Re: “Australia Traded Away Too Much Liberty”
I basically agree with the title, but I think the article has major issues (Rossmann did a vid on this today, which is where I saw/read it).
There are some major factors that are left out, and the recent timeline of events is left out. I’d say the biggest issue is that *most of what is mentioned is not applicable to Australia as a whole, but is particular to states in Australia, at different times, and in different circumstances. Example: South Australia (with that app) has these restrictions right now. It’s long, but mild by comparison to NSW.
One major problem w/ the article is that it poorly explains the broader political/constitutional context – for example, why are there so many differences between each state?
Western Australia has ~0 cases / day atm, whereas NSW (my state) has ~1500 new cases / day. Why does South Australia have that app, but NSW doesn’t, even tho NSW has the largest outbreak?
(mb relevant and worth keeping in mind: our states are large and few. there is a lot of distance between capitals. Sydney → Melbourne is approx New York → Charlotte/Cincinnati. They’re considered pretty close in the scheme of things.)
The main reason for this is that health stuff is a state-level responsibility (besides aged care, which is federal). Thus, closing state borders is an option, and inter-state quarantine is a thing. State-level politics has been more important these last 18 months than at any other time I can remember. Additionally, it means that states have different allowances and restrictions on international travel. Making the issue more difficult is that many adjacent states have alternating major parties in power. QLD is Labor (left), NSW is the Coalition, Liberals + Nationals, (right; tho both are neither unless convenient), and Victoria is Labor (left). That’s our eastern cost running north to south. (the island-state of Tasmania, south of Vic, has a Liberal govt atm – don’t think the nationals operate down there). Communication with neighbors isn’t v good.
There is incredible competition between states atm to remain covid free or to control an outbreak if it occurs, particularly because there is a federal election in the next 6-8 months, and state-level support tends to correlate with federal-level support. Federal parties will lean on state parties – and vice versa – depending on proximity to elections; e.g., Federal Labor are probably v happy that QLD has had a very successful time with covid – our Federal Govt atm is the Coalition, so Labor is in opposition.
Here’s another problem:
This might be factually accurate, but it misrepresents the situation. To start with, yes, our federal govt didn’t prioritize it originally (I think vaccines cost us about $5 each atm, but idk if that includes the second dose – and IDK what prices would have been like 6 months ago). But the past 2 months have been intense in this regard – we have something like 50 million guaranteed doses, now, for a country of 25 million ppl (including children) – that’s 50 million (shots+boosters), so 100 million jabs.
The quote (one paragraph) has the structure: [inadequate investment] [too slow to get them in arms (not true)] [excess AZ] [ppl don’t want it b/c TTS]. This paints one problem (ppl don’t want AZ) as another problem (govt f’d up). The distribution has been questionable (e.g. pfizer pulled from some areas to benefit others, more than once), but making jabs available has been a major priority. I just checked a pharmacy near me – I could get a booking for AZ-1 any time from 10am to 6pm tomorrow. That was the first option I clicked on the list. (the second one I clicked had 6 slots (15 min increments) open tomorrow)
From Aug 1:
Right now it’s 38.2% and 62.75%. NSW has seen the largest growth b/c this is where the outbreak is.
(Note: that’s national, but often things are tracked by state here b/c of the distribution of cases/policies)
The federal govt has been ordering vaccines like crazy, so it’s not surprising that there’s inventory atm.
Also, duration between jabs is min 3 weeks for Pfizer and 6 weeks for AZ (only those two are approved/available atm) – and the plan is to reduce lockdowns (and reintroduce freedoms) incrementally at 70% double dose - depending on the state. The national ‘phase C’ breakpoint is at 80%, but each state has a lot of autonomy, still. For NSW, you only get freedoms if you’re double-dose vaccinated, so the carrot-and-stick is attached to the second dose which is further away if you have AZ (not to mention the differences in efficacy having 2nd AZ 6 weeks early); Estimates atm is that NSW will hit the 70% target mid-october, so it’s already too late to have AZ if you want to do things the day that ‘non-essential’ stuff reopens. (at least in NSW)
Another example: I know elderly ppl who had planned to get AZ, decided against it, subsequently been able to get pfizer, and then ended up fully vaccinated than if they’d had AZ.
So yeah, there’s anti-AZ stuff b/c of the TTS thing, but there’s also rational economic reasons for ppl to prefer pfizer instead.
WRT AZ, I gather the (global) supply is more accessible in general, too – or at least has been for Aus. I had my first AZ dose like 6 hours after I booked the appointment in the first week of July. I could get the 2nd one tomorrow but am planning on waiting till late-sept or early-oct to maximize efficacy (not particularly at risk and it won’t make a diff wrt lockdown till mid-oct anyway).
So, yeah, Australia sorta sucks atm – for about 70% of the population (e.g., WA has like no restrictions atm besides inter-state/international stuff). But the article doesn’t really represent what’s going on here very well, IMO.
Also – my impression is that Australians are, on the whole, in favor of the various measures that are being taken whilst those’re thought necessary.
We’ve already had a long mostly-free experience during these covid years – like only 4-6 months total in lockdown, out of like 18 mo. It’s been almost BAU the rest of the time; for most of the pandemic, the only consistent situation I’ve had to wear a mask was on public transport. (Masks have been mandated – indoors – for mb 5 / 18 months in Sydney, and moreso with delta).
Many ppl are willing to put up with this atm b/c of the 70% double dose stick + decent vaccine rollout (at least WRT the past few months).
So, I’d say that article – similar to our governments – might be summed up like ‘good intentions, bad execution’.
Anyway, I think the reality is that our problems are deeper that this.