , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all living objects , and even some inanimate objects .
Here , there is no privacy , and the result is a peaceful , blissful paradise where each person lives as part of a networked super-organism .
“ It seems to me , ” says one character in Foundation ’ s Edge , “ that the advance of civilization is nothing but an exercise in the limiting of privacy.
” Gaia is an imaginary world .
In our world , I suggest , privacy matters a great deal .
Everyone has something to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Without privacy , our humanity is diminished .
Without privacy , we can not be free to think , act and express ourselves fully .
Without privacy , we can not befriend or love , given that my closest relationships are founded on trust , forged in part by keeping one another ’ s confidences and secrets .
And without privacy , society and democracy can not flourish .
And yes , I am aware of the irony that someone who once wrote a blog and a book about becoming a father is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Finally , the third main question addressed in my research asks how we might best protect privacy .
Here , building on Kant ’ s categorical imperative , I argue for law that protects a privacy that is not just individualistic , but relational .
Such law ought to take Europe ’ s General Data Protection Regulation , or GDPR , as its template .
Further , such law ought to take its cue from consumer law by outlawing misleading and deceptive conduct and mandating fairness and transparency .
And such law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of social norms , market forces and , above all , coding .
For instance , there is a key role for ‘ privacy by design ’ , which recognises that privacy needs to be coded into new services and platforms at the outset .
There is one caveat , however .
Privacy matters , but must always be balanced against other rights , interests and freedoms .
Big data has tremendous potential to enhance the lives of individuals and society : to ease traffic congestion ; to solve crimes ; to advance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ data can help us combat COVID-19 .
The question is , how do we strike an appropriate balance ?
In 2019 , the internet turned 50 , the web turned 30 and Facebook turned 15 .
Unfortunately , confusion reigns .
“ The online world has become so murky that no one has a complete view , ” wrote tech innovator Jaron Lanier in 2018 .
“ The strange new truth is that almost no one has privacy and yet no one knows what ’ s going on.
” Net Privacy is an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going on , and then to propose practical solutions by applying a clear ethical framework .
Granted , there are other approaches we could apply , but my suspicion is that other legitimate ethical frameworks might yield a similar analysis .
That ’ s merely my suspicion .
What I can say with more certainty is that on an April afternoon last year my family and I installed a fish tank and saw a movie .
And later that night , at a casual dinner with friends , my wife and I shared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opinions and jokes were private .
Or were they ?
After all , the New York Times was telling us to panic .
Here on our island continent , most of us are coast dwellers .
At a young age , many of us are taught the basics of the ocean : how rips and currents flow ; when conditions are dangerous ; how to avoid sharks and stingers .
And the first rule is : don ’ t panic .
If you panic , you ’ re more likely to drown .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in data abuses and privacy violations .
Still , panic isn ’ t the best response .
What we need to do is help each other make it back to shore , and to a particular sort of freedom .
Sacha Molitorisz is a postdoctoral research fellow at the Centre for Media Transition at the University of Technology Sydney .
This is an edited extract from Net Privacy : How we can be free in an age of surveillance , out now through New South Books .

On a Sunday afternoon last April, long before COVID-19, my nine year old set up a fish tank, my 13 year old took me to the movies and The New York Times told me to panic.
“It’s time to panic about privacy,” wrote columnist Farhad Manjoo. “Each time you buy some new device or service that trades in private information — your DNA, your location, your online activity — you are gambling on an uncertain and unprotected future. Here is the stark truth: we in the West are building a surveillance state no less totalitarian than the one the Chinese government is rigging up.”
The newspaper then published a series of investigative reports. One revealed how US law enforcement is using Google’s Sensorvault to find criminal suspects (and witnesses) by drawing on location data, often without users knowing. Another showed how China is using facial recognition software and public cameras to monitor and control the minority Uighur population, even when they leave their home province.


crikey--2020-04-26--When will offices reopen? The end of WFH

We have heard reports of schools opening and the steps that will need to be taken to ensure a safe learning environment , but what about work ?
When will offices reopen ?
When will working from home end ?
According to reports , offices will be reopening across Australia in the coming weeks following the coronavirus lockdowns .
However , answering the question , “ When will work from home end ?
” isn ’ t as easy to answer , as it depends on a number of variables .
When will offices reopen in Australia ?
The date @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expect to see the re-opening of offices in the coming weeks .
Schools across Australia are likely to reopen before most offices do , due to the evidence there is minimal COVID-19 transmission between children .
Prime Minister Scott Morrison is urging Australian employers and employees to start having conversations about a return to working from the office .
Over the next few months , different industries will be opening in two waves .
The first wave will be a return to the office before a vaccine has been developed .
The second @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offices after a vaccine has come to fruition .
While offices will be re-opening , they are unlikely to resemble the workspaces we left in March 2020 .
Strict social distancing measures will be in place to reduce the spread of coronavirus .
This will mean offices will be much emptier , with strict spacing between desks and in some instances , there will be protective shields , cubicles in place , and empty isolated offices may be utilised where they were not before .
During a National Cabinet meeting last Friday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all about getting Australians back to work and ensuring that when they go back to work , that they and their families can feel safe in going back to work , and to ensure that there are important principles in place ” .
Morrison says reopening offices and sending people back to work is an essential move for the economy .
Meanwhile , Chief Health Officer Brendan Murphy says caution during this period is paramount to controlling , a somewhat inevitable , second wave of COVID-19 ; “ We want to be testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ necessary so that we can be absolutely sure ” .
The National COVID-19 safe workplace principles are as follows : • All workers , regardless of their occupation or how they are engaged , have the right to a healthy and safe working environment • The COVID-19 pandemic requires a uniquely focused approach to work health and safety ( WHS ) as it applies to businesses , workers and others in the workplace • To keep our workplaces healthy and safe , businesses must , in consultation with workers and their representatives , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , understand and quantify risks and to implement and review control measures to address those risks • As COVID-19 restrictions are gradually relaxed , businesses , workers and other duty holders must work together to adapt and promote safe work practices , consistent with advice from health authorities , to ensure their workplaces are ready for the social distancing and exemplary hygiene measures that will be an important part of the transition • Businesses and workers must actively control against the transmission of COVID-19 while at work , consistent with the latest advice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( AHPPC ) , including considering the application of a hierarchy of appropriate controls where relevant • Businesses and workers must prepare for the possibility that there will be cases of COVID-19 in the workplace and be ready to respond immediately , appropriately , effectively and efficiently , and consistent with advice from health authorities • Existing state and territory jurisdiction of WHS compliance and enforcement remains critical .
While acknowledging individual variations across WHS laws mean approaches in different parts of the country may vary , to ensure business and worker confidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ approach is key , including a commitment to communicating that constitutes best practice in prevention , mitigation and response to the risks presented by COVID-19 • Safe Work Australia ( SWA ) , through its tripartite membership , will provide a central hub of WHS guidance and tools that Australian workplaces can use to successfully form the basis of their management of health and safety risks posed by COVID-19 • States and territories ultimately have the role of providing advice , education , compliance and enforcement of WHS and will leverage the use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their statutory functions • The work of the National COVID-19 Coordination Commission will complement the work of SWA , jurisdictions and health authorities to support industries more broadly to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic appropriately , effectively and safely .
When will work from home end ?
Working from home isn ’ t going anywhere fast and there is no set date for when working from home will end for many Australians .
Which staff will return to the office is also uncertain , but it is likely to be dependent on whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them to be physically present in the office .
Those who can genuinely complete their daily tasks from a remote location can expect a longer working from home period .
Until a vaccine has been developed , with an ETA of 12-18 months , there is no protocol out there that will eliminate all risk of coronavirus transmission .
The more people that are in an office , even if social distancing is adhered to , the higher the risk of another outbreak .
Prepare to work from home indefinitely , for now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you may not be part of the cohort returning right away .
It is also possible you may return to the office and then return to working from home as different workplaces and guidelines come into play , and a second wave of transmission is carefully monitored .
Read : Do people save more money if they work from home ?

When will offices reopen? When will working from home end?
According to reports, offices will be reopening across Australia in the coming weeks following the coronavirus lockdowns. However, answering the question, “When will work from home end?” isn’t as easy to answer, as it depends on a number of variables.
When will offices reopen in Australia?


crikey--2020-04-26--The tracing app isn’t a huge threat to privacy. But from past experience, the government is

The tracing app isn ’ t a huge threat to privacy .
But from past experience , the government is @ @ @ @ @ a relatively limited threat to privacy .
It 's the government behind it that 's @ @ @ @ @ download and use the coronavirus tracing app ?

Should you download and use the coronavirus tracing app?
No, but not so much because of the app itself as the people who are behind it.
In privacy terms, the app is relatively innocuous. It functions as a kind of decision tree in which you have to repeatedly opt in to make your personal data available: opt in to download it, opt in to register, opt in to leave the app running on your phone, opt in to leave your screen unlocked, opt in to share your information and that of other contacts that it has collected on other contacts if you test positive. You can “opt out” at any stage and not risk your data.


crikey--2020-04-26--Morrison wins the popularity contest despite incoherent policies

Scott Morrison 's popularity skyrocketed in today 's Newspoll .
What gives ?
You got ta give credit to Scott @ @ @ @ @ have botched Australia ’ s lockdown in both messaging and speed ( even the virus-ridden @ @ @ @ @ Australia ) , he has been far more successful at taking credit for the results @

You gotta give credit to Scott Morrison — while he may have botched Australia’s lockdown in both messaging and speed (even the virus-ridden UK locked down faster than Australia), he has been far more successful at taking credit for the results.
Today’s Newspoll showed Morrison’s popularity skyrocketing to 68%, up from only 41% in March. Albeit the popularity appears somewhat pyrrhic, with the major parties tied at 50-50 on a two-party preferred basis.
The smartest thing Morrison did (for himself, not necessarily for Australians) was suggest an excessive six-month timeframe to lift the strict restrictions.


crikey--2020-04-26--The big nudge: here’s how the government could spread its coronavirus tracing app far, fast and wide

How can the government incentivise people to download its coronavirus contact tracing app ?
The government ’ s tracing app @ @ @ @ @ to a flying start , with over 1 million downloads within hours of launch .
@ @ @ @ @ of uptake slows to the extent that the government ’ s 40 % adoption rate @ @ @ @ @ .
When then ?

The government’s tracing app, COVIDSafe, is off to a flying start, with over 1 million downloads within hours of launch. But what if the rate of uptake slows to the extent that the government’s 40% adoption rate looks unlikely to be achieved. When then?
What about giving people incentives to download?
And can people be “nudged” along to adopt?


crikey--2020-04-26--Inaction is not yet an action. The fight isn’t over yet — for us or the government

There 's a growing sense of complacency as our curve continues to flatten .
But Australia is not without some @ @ @ @ @ popped to the shop to get bread on Sunday morning , it was impossible to @ @ @ @ @ It could be that the impossibly glorious Sydney weather is just too much to resist @ @ @ @ @ s a sign that lockdown camaraderie is seriously on the wane .

When I popped to the shop to get bread on Sunday morning, it was impossible to not notice the crowds. It could be that the impossibly glorious Sydney weather is just too much to resist. More likely it’s a sign that lockdown camaraderie is seriously on the wane.
With a total of 6713 infections, 83 deaths and single-digit daily increases, it’s hardly surprising that the Australian public’s sense of the COVID-19 threat is shifting back to where it was in February before the numbers spiked.
It’s also a harbinger of the big battles that are brewing and those yet to be recognised.


crikey--2020-04-26--Covid Curated: writing to feed and soothe your psyche

We 've collected some of the best writing on the psychology of the lockdown , and places to find hope .
As we ’ ve noted previously , this pandemic has damaged much of the basic equipment we use to lead a happy life .
The ability to congregate — at sport or concerts , films or galleries or places of worship — is gone , and with it our ability to plan for anything much beyond work and the next trip to the supermarket .
If we ’ re lucky , this is all it has taken .
If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lost our livelihood or , worse still , the virus has taken loved ones and irrevocably complicated the process of grieving .
We don ’ t know if , or when , this state will pass .
And we don ’ t know when we ’ ll know .
How then to endure the unendurable ?
We ’ ve collected some of the best writing on the psychology of the lockdown , and places to find hope : It ’ s normal to feel anxiety right now , and while we need to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feelings , we also need to give ourselves the space to let them go … A virus can invade our bodies , but we get to decide whether we let it invade our minds .
Dear Therapist ’ s guide to staying sane during a pandemic , The Atlantic Research on the effects of epidemics and sieges , along with the emerging body of knowledge about the coronavirus , hint at what the coming months may look like .
Our ability to focus , to feel comfortable around others , even to think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ future , may diminish — with lasting consequences .
But we may also feel the tug of a survival instinct that can activate during periods of widespread peril : a desire to cope by looking out for one ’ s neighbours .
What will our new normal feel like ?
Hints are beginning to emerge , The New York Times ‘ Create as much structure and predictability as you can with the pieces of your life that you do have control over , ’ [ clinical psychologist John ] Vincent says .
Pursue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but also be patient with yourself — both now and when this strange time eventually ends .
What coronavirus isolation could do to your mind ( and body ) , Wired In both Afghanistan and Syria , [ political scientist Dipali Mukhopadhyay had ] seen people refocus their energy from individual survival to that of the community , forming bonds of cooperation and mutual support that are beginning to emerge in places like New York as well .
‘ All the different ways that people create solidarity in a crisis get activated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sacrifices for the community and look out for neighbours because it feels necessary — is necessary — and because it ’ s one thing they can actually control.
’ Enduring our unendurable new normal , The New York Times Start small : don ’ t text your friend immediately the next time you need an answer to a question .
Go on a hike without checking the weather beforehand .
As you build your tolerance-of-uncertainty muscle , you can work to reduce the number of times a day you consult the internet for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strategies to cope with coronavirus anxiety , The Conversation

As we’ve noted previously, this pandemic has damaged much of the basic equipment we use to lead a happy life. The ability to congregate — at sport or concerts, films or galleries or places of worship — is gone, and with it our ability to plan for anything much beyond work and the next trip to the supermarket.
If we’re lucky, this is all it has taken.
If we are not, we’ve lost our livelihood or, worse still, the virus has taken loved ones and irrevocably complicated the process of grieving. We don’t know if, or when, this state will pass. And we don’t know when we’ll know.


crikey--2020-04-27--Virus Watch: apps, automation and (unhappy) academics

Charlie writes chiefly about industrial relations , politics , culture and social services .
Prior to Crikey he worked in @ @ @ @ @ unions and was a researcher for RN 's the Daily Planet .
He hosted the @ @ @ @ @ radio , and is a regular guest and occasional host on Breakfasters .
He spent @ @ @ @ @ , covering the fight for Tony Abbott '' s seat .

Virus Watch today looks at the boom in tech thanks to COVID-19, the government dicking over unis (yet again) and worship in the time of coronavirus.
Your nose can run but you can’t hide
According to our Health Minister Greg Hunt, 1 million Australians had downloaded the COVIDSafe app within five hours. While privacy concerns remain, South Korea offers an example of the lengths a state might go to — and what a population might put up with — to rid themselves of the virus.
“All our administrative power is concentrated on COVID-19,” government public relations deputy head Song In-su told The New Yorker earlier this month. “You don’t even see any mention of ‘Parasite’ in the news anymore.”


crikey--2020-04-27--A rare moment of prime ministerial calm is shattered by Barnaby…

Read an extract from Malcolm Turnbull 's new book , A Bigger Picture .
Exceptionally candid and compelling , A @ @ @ @ @ narrative of Malcolm Turnbull ’ s prime ministership .
Turnbull ’ s life has been @ @ @ @ @ controversies , success and failure .

Exceptionally candid and compelling, A Bigger Picture is the definitive narrative of Malcolm Turnbull’s prime ministership. Turnbull’s life has been filled with colourful characters and controversies, success and failure.
With revelatory insights on the workings of Canberra and the contentious events of Turnbull’s life, A Bigger Picture explores the strengths and vulnerabilities of one of Australia’s best-known and dynamic business and political leaders. Read an extract below.
A moment’s calm and concentration. There aren’t many in a prime minister’s life and they’re cherished. Thursday 11 May 2017 found me alone in my office quietly reviewing the reception of that year’s budget.


crikey--2020-04-27--Wage growth bubble in the making as IT, hospitality and health at risk from border shut down

Wage growth bubble in the making as IT , hospitality and health at risk from border shut down Key sectors @ @ @ @ @ will have to look locally for staff while border restrictions persist .
The impact of @ @ @ @ @ Australia 's economic recovery from the pandemic by hitting some of Australia 's most important @ @ @ @ @ wages growth .

The impact of border closures will further complicate Australia’s economic recovery from the pandemic by hitting some of Australia’s most important industries — and potentially helping wages growth.
Data from nearly 65,000 temporary work visa holders in Australia at the end of December shows that, after the general “professional” and “other” employment categories, the accommodation and food services sector was the biggest user of temporary workers, with chefs and cooks the two biggest visa occupations, and cafe or restaurant managers the sixth biggest.
Cafes and restaurants are currently confined to take away and look unlikely to reopen for dine-in meals until the second half of the year, but will have to rely on local staff once they do.


crikey--2020-04-27--How Germany passed the first virus test

How Germany passed the first virus test

How Germany passed the first virus test Germany has been a rare success story in Europe .
The lesson ?
@ @ @ @ @ — and spend big .
Ardent handshakers they ’ ve been , the populists .
@ @ @ @ @ ludicrous optimists , and reckless blamers -- all cultivating denial amid social media misinformation and @ @ @ @ @

Ardent handshakers they’ve been, the populists. They’ve been science-deniers, ludicrous optimists, and reckless blamers — all cultivating denial amid social media misinformation and wildly circulating conspiracy theories.
The worst offenders? Presidents Trump (US), Bolsonaro (Brazil) and Obrador (Mexico). The result? Delays in taking the steps that needed to be taken, like social distancing, which may well have cost lives.
Instead of adopting global, regional, even clear national approaches, the world’s populist leaders and demagogues are claiming that the answer to future COVID-19 control is wrapped up in heavy-handed leadership; tight controls on immigration; and defensive, trade-annihilating de-globalisation.


crikey--2020-04-27--No debate, no download: why I won’t be taking up the tracing app

COVIDSafe is built on legally shaky foundations by a government operating with a trust deficit .
Not a great start @ @ @ @ @ ’ s contact tracing app , is among us , blessed with the hope that @ @ @ @ @ a speed that COVID-19 has so far failed to achieve .
Its arrival raises two @ @ @ @ @ ( if widely enough adopted ) ; and are our fears of its side effects @ @

COVIDSafe, the government’s contact tracing app, is among us, blessed with the hope that it will spread virally at a speed that COVID-19 has so far failed to achieve. Its arrival raises two questions: will it work (if widely enough adopted); and are our fears of its side effects misplaced?
The first question is one for experts. On the second, I have some troubling news.
COVIDSafe was made law on Anzac Day, not by an act of parliament (remember those?) but by this exotic beast: the Biosecurity (Human Biosecurity Emergency)(Human Coronavirus with Pandemic Potential)(Emergency Requirements — Public Health Contact Information) Determination 2020. It was signed by Health Minister Greg Hunt.


crikey--2020-04-27--Scrub away, hand sanitiser is unlikely to harm your pets

As the world grapples with an unprecedented health crisis , it is now more important than ever to ensure that the information we share is accurate and fact-based .
Fake news and misinformation seem to be spreading as fast and as far as the virus itself , infecting our newsfeeds and timelines at this crucial moment .
For this reason , RMIT ABC Fact Check has launched CoronaCheck , an email newsletter in which we will bring you the latest in fact-checking from around the world in relation to the coronavirus .
You can read the latest edition below , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ delivered straight to your inbox .
Today ’ s newsletter opens with research by RMIT ABC Fact Check on a claim that state border closures introduced in response to the coronavirus outbreak are unconstitutional .
Some experts beg to differ .
Meanwhile , a misleading caption has been added to a viral video claiming Australian supermarkets have closed their doors to Chinese nationals .
And in good news for pet owners , fact checkers have found that using hand sanitiser poses little danger to our furry friends .
Efforts to halt the spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of restrictions at interstate and territory borders , leading former Liberal minister and diplomat Alexander Downer to claim : “ I don ’ t think an Australian state can legally close its borders to other Australians under section 117 of the constitution.
” But RMIT ABC Fact Check found that to be doubtful .
Constitutional experts said it had long been accepted by the courts that there were valid exceptions to sections within the constitution that prohibit states from discriminating against Australian citizens from other states .
Cheryl Saunders , a professor at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told Fact Check : “ They have never been tested in circumstances like the present , obviously , but as long as the restrictions are limited to the life of the emergency , tailored to protecting public health , and do not single out interstateness without good reason , I would expect them to be able to operate consistently with the constitution.
” Fact checkers at AAP have run the rule over a Facebook post that claims patting your pets after using hand sanitiser may be lethal , concluding that the basis for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suggests that hand sanitiser contains ethylene glycol , which is found in antifreeze and is toxic to humans and animals .
But this is not the case — hand sanitisers sold in Australia contain 60 to 95 per cent alcohol in the form of ethanol or isopropyl alcohol , and a small amount of other chemicals .
Jacqueline Norris , University of Sydney Professor of Veterinary Microbiology and Infectious Diseases , told AAP that hand sanitiser would only be dangerous to pets if they licked the hands of someone who had just applied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be averse to doing .
“ If they did [ lick hand rub containing alcohol ] it could cause central depression and vomiting mainly due to the high levels of alcohol , ” Professor Norris said .
A video of an altercation in a Melbourne Big W store that went viral is now being used to spread a claim that Chinese nationals have been banned from Australian supermarkets , according to AFP Fact Check .
The video , which was uploaded to Facebook on April 10 and became the focus of subsequent news @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other shoppers attempting to buy tins of baby formula .
“ After being told they had been in already and bought 4 tins after being seen at another shopping centre they still had the nerve to fight for the 4 tins !
!
, ” the caption on the original uploaded video states .
But the video is now being shared alongside false claims that “ Chinese are banned in Australia [ n ] supermarkets ” .
A spokesperson for Woolworths told AFP they welcomed anyone wishing to shop at their stores while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ absolutely untrue ” .
As scientists rush to develop and test a coronavirus vaccine , anti-vaccination campaigners have taken to social media to spread misinformation and fear .
One claim , that seven children died after being vaccinated against COVID-19 in Senegal , has been comprehensively debunked by at least six independent fact-checking organisations .
Fact checkers at PolitiFact , Lead Stories , Snopes , Reuters , factcheck.org and AFP Fact Check all found the claim , made in the voiceover of a video shared on Facebook , to be false .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ministry rejected the claim as “ fake news ” .
According to AFP Fact Check , the video contains news footage of a supposed incident in Senegal in which two people were allegedly arrested for falsely claiming they were health ministry officials , there to vaccinate children .
But the incident never happened .
A spokesman for Senegal ’ s armed forces ministry told AFP Fact Check a man selling cosmetics door to door was arrested ( and quickly released ) after joking that he had vaccines .
“ The drama was caused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health ministry T-shirt , ” the spokesman added .
Fact checkers in Georgia have determined that the bulk of coronavirus misinformation and disinformation spreading throughout the country is political in nature and being spread by “ openly pro-Russian ” news websites .
The misleading and false information includes stories that the virus was man-made in the US , that the EU had “ abandoned ” Italy , and that only authoritative countries like Russia and China could handle the outbreak .
Researchers at Myth Detector , run by Georgia ’ s not-for-profit Media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US embassy , found the stories were published by Kremlin-controlled and anti-Western Georgian-language news sites , some of which are BBC and CNN “ clones ” designed to mislead their audience .
As Boris Johnson continues his recovery from COVID-19 , rumours have swirled online that the British prime minister didn ’ t actually have the disease .
One post , shared widely , claims staff at the hospital where Johnson was treated were forced to sign the “ Official Secrets Act ” .
Two doctors apparently refused to do so , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prime minister was actually ill .
But that post was originally written as satire , according to fact checkers at Reuters , who spoke to the author .
Full Fact also found the post to be based on satire .
The truth has not stopped the rumour that the PM faked his illness from spreading on Twitter where users have used # OfficialSecretsAct to discuss the conspiracy .
• The Australian government ’ s official page and app • The Australian Partnership for Preparedness Research on Infectious Disease Emergencies ( APPRISE ) • @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US ) Got a fact that needs checking ?
Tweet us @ ABCFactCheck or send us an email at [ email protected ] For more from the RMIT ABC Fact Check team , go here .

As the world grapples with an unprecedented health crisis, it is now more important than ever to ensure that the information we share is accurate and fact-based. Fake news and misinformation seem to be spreading as fast and as far as the virus itself, infecting our newsfeeds and timelines at this crucial moment.
For this reason, RMIT ABC Fact Check has launched CoronaCheck, an email newsletter in which we will bring you the latest in fact-checking from around the world in relation to the coronavirus.
You can read the latest edition below, and subscribe to have the next newsletter delivered straight to your inbox.


crikey--2020-04-27--What the pandemic isn’t teaching us about stopping a climate catastrophe

Jason Murphy is an economist and freelance journalist .
He has worked at The Australian Financial Review and for the @ @ @ @ @ Australian Treasury .
He blogs at Thomas the Think Engine .

Please stop analogising climate change and the pandemic. The pandemic is not a parallel of climate change at all — it is a disaster of a very different stripe.
Climate change is a slow moving juggernaut out to take us down. Pandemics are short sharp flashes that repeat throughout history. Anthropogenic climate change is happening for the first time. Pandemics we have a lot of experience with.


crikey--2020-04-27--Isolation and anxiety: what it’s like giving birth during lockdown

Isolation and anxiety : what it ’ s like giving birth during lockdown Parents report a lot of concerns about @ @ @ @ @ like this , beyond the obvious one of getting the virus and giving it to @ @ @ @ @ Hickinbotham , a Sydney-based obstetrician , is dealing with many new and difficult challenges in @ @ @ @ @ .

Rachael Hickinbotham, a Sydney-based obstetrician, is dealing with many new and difficult challenges in the age of the coronavirus.
The biggest change that I have found with the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) is the use of a mask in the second stage of labour in a non-COVID-19 positive patient.
A first-time mum can take up to two hours to push out her baby, the second stage of labour. It is at this time, during the expulsive efforts, that there is the most risk of respiratory droplets, hence why wearing a mask is important to the midwife and the doctor.


crikey--2020-04-27--Treating COVID-19 patients with antibiotics sparks fears of superbug pandemic

Amber has been a reporter for The Age , writer for ABC Comedy ’ s Tonightly , and creator of @ @ @ @ @ .
She was awarded the Jacoby-Walkley scholarship in 2018 , and was an Associate Producer @ @ @ @

There’s another threat the world faces in the wake of coronavirus, one which is also dangerous, highly contagious and has the ability to overwhelm hospitals: superbugs.
Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are spreading with the speed of coronavirus. COVID-19 patients are being prescribed a steady stream of antibiotics, with around half of those who die testing positive for secondary infections.
Coronavirus won’t be our last pandemic; with every outbreak of infectious disease, antibiotic use will increase, ramping up the evolution of resistant bacteria, fuelling drug-resistant infections in a never-ending cycle.


crikey--2020-04-28--Life during coronavirus: the things I miss

Who 'd have thought someone could be wistful for traffic ?
After our firstborn was safely delivered into this world , I asked my wife about the experience .
It had been a Caesarean , necessary but not emergency .
What did she remember most , I wondered ?
Not the superb skills of the surgeon .
Not the way the anaesthetist kept her effortlessly pain-free throughout .
( And not me being there the whole time , but fair enough , I was pretty useless ) .
No , what she remembered was the man who simply kept his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ m an Aussie bloke , more inclined to the firm handshake than the bear hug .
( A faux Aussie really , because , try as I might , I can not get upset when someone loses at football .
I ’ ve tried a few teams on for size .
Collingwood ?
Nah , doesn ’ t work ) .
But I ’ ve discovered how much I miss touch at my work as a GP .
Every patient I would normally greet with a handshake , a touch on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ touch again in some form on departure .
Physical connection is therapeutic , and in GP land we use touch a lot .
It ’ s not in the textbooks , there are no controlled trials , yet we know the power of touch .
Not for nothing do they talk about the “ laying on of hands ” .
This form of simple touch is currently denied us , and I miss it .
I suspect our patients do , too .
You ’ d think I ’ d be used to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it , it ’ s our stock in trade .
They say for 50 % of our consultations there ’ s no diagnosis to make , and when there is , we ’ re wrong 50 % of the time .
This isn ’ t because we ’ re hopeless at our jobs , but because we see the whole range , and we see it early when little is fixed .
Symptoms may resolve ( no diagnosis ) , be straight from the textbook ( right first time ! )
or shift @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t pick that ) .
We ’ re used to not being sure .
But I ’ ve never been this uncertain before .
Everyone wanting to know what will happen next , where we will be in a month , six months .
I have ideas , theories , but they ’ re no better than anyone else ’ s .
In early February , a friend asked about this new Chinese virus and what was going to happen .
Give it a couple of months , I said , it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nick .
I ’ d like to go back to treating coughs and colds , high blood pressure and diabetes , depression and anxiety — the things I know about — and not have to answer impossible questions about the future course of this infuriating little packet of RNA called SARS-CoV-2 .
It ’ s eerie cycling to St Kilda , every day like a public holiday .
Eerie , but also scary , because sadly it seems to be the sensible ones who have stayed home .
The ones who cut me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ without looking , who are blind to the concept of “ bike lane ” , are all still out there , their behaviour emboldened by the otherwise empty streets .
The polite , law-abiding pedestrians have also , being polite and law-abiding , stayed at home , leaving only those glued to their phones , deaf to my ringing bell as they step onto the road with their headphones on .
On Victoria Street this Sunday there were a few cars , then a few more , then all of a sudden , @ @ @ @ @ @

Touch
After our firstborn was safely delivered into this world, I asked my wife about the experience. It had been a Caesarean, necessary but not emergency. What did she remember most, I wondered?
“The theatre orderly’s hand on my shoulder”.
Not the superb skills of the surgeon. Not the way the anaesthetist kept her effortlessly pain-free throughout. (And not me being there the whole time, but fair enough, I was pretty useless). No, what she remembered was the man who simply kept his hand there. Human touch.


crikey--2020-04-28--A new threat? A doctor’s take on the deadly syndrome affecting coronavirus kids

A rising number of children are developing rare syndromes that could be linked to coronavirus, the UK national health service and paediatrics specialists have warned.
The UK has seen a small rise in the number of cases of critically ill children presenting “overlapping features of toxic shock syndrome and atypical Kawasaki disease with blood parameters” — with some of those children testing positive for COVID-19.
It comes after findings that children are as likely as the rest of the population to become infected with COVID-19, although less likely to develop severe symptoms.


crikey--2020-04-28--Turnbull, Rudd and others on the right must make a stand for Assange

The Wikileaks leader is threatened with a torturous 175-year sentence for practicing journalism .
This needs a new level of opposition .
If not now , when ?
Now is the time , if ever there was a time , for prominent Australians , especially those on the right , who support Julian Assange , to take their defence of him up a gear .
The Wikileaks founder , currently on remand in London ’ s Belmarsh prison , has just had a full hearing of his refusal of extradition to the US delayed for months — possibly until November @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been impossible due to COVID-19 restrictions .
Assange has been unable to meet directly with his lawyers , videolinks for court hearings make due process more or less impossible , and lawyers have been unable to interview witnesses .
The court granted the extension .
They had little choice .
Assange is facing up to 175 years thanks to the US ’ s absurd draconian sentencing system , on a charge of espionage which revolves around the allegations that he gave another person ( presumed to be Chelsea Manning ) some informational advice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ locked files .
The British state and judiciary would have loved to rush Assange through to a military rendition flight in orange jump suit and shackles .
Paradoxically , it ’ s the theatrical-but-real severity of the potential US sentence that has made it impossible for the British state to hustle Assange away — since the sentence amounts to a virtual entombment for life in a US supermax prison .
Such sentences are designed to instil the pure terror of the death penalty in those who go against the US state , while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ban on deportation in death penalty cases .
COVID-19 has given Assange and his team no alternative but to request a delay , despite the fact that this puts Assange ’ s health in further danger , as he has a lung condition which counts as a major comorbidity for the disease .
The deep disquiet around the treatment of Assange , and the very nature of the charges against him , has been growing in Australia and around the world for some time .
Even those who have never agreed with many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ especially of its conduct during the 2016 US election , have come to realise that this is a brutal and state-dictatorial attack on the basic practice of journalism .
Assange , a non-US citizen , working outside of US soil , is not accused of physical theft of anything , nor of computer hacking ; he is accused , under the Espionage Act , of exchanging information with a whistleblower who had already taken electronic information from their military workplace , and needed to access it .
Potentially any journalist who renders active @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them open a locked briefcase , to giving them advice as to how to get a paper file out of a workplace , or even to simply encouraging them to leak — could now be swept up under this new , global extension of a law introduced in WWI ( a law aimed at anti-war activists as much as at German spies ) .
The sheer exercise of the pure , annihilating power of the state is on display here .
It is the rare moment , when the US-UK Atlantic alliance is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of openness — created by the Wikileaks cablegate exposes of 2010-11 — that it is willing to unveil the exceptional power behind the facade of actually existing democracy .
At a time when news media is in dire straits , and much of the spirit of critical journalism has died in the era of “ content production ” , such an exercise in brute power is designed to scare thousands of everyday journalists , who might otherwise be willing to undertake investigative work , into turning their attention back to TV recaps and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supermax prison is the terror at the heart of modernity : not that of physical torture and death , but of being flung into lifelong solitary confinement in a bare room , with virtually no human contact , the lights burning 24/7 , books and other media strictly limited .
Because it is not a dungeon or an arctic circle work-gulag , US authorities can claim it as “ humane containment ” .
It isn ’ t .
It ’ s a system designed to be a living hell by other means , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ different from a gulag or the interment of political prisoners in somewhere like Dachau .
Australia ’ s prominent figures who oppose this now have to stand up and make an extra effort to represent a widespread national disquiet on the world stage .
Malcolm Turnbull and Kevin Rudd ( and Gillard and Albanese if they will , which I doubt ) need to make a joint press conference to ramp up the opposition to this .
Turnbull was a champion ( for hire ) of openness towards Western spying operations ; Rudd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Christian pastor who was executed for his role in plans to assassinate Hitler .
They can not , if they have any consistency , not make this a major focus .
It ’ s now not enough for such people to sign a petition , make the occasional remark .
Barnaby Joyce and George Christensen , as the right-wing MPs most prominent ( for whatever mix of motives ) in the campaign to release Assange , have a responsibility to ramp it up too .
The left MPs in this movement will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right , talking in terms of solidarity with Australian nationals , and not deserting them in a London cell , that will start to put the squeeze on the Morrison government .
Ideally , the National Party and the Greens need to make a joint statement , and , yes , another joint press conference .
The immediate aim is to get Assange out of remand — his time for breaching bail has been served ; he is guilty of no crime — and at the very least , into a facility that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of his health .
The aim over the rest of this year is to have the Australian government oppose the threat of torturous lifelong incarceration , and for pressure on the UK government to refuse extradition .
The media campaign needs a ramp up too — but so many journalists have been so cowardly , stupid and predictably disappointing on this matter , that a focus on figures actually wielding power becomes the proximate focus .
It ’ s worth remembering that the pursuit of Assange is being conducted by a US right-wing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and opportunistic .
What of future right-wing US administrations that were of this intent , but focused , efficient , and determined to wipe out critical scrutiny of the US across the world ?
“ First they came for Wikileaks… ” , to paraphrase another resistant German pastor .
The delay in Assange ’ s hearing is both a respite , but also a further threat to his health .
There can ’ t be any delay in the campaign to free him .
The time for a new level of action , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their voices heard , is now , right now , no other time than now .

Now is the time, if ever there was a time, for prominent Australians, especially those on the right, who support Julian Assange, to take their defence of him up a gear.
The Wikileaks founder, currently on remand in London’s Belmarsh prison, has just had a full hearing of his refusal of extradition to the US delayed for months — possibly until November — because preparation of a defence has been impossible due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Assange has been unable to meet directly with his lawyers, videolinks for court hearings make due process more or less impossible, and lawyers have been unable to interview witnesses.


crikey--2020-04-28--Virus Watch: Kim Jong-unwell, China boycotts and Murdoch to the rescue

NSW to ease restrictions
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has announced that come Friday, some COVID-19 restrictions will be relaxed across the state. Two adults will be able to visit any household, “on the basis of reducing social isolation and everybody’s mental health”, Berejiklian said.
Queensland and WA have announced similar plans to ease social distancing rules, but Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has said the state will not follow suit until there is no undetected community transmission.
How’s Kim Jong-un?
South Korea intelligence agencies have dismissed rumours North Korea dictator Kim Jong-un is dead or dying, following prolonged speculation about the leader’s health.


crikey--2020-04-29--Likely byelection a test for Coalition unity — and Labor’s lasting appeal

Likely byelection a test for Coalition unity — and Labor ’ s lasting appeal If the NSW deputy premier can @ @ @ @ @ Eden-Monaro back from Labor at an expected byelection , John Barilaro will be his party @ @ @ @ @ this inopportune time , voters in one of the country 's most hotly contested seats @ @ @ @ @ : Labor 's Mike Kelly is expected to announce his retirement as the member for @ @ @ @ @ of Eden-Monaro by the end of the week .

At this inopportune time, voters in one of the country’s most hotly contested seats may soon face a byelection: Labor’s Mike Kelly is expected to announce his retirement as the member for the New South Wales seat of Eden-Monaro by the end of the week.
Since electoral legislation does not provide for radical workarounds such as postal elections, the byelection would probably resemble the recent local council and state byelections in Queensland for which there was limited campaigning, a deluge of postal and pre-poll voting, and enforced social distancing at lightly attended booths on election day.
Intimations of Kelly’s departure were first heard in October. One story at the time suggested he was aggrieved about being passed over for the shadow defence portfolio. But he has since made it known that he was undergoing surgery for kidney and gallbladder failure, and that related medical issues deriving from his overseas service in the army made it doubtful he could continue in the job.


crikey--2020-04-28--Oil over water: what is behind Angus Taylor’s $94 million US stockpile deal?

With Australia 's precarious fuel reserves suddenly set for a boost , questions remain about Angus Taylor 's oil deal @ @ @ @ @ Taylor ’ s decision to buy $ 94 million of oil last week seemed to @ @ @ @ @ The energy minister said it was because the price for oil had tanked , making @ @ @ @ @ Australia to buy up and restock our dangerously low reserves .

Angus Taylor’s decision to buy $94 million of oil last week seemed to come out of nowhere. The energy minister said it was because the price for oil had tanked, making it the perfect time for Australia to buy up and restock our dangerously low reserves.
But the deal — which will see Australian oil stored in America’s national stockpile — has been brewing for some time. And despite claims that it is part of an effort to improve Australia’s fuel security, the oil will sit, unrefined, in reserves on the other side of the world.
So what’s going on here?


crikey--2020-04-29--Are schools opened or closed for term two? A state-by-state update

There has been a lot of confusion on about whether or not Australian schools are opened or closed for term two .
Here is a state-by-state update .
Are Australian schools opened or closed for term two ?
As it stands , whether or not schools are open depends on a number of variables .
Prime Minister Scott Morrison opposed school closures throughout March on the basis that having children out of schools may lead to an opportunity to engage with the broader community and therefore increase the risk of COVID-19 transmissions .
Morrison also highlighted the potential disruption this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as well as risking “ the availability of critical workers such as nurses and doctors and others who are essential in the community because they would have to remain home and look after their children ” .
On April 16 , that National Cabinet stated that while education would be best delivered in a classroom , it was up to the discretion of the education systems per state .
Here is a state-by-state breakdown on the current situation with schools and whether they will be open or closed during term two .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ two ?
Public schools in Victoria have moved to remote and flexible learning for term two .
This means that from April 15 , all students who can learn from home have been asked to remain at home .
The only students who will be invited to attend schools will be those who have parents who can not work from home , and students who have been classified as vulnerable and do not have a safe or suitable learning environment .
Students will be provided with internet access and laptops if they require @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sending their children to school if they need to is safe , but that a mix of onsite and offsite learning is the best approach for term two .
Chief Medical Officer Brett Sutton says parents will be notified as officials continuously asses the risk of sending all children back to school .
Term two is running from April 14-June 26 , 2020 , and school holidays will run from June 27-July 12 .
The NSW government advises that while schools will be open for students who need to attend , students who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home .
It is noted on the NSW government website that “ schools will be open and operational for students that need to attend but where practical , parents are encouraged to keep their children at home ” .
From May 11 , students will be asked to attend their schools one day per week as part of the phased operating model to reintroduce face-to-face learning .
As it stands , the NSW government says “ no child will be turned away ” should they need to physically attend school .
Term two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the slow reintroduction back to school to commence on May 11 .
According to the Queensland government , “ schools and community kindergartens will move to a home-based learning model from April 20 until at least May 22 , 2020.
” Parents are urged to continue learning from home unless they are essential workers .
Vulnerable students are invited to continue coming to school .
The home-based learning model will continue to be implemented for at least the first five weeks of term two , and progress will then be assessed on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Term two is running from April 20-June 26 .
A review will commence on May 15 .
The ACT government says the ACT Education Directorate , along with schools , “ will begin to look at how and when we can transition back to face-to-face learning ” , now that term two has commenced , however , “ at this stage , we don ’ t know when this transition will happen ” .
Children of essential workers or parents who can not work remotely will be offered supervision from teachers at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two is running from April 28-July 3 .
There is no set date for when learning from home will be reviewed .
South Australia schools have reopened amid recommendations from health officials that there is a low risk of coronavirus transmission among pupils .
This news follows technical issues and the subsequent crash on remote learning materials released by the government ’ s online learning platform .
Parents and carers are currently being urged to send their children back to school .
The Canberra Times reports there has been a 60 % attendance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % before the school holidays just passed .
At this time , parents who do not want to send their children back to school have the option to continue remote learning , with materials to be provided by schools .
Term two is running from April 28–July 3 .
Western Australia schools have reopened and all parents and carers are urged to send their children back to school , especially year 11 and 12 students .
According to the state government website , “ parents have been given a choice about whether their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or learn from home .
This is a personal decision influenced by each family ’ s circumstances.
” At this point , the decision to send children back to school is still at the discretion of parents and carers , who are asked to drop their children at the school gates and not enter the property .
Term two is running from April 29–July 3 .
The Tasmanian government says , “ the intention for Term Two is for students to continue to learn at home where possible , with teachers leading this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ learning from home remains the same as before the holidays .
Children of parents or carers who can not learn remotely will be allowed to attend school .
These arrangements will be reviewed regularly and parents will be notified of any updates .
Term two is running from April 28–July 3 .
As of April 20 , all students are expected to physically attend school unless they are unwell .
Residential boarding facilities will remain closed to students for the time being .
According to the Northern Territory government , schools will : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hygiene , including implementing routine handwashing by all children and staff members , before and after class and before and after meal breaks • consider moving classes outside , separating into smaller groups and/ or spreading into larger indoor spaces where possible • encourage the avoidance of handshaking , hugging and kissing , or games that include holding hands or other physical contact Term two is running from April 20–June 26 .
Read : Coronavirus statistics | When will the lockdown end ?

Are Australian schools opened or closed for term two?
As it stands, whether or not schools are open depends on a number of variables.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison opposed school closures throughout March on the basis that having children out of schools may lead to an opportunity to engage with the broader community and therefore increase the risk of COVID-19 transmissions.


crikey--2020-04-29--Will COVID-19 be our public health wakeup call?

While Australia 's COVID-19 death rate may be comparably low , the impact and spread of the disease points to flaws in our public health .
There have been 88 COVID-19 deaths in Australia : Impressive in international comparisons , but still a terrible toll .
Coronavirus fatality and severity is not only linked to age but underlying health conditions .
Australia is not a healthy country : Around half of all Australians suffer from a chronic disease , while two-thirds of us are overweight or obese .
COVID-19 isn ’ t going to be our last pandemic .
Poor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and that bill rises during a pandemic .
Crikey takes a look at those whose health is most affected by COVID-19 , and asks whether this will be our public health wakeup call .
Gender : While there are more or less equal rates of infection and hospitalisation among men and women , men make up more fatalities .
Of the 88 people who died in Australia , 49 were men and 32 were women ( seven genders were unknown ) .
According to the latest epidemiological report , men make up 60 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 3:2 .
Age : The median age of all COVID-19 cases was 48 , with children under 10 making up less than 1 % of cases .
Cruise ships : Cruise ship infections accounted for 42 % of all cases in the 70-79 year age group .
The Ruby Princess cruise ship has been linked to more than 600 infections and 21 deaths .
Nursing homes : 11 deaths were linked to Newmarch House nursing home , with a further six at Dorothy Henderson Lodge aged care facility , both in NSW @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : This group represents less than 1 % of all Australian cases , with 10 % of cases admitted to hospital .
There have been no reported death or ICU admissions .
Underlying health conditions play a massive role in coronavirus severity and susceptibility — while those with cardiac disease made up 9 % of coronavirus cases , they made up 22 % of ICU admissions .
More than a quarter of hospitalised coronavirus patients were obese , while 30 % were diabetic .
One of the major underlying conditions in severe COVID-29 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to three critical illnesses : Low lung capacity , diabetes , and high blood pressure , Professor Nikolai Petrovsky at Flinders University ’ s College of Medicine and Public Health told Crikey .
“ With any respiratory infection , obese people are at higher risk of needing ventilation , ” he said .
“ We saw this during swine flu.
” Large amounts of abdominal fat push up the diaphragm , squishing the lungs .
“ In obese people , their lung capacity is smaller — sometimes half , ” Petrovsky said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of pneumonia , common in COVID-19 patients .
The second illness is diabetes .
Type 2 diabetes is strongly correlated with obesity .
“ High sugar levels suppress the immune system , which is why diabetics sometimes get foot infections and gangrene , ” Petrovsky said .
Diabetic patients are at greater risk of not only developing a severe case of COVID-19 but also developing a secondary infection .
Third , and unique to COVID-19 , is blood pressure .
Half of the patients who died in Wuhan had a history of high @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t seen this with previous infections — it was a surprising factor , ” Petrovsky said .
The theory is the coronavirus enters via the ACE-2 protein receptor .
Hypertension medication encourages the growth of this receptor .
Will this be a wakeup call ?
Unfortunately , Petrovsky said , most of this isn ’ t new information .
“ We spend tens of billions every year to manage complications from obesity … it ’ s not that we ’ ve not been paying attention , ” he said .
Unfortunately , bad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Obesity is like smoking , once people start [ the habit ] , it ’ s hard to get them to stop , ” Petrovsky said .
The solution is to educate children on healthy habits .
“ We have to start in infancy , teach children how to eat healthily , maintain good body weight , and exercise.
” To get kids exercising , Petrovsky said we need to throw away gaming consoles .
“ Or , at least educate them to use these devices in a more controlled fashion , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ professor of health equity at Australian National University ’ s Menzies Centre for Health Governance , told Crikey a more holistic approach was needed .
“ What COVID-19 shines a light on is the fragility of our health system and the disconnect within it , ” she said .
“ There are common drivers of health and disease — obesity and diabetes are strongly connected but often treated quite separately.
” She said a people-focused approach in the health system would better treat the causes behind illnesses .
As health habits are formed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to go beyond healthcare .
“ Money , a quality job , security and long-term , equitable education — all of this matters for physical and mental health , ” Friel said .
She pointed to public policy actions , including JobSeeker payments and rental support as positive steps to improve public health .
“ We shouldn ’ t snap back to the way it was .
Keeping these protections in place in health , education and housing , will reduce economic and health costs in the long run , ” Friel @ @

There have been 88 COVID-19 deaths in Australia: Impressive in international comparisons, but still a terrible toll.
Coronavirus fatality and severity is not only linked to age but underlying health conditions. Australia is not a healthy country: Around half of all Australians suffer from a chronic disease, while two-thirds of us are overweight or obese.
COVID-19 isn’t going to be our last pandemic. Poor public health costs the country billions, and that bill rises during a pandemic. Crikey takes a look at those whose health is most affected by COVID-19, and asks whether this will be our public health wakeup call.


crikey--2020-04-29--Casual teachers lose out both ways: no JobKeeper and little chance of permanency

Casual teachers lose out both ways : no JobKeeper and little chance of permanency They are essential workers but they @ @ @ @ @ under the government 's $ 130 billion safety net and as long as permanent jobs @ @ @ @ @ least 15 % of teachers in schools and TAFEs across the country who are employed @ @ @ @ @ are missing out on the federal government ’ s $ 130 billion-plus safety net .

At least 15% of teachers in schools and TAFEs across the country who are employed as casual or on contract are missing out on the federal government’s $130 billion-plus safety net.
Being unable to access JobKeeper payments poses a short-term financial problem for these essential workers and a longer-term one for Australia’s education system that’s already facing a demographic threat due to its ageing workforce.
Public sector casuals and contractors are left high and dry: they work for a system, not for a business. Online education has frozen most casuals out of work, and those on contracts face an uncertain future with a standard month’s notice on most contracts.


crikey--2020-04-29--Governments eye a future of renewables, bike paths and closed-plan offices

Before joining Crikey in 2018 , Kishor was an editor of the University of Sydney ’ s student paper Honi @ @ @ @ @ The Sydney Morning Herald on the state news beat , a casual legal reporter for @ @ @ @ @ Law and Journalism , and a research assistant at the Australian Human Rights Commission .
@ @ @ @ @ he is completing a law degree at the University of Sydney .
Kishor will be @ @ @ @ @ immigration , race and religion .

Even as countries begin the long, slow climb out of lockdown, there’s growing recognition that whatever our societies and economies look like once this is all over, it won’t be much like 2019.
When we return to work, what will work look like? What kind of cities and economies will we live in? And while the affluent West plans an escape, the world’s war-torn regions await an even greater crisis on the horizon.
Goodbye open-plan office
The pandemic will end many of the things we love — some of our favourite restaurants, bars and cafes might never reopen, and cheap holidays could be a long way off.


crikey--2020-04-29--Parliaments must reopen to debate the reopening of Australia

Parliaments must reopen to debate the reopening of Australia Executive action was necessary for the lockdown .
Now , the @ @ @ @ @ of debate and democracy .
There is a time and a place to debate the @ @ @ @ @ and the reopening of Australian society .
That time is now , and that place @ @ @ @ @ parliaments of Australia .

There is a time and a place to debate the winding up of coronavirus lockdowns and the reopening of Australian society. That time is now, and that place is the federal and state parliaments of Australia.
Coronavirus lockdowns were imposed by fedral and state governments at the start of this pandemic in Australia. That was done using regulation, the power of the executive to amend and extend laws between meetings of the legislative body.
There was broad public support for this. Indeed, the border controls and lockdowns didn’t happen fast enough.


crikey--2020-04-29--COVIDSafe: moral shaming a nation is unAustralian, isn’t it?

The prime minister and health minister are going to have to hone their skills of persuasion and pull back on @ @ @ @ @ .
As the emergency recedes , the animal spirits of the Morrison government reemerge .
@ @ @ @ @ one has made a couple of bold statements of intent and it ’ s the @ @ @ @ @ that seems to have caused the outbreak of explicit moralising .

As the emergency recedes, the animal spirits of the Morrison government reemerge. In the past few days one has made a couple of bold statements of intent and it’s the rollout of the COVIDSafe app that seems to have caused the outbreak of explicit moralising.
First it spoke through the Health Minister, Greg Hunt, who has been a model of ecumenical dispassion through most of the crisis.
He was sorely provoked, however, by a form of popular resistance to the app.


crikey--2020-04-29--Introducing ‘Ask The Ethicist’. First up: what about the teachers?

Introducing ‘ Ask The Ethicist ’ .
First up : what about the teachers ?
Ethically do teachers have a @ @ @ @ @ We ask an ethicist .
Each week , The Ethics Centre 's executive director Dr @ @ @ @ @ your ethics questions .
This week : what about the teachers ?

Each week, The Ethics Centre’s executive director Dr Simon Longstaff will be answering your ethics questions. This week: can teachers cite a conscientious objection to returning to the classroom?
In recent weeks, there has been a particularly intense debate about whether or not students should return to the classroom. Much of that debate has focused on the interests of the children and their families.
However, there is a third stakeholder group — the nation’s teachers — who need to be considered.


crikey--2020-04-30--What are the signs and symptoms of coronavirus?

Today we explain the most common and less frequent signs and symptoms of coronavirus .
We also put forward the current thinking behind why some people do not display symptoms .
What are the signs and symptoms of coronavirus ?
It ’ s a question we ’ re all furiously typing into our search engines .
A need to clear the throat arises , and we feel gripped with fear .
A dripping nose , and we dismiss the fact we have allergies and focus only on the worst-case scenario .
If you are worried that you are showcasing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is important to remain calm , and only go to reputable sources for information .
• What are the signs and symptoms of coronavirus ?
• Why do some people who have coronavirus not display any signs or symptoms ?
What are the signs and symptoms of coronavirus ?
Today we want to provide you with verified , non-fear-mongering facts regarding coronavirus .
Some patients report other signs and symptoms of coronavirus , which include : Why do some people who have coronavirus not display any signs or symptoms ?
One of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patients do not exhibit signs and symptoms .
This increases the likelihood of unexplained transmission .
Coronavirus does not discriminate ; it can affect anyone at any age , but it can affect people differently .
There are a few factors that determine why some people who have tested positive to coronavirus do not have any signs or symptoms : People over the age of 70 are at a higher risk of contracting severe symptoms of COVID-19 , whether they have a pre-existing health condition or not .
It is important to note @ @ @ @ @ @ @ younger people who have no comorbidities , however , the risk of symptoms developing to the point of requiring hospitalisation is higher in the ageing population , and there is an increased likelihood of health complications in those over the age of 65 according to Harvard Health .
While there is still debate around whether or not a patient ’ s current health status will determine the severity of their symptoms , it is widely agreed certain health conditions may make symptoms of coronavirus more severe .
These health conditions include : asthma @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by cause of treatment for HIV , AIDS or cancer ; a BMI of over 40 ; heart disease ; kidney disease ; liver disease ; spleen damage ; neurological conditions , such as motor neuron disease ; Parkinson ’ s disease ; multiple sclerosis ( MS ) ; a learning disability ; or cerebral palsy .
Research is ongoing to uncover why some people get extremely sick from coronavirus , while others experience mild symptoms and then quickly recover .
To date , research has shown certain genetic mutations can put people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while others offer greater protection .
Genetics , coupled with the viral load , or the volume of the virus that people are infected with , will help scientists understand why the virus can be more fatal for some and not others .
It is difficult to understand why some people with coronavirus do not have any symptoms .
It is even more challenging to nail down the number of how many people are infected with coronavirus but are asymptomatic , because those without symptoms are less likely to get tested , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with symptoms can get tested .
A BMJ study , worryingly , suggested 78 % of those infected in China did not showcase any signs or symptoms .
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , 83-99 % of those infected with coronavirus will experience fever ; 59-82 % will experience a cough ; 44-70 % will experience fatigue ; 40-84 % will experience anorexia ; 31-40 % will experience shortness of breath ; 28-33 % will experience sputum production ( lung disease or damage ) ; and 11-35 % will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) .
The incubation period , which is the period between contracting the virus and exhibiting symptoms is between two and 14 days .
The median time for experiencing symptoms of the virus is four to five days according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
If you are concerned that you may have coronavirus , try not to panic .
Call the National Coronavirus Helpline on 1800 020 080 for the next steps on what to do .
Read next : Coronavirus Statistics | When will lockdown end ?

What are the signs and symptoms of coronavirus? It’s a question we’re all furiously typing into our search engines.
A need to clear the throat arises, and we feel gripped with fear. A dripping nose, and we dismiss the fact we have allergies and focus only on the worst-case scenario.
If you are worried that you are showcasing the signs and symptoms of COVID-19, it is important to remain calm, and only go to reputable sources for information.


crikey--2020-04-30--Beware of billionaires bearing gifts: Twiggy’s ambush a long time coming

Critics of 'Twiggy ' Forrest 's 'ambush ' of Health Minister Greg Hunt need to realise that this is nothing new for the billionaire .
You can tell this is a war when the public turns on a billionaire for doing business with the “ enemy ” .
Andrew “ Twiggy ” Forrest ’ s notorious self- and China promotion finally went too far yesterday at a disastrous press conference in Melbourne .
His efforts to be seen as a saviour and peacemaker ended with him being reviled on social media as treasonous and a traitor , and accused of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It was meant to be a grovelling PR exercise with Health Minister Greg Hunt thanking Forrest and his Minderoo Foundation for purchasing 10 million coronavirus testing kits from China for the Australian government .
But Forrest decided to invite his mate — Chinese consul-general for Victoria Long Zhou — to the event , and then to the podium for a good bit of propaganda on China ’ s handling of the coronavirus .
“ An ambush ” was how furious government insiders described his actions , given he did not bother to warn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fact that morning the papers were full of a bitter diplomatic row between Canberra and Beijing .
Pro-Twiggy sources went into damage control , claiming he was only trying to repair relations but that was undermined by the fact he had done exactly the same thing to his own WA government minister three weeks earlier .
On April 1 , Forrest was at press conference with state Health Minister Robin Cook to thank him for securing medical supplies for WA , when he decided to bring along the state consul Dong Zhi Hua @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lesson after the backlash then , and this week ’ s repeat performance was even worse given Canberra and Beijing were at the height of a furious feud over Australia ’ s calls for an inquiry into China ’ s handling of the COVID-19 outbreak .
Indeed Forrest was in the AFR that very morning with a bizarre intervention calling for any inquiry to be held off until after the US election .
The man who made $ 6 billion off the back of selling Australian iron ore to China has always been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He has also been increasingly using his charitable funds to make political points .
His Minderoo Foundation has donated some $ 270 million since it was established in 2001 , but has recently been acting more like another arm of government .
The much-hyped 10 million COVID-19 testing kits , and the earlier $ 160 million in medical supplies to WA , are not actually being “ donated ” by the foundation but in fact will eventually be paid for by the taxpayers — at cost , as Forrest has indicated .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Forrest given his close ties to China .
There was his intervention in the bushfire crisis in January , where he didn ’ t just donate money to existing causes like his fellow citizens , and his $ 70 million came with some interesting caveats .
Ten million dollars was to be spent on setting up his own volunteer “ army ” of first responders to be deployed around the country .
The bulk of the funds , some $ 50 million , was to be spent on a “ national blueprint @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Who needs a government white paper on crucial national issues — in fact , who needs a government at all — when Twiggy ’ s self-funded army is coming to the rescue ?
Politicians do love standing by Twiggy as he announces his donations .
In 2017 , then-PM Turnbull was there for the glitzy announcement in Parliament House that the Forrests were donating $ 400 million to charity .
There were real celebrities too including Russell Crowe and Jack Thompson .
Kevin Rudd was there for not one but two of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Australian Employment Covenant , launched with much fanfare in 2008 with the aim to provide 50,000 jobs for indigenous workers .
A later version saw corporate mates like James Packer “ pledge ” jobs , but there has been criticism over the years of just how few tangible jobs ever eventuated .
An even bigger coup was signing up Pope Francis , the Archbishop of Canterbury and the grand Iman of Egypt to launch his global freedom network to end modern slavery .
That launch in 2014 was at the Vatican , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that time apparently .
We all know it is uncharitable to criticise rich donors who have an undue influence on government .
Australia has a long history of turning controversial business figures into “ philanthropists ” .
But then you can end up like Clive Palmer , whose efforts to help out during the coronavirus crisis by purchasing 30 million doses of malaria drugs just gets you ridiculed .
Then again , he ’ s not being accused of being a China stooge .
And let ’ s not forget that Scott Morrison @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nev Power to oversee the powerful National COVID-19 Coordination Commission to bring the economy back from the crisis .
The PM might want to recall the fate of his predecessor Kevin Rudd , who was brought down by the very mining tax which Forrest so virulently opposed .
But to be fair if Forrest had to pay more tax there would have been less for him to donate back to the taxpayers .

You can tell this is a war when the public turns on a billionaire for doing business with the “enemy”.
Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest’s notorious self- and China promotion finally went too far yesterday at a disastrous press conference in Melbourne.
His efforts to be seen as a saviour and peacemaker ended with him being reviled on social media as treasonous and a traitor, and accused of trying to hijack government foreign policy.


crikey--2020-04-30--‘Twiggy’ Forrest and Co give the government a lesson in loyalty

‘ Twiggy ’ Forrest and Co give the government a lesson in loyalty The mining magnate — who 's hooked @ @ @ @ @ other business figure — is one of several powerful business people giving a concerted effort @ @ @ @ @ of China .
Yesterday the government learnt the same lesson Malcolm Turnbull learnt in politics @ @ @ @ @ will back Beijing rather than Canberra in any dispute between China and Australia because of @ @ @ @

Yesterday the government learnt the same lesson Malcolm Turnbull learnt in politics: sections of Australian business will back Beijing rather than Canberra in any dispute between China and Australia because of the economic benefits.
“If an Australian government quite reasonably stands its ground,” Turnbull wrote in A Bigger Picture, “and China quite unreasonably overreacts negatively (as it often does), Australian business will inevitably blame their own government.”
The government under Turnbull was perfectly happy to demonise Labor’s Sam Dastyari for his links with China while downplaying its equally extensive links with Chinese donors like Huang Xiangmo.


crikey--2020-04-30--Fake cures, new symptoms, and time to start blaming racoons for COVID-19?

Fake cures , new symptoms , and time to start blaming racoons for COVID-19 ?
 A new villain appears @ @ @ @ @ , as fresh symptoms have doctors scratching their heads .
Here 's what you need @ @ @ @ @ and blood have been advertised on the dark web to treat coronavirus , while a @ @ @ @ @ newly discovered symptom of the virus .

Fake vaccines and blood have been advertised on the dark web to treat coronavirus, while a frostbite-like rash may be a newly discovered symptom of the virus.
Here’s what’s happening in the world of COVID-19
Fake cures selling fast
An investigation by the Australian Institute of Criminology has found hundreds of fake coronavirus vaccines, personal protective gear (PPE) and antiviral drugs for sale on the dark web at a huge markup.