crikey--2020-05-07--Social distancing update: Northern Territory

Here is the latest on coronavirus social distancing rules in the Northern Territory .
This article will be updated on a regular basis to keep you informed .
Coronavirus social distancing rules in the Northern Territory have been relaxed since May 1 .
A three-step roadmap plan is now in place to bring the Northern Territory back to business as usual .
Here is the latest update on : • What are the fines if you don ’ t follow the rules ?
While safe social distancing has always been recommended in the Northern Territory , the number of people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has also always been higher than other states and territories .
The Northern Territory originally had a 10-person rule in place .
This rule is now lifted for outdoor weddings and funerals ; an unlimited number of people will be allowed to attend outdoor weddings and funerals .
The region is now in stage one of the three-part plan to bring Northern Territory back to ‘ normal ’ , or as close to normal as we once knew it .
Territorians are now allowed to do the following : • Exercise outdoors with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and boot camps • Participate in non-contact , non-collision outdoor sports such as athletics , golf , tennis , swimming , shooting , archery , badminton , geocaching , paddling and lawn bowls .
( Note : you can not use a clubhouse facility to consume food or drink ) • Meet up with people in outdoor areas , including gatherings such as markets , weddings and funerals • Visit parks and reserves , including campgrounds that are accessible from where you are without needing to enter a restricted area biosecurity zone • @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , rivers and natural pools outside the biosecurity zones • Go fishing , boating , sailing with other people • Attend a public swimming pool , water park or recreational lake for swimming or water sports • Have visitors to your home All students have been expected to attend face-to-face classes since April 20 .
Stage two in the three-point roadmap for the Northern Territory is scheduled to commence on May 15 .
Stage two will involve the re-opening of a number of businesses and services , such as restaurants , bars , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ indoor markets , libraries , wildlife facilities , zoos and art galleries .
If stage two goes to plan , it will mean many people will be returning to work , with social safe social distancing as a priority .
There is no definitive deadline as to when all offices will be reopening .
Remote Indigenous communities currently have protections in place to stop non-essential visitors from crossing into these areas .
These restrictions will be assessed on June 18 .
Strict border controls are still in place on all access points to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rail , air and sea .
People who are not eligible for an exemption will need to complete 14 days of self-quarantine on arriving in Northern Territory .
Currently , NT Police and Australian Federal Police are manning border controls , and NT Police and public and environmental health officers will undertake quarantine compliance checks to ensure people are doing the right thing .
Fines will apply if you are not .
There are currently no plans in place to re-open borders , but NT Chief Minister Michael Gunner has said lifting those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the list .
• Cafes and restaurants , for takeaway only • Universities and TAFEs , although many have resorted to online lectures What are the fines if you don ’ t follow the rules ?
There are penalties of up to $ 62,800 for failure to comply with the directions .
Read more about the Chief Health Officer Directions .
Read : Coronavirus statistics | When will the lockdown end ?

Social distancing in Northern Territory has been eased since May 1. As of May 15, restrictions have been eased further with more businesses re-opening and residents of Northern Territory being able to enjoy much more of the activities they used to.
Here is the latest update on:
Social distancing in Northern Territory
Education
Work
Travel
What’s open?
What are the fines if you don’t follow the rules?
(This article will be updated as new changes are implemented to keep you informed.)


crikey--2020-05-07--Social distancing update: Australian Capital Territory

Here is the latest on coronavirus social distancing rules in the Australian Capital Territory .
This article will be updated on a regular basis to keep you informed .
Coronavirus social distancing rules remain in place in the Australian Capital Territory , however , announcements regarding a loosening of restrictions will be announced today , May 8 .
Here is the latest update on : • What are the fines if you don ’ t follow the rules ?
As it stands , the two-person rule is being enforced in public places , although households are now allowed to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at any one time , so long as the one-person-per-four-square-metres rule is carried out while indoors .
Residents can only leave their homes for certain essential reasons , which include : • Leaving the home to shop for essential items such as food and medicine • Leaving the home for medical or healthcare needs • Leaving the home to work or study , if those activities can not be carried out remotely .
The ACT government is currently urging the public to : • Stay home whenever possible and only go out when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 1.5 metres between yourself and other people • Use ‘ tap and go ’ payments instead of cash • Minimise visits to vulnerable people , such as those in aged care facilities or hospitals , elderly people , infants , or people with compromised immune systems .
Many facilities , including hospitals and aged care facilities , have specific rules and restrictions in place for visitors , so please check before you visit .
As it stands , children of essential workers or parents who can not work remotely will be offered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ school sites .
A staged return to schools will begin in mid-May , and the aim is for all schools to be re-opened by June .
During this staged return to school , parents and carers of students can decide whether or not to continue with remote learning .
By June 2 , the ACT government expects all students will be able to return to school .
Workers who can continue to work remotely are encouraged to do so .
The ACT government says : “ Canberrans can still go to work , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to prevent the spread of germs in our community is clear — maintain good hand hygiene , practice social distancing , and if employees are unwell , they should stay home ” .
While it is expected the easing of restrictions , soon to be announced by the ACT government , may allow for groups of up to 10 people to gather , there is no indication on when workers will be able to fully return to their places of work .
The ACT government has not closed the region ’ s borders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from another state , you may need to quarantine .
Public transport has seen delays and cancellations over the last few weeks but services are still operating .
The following businesses have been ordered to close since March 23 : • Play centres and outside playgrounds ( playgrounds on school grounds may be utilised by students of the school during the normal hours of operation of the school ) Since May 1 , the ACT has allowed for Canberrans to shop for non-essential items , which means a number of retail stores have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are not obliged to do so .
Businesses that provide essential goods and services such as groceries , medical supplies and care are still operating .
What are the fines if you don ’ t follow the rules ?
On the spot fines for those breaching the two-person rule , and not following social distancing protocols , are $ 1,000 for individuals and $ 5,000 for businesses .
Read : Coronavirus statistics | When will the lockdown end ?

As of May 8, social distancing in the Australian Capital territory is now defined as gatherings of up to 10 people indoors and outdoors.
Here is the latest update on:
Social distancing in the Australian Capital Territory
Education
Work
Travel
What’s closed?
What are the fines if you don’t follow the rules?
(This article will be updated as new changes are implemented to keep you informed.)


crikey--2020-05-07--How the environment could save the economy, post-pandemic

How the environment could save the economy , post-pandemic With the economic cost of climate inaction not an option , @ @ @ @ @ be just the thing to jumpstart an economy ravaged by coronavirus .
The challenges of @ @ @ @ @ Australia 's — and the world ’ s — policy attention in recent months .
@ @ @ @ @ comparative success to date , will continue to do so for months or years to @ @

The challenges of the COVID-19 crisis have occupied Australia’s — and the world’s — policy attention in recent months. And despite Australia’s comparative success to date, will continue to do so for months or years to come.
But we must not forget the existing challenges we faced prior to 2020. There are the tectonic economic forces of globalisation and automation putting pressure on jobs and wages. There has been rising inequality around the world and in Australia.


crikey--2020-05-08--Coronavirus in Australia | Morrison’s three-stage plan to ease COVID-19 restrictions

Here is Morrison 's three-stage plan to ease coronavirus restrictions across Australia over the coming months .
A three-stage plan to ease coronavirus restrictions as laid out by prime minister Scott Morrison and chief medical officer Brendan Murphy , today , May 8 , has begun to offer the public an idea into what the next three months will look like for Australians .
Morrison and Murphy state that stage one will be all about allowing for better connection between family and friends .
During stage one , Australians will also begin to start seeing certain businesses , sporting facilities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ For professionals , it is recommended that employees continue to work from home , however , businesses should start thinking about COVID-safe plans to return to work in the coming months .
Students and children will be further integrated back into the community .
Universities and colleges will begin increasing face-to-face teaching where it is safe to do so .
Stage one will mean that : • 10 people will be able to gather in public • 5 visitors will be allowed in homes • 10 mourners will now be allowed to attend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to attend outdoor funerals • 10 guests will now be allowed to attend wedding ceremonies excluding the couple and celebrant • Up to 10 people will now be allowed to attend religious gatherings • Up to 10 people will be able to use outdoor gyms • Up to 10 people will be able to use skateparks • Up to 10 people will be able to use playgrounds • Up to 10 people will be able to take part in non-contact sports such as golf and athletics .
The following businesses will be allowed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at a time : These businesses will need to adhere to the four-metre per person rule .
Hotels and hostels will begin to reopen and hairdressers and barbers will be allowed to open , however they will need to keep appointments short .
Both business types will need to take contact details of each customer to enable contact tracing should there be further outbreaks down the line .
State borders will remain closed until further notice , however , travelling to regional areas for recreational activities will be allowed .
Queensland started stage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ progress to stage two on May 15 .
Tasmania will progress to stage one on May 18 .
Other states and territories have not yet specified a start date for stage one .
Stage two will depend on the progress made during stage one .
While it is expected that there will be a second surge in coronavirus cases , the extent of this number will guide the progress of stage two .
The number of people allowed to gather will increase , though this number has not yet been specified for home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The following businesses will be allowed to open their doors to 20 people at a time : Additionally , the following venues will be allowed to open their doors to 20 patrons at a time : Hairdressers , beauty salons , tattoo and massage parlours will be allowed to open their doors to 20 people , they will need to take contact details for the purpose of contact tracing .
During stage two , inter and intrastate travel will be considered on a case by case basis for each state and territory .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ made during stage one and stage two .
At this point , it is hypothesized that stage three could resemble life a lot more closely to how we once knew it .
During stage three , it is hoped that the entire workforce and student body will be back to normality .
Gatherings of 10 people in stage one could become 100 people during stage three .
The following venues may be allowed to host 100 patrons ( adhering to the 4-metre rule ) during stage three : All going well , pubs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ open during stage three .
When it comes to travel , nothing is set in stone .
It will depend on the progress made by each state and territory .
Moving through stages one to three is at the discretion of each state and territory , while Queensland and Tasmania have already sent out save the dates , there is more to follow from the rest .

A three-stage plan to ease coronavirus restrictions as laid out by prime minister Scott Morrison and chief medical officer Brendan Murphy, today, May 8, has begun to offer the public an idea into what the next three months will look like for Australians.
Watch the full video here:
Stage one
Morrison and Murphy state that stage one will be all about allowing for better connection between family and friends. During stage one, Australians will also begin to start seeing certain businesses, sporting facilities and educational campuses beginning to re-open.


crikey--2020-05-08--Crumbling sandstone: scandals and finances take the gowns at University of Adelaide to town

Crumbling sandstone : scandals and finances take the gowns at University of Adelaide to town The University of Adelaide is @ @ @ @ @ beset by scandal , with an ICAC investigation now underway .
Scandals keep coming hard @ @ @ @ @ sector : the University of Adelaide is now being investigated for improper conduct and maladministration @ @ @ @ @ how the university dealt with the allegations .

Scandals keep coming hard and fast in the university sector: the University of Adelaide is now being investigated for improper conduct and maladministration by its vice-chancellor — and how the university dealt with the allegations.
Executives from the University of Adelaide will today meet with representatives of the Adelaide University Union to discuss an investigation by the Independent Commissioner Against Corruption (ICAC).
ICAC investigation announced
In a rare announcement, South Australia’s ICAC Bruce Lander QC yesterday confirmed an investigation was underway.


crikey--2020-05-08--‘Life is shapeless and bland — and I’m still not sure about the app’

Jordyn Beazley is a student journalist with the Centre for Advancing Journalism at the University of Melbourne .
She has @ @ @ @ @ ABC Melbourne , and The New Daily .
Jordyn currently works for an aid and @ @ @ @ @ children .

Journalism student and NGO worker Jordyn Beazley is keeping a COVID diary, detailing her life as a young Australian in lockdown.
Sunday
I should have finished my university assignment today. But instead I stared at the screen for a few hours and then gave up. After the initial scramble to remote learning settled, the first month of lockdown without social distractions and places to be was good for productivity.
Now, life is too shapeless and bland. Gone are the rules I had subconsciously drawn around places to help segment what needed to be done — the office is for work, university is for study and home is for rest.


crikey--2020-05-10--‘We are being talked over and talked about, but rarely talked to’

‘ We are being talked over and talked about , but rarely talked to ’ A high school teacher details @ @ @ @ @ under COVID-19 , and why it 's time for the system to do 'some learning @ @ @ @ @ ' .
Tim Hutton is a high school English teacher based in Brisbane , he @ @ @ @ @ of teaching has changed since COVID-19 hit .

Tim Hutton is a high school English teacher based in Brisbane, he tells Crikey how the nature of teaching has changed since COVID-19 hit.
I find myself sailing through uncharted and turbulent waters. The nature of education has changed over the past few weeks. The rapid deployment of alternative learning provisions has left many teachers, parents and students feeling off-kilter. Technological teething pains have resulted in angst and frustration for everyone involved.
That said, the change to online learning is not, as some would paint it, an unmitigated disaster. In fact, it may provide a valuable opportunity to revaluate how we approach schooling in the future.


crikey--2020-05-10--What the right wants our post-COVID world to look like

As the saying goes , 'never waste a good crisis ' .
So who 's out here rent-seeking from the @ @ @ @ @ an opinion about what the government should do after the pandemic ?
If so , @ @ @ @ @ think tank , lobby group and rent-seeker in the country is currently in Canberra , @ @ @ @ @ supposed advice to “ never waste a good crisis '' .

Do you have an opinion about what the government should do after the pandemic? If so, stand in line. Every think tank, lobby group and rent-seeker in the country is currently in Canberra, following Winston Churchill’s supposed advice to “never waste a good crisis”.
Their general idea on the right side of politics? Post COVID-19, the government needs to cut red tape. Property approvals should be fast-tracked. Welfare benefits must return to their previous levels to avoid budget blowouts.
The Institute of Public Affairs (IPA) thinks that “the government must focus on transitioning as many Australians out of taxpayer-funded wages and employment as soon as possible”. But, to quote Mandy Rice-Davies, they would say that, wouldn’t they?


crikey--2020-05-11--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 stage one of the roadmap to recovery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ working from home if they are in a position to do so .
Following a “ testing blitz ” that is in motion across Australia , an update on the working situation will be provided to Australians .
This update is likely to be delivered in June .
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 ; “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 50,000 Australians a day if 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way they work to identify , 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 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Australian Health Protection Principal Committee ( 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ commitment to a consistent national 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ SWA central hub in fulfilling 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is a necessity for 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if offices do reopen , 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--2020-05-11--Social distancing update: Queensland

Social distancing update: Queensland

Here is the latest on coronavirus social distancing rules in Queensland .
This article will be updated regularly to keep you informed .
A roadmap to recovery in and an easing of social distancing in Queensland was announced today , May 11 .
Stage one will commence on May 15 .
Here is the latest update on : • What businesses are allowed to reopen in Queensland ?
• What are the fines if you don ’ t follow the rules ?
As it stands , Queensland residents can : • Have two visitors over to their homes at a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 50 kilometres of their homes , such as going for a picnic , visiting a national park , and driving a privately owned car , motorcycle , jet ski or other vehicle for the purpose of enjoyment • Visit the doctor , health care services or hospitals for purposes other than coronavirus .
In public places , the two-person rule is still in effect , which means you can not have group gatherings in public places , but you can meet one other person when you leave home .
As it stands , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the following reasons : • Engaging in recreational activities within 50km of home • Attaining essential goods or services , such as grocery shopping or picking up a medical prescription • Taking your children to their place of education or childcare From May 11 , Queensland state school students in kindergarten , prep , Year 1 , Year 11 and Year 12 , will be returning to school and community kindergartens .
Students in years two through to 10 will continue learning from home unless their circumstances mean that they can not .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to school on May 25 if transmission rates remain low .
Social distancing will continue as restrictions and school closures begin to be eased back .
Schools will : • Use larger , alternative locations or classrooms within the school • Stagger lunch breaks , start and finish times , and other activities to reduce the volume of movement .
The easing of restrictions in state schools will be closely assessed and changes will be implemented should there be any negative fallout from schools reopening .
While a number of non-essential businesses may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t a definitive answer on when most Queenslanders will return to work .
It has been hypothesised that workplaces will not all be open and fully functional before all schools are open .
The success of all schools reopening rests on low , or no , coronavirus transmission rates , so getting back to work will depend on how schools fare .
From March 25 , Queensland closed its borders and only Queensland residents , residents of border communities undertaking essential activities , and those considered an ‘ exempt person ’ , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , sea , rail or road from another state or territory .
These restrictions are still in place , however , Queensland residents can now travel 50 kilometres from their homes for enjoyment , as opposed to necessity .
What businesses are allowed to reopen in Queensland ?
• Spa and massage parlours ( provided by health practitioners registered under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law ) What will stay the same ?
All businesses that remained open during the coronavirus lockdown , such as those that were deemed as essential services , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , social distancing rules are still in place .
Weddings may still only be attended by five people and funerals may be attended by 10 people .
Those in attendance of both will need to adhere to the one-person-per-four-square-metres rule .
What are the fines if you don ’ t follow the rules ?
Despite restrictions being eased in Queensland , police officers still have the power to issue on-the-spot-fines for a breach of the rules that are still in place .
Fines for individuals are $ 1,334.50 and fines for corporations are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ penalties that are ten times the fines cited .
Read : When will offices reopen ?
The end of WFH

Social distancing in Queensland began to ease on May 15 with stage one of the recovery roadmap.
Here is the latest update on:
Social distancing in Queensland
Education
Work
Travel
What businesses are allowed to reopen in Queensland?
What are the fines if you don’t follow the rules?
Social distancing in Queensland
As of May 15, the following is allowed:


crikey--2020-05-11--Social distancing update: Western Australia

Here is the latest on coronavirus social distancing rules in Western Australia .
This article will be updated on a regular basis to keep you informed .
Western Australia has seen the most significant easing of coronavirus social distancing rules across Australia .
Since April 27 , the number of people allowed to attend indoor and outdoor gatherings has increased to 10 people from the previous two-person rule .
From May 18 , Western Australia will enter phase two which will further loosen up the current restrictions .
Here is the latest update on : • What are the fines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rules ?
Up to 10 people can now convene in indoor and outdoor spaces in Western Australia , as long as responsible social distancing is maintained .
Residents of Western Australia are allowed to leave the home for recreational activities such as picnics , camping , fishing and boating .
The number of people who can attend weddings and funerals has increased from five to 10 people .
At present , all other restrictions are still in place .
This means all public playgrounds , skateparks and outdoor gyms will remain closed .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ food vans are still restricted , with takeaway and delivery services the only approved options .
Those picking up deliveries will need to maintain the four-square-metre rule .
The Western Australian government says the public should continue to practice social distancing responsibly .
Reasons Western Australians are permitted to leave their homes include : • Exercising , including outdoor personal training ( up to 10 people ) without shared equipment • Working , training or university studies , where remote learning is unavailable • Non-contact recreational activities , such as private picnics in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hiking and camping — all in compliance with travel restrictions and the 10-person rule • Open houses and display village openings , with appropriate record-keeping and hygiene practices in place , and in compliance with the 10-person rule .
Public schools in Western Australia have been open since April 29 , with Years 11 and 12 strongly recommended to attend classes , although the decision for students to return to school is at the discretion of parents and carers at this point .
Distance education packages and resources are being made available for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home .
The re-opening of schools , as well as distance education packages , will be accessed over the next three weeks , with necessary changes to be made depending on the outcome of sending students back to school .
To ensure safe social distancing is maintained , parents will be required to drop children at the school gate and not enter school grounds .
School canteens will only be providing takeaway services and school swimming pools will be closed .
Large gatherings such as school assemblies , camps , excursions and inter-school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unemployment rate is now over 10 % in Western Australia .
That ’ s 150,000 people who have lost their jobs since the pandemic began .
There are currently no definitive answers on when most workers will return to working from their offices .
From March 31 , Western Australians have not been allowed to travel outside of their region .
Western Australian intrastate travel is defined as movement through the boundaries of the regions of Western Australia .
• Perth and Peel ( due to their proximity , the Perth and Peel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( stronger restrictions apply to parts of the Shire of East Pilbara ) Exceptions to crossing intrastate borders are in place for those who are travelling for work , seeking medical care , or returning to their place of residence .
There are also exceptions for people who need to travel on compassionate grounds , or who don ’ t have access to essential goods or services in their regions , as well as for those who need to attend educational facilities outside of their region or who are transporting freight .
Currently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unless an exemption has been granted .
From April 29 , the free orange school bus service has been operating as before .
From May 4 , public transport will be operating at 70 % of the normal weekday timetable .
Restrictions are still in place for the following businesses , premises and places : What are the fines if you don ’ t follow the rules ?
Police officers can issue fines of $ 1,000 to individuals and $ 5,000 for businesses that disobey the rules .
To date , drones have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social gatherings and social distancing messages have been played through speakers in public areas to encourage people to adhere to the rules .
Read : Coronavirus statistics | When will the lockdown end ?

Social distancing in Western Australia began to ease from April 27, when the number of people allowed to attend indoor and outdoor gatherings has increased to 10 people from the previous two-person rule.
Western Australia is now in Phase 2 of the state’s roadmap to recovery.
(Image: WA.gov.au)
Here is the latest update on:


crikey--2020-05-11--Social distancing update: Victoria

Social distancing update: Victoria

Here is the latest on coronavirus social distancing rules in Victoria .
This article will be updated on a regular basis to keep you informed .
Premier of Victoria , Daniel Andrews has announced today , May 11 , that social distancing in Victoria will be eased from midnight on May 12 .
Here is the latest update on : • What are the fines if you don ’ t follow the rules ?
Residents may leave the house for four essential reasons , which include : • Shopping for food and other necessary goods and services • Accessing medical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shared parenting obligations or providing care and support to an unwell , disabled , elderly or pregnant friend or relative • Attending work or education where you can ’ t do those things from home From midnight on May 12 , Victorian residents will be allowed to do the following : • Welcome 5 guests to their home • Attend weddings that can now have up to 10 guests • Attend funerals that can now have up to 20 guests if they are indoors or 30 guests if they are outdoors • Partake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ athletics , hiking , fishing and playing football with up to 10 players Additionally , professional training , particularly AFL and NRL will be allowed to resume from tomorrow at midnight .
Exceptions to the above rules include : • Leaving the home as a requirement of the law • Leaving the home because you can no longer reside there • Leaving home because you are moving to a new premises • Leaving the home because you normally live outside of Victoria • Leaving the home because you are permitted to leave Australia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home to attend weddings or funerals with social distancing measures in place .
Term two will see students continuing to learn from home .
At present 97 % of Victorian state schools are closed .
When it comes to students returning to face-to-face learning , Andrews says that the Victorian government is locking down a plan for a return to face to face learning by the end of term two .
There will be no clear indication of when workplaces will reopen .
In the latest announcement , Andrews says that people who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so .
It is likely that there will be more answers on when Victorians can return to work by stage two of Morrison ’ s three-stage plan .
As it stands , non-essential businesses are closed , as are offices in which the work can be performed remotely .
If you are a business owner and unsure about where you stand , you can call the Business Victoria hotline on 13 22 15 .
The Business Victoria team will be able to provide you with the latest information and guidelines on which businesses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these workplaces safe .
There are no limits on how far you can travel within Victoria , however , you need to have an essential reason to be travelling , and Victorians are urged to be brief in their expeditions outside of the home .
If you are using private modes of transport , social distancing rules apply and you should only travel with members of your household .
Public transport is still active , however , passengers are asked to avoid travelling during peak hours if they need to get to school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , passengers are asked to maintain social distancing and wash their hands thoroughly before and after using public transport .
There are no restrictions on crossing Victoria ’ s border , however , the border rules of other states will apply to you if you cross them and you need to have a reasonable reason to travel .
• Cafes and restaurants for takeaway only • Universities and TAFEs , although many have resorted to online lectures Unlike other states , Victoria ’ s cafes and restaurants will continue to do takeaway only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cafes and restaurants will follow by stage two in June , following a “ testing blitz ” that is currently underway .
A number of national and state parks will also be re-opening in the coming weeks .
What are the fines if you don ’ t follow the rules ?
Victoria Police has been given the power to issue on the spot fines of up to $ 1,652 for individuals and up to $ 9,913 for businesses who refuse or fail to comply with the Chief Health Officer ’ s and Deputy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or public health risk directions .
On the spot fines are at the discretion of police officers .
Read : What is the unemployment rate in Australia ?

Victoria was supposed to be further reducing coronavirus restrictions today, June 22.
Following the latest outbreak throughout Victoria, the roll-out of fewer social distancing restrictions is being quickly rolled back in.
Here is the latest update on:


crikey--2020-05-11--Social distancing update: Tasmania

Social distancing update: Tasmania

Here is the latest on coronavirus social distancing rules in Tasmania .
This article will be updated regularly to keep you informed .
Social distancing guidelines in Tasmania have been updated today , May 11 .
Some of the top-level changes will include an increase in the number of people who can attend weddings and funerals and the re-opening of some national parks throughout Tasmania .
Other changes to restrictions will include : • Aged care visits – one visit per week and no more than two visitors , managed by the facility .
• National parks and reserves – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of their home .
• TasTAFE campuses and training facilities open to invited small groups of students only attending practical learning and assessment sessions .
Here is the latest update on : • What businesses are closed in Tasmania ?
• What are the fines if you don ’ t follow the rules ?
Currently , Tasmanians can leave their homes for the following reasons : • Facilitating shared parenting arrangements , guardianship or care arrangements for another person • Attending work , volunteering , school and study , where it can not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a veterinarian or providing reasonable measures to ensure the welfare of an animal • Performing essential maintenance on other premises owned by them • Launching a boat in the same municipal area as their primary residence .
The number of people who can attend funerals has increased from 10 to 20 .
30 people can attend funerals that are held outdoors .
Social distancing rules in Tasmania are similar to New South Wales and Victoria , although the state ’ s rules have been more lenient throughout lockdown .
For instance , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their possessions on platforms such as Facebook Marketplace and Gumtree , provided they follow responsible social distancing guidelines , such as good personal hygiene and a physical distance of 1.5 metres from other people .
Tasmanians are also allowed to exercise horses , go boating , hunting , fishing and surfing , as long as the two-person rule is adhered to .
Exceptions to the above “ essential ” reasons to leave the home include : • Leaving the house due to fear of harm or risk of injury • Leaving the home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home to support a close friend or relative • Leaving the home on compassionate grounds , such as providing care to a loved one • Leaving the home to visit a cemetery if it is open • Leaving the home to attend a funeral , where up to 10 people are present , or a wedding , where up to five people are present • Leaving the home to stay with a partner • Leaving the home to help a friend move house As of May 18 , ( the beginning of stage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can gather in public places will increase to 10 people .
Residents of Tasmania will be allowed to have up to five visitors to their homes .
The Tasmanian government is urging students to continue learning from home unless they need to physically attend school .
Schools in Tasmania ’ s north-west reopened on May 4 , following a three-week lockdown that came in the wake of a coronavirus outbreak at the North West Regional Hospital .
According to the Tasmanian government , “ keeping children at home and supporting their learning where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do to support Tasmania ’ s response to COVID-19 ” .
Educational arrangements in Tasmania will be reviewed on a regular basis and parents will be updated on any changes .
Currently , there are no updates on businesses reopening and work going back to normal .
The outbreak in the north-west of Tasmania may lead to further delays in restrictions being lifted in Tasmania .
Tasmania , like Victoria , New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory , does not have border restrictions in place , however , those who cross the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restrictions of surrounding states .
If you are entering Tasmania from another state , you will need to self-isolate for 14 days .
Buses and coaches in Tasmania are still operating and are currently free of charge to limit physical contact between drivers and passengers .
Responsible social distancing is required for those who need to use public transport , which includes staying 1.5 metres away from fellow passengers and washing your hands before and after your journey .
Greencards for the metro have been free of charge since March 26 , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 31 , to encourage cashless transactions .
School buses are also still in action while the number of students taking them is low .
What businesses are closed in Tasmania ?
The following businesses and facilities have been instructed to close by the Tasmanian government : • All venues where alcohol is sold for consumption on the premises • Community facilities , such as halls , clubs and RSLs • Food courts , except for delivery and takeaway • Local government non-essential facilities and services , such as libraries and pools What are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ follow the rules ?
The Tasmanian state emergency service , Australian defence members and fire service volunteers are currently carrying out spot checks across Tasmania .
On-the-spot penalties could be fines of up to $ 16,800 , or six months in jail .
Read : Coronavirus statistics | When will the lockdown end ?

Social distancing in Tasmania began to ease on May 18, on commencement of stage one of the recovery plan.
Since May 18, up to 5 people can visit a household and 10 people can meet in public indoor and outdoor settings.
Here is the latest update on:


crikey--2020-05-11--Social distancing update: South Australia

Here is the latest on coronavirus social distancing rules in South Australia .
This article will be updated on a regular basis to keep you informed .
South Australia entered stage one of their roadmap to recovery today , May 11 .
Social distancing in South Australia Here is the latest update on : • What are the fines if you don ’ t follow the rules ?
Technically speaking , there were no restrictions on leaving the home to date , and the two-person rule was not enforceable with fines only being issued to persons gathering in groups of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is compulsory to maintain a distance of 1.5 metres from those around you , and people aged over 70 were told to isolate wherever possible .
People aged over 60 with pre-existing health conditions and Indigenous people over 50 have also been urged to stay at home .
Premier Steven Marshall says the goal is to get people back to work as quickly and safely as possible .
As it stands , there are reports that restrictions on funerals and regional travel will be the first to be modified early next week .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ restrictions on individuals leaving the home , South Australians were urged to only leave the home when necessary and not to gather in groups of more than 10 people .
South Australian schools returned to face-to-face teaching at the beginning of term two .
Attendance in South Australian schools has now reached 70 % and it is expected “ business will be back to usual ” in the next three weeks .
The government has committed $ 10 million to extra school cleaning protocols .
In South Australia , the workforce is urged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remote work is possible .
Where remote work is not possible , workers are still allowed to attend offices , factories or construction sites , even if there are more than 10 people present in these workspaces .
Read : When will offices reopen ?
The end of WFH There are no travel restrictions within South Australia , however , non-essential travel is discouraged .
If you are travelling interstate , there are border control checkpoints operating throughout South Australia .
Travellers will be questioned on their travel plans , and police officers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ roads .
Non-essential travellers will still be able to enter South Australia but will be required to • self-quarantine at that location for 14 days .
South Australian police have the right to carry out periodic spot checks on those who have travelled interstate to ensure they are self-isolating .
What are the fines if you don ’ t follow the rules ?
Police officers can issue fines of $ 1,000 to those who are gathering in groups of more than 10 people .
Read : Coronavirus statistics | When will the lockdown @ @

Social distancing in South Australia began to ease on May 11 with indoor and outdoor dining being reintroduced for up to 10 patrons. From May 22, the further easing of these restrictions has meant that 20 patrons will be allowed to attend cafes and restaurants, 10 patrons indoors and 10 patrons outdoors.
Here is the latest update on:
Social distancing in South Australia
Education
Work
Travel
What’s open?
What are the fines if you don’t follow the rules?
(This article will be updated as new changes are implemented to keep you informed.)


crikey--2020-05-10--Social distancing update: Northern Territory

Here is the latest on coronavirus social distancing rules in the Northern Territory .
This article will be updated on a regular basis to keep you informed .
Coronavirus social distancing rules in the Northern Territory have been relaxed since May 1 .
A three-step roadmap plan is now in place to bring the Northern Territory back to business as usual .
Here is the latest update on : • What are the fines if you don ’ t follow the rules ?
While safe social distancing has always been recommended in the Northern Territory , the number of people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has also always been higher than other states and territories .
The Northern Territory originally had a 10-person rule in place .
Since May 8 , this rule has been lifted to allow for an unlimited number of people to attend weddings and funerals , while adhering to social distancing rules .
The region is now in stage one of the three-part plan to bring Northern Territory back to ‘ normal ’ , or as close to normal as we once knew it .
Territorians are now allowed to do the following : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such as doing yoga and boot camps • Participate in non-contact , non-collision outdoor sports such as athletics , golf , tennis , swimming , shooting , archery , badminton , geocaching , paddling and lawn bowls .
( Note : you can not use a clubhouse facility to consume food or drink ) • Meet up with people in outdoor areas , including gatherings such as markets , weddings and funerals • Visit parks and reserves , including campgrounds that are accessible from where you are without needing to enter a restricted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lagoon at the waterfront , rivers and natural pools outside the biosecurity zones • Go fishing , boating , sailing with other people • Attend a public swimming pool , water park or recreational lake for swimming or water sports • Have visitors to your home From May 15 , North Territory residents will be allowed to partake in indoor activities that are under two hours long in duration .
Examples of such include eating at a cafe or restaurant , visiting art galleries , going to the gym and getting non-invasive beauty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to attend face-to-face classes since April 20 .
Stage two in the three-point roadmap for the Northern Territory is scheduled to commence on May 15 .
Stage two will involve the re-opening of a number of businesses and services , such as restaurants , bars , cafes , gyms , yoga studios , indoor markets , libraries , wildlife facilities , zoos and art galleries .
From June 5 , all businesses will be allowed to reopen under the condition that they have a COVID-19 plan in place .
Remote Indigenous communities currently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visitors from crossing into these areas .
These restrictions will be assessed on June 18 .
Strict border controls are still in place on all access points to the Northern Territory , including road , rail , air and sea .
People who are not eligible for an exemption will need to complete 14 days of self-quarantine on arriving in Northern Territory .
Currently , NT Police and Australian Federal Police are manning border controls , and NT Police and public and environmental health officers will undertake quarantine compliance checks to ensure people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will apply if you are not .
There are currently no plans in place to re-open borders , but NT Chief Minister Michael Gunner has said lifting those restrictions will be “ dead-last ” on the list .
• Cafes and restaurants , for takeaway only • Universities and TAFEs , although many have resorted to online lectures What are the fines if you don ’ t follow the rules ?
There are penalties of up to $ 62,800 for failure to comply with the directions .
Read more about the Chief Health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ | When will the lockdown end ?


crikey--2020-05-12--COVID-19 and mental health: an already broken system needs to be fixed now

COVID-19 and mental health : an already broken system needs to be fixed now Our mental health services have long @ @ @ @ @ We need to do more than slap a few bandaids on once COVID-19 is over @ @ @ @ @ CEO Christine Morgan speaks about the impact of COVID-19 on mental health .
( Image @ @ @ @ @ ’ s been a lot of talk recently about how tough this COVID-19 business is @ @ @ @ @ issues , fears about exacerbation of anxiety and depression , a possible spike in suicides @

There’s been a lot of talk recently about how tough this COVID-19 business is for people with mental health issues, fears about exacerbation of anxiety and depression, a possible spike in suicides.
And sure, there are good reasons to be concerned, but make no mistake — life is always tough for people with any sort of mental health problem.
It’s not as if they’ve been taken from some psychiatric utopia and now been hurled into the abyss. Despite all our knowledge and resources, despite being one of the wealthiest societies in the world, our services in mental health have long been underfunded and sub-standard.


crikey--2020-05-11--What the left wants our post-COVID world to look like

What the left wants our post-COVID world to look like While the right is making sure not to waste a @ @ @ @ @ the left are doing their fare share rent-seeking themselves .
It 's no secret that @ @ @ @ @ is currently making its way to Canberra , using the pandemic as cover for pushing @ @ @

It’s no secret that a conga line of rent-seekers is currently making its way to Canberra, using the pandemic as cover for pushing conservative agendas.
Various groups such as the IPA and BCA are trying hard to make sure that the Coalition doesn’t resile from its neoliberal agenda and start behaving like socialists.
But it’s not just the conservatives taking this opportunity to lobby governments. The progressive groups are also doing it, capitalising on the public’s newly-founded enthusiasm for bigger government.


crikey--2020-05-12--Life after Eden: Kelly joins a tech force of evil with eyes on Australian government contracts

A former Labor MP has joined a company ranked as one of the most evil in the tech world , which has been growing its presence in Australia .
The decision by Labor MP Mike Kelly , who has resigned his seat of Eden-Monaro for health reasons , to take a position with US data mining firm Palantir , has again shone a light on a company regularly identified as one of the most evil in the tech sector .
The ABC ’ s Andrew Greene revealed Kelly ’ s new gig , and noted that Kelly had previously used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was briefly a minister for Defence Materiel under the restored Rudd government , but more relevantly had been on parliament ’ s powerful joint committee for intelligence and security ( PJCIS ) from 2016 .
The committee regularly deals with US intelligence figures , and some members meet with private sector firms that work in the intelligence and defence sectors .
Kelly ’ s background before politics is in the Australian Defence Force , so a post-political “ desk job ” ( in his words ) in a defence company would be unsurprising @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his expertise lies .
But a position with Palantir is very different , especially given Kelly ’ s time on the PJCIS .
Crikey last examined Palantir , which provides software tools to help intelligence and law enforcement agencies and private sector companies analyse surveillance , financial and social media data , in 2013 .
Palantir was involved in a plan to attack Wikileaks and publicly smear US-Brazilian journalist Glenn Greenwald , before its exposure forced a rather hollow apology .
Since then , the company — co-founded by strong Trump ally Peter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ foul reputation .
Despite denials from the company , its products are “ mission critical ” to the Trump administration ’ s detention and deportation programs and the raids that net deportees .
It had links with the notorious Cambridge Analytica , and has been revealed as having secret deals with US police agencies to enable warrantless spying on citizens .
And it has also significantly expanded its presence in Australia .
In 2013 , the company had just 14 publicly identified staff locally , but now has at least 30 .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s intelligence and law enforcement agencies : over $ 4 million from the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission since 2014 , $ 1.3 million from the Australian Signals Directorate last year , $ 7.7 million from Austrac , and over $ 25 million in contracts with Defence in the last seven years .
Nearly all of these contracts have been secured without competition , through limited tender arrangements , whereby only a small number of firms , or just one , are invited to tender , using an exemption from the normal Commonwealth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Palantir has also secured contracts with state governments : Victoria ’ s corrections department uses Palantir ; the NSW Crime Commission uses a suite of Palantir products .
With Mike Kelly on board , the company will be hoping to continue rapidly expanding its Australian footprint , regardless how many scandals accrue .

The decision by Labor MP Mike Kelly, who has resigned his seat of Eden-Monaro for health reasons, to take a position with US data mining firm Palantir, has again shone a light on a company regularly identified as one of the most evil in the tech sector.
The ABC’s Andrew Greene revealed Kelly’s new gig, and noted that Kelly had previously used parliament to praise the company.
Kelly was briefly a minister for Defence Materiel under the restored Rudd government, but more relevantly had been on parliament’s powerful joint committee for intelligence and security (PJCIS) from 2016. The committee regularly deals with US intelligence figures, and some members meet with private sector firms that work in the intelligence and defence sectors.


crikey--2020-05-12--Playing cat and mouse with COVID: so much still to know as the virus mutates

There 's still plenty we do n't know about COVID-19 .
Scientists have been playing a lethal game of cat @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus .
Each time we learn a little more about COVID-19 , it adapts and @ @ @ @ @ , affecting transmission , diagnosis , treatment and vaccination development .

Scientists have been playing a lethal game of cat and mouse with the novel coronavirus. Each time we learn a little more about COVID-19, it adapts and mutates into a new strain, affecting transmission, diagnosis, treatment and vaccination development.
Studies have found hundreds of mutated versions of the novel coronavirus in infected patients, with some more severe and more contagious than the original one.
In fact, there’s a lot we don’t know about COVID-19 — arguably, what we don’t know outweighs what we do. Some of the biggest questions overshadowing the virus concern origin and spread, symptoms and immunity.


crikey--2020-05-12--The man who changed what unions could and should do. Vale, Jack Mundey

Union leader Jack Mundey 's monument is the city he saved , and the democratic and radical impulse written down in stone and streets .
For decades , the UK city of Birmingham was a monument to concrete and urban alienation , the legacy of post-war clearing .
“ They love their concrete the Brummies ” , one bewildered British Labour MP once remarked .
One building survives the attack on the city ’ s magnificent Victorian heritage , and that is its central post office .
It ’ s there because in the 1970s Jack Mundey , head of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ BLF ) , was passing through on his way to Germany , and took time to organise a green ban on the building ’ s demolition .
The building stands as one of the thousands of monuments to the life of Mundey — who has died age 90 — and to Joe Owens and Bob Pringle , his deputies in the leadership , and to the thousands of building workers and activists who were part of a movement whose influence would be difficult to overstate .
They changed the idea of what a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only in urban and environment issues , but in black power , and gay and social liberation struggles .
The story is now famous , has become part of Australian myth : in 1970 , the relatively new and left leaders of the NSW BLF were approached by a residents ’ group trying to preserve the urban parkland of Sydney ’ s Hunters Hill from development .
The residents ’ group and the area was solidly bourgeois and the campaign , largely run by married woman of the area , had been sneered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a year of campaigning .
Mundey , Owens and Pringle had risen to the leadership of the NSW BLF on the campaign that building workers should have conditions somewhat better than dogs , which is largely how they were treated at the time .
There was nothing inevitable or natural about the idea that workers forgoing work would risk legal action on an unauthorised strike — in those balmy far off days when you could actually , readily , strike in Australia — and the Mundey team were members of the Communist Party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ somewhat loosely , Soviet-aligned .
Park space in the leafy bourgeois suburbs should have been , by any ordinary analysis , well down the list .
But Mundey and Co , in the usual business of imposing “ black ” and “ grey ” bans — total and partial stoppages on workplaces to raise wages and get the most basic conditions — imposed a “ green ” ban to save the park space .
The colour was obviously derived from what was being saved , but it came also from the spirit of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countercultural activist Charles Reich had published The Greening of America , a then-influential , now forgotten book , which explored and developed the way in which social activism and politics , mostly in the San Francisco Bay Area of California , was taking new directions beyond left-right class politics , with the idea that life could be de-commodified and de-technologised immediately , without having to wait for the revolution .
Reich ’ s book was one of the first uses of “ greening ” in that wider sense , and the NSW BLF @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was one of the world ’ s first uses of it in an organised political context .
Once that principle was established , much followed .
Many readers here will know the story better than I do .
How the green bans were rolled over to the defence of The Rocks , Victoria Street and other areas in Sydney — not , initially because they were “ heritage ” , but because they were living , working-class communities with a small bohemian component , based around streets of two-storey terraces that the fantastically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ developer mates and elements of the NSW Labor Right had their eyes on for a series of deathful skyscraper developments .
The movement and the era was as hard-fought as any in Australian history , with mass occupations , running street battles and gangsterish intimidation .
It culminated in the murder of publisher and activist Juanita Nielsen , a measure of how desperate the developers had become towards a movement reshaping the way the city was made .
By then the green bans movement had become something more .
It had rolled onto @ @ @ @ @ @ @ c ) k ” ban , to resist the NSW department of housing ’ s attempt to racially cleanse the indigenous community of Redfern which had become a focus for the black power movement .
As Pat Fiske ’ s brilliant documentary on the movement Rocking the Foundations records , the movement even extended to “ pink ” bans , when a college at the University of Sydney had its building works stopped when it expelled a student for being openly gay .
If the achievements of the movement are famous , so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leadership of the BLF , headed by Norm Gallagher , intervened in the NSW state branch to eviscerate the list of green bans and eventually remove the Mundey-Owens-Pringle leadership .
Gallagher was reviled at the time , and still is by many in memory , especially since it had a catastrophic effect on the blak bans on Redfern .
The Rocks and other areas had been saved as the BLF ’ s militant campaign fused with the wave of urban heritage enthusiasm .
The Redfern movement had needed the lines to be held @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Sydney ’ s outer-west , which duly occurred .
Gallagher , a Maoist , argued at the time that the movement was over-exposing the BLF to a wider attack — as much from the Hawke-led ACTU as actual capital — that it would not survive .
In his defence , the BLF continued to run a series of trimmed-down green bans in multiple Australian cities ; the question is whether he was also floating the union ( with a little — very little — for himself ) off kickbacks from developers to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Maoism , and the Stalinism of the Building Workers ’ Industrial Union of Australia , saw Mundey and Co ’ s attachment to the Italian movement of “ eurocommunism ” — which , in cities like Bologna , was one source of the “ new urbanism ” of cultivating cities as rich places of multiple function and modes of life — as a woolly betrayal of class struggle .
If that sounds outlandish to you as a basis for the way in which a vast social movement would rise and fall in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Australia we once had .
To commemorate Mundey — a north Queensland boy , one-time potential rugby star , self-taught and a decade-long veteran of radical union struggle before he gained the NSW BLF leadership — is to remember the many people , some of whom got less than their due in a collective movement .
But there are people in whom history will at some point concentrate with the full force of a piledriver going into deep earth , and Mundey was one of them .
In Tasmania , at the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the United Tasmania Group had become the first “ green movement ” to take on the challenge of mainstream political contestation with its risks and necessities .
Trotskyists led by Nick Origlass ran the campaign to stop central Sydney becoming one smooth plane of freeway asphalt .
In Melbourne , the Carlton Residents Association and others fought a years-long battle that ensured that the northern part of the city doesn ’ t look like South Melbourne does now — a ghastly no-space of steel , glass and flyovers .
Mundey ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , where he met with the members of the nascent green movement .
He would continue urban and social struggles for decades more , one of the last to stop the pointless evisceration of Sydney heritage for one of its pointless tramway boondoggles .
If the working-class city he led the fight for and saved has become a neoliberal one , if social cleansing followed racial cleansing , that doesn ’ t mean it will always be that way , and that it is not there to be reclaimed .
Mundey ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they saved , the democratic and radical impulse written down in stone and streets .
The movement was of world historical importance : we punched so far above our weight in those days , and via Rocking The Foundations ( among other sources ) the movement inspired generations of activists to believe that more than you thought was possible at any given moment .
For once in these sort of obits , it ’ s not rest in power for Jack Mundey , but rest in peace .
His work is done and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ committed to roll in the diurnal course of the planet he fought for , and the principle on which such politics is based , scorning cynicism of dead capital piled in steel and glass , that the fight is worth it because the world is a beautiful place .

For decades, the UK city of Birmingham was a monument to concrete and urban alienation, the legacy of post-war clearing. “They love their concrete the Brummies”, one bewildered British Labour MP once remarked.
One building survives the attack on the city’s magnificent Victorian heritage, and that is its central post office. It’s there because in the 1970s Jack Mundey, head of the NSW Builders Labourers’ Federation (BLF), was passing through on his way to Germany, and took time to organise a green ban on the building’s demolition.
The building stands as one of the thousands of monuments to the life of Mundey — who has died age 90 — and to Joe Owens and Bob Pringle, his deputies in the leadership, and to the thousands of building workers and activists who were part of a movement whose influence would be difficult to overstate.


crikey--2020-05-12--Just how long till the economy bounces back?

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 .

Restrictions ease in Australia and around the world. But not everyone is ready. We try to unpack some of the numbers being thrown around about the economic costs of the pandemic. And while Australian journalists should not be clapped under any circumstances, in some countries they’re really risking it.
Too many numbers
In a parallel universe, Josh Frydenberg is getting ready to deliver his budget today. Instead, we’re getting swamped by lots of big, scary numbers about how bad the economic impacts of the pandemic will be.
Yesterday, Deloitte Access Economics told us the budget deficit could blow out to a record $143 billion this year, and that unemployment won’t return to 5% till 2024. Meanwhile, modeling from accounting firm KPMG suggests a return to pre-COVID levels of economic activity won’t happen until early 2022.


crikey--2020-05-12--Looming construction crisis shows slow, deep burn of virus

New forecasts from the construction sector suggest one of Australia 's biggest employers will be struggling well into the mid-2020s @ @ @ @ @ immigration levels continues to simmer , yesterday the Master Builders Association ( MBA ) provided @ @ @ @ @ the economic future might look like with lower levels of new arrivals and less demand @ @ @

While debate over future immigration levels continues to simmer, yesterday the Master Builders Association (MBA) provided a small glimpse of what the economic future might look like with lower levels of new arrivals and less demand for housing.
The MBA has overhauled its industry forecasts to take into account the impact on forward contracts of the pandemic. As with any industry group, the MBA has an incentive to catastrophise the coming contraction, but its numbers are far more grounded in reality than the usual industry propaganda pieces (such as the Minerals Council trying to claim that coal mining was a “major employer”).
Pre-pandemic, the MBA had forecast that, after a bad year in 2019, growth in the whole construction sector would tick over at around 1% a year into the mid-2020s.


crikey--2020-05-13--Let ‘er rip! Snowy 2.0 project now an integrity test for Gladys Berejiklian

Let ‘ er rip !
Snowy 2.0 project now an integrity test for Gladys Berejiklian As the NSW Government pushes @ @ @ @ @ Snowy 2.0 , experts are worried the benefits wo n't outweigh the costs .
The @ @ @ @ @ an integrity test over fast-tracking the final approval for the Snowy 2.0 pumped hydro electricity @ @ @ @ @ .

The New South Wales Government faces an integrity test over fast-tracking the final approval for the Snowy 2.0 pumped hydro electricity project in Kosciuszko National Park.
Desperate to create jobs in a COVID-19 recovery strategy, NSW is preparing to green light 24 so-called “shovel ready” infrastructure and property development projects, including Snowy 2.0.
NSW Planning and Public Spaces Minister Rob Stokes, who is the consent authority for Snowy 2.0, the biggest energy project ever to be undertaken in Australia, told me: “It is important to recognise that the assessment process is accelerated, not changed. There is no change to the environmental approvals required.”


crikey--2020-05-13--Tale of three leaders: listen carefully and you can hear the sound of politics

The prime minister and two premiers gave very different responses to recent anti-lockdown protests .
Their answers spoke volumes .
@ @ @ @ @ , you can detect the underlying truth in the responses of even the most practised @ @ @ @ @ an instructive example .

If you observe closely enough, you can detect the underlying truth in the responses of even the most practised politicians. This week delivered an instructive example.
Scott Morrison, Gladys Berejiklian and Daniel Andrews were each asked, naturally enough, what they thought about Sydney and Melbourne’s eye-catching protests of a loose coalition of anti-lockdown, anti-vaccination, anti-Bill Gates and apparently anti-personal hygiene activists.
On the protesters, there’s really not much to say. They may be stupid, deluded or nihilistic; who knows, they may be conscientiously attempting to bring on the rapture in which the prime minister believes.


crikey--2020-05-13--Government ducks the real question: what to do about the snapback to stagnation?

Government ducks the real question : what to do about the snapback to stagnation ?
The government is refusing to @ @ @ @ @ the end of June — because it would raise the question of how it plans @ @ @ @ @ .
Josh Frydenberg should have saved himself the inconvenience of a few hours in isolation @ @ @ @ @ “ ministerial statement on the economy ” as a media release .

Josh Frydenberg should have saved himself the inconvenience of a few hours in isolation and issued yesterday’s “ministerial statement on the economy” as a media release.
It added little to his rather uninformative speech last week, except for some economic forecasts that boldly went all the way to the end of June, a mere six weeks away.
There were no fiscal forecasts, just an update to the end of March, showing a $10 billion rise in the deficit up to that point.


crikey--2020-05-13--Let ’er rip! Snowy 2.0 project now an integrity test for Gladys Berejiklian

Let ’ er rip !
Snowy 2.0 project now an integrity test for Gladys Berejiklian As the NSW Government pushes @ @ @ @ @ Snowy 2.0 , experts are worried the benefits wo n't outweigh the costs .
The @ @ @ @ @ an integrity test over fast-tracking the final approval for the Snowy 2.0 pumped hydro electricity @ @ @ @ @ .


crikey--2020-05-14--Stop the bats — all the ways Australia and its allies are  blaming China for COVID-19

David has an extensive career as a journalist and broadcaster , primarily at the ABC where he worked on flagship @ @ @ @ @ , The 7.30 Report , Foreign Correspondent , AM and PM .
He spent eight @ @ @ @ @ East and can speak Arabic .

Inq has been at work deciphering Australia’s new and evolving China policy and we’ve come up with five variations.
Here’s how wedge politics works when it comes to a new threat from afar. We’re calling it “Stop the Bats”.
After all, it worked before.


crikey--2020-05-13--Can you have sex during the coronavirus pandemic?

Can you have sex during the coronavirus pandemic ?
It ’ s a question many of us are asking ourselves , and Google , at the moment .
Here ’ s what we know .
Can you have sex during the coronavirus pandemic ?
It depends on your relationship status and living situation .
Does anyone actually want to have sex during the coronavirus pandemic ?
At present , that largely depends on each individual ’ s stress response .
Coronavirus is spread through respiratory droplets .
As most sex scenes involve kissing , heavy breathing and other steamy behaviours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way of contracting the virus .
Can you have sex during the coronavirus pandemic ?
People who are single and dating Sadly , for people who are single and dating , it ’ s pretty hard to have sex if you ’ re not allowed to physically date people .
If this is not something you have been taking into consideration , this is a reminder that you should not be physically meeting up with strangers from Tinder and the likes .
The mainstream recommendation for those who do not live with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get intimate .
This can involve technology , certain objects and a bit of imagination .
I ’ ll let you take it from here .
People who are in a relationship , but do not live with their partner This appears to be a bit of a grey area , due to the recommendation that you should only leave the home for essential activities , but in most states across Australia , you are allowed to go visit your partner .
Most recommendations , however , state that when you are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or otherwise , you need to maintain 1.5 meters of distance between you and them .
Therefore , you should not be having sex with a partner you do not live with .
The above recommendation for those who are single or dating can also be applied for getting intimate with a partner who you do not live with .
People who are in a relationship and do live with their partner Those who share a household with their sexual partner are allowed to have sex , provided both parties are not showcasing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ diagnosed with the virus , and are being responsible when they do leave the household .
Does anyone actually want to have sex during the coronavirus pandemic ?
There have been mixed views around whether the sex drives of Australians are peaking or dipping during the coronavirus pandemic .
A recent survey released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows the emotional and mental wellbeing of Australians over the age of 18 has been significantly affected since lockdowns began .
A household survey asked 1,028 Australians how frequently they felt nervous ; hopeless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that everything was an effort ; or so depressed that nothing could cheer them up .
The survey results were contrasted against similar recordings from the National Health Survey ( NHS ) between 2017-2018 , and it was found that : • Two in five Australians ( 42 % ) felt restless or fidgety at least some of the time , compared with 24 % in the 2017-18 NHS • One in three Australians ( 35 % ) felt nervous at least some of the time , compared with 20 % in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( 26 % ) felt everything was an effort at least some of the time , compared with 22 % in the 2017-18 NHS • One in nine Australians ( 11 % ) felt hopeless at least some of the time , compared with 9 % in the 2017-18 NHS • One in fourteen ( 7 % ) felt so depressed that nothing could cheer them up at least some of the time , compared with 8 % in the 2017-18 NHS • One in fourteen ( 7 % ) felt worthless at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with 6 % in the 2017-18 NHS .
There are a few factors that might obviously cause a decline in your sex drive : • Psychological : Anxiety about an uncertain future might be making it impossible to even consider sex at the moment .
• Chemical : The production of stress hormones such as cortisol , adrenaline and norepinephrine may lead to slower production of hormones such as testosterone in men and estrogen and progesterone in women , all of which play a role in your sex drive and mood .
• @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emotionally difficult to get intimate but it can also affect you physically ; men are more likely to find it difficult to get an erection and women may experience vaginal dryness .
• Circumstantial : If you find that the entire family is now back in the home , you and your partner could be finding it difficult to have a moment ’ s peace , no mind a moment for sex .
On the other hand , there are a few factors that might be causing your sex drive to spike : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ future may make you live in the moment more than you previously would have , or perhaps the idea that you shouldn ’ t really be risking sex is making you want it more .
• Chemical : It is possible that more sleep and less stress associated with commutes to work , and physically being at work , have had a positive effect on your melatonin ( sleep hormones ) and serotonin ( happiness hormones ) .
As a result , your sex drive may have in fact benefited from the change @ @ @ @ @ @ @ High stress can make people feel fragile , and so perhaps the thought of scary things happening outside your home is helping you to forge more intimacy with your partner .
Perhaps you are craving more physical comfort from your plus one than you usually would during this time .
• Circumstantial : Depending on your set up at home , as well as what you are spending your time doing , you may find you have a lot more time on your hands , and to pass that time , you , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Read : When will offices reopen ?
The end of WFH

Can you have sex during the coronavirus pandemic? It depends on your relationship status and living situation.
Does anyone actually want to have sex during the coronavirus pandemic? At present, that largely depends on each individual’s stress response.
Coronavirus is spread through respiratory droplets. As most sex scenes involve kissing, heavy breathing and other steamy behaviours, having sex is a pretty easy way of contracting the virus.


crikey--2020-05-13--Can you get coronavirus twice?

Can you get coronavirus twice?

Can you get coronavirus twice ?
Here are the latest findings on immunity , as well as the length of time it takes to recover from the virus .
Is it possible to get coronavirus twice ?
At this point , there is no definitive answer .
The immune response to COVID-19 is not yet fully understood .
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ; “ Patients with MERS-CoV ( a similar but different viral infection ) are unlikely to be re-infected shortly after they recover , but it is not yet known whether similar immune protection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” .
While there are talks of immunity passports by some governments , this strategy is likely to depend on further findings around whether those who have had coronavirus can be infected again .
When 260 people in Korea tested positive for coronavirus , having already recovered , this led to more concern among scientists and government officials about what it could mean for transmission rates among those who had previously recovered and were no longer self-isolating .
As of April 29 , The Korea Herald reported those who tested positive following recovery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” of the virus , and not reinfections .
As it stands , the virus is not fully understood .
More research is required into the nature of COVID-19 and whether you could be at risk of getting it a second time .
What is the recovery time for coronavirus ?
The clinical recovery time for coronavirus is two weeks in mild cases , and between three and six weeks for patients who have a severe to critical case , according to the World Health Organization .
If you are worried you have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus , or you are experiencing symptoms of coronavirus , you should call your GP to discuss the best course of action .
Read : How do you get coronavirus ?

The immune response to COVID-19 is not yet fully understood.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; “Patients with MERS-CoV (a similar but different viral infection) are unlikely to be re-infected shortly after they recover, but it is not yet known whether similar immune protection will be observed for patients with COVID-19”.
Can you get coronavirus twice?
At this point, there is no definitive answer.


crikey--2020-05-14--Picnic day for spies: Dutton plan would have Coalition mates sign off on foreign wiretap requests

Peter Dutton is proposing that former Coalition MPs and staffers — including ones with hardline anti-civil liberties views — sign off on requests from foreign spy agencies to wiretap Australians .
Applications by US and other foreign intelligence agencies to wiretap Australian citizens will be signed off by former Coalition MPs and staffers under a draconian Peter Dutton bill currently being examined by parliament .
The Telecommunications Legislation Amendment ( International Production Orders ) Bill 2020 was introduced by Dutton in March and is currently being examined by the joint standing committee on intelligence and security .
The bill will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to arrangements for collecting information on each others ’ citizens via electronic surveillance .
The US Clarifying Lawful Overseas Use of Data Act ( or CLOUD Act ) currently gives US intelligence and law enforcement agencies the power to demand US companies provide surveillance data no matter where in the world it is held , but also prevents other governments from directly requiring US firms to do the same .
It also prevents other governments from barring US firms from sharing data with the US government .
Other governments whose agencies want surveillance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ mutual legal assistance treaty ” ( MLAT ) process that requires assessment by the US government and a US court order .
Australia has a similar process for MLATs orders here , though these currently do not allow telecommunications intercepts .
Inter-governmental agreements will enable Australian and US agencies to directly obtain data from each others ’ carriers , and the bill will expand the data that can be obtained to include telecommunications intercepts .
Under the International Production Orders Bill , ASIO may seek an order to surveil Australians on behalf @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an agreement with Australia .
Initiating orders will require as little as a verbal approval by the Attorney-General .
Traditionally , law enforcement and intelligence-gathering warrants for surveillance of Australians are signed off by judicial officers .
But orders sought under this legislation can be signed off by a member of the security division of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal ( AAT ) .
The security division of the AAT has , even more than the AAT overall , been stacked by the Abbott , Turnbull and Morrison governments with failed Coalition MPs , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
That means that , alarmingly , the bill would see former Tasmanian MP Andrew Nikolic , who lost his seat in 2016 , signing off on requests for the National Security Agency and other foreign intelligence agencies .
The notoriously thin-skinned Nikolic , briefly head of the intelligence and security committee while in parliament , was appointed to the security division of the AAT in 2017 in one of the Turnbull government ’ s many gifts to MPs who lost their seats , and as part of the Coalition ’ s ongoing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Inq last year .
Nikolic holds hardline views on national security versus civil liberties .
In 2015 , he described civil liberties objections to extensions of national security laws as “ impractical nonsense ” and said debate about national security laws was a “ luxury ” Australia could no longer afford .
Nikolic isn ’ t the only Coalition figure who would be signing off on foreign agencies ’ requests to spy on us .
Former Coalition staffers Don Morris and Tony Barry , former Queensland National Party Attorney-General Paul Clauson , former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ array of former state Liberal MPs , LNP “ law and order ” adviser Dominic Katter , former Christian Porter staffer William Frost , Howard-era Liberal MP De-Anne “ regional rorts ” Kelly , and former Liberal senate president Stephen Parry are just some of the Coalition ’ s appointees who work in the security division .
The presence of former members , staffers and allies of the government obliterates the idea of separation between the executive arm of government applying to infringe the liberties of its citizens , and judicial arm which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the intelligence and security committee has been told by the Commonwealth Ombudsman , which is required by Dutton ’ s bill to inspect and report on the operation of the scheme , that it has yet to be told whether it will be given the necessary resources to do so .
“ If the bill is passed without appropriate funding , my office will not be able to undertake the activities necessary to assure Parliament these new powers are being used appropriately , ” Ombudsman Michael Manthorpe told the committee in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only committed to discussing funding in the next budget in October .
Dutton ’ s bill is part of a wider push by him to again expand surveillance powers and curb civil liberties .
Under a new bill to expand the ASIO Act introduced this week , ASIO will be allowed to detain and question 14 year olds , block lawyers from representing clients , prevent detainees from even contacting lawyers , and even throw legal representatives out of interrogations if they do anything “ unduly disruptive ” , which includes doing anything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or providing legal advice to detainees .
The bill is subject to a quick inquiry by the intelligence committee that is to report by 26 June .
Another hearing is underway this morning in Canberra .
It seems that , under the cover of a pandemic , Dutton is trying yet another attack on civil liberties .
What do you think of Peter Dutton ’ s push to expand surveillance powers ?
Let us know your thoughts by writing to [ email protected ] .
Please include your full name to be considered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Say column .

Applications by US and other foreign intelligence agencies to wiretap Australian citizens will be signed off by former Coalition MPs and staffers under a draconian Peter Dutton bill currently being examined by parliament.
The Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (International Production Orders) Bill 2020 was introduced by Dutton in March and is currently being examined by the joint standing committee on intelligence and security.
The bill will enable Australian and foreign governments to agree to arrangements for collecting information on each others’ citizens via electronic surveillance.


crikey--2020-05-15--Dutton opens door to new surveillance of journalists via foreign orders

Dutton opens door to new surveillance of journalists via foreign orders The government is planning to give itself the power @ @ @ @ @ journalists ' data as part of a deal with the United States to spy on @ @ @ @ @ The government 's proposed scheme to enable foreign intelligence services to spy on Australians will @ @ @ @ @ to circumvent measures designed to protect journalists from unfettered pursuit of their sources .

The government’s proposed scheme to enable foreign intelligence services to spy on Australians will enable Australia’s intelligence agencies to circumvent measures designed to protect journalists from unfettered pursuit of their sources.
Labor’s Mark Dreyfus yesterday exposed the loophole, with Home Affairs officials left unable and unwilling to explain why their minister Peter Dutton was proposing a runaround on existing procedures designed to protect journalists’ sources.
The Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (International Production Orders) Bill 2020 will to pave the way for agreements between Australia and the United States, and other “like-minded countries”, for the direct accessing of surveillance information, including real-time wiretapping, by intelligence agencies from both counterpart countries. In Australia, such requests would be signed off by members of the Security Division of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT), which is heavily stacked with former Coalition MPs and staffers.


crikey--2020-05-14--Rorts may come and go: it’s keeping ministers accountable that matters

Rorts may come and go : it ’ s keeping ministers accountable that matters What failed during the sports rorts @ @ @ @ @ framework , but the culture of accountability and responsibility .
The Senate Select Committee on @ @ @ @ @ aka sports rorts ) should be encouraged to continue and complete its inquiry .

The Senate Select Committee on Administration of Sports Grants (aka sports rorts) should be encouraged to continue and complete its
inquiry.
There will be protests that there are more important issues for the parliament to consider. This is in a sense true. Sports grants in themselves are trivial compared to the challenges of dealing with COVID-19 and our economic recovery.
Sports enthusiasts may disagree, but grants to
local sporting bodies are not the key question here.


crikey--2020-05-14--The Great China Distraction: post-pandemic Australia requires more than a trade fight

The Great China Distraction : post-pandemic Australia requires more than a trade fight An excessive focus on relations with China @ @ @ @ @ Australians from planning for a strategically-resilient country fit for the post-pandemic world .
Looking beyond @ @ @ @ @ 's difficult to put the disruption , the suffering and the ongoing geopolitical gamesmanship behind @ @ @ @ @ past fortnight a number of organisations have been doing just that .

Looking beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s difficult to put the disruption, the suffering and the ongoing geopolitical gamesmanship behind us. But over the past fortnight a number of organisations have been doing just that.
Australia’s think tanks, political parties, government commissions, business councils, industry lobbies and university research centres have been busy drafting competing policy prescriptions for a post-pandemic Australia.
It’s not difficult to see why. The pandemic offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reset Commonwealth policy in relation to taxation, markets, infrastructure, investment, energy, security and much else beside. Everyone with a stake in the game is starting to show their hand.


crikey--2020-05-14--For a new breed of right-wing ideologues, ‘wrecking crew’ politics isn’t fast enough

For a new breed of right-wing ideologues , ‘ wrecking crew ’ politics isn ’ t fast enough Meet the @ @ @ @ @ conservatives attempting to rapidly destroy the organisations they have been put in charge of .
@ @ @ @ @ iconoclastic American left commentator Thomas Frank published The Wrecking Crew , one of those books @ @ @ @ @ out a structure of reality that suddenly feels obvious but was obscured by the very @ @ @ @ @

Twelve years ago, the iconoclastic American left commentator Thomas Frank published The Wrecking Crew, one of those books that irritates because it points out a structure of reality that suddenly feels obvious but was obscured by the very reality it had created.
Frank identified the failure of good government in the George W Bush era of the US, and across numerous republican state governments — as exemplified in the triple whammy of Iraq, Hurricane Katrina and the 2008 crash — not as a failure to govern effectively due to a political theory being wrong, but as the deliberate effort of a political movement that sought to govern badly.
The aim was not — as in the Thatcher and Reagan periods — to (allegedly) run a smaller government, show that it worked better than post-war social democracy, and thus deter a return to the latter by the electorate.


crikey--2020-05-14--How is COVID-19 affecting our alcohol consumption in Australia?

How has coronavirus affected drinking culture and alcohol consumption in Australia ?
We share the latest .
A quick glance at the latest stats may show a staggering increase in alcohol consumption in Australia , or , in simpler terms , paint a picture of a country drinking itself silly .
According to a poll carried out by the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education , 70 % of Australians admit to drinking more alcohol than they would have prior to the pandemic and 34 % say they are drinking alcohol every day .
Most of us noticed fewer packets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then came panic buying of cupboard carbs .
Next , we started to notice our fellow Australians looking like they were en route to hosting a music festival , given the amount of alcohol in their trolleys .
Data from around the time the coronavirus lockdown started from Commbank shows alcohol sales in supermarkets grew by 20 % , while alcohol sales in bottle shops grew by a whopping 36.8 % during the first few weeks of lockdown .
This corresponded with a 6 % drop in spending on alcohol served at pubs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country started to close their doors .
According to Commsec , alcohol sales from bottle shops rose by 25 % over the last six weeks and have been consistently increasing since the beginning of May .
FARE , which polled 1,045 Australian residents over the age of 18 , found : • 32 % of respondents are concerned about the volume of alcohol either they or someone else in their home is drinking • 28 % of respondents say they drink alcohol to deal with anxiety and/or stress • 28 % of respondents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their own more than they would have previously • 20 % of respondents say that they have started drinking earlier in the day .
While figures have not been released on exactly how much Australians are drinking on a weekly basis , the fact that one in three find themselves drinking on a daily basis , and almost one-third of Australians drink to cope with emotional distress , does not paint a positive picture for the state of alcohol consumption in Australia .
Guidelines set out by the National Health and Medical Research @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 10 standard drinks per week .
( A glass of wine , 100ml or under , counts as one standard drink , which likely comes as a shock to the majority of us ) .
Australians are also advised to have at least one alcohol-free day per week .
The COVID-19 pandemic has obviously affected our alcohol consumption but it may have also changed the way we view alcohol .
Once a social lubricant , it seems for some , alcohol is now being used as a means of dealing with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at all .
If you are concerned about yours or a loved one ’ s alcohol consumption , visit DrinkWise for helpful resources and who to contact .
Read : When will offices reopen ?
The end of WFH

A quick glance at the latest stats may show a staggering increase in alcohol consumption in Australia, or, in simpler terms, paint a picture of a country drinking itself silly.
According to a poll carried out by the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education, 70% of Australians admit to drinking more alcohol than they would have prior to the pandemic and 34% say they are drinking alcohol every day.
Most of us noticed fewer packets of toilet paper in the shops, then came panic buying of cupboard carbs. Next, we started to notice our fellow Australians looking like they were en route to hosting a music festival, given the amount of alcohol in their trolleys.