Page 1251 - Week 05 - Thursday, 4 June 2020
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over the last seven days in Australia there have been 90 new cases. That does not mean much in itself, except that it represents 38.5 per cent more than there were over the previous seven days. In other words, while the numbers are still very low, the relaxing of restrictions that has happened in different amounts all over Australia has, it would seem, led to an increase in cases, which highlights why we have to take this thing very carefully.
I am very pleased that the Chief Minister and the Leader of the Opposition agree on the first point in Mr Coe’s motion, which states that “it is very important for the health and welfare of Canberrans that restrictions are eased in a safe way as soon as possible”. I am sure that we all absolutely agree on this. What we are having here is a discussion about the best way of going about it.
I also note that this situation is incredibly confusing. I do not think many of us here, six months ago, would have felt that we were experts in pandemics, how they spread and epidemiology. I certainly was not; and I do not think any of us here would claim that. There would be probably only half a dozen or a dozen people in the ACT who could possibly claim that. We are all finding it incredibly confusing. Every single government in the world, whether you like them or not, is having to make decisions based on insufficient information about what is the right decision. Some of them, clearly, are following health advice more than others. I think that our government here in the ACT has followed it pretty well.
I possibly did understand, but I do not know that I want to understand, the Chief Minister’s remarks about America and dog whistling. If they meant what they appeared to mean, they were very inaccurate, unkind and unfair.
If you look at Mr Coe’s motion, in general, it is going in the right direction, but it probably does not have accurate information in all of it. Clearly, it is confusing as to when each jurisdiction’s schools went back. Clearly, we have not been the last, from all points of view. I would, however, agree with point (1)(d)—that Canberrans’ responsible behaviour has contributed to the ACT’s relative success in dealing with COVID-19. I would have to very much agree with (1)(e)—that there has been inconsistent and confusing messaging on what is permissible. But I would point out that that has been only to a very small extent anything to do with the ACT government.
We have been hearing advice from our national government which has often, but not always, been in alignment with what other parts of Australia are doing, and we have been hearing advice from international governments. We have had a deluge of advice. A lot of it has lined up—social distancing and washing your hands. Those have lined up, but the details, once you get past that, have not lined up. And, yes, it is confusing. There will be PhD theses done on this in a few years time which will hopefully work out what was the best way of doing it. Until then every government—everyone—is trying to work it out with the best information that is available to them at the time.
The Greens will be supporting Mr Barr’s amendment to Mr Coe’s motion. We think that Mr Barr, with the benefit of a team of public servants to look at what is going on, probably has the facts more correct, because it is not straightforward. Also, with
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