So... here's my rundown of the most chaotic 18 hour period in Australian public messaging in living memory... please correct me if I'm wrong. <<THREAD>>
Yesterday afternoon, NSW and Victoria announced they were shutting down "non-essential activity" over the next 48 hours, excluding supermarkets, banks, pharmacies and other "essential stores" like petrol stations and convenience stores. The ACT follows suit. 
So in the nation's capital and two largest states, everyone RIGHTFULLY assumes that it means most business activity will cease. Who would define Myer, David Jones, Harvey Norman, JB Hi-Fi, Bunnings, clothing stores, car dealerships, etc as "essential"?
In California, this is what's considered "essential":
- Healthcare
- Emergency Services
- Food and Agriculture
- Energy
- Waste and wastewater
- Transportation and logistics
- Communications
- Some manufacturing
- HAZMAT
- Finance
- Chemical
- Defense Industry
Makes sense right?
- Healthcare
- Emergency Services
- Food and Agriculture
- Energy
- Waste and wastewater
- Transportation and logistics
- Communications
- Some manufacturing
- HAZMAT
- Finance
- Chemical
- Defense Industry
Makes sense right?
Millions of Australians wonder if they're about to be sent home, or lose their jobs.
Then at National Cabinet, the PM announces the national shutdown of indoor gathering spots - Licensed clubs, pubs, cinemas, casinos, nightclubs, indoor sporting venues and places of worship.
Then at National Cabinet, the PM announces the national shutdown of indoor gathering spots - Licensed clubs, pubs, cinemas, casinos, nightclubs, indoor sporting venues and places of worship.
Nearly 12 hours goes by where everyone's still wondering if they're meant to go to work. The NSW and Vic premiers hold SIMULTANEOUS press conferences and don't clarify.
Finally the ACT Chief Minister says "oh yeah, that list from the PM is what we meant by non-essential"
From Simon Benson at the @australian: "The unilateral decision to announce school closures and a lockdown of all but essential services before the national cabinet was reckless. And possibly the most irresponsible act since Federation...
...What they appeared to be proposing without any proper detail or explanation would have shut down 70 per cent of their workforces. What is clear now is none of the states had any idea what they were doing."
theaustralian.com.au/commentary/pre…
theaustralian.com.au/commentary/pre…
This needs clarification. Did the PM override publicly announced state government policy at the National Cabinet?
Or, did NSW, Vic and the ACT pull a gambit on the PM. They WANTED pubs, clubs, cinemas, etc closed but the PM didn’t want to... so they threatened to shut down 70% of their economy. He caved, then called Simon Benson.
Either way, our leaders appear to be playing a very dangerous game here.
Again I want to stress that I genuinely want someone to tell me if I’ve missed the point here because this seems completely mad.
This is good: smh.com.au/politics/feder…
