To all my readers out there thank you again for continuing to read my blog .
It is unfortunate that Blogger has decided to block the publishing of my last blog as it breaches Blogger publishing guidelines. ( Postscript it has now be reinstated)
I started this blog many years ago as a hobby and it still is. It contains no advertising or subscriptions. It is free for everyone to read. That was my intention and it will always be. I am writing it for after I pass away hopefully not until many years into the future , I hope I would have left a diary for future generations to read so they will be able to get a snapshot into what life was like during the 2010s and 2020s possibly beyond. For readers who don't know I have been leaving pieces of my life over time in different places. I believe recording history is very important since we now have much better technology to do so with. For example Not everyone gets to live through a pandemic. I read that there was not a lot recorded about the Spanish Flu that wiped out a large portion of the world's population before it eventually "disappeared" so this current COVID pandemic is quite an important event to write about as documentation and questions on how what where why who could be vital information on how future generations handle a future pandemic if one occurs.
My blog does not contain any pornography, sex or any other explicit material nor is it trying to sell anything. The odd swear word yes but I usually bleep it out. It is not meant to cause anyone any harm. A lot of it is public news or someone else has mention the same thing previously or something has happened previously. I don't mention many names unless I want to acknowledge them in some way or they are also public news. The only things I mention is who I work for but even all my work colleague names are not mentioned.
It is meant to be my diary and covers everything from work events places of interest travel work friends extracurricular activities education volunteer work as well as news at the time cooking baking taste test reviews fun runs etc and of course my thoughts and opinions on topics which anyone is welcome to debate.
Everyone is entitled to the freedom of speech. In Blogger blocking my blog it is basically taking away my freedom of speech. Taking away people's freedom of speech means not questioning why and by not questioning why there would not be any progress made. I hope this makes sense.
Just to let readers know I do have a science background as well as a financial background. I would never attend a protest but don't believe in stopping protests as this is part of having the freedom of speech. I am not an Anti Vaxer just a Cautious Vaxer as I am a Scientist. When I started my businesses course I took an oath like the rest of my classmates basically to do the right thing and not commit any sort of financial fraud so I am pretty honest as a person and want to keep it that way.
I think I have written enough and hope my readers will continue to read my blogs whether they continue on Blogger or on another blogging platform.
Friday 1st October 2021
Day 95 of an indefinite lockdown.
First thing I did today was submit my fortnightly income reporting to Centrelink - which being my first few days back at Myer is not enough to not qualify for any welfare payments after tax for the fortnight.
I have kept my "Still Looking For A Permanent Position" advertisement on Gumtree from when I was made redundant back in March 2020 and occasionally get some responses but most of them have been scams. I received a response from a private Accounting firm and therefore responded back with my resume. Hopefully it is not a scam and they receive my resume sent via Gumtree to them. I did do a background check on them online and it looks "legit" however it is a little too far away in Balmain I believe. I was going to phone the number to speak to them but I have so much to catch up on over this long weekend. Myer takes up so much of my time that I never have any time to myself. It's getting to the point where I just don't have time for them. If a job takes over too much of your life to the point where you have no life outside of your job it's not worth staying in. It's been over a year and like everyone else that has resigned they have all said "It's time to move on". I didn't want to be the last casual left in the Homewares department at Myer Warringah Mall especially when after a year I was handed a letter and not offered a permanent position ( not that I want one at Warringah but if I was offerred a transfer to Chatswood then I would reconsider). Unfortunately I am the last casual in the Homewares department.
Major non COVID news today Britney Spears wins her battle with conservatorship. 13 years is a long time to be under a conservatorship of a parent ( ie her father). The question is: Was she taken advantage of? Did she become the cash cow for her parents to benefit from?
A peragrine falcon has been nesting on a building in Collins Street in Melbourne where it's eggs have hatched . Adorable baby chicks with mum feeding them very early in the morning is being watched via 24 hour bird cam CCTV. This has been famous footage over the years.
A major tornado has hit regional ( Central West Meadow Flat near Bathurst NSW.) Houses powerlines trees etc were sucked up and thrown - leaving a path of total destruction . Today is the 3rd day of thunder storms. It was forecasted and it delivered. There was wild winds rain and hail. One Myer team member even moved her car yesterday undercover in case hail did hit the Northern Beaches.
Another major car crash where one vehicle was travelling in the wrong direction collides into the other travelling in the normal direction injuring or killing the passengers in it. It is the second one in the last few days. Are people going mad?
COVID has disrupted the NRL grand final in Brisbane this weekend due to a COVID outbreak in QLD. Crowd capacity has been reduced ( to 75%) and there are discussions to move it to Townsville in regional QLD ( may not be an option due to a COVID case there) or delay it if QLD goes into lockdown. This is the first time QLD has had cases of COVID for many months - so much for the QLD premier shutting the QLD border to NSW and VIC but allowing residents from other COVID free states to enter and exit. They may now go into a snap lockdown like NSW and VIC and lose all their taken for granted freedoms of a normal non COVID life. Stage 2 restrictions have been imposed in certain areas.
Why is an octapus being used to pick who will win the NRL grand final? Can the octapus predict if the NRL is going to be actually played this weekend and if so where? There is always some type of animal used to predict something. Are they more intelligent then humans?
Melbourne COVID cases have surged to over 1000 cases ( a 50% increase in cases) and the road to their freedom is being discussed. This surge may have been from post AFL celebrations. Are these actual figures correct? If there were gathering restrictions in Melbourne and no AFL grand final held in Melbourne how on earth did the number of cases increase by 50% just from AFL celebrations? I don't think it was from that but possibly stemed from the protests that happened previously. There were a number of reported cases from those but no actual figures of how many cases resulted from all the protests which were a very low number of confirmed cases compared to how many people attended these protests. Is the government scare mungering? Hiding true statistics? Exaggerating figures and or shifting them around to make themselves look good and certain events that happen look bad when they aren't? or are the figures just a mistake in calculations ( not likely)? Is there another reason(s)? Unless there is a whistle blower nobody will ever know. Maybe the true number of people that are COVID positive as a result of attending the protests for example did not actually come forward for testing possibly because they were asymptomatic or had very mild symptoms hence only people that became sick enough were reported and included in the statistics or maybe the protests weren't actually super spreader events as they were outdoor events . Who knows the real truth behind all the figures.
NSW overhaul of current contact tracing system - fully vaccinated residents may no longer have to isolate if they have had close contact with a COVID positive case. It's been a few months now when the NSW government quietly stopped reporting the location of cases and outbreaks omitting them from the Service NSW asnd NSW Health website COVID case location map. It just happened one day when I went to do my daily check ( by typing in my postcode and nearby sub post codes) and could no longer see how many cases of COVID and at what time on what dates at what exact locations appearing in other LGAs in Greater Sydney other then the SW Sydney hotspot LGAs and regional Sydney hotspot LGAs. There was a swtich to another case location map which gave details such as number of active cases when you typed in a suburb or postcode but it did not give you details of dates times and exact locations and how many at each location. I could not see if the local Woolworths Coles or Aldi supermarket had any recent cases of COVID on what dates and between what times and how many cases. I used to keep an eagle eye out on this map in order to avoid these locations and check whether I was there at any of these locations on the dates and times indicated. Once ex team member ticket girl texted me a message saying there was a cases at one of the local super markets where she resided in (Dee Why) but it did not appear on the COVID case map so I asked her where she found the information and it was via people she knew on Facebook and not via the any NSW government website. I had found the other map and typed in Dee Why and yes there were active case and total case numbers but no details of locations dates and times - not even on the running list of COVID cases list. I guess that's when contact tracing started to not be able to keep up and slowed down. After that there was an announcement that the contact tracing department would be reduced and people would no longer be rung to advise them that they been exposed to a COVID positive case/location on a certain date and betwwen what times. Text messages were used. Unsure what the current contact tracing method is. I think you are only notified if there has been ( and not is as contact tracing is too slow for that) a COVID outbreak in a certain general area or region eg suburb(s) not a specific location.
There was a COVID outbreak at the John Hunter Hospital. Staff have gone into isolation as a precaution. Visitors tested. Babies tested several times all testing negative. Does this mean babies are immuned to COVID and that my theory of the germiest place to be is within a hospital which is a breeding place for the rapid spread of COVID - think about it reciculated air, air conditioned air with no open windows and fresh air circulating , no natural sunlight and confined indoor spaces with close contact between staff patients and visitors? Just because a hospital looks clean it does not mean it is clean. Avoid hospitals if you don't want to contract COVID as well as avoid large indoor events, shopping centres, department stores and any other fully enclosed confined spaces with close contact with others for pro longer periods of time. Remember plenty of fresh air and sun light!!! If you have to attend an event keep a certain distance away from others but more importantly wear a mask everywhere possible unless you can't and keep good hygiene. Stay at home if you are sick. It's not all about strict lockdowns and mandatory vaccination just common sense by everyone.
Teachers must be fully vaccinated by Nov 8th. A push for mandatory vaccination for all frontline healthcare workers nationally not just by today in NSW.
So much news today to write about. Where do I start? Monday is a Labour Day public holiday so I will have a bit of time to catch up on my blog.
Breaking news today with 864 COVID cases and 15 deaths overnight as well as news that international borders to reopen ( I'm still doubtful about this) the NSW premier
Gladys Berejiklian
(yes I will finally mention her name in my blog ) has resigned. Smack bang in the midst of NSW's second COVID lockdown which is only months or weeks even away from the so called "freedom day" beginning from 11th October in 3 phases that's been discussed about and dragged on forever and ever and ever....... People are probably wondering why she resigned so suddenly. I was wondering why she resigned so suddenly until I asked if it was COVID related and then remembered why. It's all coming back to me now. We all forgot and it went away , life as the NSW premier carried on and now it's finally reared it's ugly head again for the last time! Did she have a fall out with other state premiers? NO. Did she have a fall out with the health ministers? NO Was there conflict between her and the Federal Government or other state members of Parliament? NO - HOWEVER there was a conflict - A CONFLICT OF INTEREST hence an ICAC investigation.
It all started off with : Once upon a time there was a middle aged single NSW premier named Gladys an immigrant who could not speak English until Primary school but worked extremely hard to get to where she is today ( I mean until today) but who was far too busy with her career to have someone else in her life or start a family of her own. So everyone thought - until the residents of NSW found out that she had a secret "boy friend" . Many were happy that she had finally found true love because being the NSW premier and a female in the male dominated world of Australian politics is a tough gig. Or did she? She kept her personal life very close to her chest but some thought maybe she should have made her personal life a little more public. Difficult to believe that she and her "secret boyfriend" were together for 5 years! There were rumours that she kept her personal life so private because she didn't think anyone would care which is so sad. However that's where the happy fairytale ends unfotunately, it's all downhill from here. Let's continue. The "prince" in Gladys' life was Daryl Maguire a former MP local member of Wagga Wagga for 20 years but he turned out to be no prince but the equivalent of an evil step mother. He resigned as a MP in disgrace in 2018. It turned out that he wasn't after Gladys' heart ( although he managed to get into her pants) but a gold digger. He tried to make the glass slipper fit his foot eventhough he knew it never would using Gladys status in state politics to his advantage. So now ICAC is investigating the glass slipper that does not quite fit. The End . No it's not . TBC....
There is another theory and that is given the timing , her snap resignation may have nothing to do with ( well maybe something to do with ) the ICAC investigation. There may have been a conflict with other MPs and NSW Heath officers and therefore the pressure was on for her to step down or resign. I'm sure I wrote something in a previous blog a while back about this situation possibly happening but can't remember if I wrote it in my blog or elsewhere eg discussion with a friend or work colleague via text messages or even on Twitter or Facebook. Then there is the pressure of being a high profile female politician amongst a male dominated "toxic boys' club" Australian government on all levels local state and federal - Australian government has not had a great record of female career politicians where countless women have been pressured or forced to step down step aside terminated or resigned think of high profile female politicans eg Julia Gillard , Julie Bishop, Kristina Keanelly
What happens now? Will there be a snap state election?
Again I repeat I'm sure I wrote about this situation being a possibility somewhere but can't find where I wrote about it in my blog. Politics is a dirty profession and I am unsurprised if Gladys was pushed or pressured out by her male work collegues like other female MPs at both state and federal levels of Australian politics if not local.
Well another casual team member " I want to be a team leader" just informed me she resigned today and her last day is tomorrow as she also got a new job but not with the same employer as team member ticket girl. I'm the only casual Homewares team member left now.
Dinner was well another burrito from GyG this time a barramundi spicy burrito which I paid for instead of redeeming my points for. Got to build up those loyalty points again in case I become unemployed. Home on the 199 to Manly transferring onto a 144 bus home.
Again I do not make it in time to watch the 6 pm news or The Cook Up but made it home in time to watch The Living Room. I can't remember what I watched after that - so tired I fell asleep.
Today I just got my shifts for next week only. Tuesday - Friday 9.30 am - 5.30 pm stock only. No shifts at all for the following week because I'm still unvaccinated. I don't care anymore.
One of the team members from another department asked me the question "If you are unvaccinated does that mean you can't work?" I said that I think so.
Saturday 2nd October 2021
Day 96 of an indefinite lockdown
Today's news was dominated not by COVID news in NSW not even by COVID news in other states but the NSW premiers snap resignation yesterday just after 1 pm when everyone thought she was about to make a COVID announcement instead she announced her resignation and there was no speech and no questions taken, it was just so quick.
So why did Gladys suddenly resign and did she have no other choice but to resign? So many questions asked and so many questions unanswered. It's mostly about the timing of it.Then there is ICAC. There have been quite a few former premiers that have lost their jobs from investigations by ICAC some for petty allegations. The system is ICAC is an independent organisation that investigates corruption amongst MPs and this independant organisation is needed however once an MP is named to be under investigation for alleged corruption they usually resign before the investgations have actually started or completed and regardless of whether they are found innocent or guilty of these corruption allegations at a later date. By this time it's far too late - one's political career is well and truely over - ended - political suicide.
" Breach of public trust" What does that actually mean? Gladys was "forced" into her resignation or was she? according to the above reason quoted. " I have no option but to resign" she announced yesterday. Politics at all levels is a dirty profession. Who is more corrupt MPs or ICAC? Given the timing of the snap resignation, the quote could refer to either the current COVID situation or her past alleged siphoning of unauthorised funds to and connection with her former "secret boyfriend" MP Daryl Maguire to boost his profile and electorate.( I hope I have the wording correct). Did she know about his dodgey private affairs/dealings or was she innocently sucked in by him ie did Daryl Maguire take adantage of and use Gladys due to her high profile political status as NSW premier for his benefit? or did he have real feelings for her? Well they did break up and are no longer together - Was that before or after the famous "I don't need to know about that ..." statement she made to him?
There are 4 potential front runbers ( candidates) for the now vacant NSW premier position.
1. The Treasurer
Dominic Perrottet
2. Minister For Jobs & Tourism
Stuart Ayres
3. Planning Minister
Rob Stokes
Matt Kean
We won't know who the new NSW premier will be until Tuesday but it will be a male premier as there are no female contenders for the position.
NSW COVID news may have been pushed aside by the more pressing news of who will be the next NSW premier but there was other COVID related news - Compulsory COVID vaccinations for all authorised workers where first dose is required within 2 weeks , the NRL is still in doubt in QLD this weekend as the state could still go into a last minute snap lockdown. Cases of COVID are appearing in SA and in WA which have had no cases of COVID for months just as long or even longer then QLD.
Daylight savings starts tonight so we lose 1 hour of sleep tomorrow. It's a public holiday this Monday as previously mentioned.
A beautiful day today after the last 3 days of wild and woolly weather of wind rain thunderstorms tornados hail storms etc and so soon after that series of earthquake in VIC. However with a warning the weather is set to change tomorrow where wild weather is set to return on the Eastern cosdt of Australia.
Princess Beatrice of York has named her baby who is now 13 days old old Sienna Elizabeth as a nod to Beatrice's grandmother the Queen.
The PM is still insistant that once 80% double vaccination is reach international travel will resume and as soon as 14th November 21.
Oh great NSW won't have a 11 am daily COVID announcement media press conference today but we will get figures as soon as they are available. My question is will they change dramatically now that we don't have a premier and what type of information will be given via the news?
It's 11 am and the figures are out - 10 deaths and 813 COVID cases. Interesting the # of deaths is appearing before the number of cases. One of those deaths was double vaccinated but had other medical conditions and contracted COVID in hospital from the dialysis wards. NSW has now reached 80%+ first vaccinations and 65.2% are fully vaccinated.
OK let's see how NSW is tracking towards the 70% phase 1 stage of "freedom day" on 11th Oct 2021
There are now 9 days left until 11th October 2021
The current double vacvination rate is 65.2% which leaves 4.8% double vaccination still to go to reach the 70% double vaccination target rate therefore each day the rate of double vaccination has to increase by .53333% in order to achieve 70% double vaccinations.
If the target is 80% double vaccination by 11th October 2021 instead then the daily rate of double vaccination has to increase by 1.64444%.
True figures I'm interested in but when I actually get my first vaccination I don't care a shit about now because Myer has been bullying team members including myself to get fully vaccinated before they open on 11th October 2021 which is "freedom day" and there is no way some of us can - basically it's "a no jab no work" policy they have mandated and after receiving that letter from them after 12 months as a casual with them and not being offered a permanent position as well as being told there was not much they could do about this after I mentioning it to the customer service manager that I am the only casual in Homewares left ( every other casual team member has resigned the last just yesterday) and not being rostered on after this coming week ie not given fortnightly notice in advance of shifts ( if any) I don't care I don't care I don't care.
I am a shareholder and Myer owes me money . They haven't paid a dividend to their shareholders for years and their shares although have increaes in price are still worth only 60 cents per share. Way below the original public offer price of when I purchased them back in November 2009 between $3.90 and $4.90 ( I can't remember the exact price per share I purchased them for as it was so long ago but estimate it around the $4 mark) . That's over 10 years ago. If I had invested that same amount of money into a maximum period term deposit or into a high interest savings account and not touched it , I would have earned more in interest than I received in whatever dividends Myer did manage to distribute to shareholders in the past. I certainly would have a return on my investment and definitely not made a loss on my investment. All my other long term investments have either broken even double what invested initially or have not missed a dividend distribution to shareholders. Myer is the only long term investment that I gave made a loss on. So readers may ask why don't I sell them? Well there are several reasons why I can't sell them besides how it is not worth selling them. It's all to do with tax offsets. I already have another capital loss and have nothing to offset against that - I don't want another capital loss by selling my Myer shares to add to it. I also don't believe in selling long term investments unless a publicly listed company decides that it no longer wants to be a publically listed company and issues a share buy back scheme which MYOB did many years ago. I loved those shares and it was doing really well until the founder decided he wanted out of the company sold it off.
The building maintenance company was making repairs to the apartment block from 7 am - around 1 pm today. So I did not venture out. I thought they were coming to do a thorough clean of the common areas of the apartment block but no they were just here to do repairs mainly to unit # 8 I think it is across from me as there is some sort of leak inside it on the ceiling. A manhole in the ceiling located in the foyer area just before the hallway leading to that apartment has been left open since pre lockdown. I hope it has been closed up now that repairs have been completed in that unit. No still not closed up.
3 pm and it's pouring with rain outside. So glad I didn't venture out but if I decide to I will go to Chatswood as it is a bus ride away and undercover.
I did not end up venturing out. Did not do much for the rest of the day because I'm tired and resting up for another intensive work week ahead.
It's the long weekend so I still have 2 more days to relax. There is nothing on tv either on a Saturday night so I resort to YouTube.
Sunday 3rd October 2021
Day 97 of an indefinite lockdown. End of another week in lockdown.
A beautiful day outside today after 4 days of not so nice weather ( yesterday was nice for a while until it decided to turn dark again and rain). With clear blue skies no wind and no rain in sight , it is forecasted for a top of 27 degree C today and mainly sunny.
There were 667 COVID cases & 10 deaths - not many details given initially ( is this correct? there were 10 deaths yesterday as well). I don't know why the Kerry Chant raced through the details of the 10 deaths today - they were certainly not in a hurry to finish the daily announcement or question time today. I didn't quite catch all the details of the deaths but as much as I could recall they were all aged 50s and above , 2 were from outbreaks in aged care facilities, the rest from various hospitals , about half were partially or fully vaccinated and the others unvaccinated, all except 1 was from hotspot LGAs - the other was from a previous hotspot LGA , a mix of male and female.) Death figures were correct but initially Brad Hazzard made a mistake with the break up of an under 10 year old and 3 x 10 - 19 year olds included in the number of deaths when none of them had actually died . He later corrected this information ( after Kerry Chant's announcement). They are in hospital not dead. ( I could not believe what I just heard and I paused my writing in my blog when I heard this as I needed someone to repeat the information he had just announced to confirm it).
88.1% single vaccinations & 66.5% double vaccinations reached. The target of 70% double vaccination is expected to be reached mid week. Calculation time again . There is still 3.5 % to go and 3 days therefore in order to reach this target by Wednesday, there needs to be a daily increase of double vaccinations of 1.167% per day.
There is something suspect about the response from Kerry Chant during question time. A member of the press asked her how she felt and feels now about the resignation of the NSW premier. Her body language and response was a "I don't think it is appropriate for me to....." She is definitely holding something back - possibly her real feelings about the working relationship between them both. I know when there is a public announcement you have to remain calm and collected and professional but her body language was very suspect.
I slept in until 10 am - gee thanks to losing an hour's sleep due to daylight savings! I missed the news so now I have to catch up.
Andrew Constance Transport Minister quits state politics to run for Federal elections for seat of Gilmore.
Does this mean by elections are coming up ? Not where I live!
The NRL grand final is on in QLD tonight. Unfortunately I did not watch it.
Qantas will resume international flights to/from Sydney/London and to/from Sydney/LA on the 14th November 21 - the Sydney/London flight has already sold out. Good luck to those flying. Just as well these 2 destinations are not where I want to travel - if it takes a week to get results from a PCR test and you are required to get one with a negative COVID result within 72 hours prior to departure with proof of double vaccination as well as returning to Australia for 7 days quarantine and possibly having to get to the airport no less then 3 hours before departure due to extra time to clear airport security customs immigration and quarantine, its not going to be a good trip. ( especially in LA) What if you are delayed or stranded at the airport due to some problem eg vaccine on vaccine passport is not an authorised one to enter that country. And what if you have to wear a mask for the entire long haul return flight and only take it off when meals are served - risky recirculated air in planes are bad enough but wearing a mask for a minimum of 14 hours straight as well in a confined space - really uncomfortable. It's too early to fly - I'll be patient. Other international flights won't open up until mid December 21.
1 pm and it's getting cloudy again.
After having a shower and washing my dishes, I finally venture out with my huge shopping list to do my essential grocery shopping really late in the afternoon but it was still light when I returned home around 6.30 pm. First stop was Woolworths followed by Aldi then finally Coles. Not everything was available and I had to leave some groceries for next week as my wheelie bag was full and my 2 large reusable shopping bags were filled to the brim. I was surprised that I managed to fit all my groceries in them. As soon as I arrive home I wash my hands and my masks hanging them up to dry ready for use again tomorrow. Then had a snack of seaweed and a Plantitude biscuit before unpacking all my groceries and making dinner of a marinated turkey breast fillets.
There were so many people out and about around Lane Cove shopping precinct. Most people were either out grocery shopping or lining out for takeaway in the mid afternoon but by 5 pm The grounds of The Canopy had become a picnic area full of families finding a spot and setting up their picnic rugs with with a picnic basket or hamper or cooler bag having a nice outdoor dinner either home made or purchased nearby from the many takeaway dining options around Lane Cove. There is no shortage of food around with several cafes and restaurants in the grounds of The Canopy if not near by and a large Aldi and Coles supermarket just below ground also in the grounds of The Canopy. Everyone adheres to social distancing rules and it's all very sophisticated even with kids running around everywhere, families and friends stay in their small gathered groups. The main attractions are the takeaway coffee and ice cream/gelato cart. I would love to hang around myself and sit down to have a picnic but I have to get home - so much still to do today and tomorrow before I go back to work on Tuesday.
I made it home in time to watch another 1 hour episode of Inside Central Station a 10 part series on SBS at Sundays at 7.30 pm. A must watch fir train enthusiasts.
I look out my window and the stinky guy that used to live in one of the rooms downstairs that shared a bathroom was hanging outside leaning on the front brick wall of this apartment block again in the dark. I wonder why he does this every now and then. Does he miss living here? He is probably harmless but it is a little creepy that he does this. Maybe he has friends next door at the motel although I doubt it. I am so glad he didn't stay long term as he really did stink when he was living downstairs. I hated how he use to leave his door to his room open and the front door open as well and a handy full service toilet block in the grounds of The Canopy.
Monday 4th October 2021 Week 80 Of Unemployment & Over Employment
Day 98 of an indefinite lockdown.
Happy Labour Day Public Holiday Long Weekend!
A lot of very early bike riders and walkers runners and joggers out and about this morning. I slept in until 7 am and they were already out and about. It is s sunny dat today but it's one of those days where later this afternoon the weather can change to rain.
The Penrith Panthers won over the Rabbitohs. I tried to find which channel was broadcasting this NRL grand final on tv but gave up. Oh well. I really should have watched it instead of Inside Central Station aa it was 2 Sydney teams playing a grand final match in QLD because it could not be played in NSW due to lockdown.
Melbourne is set to become the world's most locked down city with 246 days in lockdown overtaking Buenos Aires.
Dirty politics. Dominic Perrottet is set to become the next NSW premier ( 46th) after Gladys' resignation with Stuart Ayres his deputy likely. After a ballot late Saturday he had the support from his collegues and the numbers however Rob Stokes has also put his hand up to be in the running to be the NSW premier unfortunately rumours are his colleagues have encouraged him to withdraw his interest. I can just see his collegues in an un-Australian way telling him "Mate Pack It In". Why Dominic has had the support from his work collegues is because he is a former lawyer , has been the treasurer for the past 4.5 years ( although at only 39 he will be the youngest NSW premier if offically voted in) , is a family man with 6 children (Catholic although that is probably irrelevant) and has great attention to detail which is what Gladys had ( apparently). His leadership style maybe different to Gladys' but the thought is that the state will be in good hands financially looking forward as the state works towards reopening up after such a long lockdown. Time will tell if this holds true and if and when he offically becomes the next NSW premier. For now it is not offical yet as there is still the alternative candidate for the job Rob Stokes. I am unsure about the combination of the Dominic Perrottet treasurer as NSW premier and Stuart Ayres MInister for Jobs & Tourism as his deputy . Rob Stokes is Planning Minister depending on how good his skills and experience are - would it be more important and logical to have a deputy at least to the next NSW premier? or doesn't politics work that way? Whatever happens there will be a "shuffle" of state MPs.
More dirty politics or a genuine resignation ?Days after the announcement of the NSW premier, the deputy premier John Barilaro also resigned today with a more lengthy resignation speech to the public in contrast to Gladys' resignation announcement ( there was no speech with hers). After Andrew Constance recent resignation as Transport Minister from State politics to pursue a career in Federal politics, theories emerged that he was following suit. However in his resignation announcement speech, he made it quite quite clear that he was not leaving state politics to pursue a career in Federal politics and that he wanted to spend more time with his family and that maybe he was having a midlife crisis as he turns 50 soon. He also mentioned that he had been the deputy p premier for 5 years now and mentioned how he had worked with quite a few MP and even acknowledged a few of them. So it did not seem as if he was pressured to resign. He kept insisting how he had thought about resigning for a while hinting that it was not a snap decision and that there was never a right time to resign. He thought it was time to make way for the new state MPs. Ummmm. It was quite a long resignation speech. There was no mention of any sort of corruption or any indication that he was also under investigation by ICAC. He did mention almost tearfully though that he was subject to racism on social media platforms being an immigrant like Gladys and by leaving politics and being out of the public eye now that this racism will stop. It was quite an interesting speech but like Gladys' announcement didn't really reveal much . Maybe it was genuine but who knows. It's just all about the timing of all these resignations. NSW has no leaders - I don't know which state is the worst to live in at the moment NSW or VIC?! I still want to live in TAS.
Today I need to take my rubbish out, the red bin out tonight and do my laundry as a start. I then have to prepare lunch and get ready for work tomorrow.
COVID cases continue to fall there were 623 COVID cases and 6 deaths overnight. There is now 88.5% single vaccinations reached & 67.5% double vaccination reached ( 16+) . Although it was announced double vaccinations are on track to reopening - by my calculations it is not quite correct falling behind by .167% per day at the moment.
Tasmania has now had it's first case of COVID where a 15 year old from Melbourne travelled to Tasmania tested positive and now isolating.
Parts od SA are entering into COVID restrictions a 2 separate cases travelled into SA from VIC. A woman and her family are being investigated and a truck driver who has returned to VIC tested positive to COVID.
QLD has a case of COVID where a 50 year old double vaccinated woman tested positive and has been out and about however her family have tested negative.
There is a new COVID drug manufactured by Merck is seeking FDA approval and the Australian government has worked to secure a supply of it. Of course it is a US manufactured drug which shows positive signs of reducing the severity of the virus however vaccination against the virus is still priority.
This is an important vaccine issue therefore it is worth writing about again. Up until late August 2021, The Astra Zenica vaccine was still not an aporoved vaccine for travel to the US. 3 days ago it still wasn't an approved vaccine. Now that travel to the UK & LA from Sydney is to recommence in November 21, there is still the push to include Astra Zenica as an approved vaccine for entry into the US. The other issue is articles only mention Astra Zenica from UK it does not mention the Australian manufactured version of Astra Zenica. So those who received the original imported Astra Zenica vaccine may be OK to travel to countries within Europe UK and the US when there is FDA CDC etc approval but question mark about Australian manufactured Astra Zenica vaccine. Hopefully this issues will be resolved before November 14th 2021.
Laundry done, wash dried and folded, lunch made and my backpack is ready for work tomorrow. I did not take the red bin out for rubbish collection day tomorrow - will do it next Monday as I won't be home tomortow to bring it back in.
Monday night I usually watch the 6 pm news, The Cook Up followed by 8 out of 10 Cats Does Countdiown and HYBPA before falling asleep.
Tuesday 5th October 2021
Myer 9.30 am - 5.30 pm stock again all this week's shifts added onto Kronos on Friday 1st October 2021. I have no shifts after this week as I am unvaccinated.
Day 99 of an indefinite lockdown.
Another beautiful morning. I am so unmotivated to go to work today but I know I have to as COVID support supplement payments will end soon and being unvaccinated, I may not be able to work (although reading about "freedom day" lifting of restrictions only for the double vaccinated - only applies in retail for customers it does not mandate all retail staff to be double vaccinated - so Myer maybe breaking employment law by not allowing employees who are partially or unvaccinated to work and pressuring employees to get vaccinated when they can't).
Why are the garbos coming so late to pick up the trash bins? It means I can't take the red bin back in until after 7 pm on Tuesdays. I don't want to be fined for not bring the red bin back in on time every Tuesday when everyone else does along the highway therefore I did not do it this week. The red bin is not full so it can wait another week to put out.
Today I wake to no NSW premier, no NSW deputy premier and no transport minister. By lunchtime today hopefully a new NSW premier will have been elected and by tomorrow a new deputy premier will have been elected. Although Dominic Perrottet is the forerunner to be the next NSW premier he still has competition from Rob Stokes. Only time will tell if there will be an undisputed clean vote smooth transition of a new NSW premier.
Other COVID related news Bali will opened it's borders on 14th October 21 to international travellers a month ahead of Australia planned resumption of flights to the UK and US except Bali has not included Australia, Singapore & NZ on their list of countries welcomed but likely to at a later date. ( a team member dying to travel overseas waa asking should he go to Bali or Thailand - I said why not both . Mate it looks like you ain't going to Bali at this point in time!)
The tv is now flooded with vaccination advertisements. There are more vaccination advertisement then normal advertisements for everyday products and services! Guen should make great watching on the ABC as their segment is all about every man and his dog jumping on the vaccination bandwagon in advertising.
Victorian COVID cases continue to increase but students have started to return to school. The decision was made to not shut down the entire school if there has been postive cases of COVID found but to just isolate particular areas or rooms of schools that were exposed to the virus.
Another mention of the new COVID pill to be taken over a course of 5 days for milder cases of COVID reducing the need for hospitalization. However it is still being trialed and there is a while before it is actually approved by the FDA for use. The PM has planned ahead this time unlike the Pfizer vaccine fisaco, he has secured a large batch of it awaiting FDA approval in advance.
Well it's offical Dominic Perrottet is the new NSW Premier. At 11 am this morning instead of the daily COVID announcement media press conference. Mr Perrottet addresses the nation ( well at least NSW residents) for the first time as the new NSW premier. I watched the beginning of the announcement which was short and sweet. I am sure there was a lot more to it but the YouTube channel I watched cut off after the announcement speech. He won 36 votes to Rob Stokes 5 votes. The phrase that was coined and taken from a charcuterie commerical " Is Dom. Is Good?" The other question was regarding his strong religious beliefs - is he anti abortion, anti same sex marriage etc and a sceptic on climate change. He is seen as a conservative asnd although he has 6 kids says it will not affect his role as the new NSW premier. He has a tough job ahead of him and big shoes to fill.
There was a major Facebook, Instagram and Whats App outage this morning. Did not really affect me as I have almost abandoned Facebook, I can't log into my Instagram account and a great excuse for not receiving any annoying group text messages from Myer!
It was a pretty boring brain dead day ay work today moving stock around again. I hate how the customer service manager is always getting me to do the most brain dead jobs and rings me to asks me where I am when I'm in the middle of putting really heavy cages of cookware stock back into the reserves. I hate how she sends texts of cryptic messages to find stuff that isn't even on the dock. Maybe payback for her was the electricals team leader accidently almost breaking her pinky finger today by slamming it between a roll cage and reserve door I believe. He told me how he felt so bad about it . They were pushing and pulling a roll cage full of mainly boxes of chocolates which looked rather full and heavy. An ice pack and bandage later she was back on the floor. She had to administer first aid on herself as there is no other first aid officer except herself on today. I told the electrical team leader that he better do a good job with filling the shelves with the boxes of chocolates to make up for it!
I am having a lunch break on my own. In my favourite spot. I don't have any team members left to have lunch with anymore. I am the only casual left in the Homewares Department and so unmotivated to work. - the resignation of a number of experienced Myer Homewares team members one after one days apart is liken to the resignation of the 3 key NSW state MPs! Both at such a crucial time just weeks or days before NSW reopens up. Just as there was an urgent ballot to elect a new NSW premier and deputy premier, the recruitment process is on to find new teamm members for the Homewares department ASAP to replace all the team members that resigned.
In Saturday their were repairs & painting done to the common areas and empty apartments in the block. Yesterday I came home to a very clean apartment block. After so many months ( even pre lockdown #2) the common areas of the apartment block were so dirty nobody would want to live here. Now it is really clean - the floor so clean that as soon as I opened the front door of the apartment block, I took my shoes off and walked in my socks through the foyer area and up the stairs and down the hall to te studio where I reside as not to leave any dirty foot prints.
Wednesday 6th October 2021
5 am and I'm up catching up on the news.
Day 100 of an indefinite lockdown.
As I leave the apartment this morning the green bin which does not belong to this apartment is back in the dumpster area but the red bin is still out as it has not been emptied yet (I did not take it out for rubbish collection day as it was not full and didn't want to be fined for leaving it out as I am at work all day and can't bring it back in like the other properties as soon as it is emptied - the garbos empty the bins after I leave for work if it was earlier then I can bring it back in before going to work on my way out). Next week I can as I am not rostered on to work. The other thing I noticed was the windows had been taken out of the apartment next door to mine and sitting on the floor of the apartment to be replaced at a later date. The light was left on in the apartment on the other side of mine when I returned home but I did not touch it. The apartment at the back on the other side also has the light on constantly probably to deter squatters which have been mentioned to be a problem in vacant properties over lockdown.
Slightly cooler today although it is forecast to reach 27 degrees C today before dropping to around early to mid 20 degrees C tomorrow.
Now that we have a new NSW premier sworn in who won in a landslide vote there is now the ballot to elect a new deputy premier and a reshuffle of MPs and portfolios some of which are now vacant. Stuart Ayres deputy leader of the NSW Liberal Party was elected unopposed will be by Dominic Perrottet's side. A meeting with the Heath Minister regarding the roadmap out of lockdown ahead and possible early reopening not being riled out is on the agenda. Paul Toole is the frontrunner for the NSW Deputy Premier position with I believe the Transport portfolio attached. There will be a shift from daily COVID case numbers to the road ahead.
Rapid home COVID testing kits are a subject of discussion again.
Concern that services will be understaffed as certain industries in retail and hospitality re open There is a hiring blitz and the new NSW premier is keen to move the state forward financially as the state reopens after more then 100 days in lockdown! Myer Warringah is stuff for re opening, they may not be under prepared but certainly understaffed - it's lost at least a third of it's staff during lockdown. Jobs rush? Spending spree? "We'll take our state from good to great!"?
A whistle blower accuses Facebook of putting profit over the heath of people. She is a former data scientist at Facebook.
The Russians are going to film the first movie in space called Challenger - Tom Cruise is unimpressed as he wanted to be the first to make a movie in space. His movie won't take place until next year which makes him a long way behind. The Russians found out the plan to make a movie in space and swriftly announced "Action!" ( literally!).
A group of Americans ( which is believed to only be a small group) have protested to "Save Australians" from lockdowns. Probably after hearing how Melbourne is now the city that has been in lockdown for the greatest number of days. There were comments on the news of how much Americans actually know about Australians eg the typical cliche of how they think Australians wrestle crocodiles and ride kangaroos to school as examples. I bet they don't even know the difference between Melbourne and Australia and just because Melbourne is known as the city that has been in lockdown for the longest amount of days , it doesn't mean the rest of Australia is in the same situation except Sydney seems to be close having been in lockdown # 2 now for approximately 100 days straight that's over 3 months!!! One reader responded with a save your own country before you try to save ours comment with a "Thanks But No Thanks" and a "She'll Be Right Mate!" comment. It is believed this small group of protesters are anti vaxers and freedom of speech/ rights etc Who knows what to believe in the US with their vaccination rates below ours.
And I was right yet again - vaccination rates have lagged behind the target rate for today!!!! Was this due to Gladys' resignation? Uncertainty? or some other reason - definutely. the NSW government forgot about the What's the deal for the unvaccinated and partially vaccinated and what freedoms they will be allowed on "freedom day" who don't have the same freedoms as the fully vaccinated? I am waiting for some answers from the NSW government.
Victoria has reached a record day of COVID cases of 1763! Yet they are still set to open up the state on 26th October 2021 although it depends on vaccination rate. Will their cases reach 2000? Was I right about true protest and super spreader figures? Where else would such a high number of cases have resulted from? Unless there were heaps of secret illegal Football cekebration parties happening. There were a few illegal trips outside of the 5 or 10 km radius known of but I believe illegal gatherings were probably more likely super spreaders especially in confined indoor spaces with close contact lack of fresh air and sunlight.
I can't believe people around NSW are not wearing masks everywhere and getting ahead of the pathway to reopening by doing the wrong thing like gathering in larger groups before the state is due to re opening which is worrying.
Most of today was doing brain dead jobs of stripping displays, taking stock to the reserves and putting stock onto tables from another display stand all brainless jobs in preparation for re opening next week. I managed to lock myself out of the POS system. A sign perhaps that it's time for me to leave. Only the customer service manager can reset my log in ( she needs a reminder for this). I am not looking forward to starting at 9 am tomorrow for mark downs, it means leaving home at 7 am as I have to get to the staff entrance/exit by 8.25 am in order to start work by 9 am. I just made the bus this morning after missing the previous one.
I was having lunch and was having a conversation with one of guys that works in the dock about whether I have heard anything from the EC in regards to working at the local elections as it's gone a bit quiet and he had not heard anything. The elections are not until Dec 4th 2021 so it's still a little too early I think. He says to me how are they going to deal with voting this year? Will the unvaccinated still be able to vote? Who knows but I said it's a great excuse for me not to have to vote ( remember voting is ( suppose to be compulsory for anyone who is an Australian citizen over the age of 18 ) - oh sorry I couldn't vite becausr I'm unvaccinated until I realised the council elections were postponed until 4th December 2021 and by 1st December 21 anyone who is unvaccinated or partially vacvinate will have the same freedoms as the fuly vaccinated ie once 90% vaccination is reached or stage 3 of NSW reopening if I am correct. Wait on? Did I actually get that correct? So everyone has no excuse for not voting. Very suspect - was there a bit of insider trading going on amongst government departments from the Federal to State to Local goverment levels? Coincidental or planned that the local elections fell after the final phase if NSW reopening where there is freedom for all NSW residents? Did they know about phase 3 being December the 1st before the public knew about it hence cancelling and postponing the local election date to fall on the very first Saturday after this date so there is no excuse for Australian citizens residing in NSW not to vote? The local council will then have an excuse to fine anyone that does not vote which they would not be able to do before this date as it would be a no jab no vote and therefore the local council would not be able to fine all those that are unvaccinated partially vaccinate even medically exempt because they can't by law. Dirty politics again!
There is not much to tell about what happens at work. It's the same shit. Moving stock from the floor to the reserves or elsewhere and getting yelled at by the customer service manager for asking if a team member from VM was using all of theirs nothing new. There is shit everywhere in the reserves in the hallways and on the floor. Things in wrong places I gave up and just left stuff where I could. I made sure I finished by 5.20 pm and had enough time to go to the toilet grab my stuff and punch out exactly at 5.30 pm. Managers make all team members wait at least 5 minutes after 5.30 pm to open the staff entrance/exit doors to let us out then there is the bag checks.
I took my time getting home today as I needed some more groceries to make lunch for work tomorrow and Friday so stopped off at Aldi to get a non frozen pizza some duck ravioli and a piece of steak. Trying the piece of steak will be interesting as I haven't eaten red meat for a very long time asnd if it is it is usually lamb but never beef. I am not a fan of beef or pork so haven't eaten beef for decades and pork not for a very long time except maybe on a very odd occassion I will eat bacon if it is included on a pizza with chicken and vegetables. Tonight I am going to try a chicken and bacon pizza. I hated eating bacon so much I used to pick it off my pizzas.
Interesting political news Paul Toole ( known as the negotiator) is being sworn in as Deputy premier and his deputy will be Bronnie Taylor ( yes a female deputy !and the most senior MLC of NSW representing The National party). My question is who is the NSW Minister for Transport now after the MPs' shuffle shuffle to avoid political trouble.
The road map for plans to reopen next Monday is being stuck to but the roadmap may change. There has been no protocols for businesses reopening from the NSW government - so true.
15 weeks! Yes NSW has been in lockdown for 15 weeks now! That's almost 4 months! ie in Aussie slang Mate, that's a bloody long time !
Pizza for dinner however I made sure the bacon was well cooked and I added spinach leaves and sliced mushrooms and cheese to the pizza to make it a little more healthy. Left over pizza is for lunch tomorrow.
I missed the news but managed to catch The Cookup, 8 Out of 10 Does Countdown followed by the final episode in a 3 part series of Lost For Words. After which I watched todays alternative daily COVID announcement by the new NSW premier on YouTube and general news on ABC News.
I tried to sleep early.
Thursday 7th October 2021
Day 101 of an indefinite lockdown.
NSW has reached 70% double finally. "Freedom Day" will go ahead on Monday. Only for the fully vaccinated and it was mention that is is hardly freedom day as it is only a very small lifting of restrictions . Masks will no longer be required outdoors but people as mentioned previously weren't wearing masks already not only around Manly but around Lane Cove as well! 80% double vaccination is forecast to be reached by 6th November 2021. Just after my birthday. Makes no difference to me. I won't be double vaccinated by then. I don't get the rush of single vaccinated people to suddenly get double vaccinated before 11th October and just to enjoy a few freedoms like going to a restaurant gym or retail shopping which will all have limited capacity and possible reduced opening hours. Restaurants - really we have be eating online ordered takeaway delivery and home cooked meals which are probably healthier for you for so long now there's nothing wrong with that. And the gym, what's wrong with outdoor activities and small group fitness, long walks runs and jogs with plenty of fresh air and sunlight, I miss my dance classes and indoor swims/acquafit classes but who wants to be in a room of sweaty people at the moment and since it is spring the weather is getting warmer and I rather be going for a swim in an outdoor pool which allow both vaccinated and unvaccinated people. Don't you have to wait at least 3 weeks before you can have your second vaccination? So are the figures for single and double vaccinated NSW residents in correct? Say the 90% first dose vaccination was reached and NSW just reached 70% double vaccination today and the figure would have been much lower before the 70% rush to get vaccinated - that leaves between 10 - 20% of NSW resident who have only had their first vaccination - that's quite a substantial % . Does this show there was definitely vaccine hesitancy? or some other reason(s)? Are people not due for their second vaccinations until after freedom day ignoring the recommended period between vaccinations? Will this now cause problems with the length of time the vaccine is effective for? Will it shorten it as there is already discussions about 3rd booster shots as immunity may only last 6 months or could having double vaccinations within a shorter period of time increase effectiveness and immunity although it has been mentioned that a vaccinated person that died was just vaccinated but the vaccination did not have enough time to allow the body to build up immunity hence te reason why you need to wait at least 3 weeks between vaccinations. I do question this. whatever, I am taking my time to get vaccinated as it makes no difference to me when I get vaccinated given Myer not rostering me on next week or most people that are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated and the pressure is off so I can get vaccinated whenever I like , I can even wait until December 1st 2021 and either get my first vaccination as planned with my second on 22nd December 3021 when it will be freedom for everyone or remain unvaccinated ( maybe not as I do want to travel but not in Drcember!) I only hope that by getting vaccination I don't get an allergic reaction but that it will actually do the opposite and as a substitute reset my immune system that natural cyrotherapy usually does and has been absent treatment for the past almost 2 years now.
Dirty politics again calls for Victoria's premier Daniel Andrews now to step down immediately again due to a corruption claim.
Tougher lending laws to be implemented making it more difficult to buy a home.
Kylie Minogue has released new music and after 3 decades based in the UK is planning to return home to Melbourne Australia. For my UK readers Did you know of her plans before we did?
Well what do you know. There maybe some legal action against Myer I suspect. I may not be the guy on TikTok that predicted daily COVID case numbers then contracted COVID nor am IEverything I write has happened so so it will be interesting what happens to Myer ie the legal implications of Myer mandating a double vaccination in order to work for Myer. This means all staff tha t are unvaccinated or part vaccinated or with bookings to be vaccinated have been " stood down " again until they are fully vaccinated or wait until 1st December when everyone vaccinated or unvaccinated can return to work.
There is a funny side and a serious side to working at Myer. I really don't recommend it not even as a Christmas casual. There is not really a career path, it is an old company with old ways of doing things which is slow to adapt or change and a very old style of a top to bottom hierarchical management system that is outdated, with very old outdated technology that never works even when it is upgraded no matter how hard Myer tries to keep up with the latest trends in technological inovations. A lot of the staff that have been there are part of the furniture and will probably remain there until their retirement. They all may be 50 + but they are not senior managers and who I have found are the best employees to work with and talk to because they are the most knowledgeable and very wise . Most of them work in the same department - the dock for example. Myer managers must think everyone that works for Myer that is not a manager is not very smart and can't think for themselves. They could not be more wrong. Like myself there are a lot of team members who are retired from all professions, not everyone that works for Myer is a young teenage adult that is still at school or studying at university working at Myer as a Christmas casual just to make a bit of pocket money short term or is on a student visa with restricted working hours to making a little extra cash to cover living expenses whilst they are studying in Australia.
These wise seniors at the dock agree with what I have been writing about. The 3 levels of legal implications of mandating the "no jab no work" policy. It is actually a violation of Human Rights Law, A violation of NSW employment law if not National employment laws and a violation of antidiscrimination law. The dock manager has been reading up on this in detail.
I would personally like to see a class action against Myer of some sort but I would not to be the person who initiates it. A team member said that would be the worst senario/ last option.
Onto some humour a team member from the ground floor buddied up to work with me today said. She is Argentine and her English is not perfect but is is quite good as a second language fluent enough. So I asked her to get some S hooks or buchers' hooks which I had advised her were in a perspex cylindrical container 3 Industrie ones and a silver one and told her just to get the silver one. She wasn't sure where they were in the Homeware cupboards so she asked the customer service manager who was there with the electricals team leader ( they are still friends after he accidently slammed her pinky between the cage and door) "Where are the hookers? You know the hookers?" The expression on their faces was priceless although I wasn't there team members have been coming to me to tell me what they just did or said to the customer service manager. They just did not understand what this team member was asking fir and were giving each other looks of confusion " Hookers?" Finally it clicked. When the team member returned she told me what happened and she said it was ok to use the Industrie s hooks and ask me to explain what the correct English word was for a buchers hook or s hook.
I stopped at Aldi on my way home again to purchase a few essentials.
Home to watch The Cook Up and then 8 out of 10 does countdown. Then bed. I fell asleep whilst reading and texting a VM team member.
After what happened today in regards to Myer and the madate of vaccinations I told her that I needed to clear my head of any thoughts of Myer.
Friday 8th October 2022 ( oops I meant 2021 and I wish it was!!!)
Day 102 of an indefinite lockdown.
There were appoarently 646 COVID cases overnight. I wouldn't know and have to go back and check as I leave for work too early and get home too late to watch the news every day.
Mark McGowan Premier of WA was presented with a spear but started joking about it asking where the NSW premier Perrottet was in regards to WA ( and other Australian states) getting a more fair share of the GST revenue rather then NSW getting the biggest chunk of it. NSW is the state with the highest population followed by VIC and QLD therefore it could be argued that these states should get more share of the GST revenue however WA disagrees - SA and TAS are keeping a little quiet maybe they don't really seem to care .
Still no word from Balmain accountants so I followed it up. I think it's another scam. I fowarded an old resume so all my details won't be upto date. He did provide me with a phone number and email address so I can always take action if anything is suspect. If they are a real accountant, they would have taken an moral/ethical oath to do the right thing in that profession.
First up was the team huddle time at 9.30 am. Same old s***. There are at least 2 managers that are unvaccinated and 1 partially vaccinated manager. I am not the only unvaccinated team member in Homewares and there is at least 1 other team member from the VM department who is partially vaccinated. So come Monday Myer will be short staffed. Myer only caused this problem upon themselves. I didn't even want to attend the staff huddles - what the point I can't work at Myer as of Monday 11th October 21? This morning the team huddle was very tense you could feel it. Most brand partner staff were back preparing their concessions for reopening and told to check that their POS log ins all worked as they would be supporting Myer staff on the POS putting through other salles that are not their brands. Yes it"s at the point where Myer is so short staffed ( despite a hiring blitz) that they need staff from other departments such as the online department which has shut down yet again to serve at the POS with the addition of brand partner staff. Back to the tensness present at the team huddles recently. The huddle was lead by the operations manager this morning who was trying extremely hard not to mention the word " VACCINATIONS" at all during the entire huddle but he had to give in when he had to discuss how only fully vaccinated customers would be allowed in through the front store entrance to shop and how there will be security guards to check the different forms of vacvination status. Also staff were required to carry some form of ID at all times to indicate that they work at Myer as security guards will also be checking this however they will not be constantly checking staffs' status of vaccination. I look across the floor of the ladies shoes department and see the assistant store manager ( who by the way is unvaccinated herself) show some type of documentation on her phone to another partially vaccinated manager from the dock before having a discusdion with her. I turn to the other unvaccination Homewares team member next to me and tell her how I think the managers were discussing whether Myer's mandatory vaccination policy is actually legal. Later I find out from the dock manager herself tgat yes that was what they were discussing before telling the other unvaccinated Homewares team member how my observation during the meeting was correct between the two. Even the dock manager sensed how extremely hard tge operations manager was trying not to mention the "V" word during the entire team huddle. As soon as the team hudf5le was over I practically ran back to what I had to do - there was no way I wanted to stay a minute longer. As soon as I was allocated my job I was out of there. All staff and brand partners on a list of fully vaccinated staff had to stay behind and show proof of their double vaccination and have their name checked off that list. I am unsure if anyone has a medical exemption and whether it is accepted.
This is a text message a team member from VM sent to me after a departmental meeting they had , it's just one of many desparate situations Myer is in for reopening day
"I heard that online people will be on POS as of Monday although some refused and will be sent to other stores to continue online. V****** said VM may be asked but D****** said she will quit on the spot if they ask her. It's so long since I've done any POS that I would be more of a hindrance it would be like trying to teach a toddler 😆 "
"Yeah they asked me as well, But D***** is working so I may offer to do Saturday I'm not sure yet. I won't do it if V******isn't in. T***** did sound desperate when she asked me 😉"
Today I spent half of the day with another team member from the ground floor "fluffying up Christmas trees" wearing white cotton gloves given to us to prevent our skin getting scratched on both floors of Myer after moving and tidying up the glass reserve and moving stock ( I had just moved the same stock the day before from one shelf to another and that same stock previously from the dock to the arbor). So between 10.30 am and 3 pm in between morning tea and lunch we fluffed up the Christnas trees. After that I unloaded some new stock o to a display of Yoga and Massage products from a box which contained yoga mats, back massage ring, foot massagers , yoga gloves, massage balls etc. The VM manager comes upto me and advises me that there is a little more yoga stuff on the dock and indicates where it is located. I ask teams members that work on the dock if they had seen any yoga items around and no one knew where it was thinking it was the cage that was taken and I had already unloaded it. I managed to find a half filled cage with a few boxes containing a product that were in white boxes with very little description on them however I recognised the brands name and thought these were the yoga products I was looking for so I took one out to see what they were. What were they? At first look I could not figure out what it was - it said it had medical grade silicone on it and it was a white hand held phallus shaped object. Oh my God was Myer selling personal vibrators (ie dildos)? Have they stooped so low that they would sell such a thing? Or was it a hand massager - I have a battery operated hand held massager and it's a turtle and looks nothing like this one! I asked other team members what it was and both thought the same . I was not displaying that front and centre as it would not look good if customers did not know what they were. There is very little description of what they are on the boxes so maybe they are not personal massagers. It's funny I told the VM team member who said that her manager sent her a photo of it and she tbought it was a vibrator so she had told her manager to get her mind out of the gutter! It's a personal massager. I said that I'm not touching them (let alone putting them out on the floor) she says to me they're no used!. I know that but still not putting them out. I told the other Homewares team member and she looked the product up and said it is a massager showing me the picture of it online asking me if that was what it was. Yep sure was but it looks much worse in all white. I luckily I had to abandon putting them out as I was given another task of putting up tickets for the last 30 minutes until I ran out of tickets and stands to put up and it was time to make my way back to the staff entrance exit. Home time thank goodness!
Team members in the dock department have formed a syndicate investing their money in lottery tickets and they actually won $100 or so. One of their team members decided to join their existing syndicate because she didn't want to be the only one left behind at Myer if the rest of them won big on lotto and retired. Bless her. Told you there are some smart and wise team members at Myer. I always told team members how Myer management think team members are dumb and can't think for ourselves but we can. Smart enough to know that we can take legal action against Myer for having a "no jab no work" policy .
It was one of the electrical team members kast day today. He is leaving to return to India. He has been in Australia for 3 years and was on a student visa. It's a one way flight home . He won't be returning anytime soon but in the future he would like to return when it is posdible again. He seemed a little anxious about receiving his COVID results back in time for his departure flight. You need a negative result 3 days before departure and he departs tomorrow but still has not received his results. I asked him if the COVID test was free and he advised me that it was not and cost him $150. So anyone intending to travel overseas as soon as international borders open to Australian citizens take note of this extra expense and worry. By the way he is allowed to travel overseas because he is not an Australian citizen but it is a one way ticket home.
Dinner was another stop off at GyG in Manly for another takeaway spicy barramundi burrito with extra cortiander and chimi mayo on the side ( yes on the side) and they got it wrong again and put it inside the burrito - I still don't understand why they keep getting the chmi mayo incorrect whenever I ask for it. It is an extra 50 cents for it - If I have to pay for it I expect to get it. Home on the 144 bus. There was this cute cubby little boy with his mum snacking on hot chips on the 199 bus to Manly. You could tell he was well fed. The smell of their bot chips was making me hungry on both the 199 bus and 144 bus hence my stop at GyG in Manly for the barramundi burrito. I was so tired I could not be bothered to cook dinner when I got home.
I arrived home washed my hands, masked my masks with bleach and hung them out to dry before eating my burrito whilst catching The Cook Up followed by The Living Room and catching up with a YouTube channel before going to sleep early as there is nothing to watch on tv and trying to sleep in.
Saturday 9th October 2021
Day 103 of an indefinite lockdown
Day off and catch up day! Bills to pay and cleaning to do.
So much to do on my day off but I should not rush as I now have the next 6 weeks LWOP to catch up and do what I have to do now that I have been stood down again because I am not fully vaccinated. Do I care ? Not really. Financially it's good training for me for when I transition into retirement although that's over a decade away! I have almost everything I need at the moment. I plan to pay all my bills in advance with any funds I have available to last me up until 1st December 2021 although some of the team members say to lay low for a few days and they think the NSW government will likely bring forward the real freedom day when everyone vaccinated and unvaccinated will have all the same freedoms and it will be hopefully the offical end of the very long continuous NSW lockdown. Lt's hope they are as correct in their predictions as I have been!
In the mean time I need to seek out legal advice and take legal action against Myer's disgracefulness.
So good to watch the news again @ 7 am after missing it for 2 full weeks due to work. Even moving it forward from 11 am daily to 9 am daily made no difference to me. Speaking of which the new NSW premier is finance focused and has kept the health officials out of the daily 11 am COVID announcement media press conferences. Highlight was the day Kerrie Chant was basically snubbed altogether from these daily COVID announcements since he became the new NSW premier. Other controversial news was the fast tracking the easing of some of the new "freedoms" that were previously planned pathway for phase 1 reopening of NSW.
The vaccine passport does not work and will not be ready for reopening day on Monday 11th October 21. I notice it's not being called "Freedom Day " anymore either. It's not freedom day , it never was and still isn't and never will be until COVID is totally eradicated.
The focus is now on VIC with the highest COVID cases now at 1838 . There are now 1965 cases of COVID as of tbis morning !
QLD is now enjoying more freedoms again as there are no new infections.
A new strain of Delta has now been found in NSW which is no more transmissible severe or infectious - whatever! This strain is still under investigation as it maybe stem from hotel quarantine.
Interesting to note it is not being called COVID or a virus anymore but an infection!? What type of infection?
I don't eat red meat but it's a sad day when Coles supermarkets have made all their butchers & meat workers redundant or redeployed after it's decision ( which has been on the news for a while now) to stop selling freshly cut meats and only selling prepackaged meat products - more hard plastic from vacuum packing meat products. Gee that's all we need. The packaging probably can't be recycled either! So it's Customer : "I only need 1 or 3 steaks" - Supermaket: "Sorry but you have to buy the prepackaged 4 steaks" - Customer : " But I don't need or want to buy 4 sreaks , I only need 1 or 3!" Supermarket : " Tuff luck you now have no choice." Yes you do try a non Metro Woolworths!
Newsbreak this morning, there is back burning in my own back yard - Lane Cove National Park - no wonder I am having coughing fits watery irritated eyes and a runny nose again last night and today!
Oh dear the NRL premietship trophy has been damaged by Penrith players and will have to repair it if it is to be presented to the public in a parade at a later date. Something about "Goo Goo Gah Gah" & other news about 3 men sneaking in to watch the NRL game.
Townsville has a new beer called The Great Barrier Reef Beer which will actually contain water from The Great Barrier Reef and it will taste slightly salty. It's a promotional thing.
How stupid is France. 3 weeks after the French ambassador to Australia was recalled to return to France, he has returned to Australia. What about the 14 day quarantine arriving back in Australia and when he arrived back in France? Does France not have compulsory COVID quarantine rules? Are diplomats such as ambassadors exempt? They should not be exempt as our PM isn't! He had to do his 14 quarantine upon arriving back in Australia after his last trip overseas to the US to meet president Biden and other country leaders.
3rd booster shots are recommended by ATAGI for immuno compromised people but not more senior aged people. Really???
I fell asleep and woke up at around 10.30 am in time for the NSW premiers daily COVID announcement media press conference. Putting on "A united front" between the new NSW premier and NSW Health officials , Kerry Chant is not the 2nd speaker to apoear after the NSW premier's opening speech. There were 580 cases of COVID overnight. COVID cases in NSW are decreasing and vaccinations are working it is announced. Are they really? I doubt that vaccination is the only reason why COVID cases are declining - fresh air sunlight the ending of strict lockdown in hotspot LGAs in Greater Sydney better sanitisation and mandatory mask wearing indoors and outdoors and on public transport or share riding as well as other things like limiting movement of people more then 5 km or longer distances outside of LGAs as well as preventing super spreading events such as protests and huge events such as grand finals or concerts as well as testing have all contributed to the decline in COVID case numbers. Unfortunately letting international "travellers" back into Ausyralia and bungled hotel quarantine protocols as well as not locking down early enough for a shorter period of time and a poor vaccine roll out have all contributed to the rapid spread of COVID. Investigation of new Delta strain still going on with genomic sequencing testing on isolates. 3rd Booster shot 2 - 6 months after last vaccination for immuno compromised. Increasing cases in Hunter region, and other regional areas in NSW. Stupid Brad Hazzard tells everyone it's not fair for anyone unvaccinated not to get vaccinated and that there is no reason not to get vaccinated except for medical reasons. Wrong. Why should people get vaccinated now as soon as they can or as mentioned to try and bring their vaccination forward? You can't bring vaccinations forward and it does not matter between 11th October 21 and 1st December 21 now because you won't get the freedoms double vaccinated people will have anyway and there is no way you can be double vaccinated even if you got vaccinated now! At least I won't have to deal with the angry customers when Myer reopens! State is on the verge of 90% first dose vaccination. Hasn't this been the same statement for a few days now? And what happened to the deaths figure? Has no one died since the new NSW premier was sworn in? Here we go again. Bombarded by questions from the media in question time. Brad Hazzard is so stupid telling people if you are unvaccinated to go and get vaccinated! "We all want to yet ri d of tgis artifical boundry" Artifical boundry? The only artifical boundry is your stupidity about the freedoms unvaccinated and partially vaccinated poeople won't have on 11th October 21 - no wonder there was vaccine hestitency. What does he not realised. You still can't do the things fully vaccinated people can do even if you get vaccinated now - you can't get double vaccinated in less then 3 weeks! Do we really want to know about the new Delta strain under investigation that was acquired overseas from a returning traveller and in hotel quarantine if it is no more infectious, or if vaccines are not less effective in fighting it or if it is no more transmissible then the current Delta virus? When asked the question by a media representative during question time about which possible country it originally came from, the question was dodged with basically she did not know giving reasons such as it could be from an infected person on the plane passing it on, how that person contracted it etc etc with the only piece of information being they are from Western Sydney . The daily COVID announcement cut off as soon as the figures and information on the new Delta strain was announced on Channel 7 news so I switched over to the ABC News channel who aired the daily COVID announcement into the media press conference question time but cut it off after it got a bit intense. Much later it was announced on the news there were actually 11 deaths in addition to the 580 COVID cases announced early at the daily NSW COVID announcement media press conference. Kerry Chant had to apologise she actually forgot to give details of these death figures until another media representaive asked towards the end of question time and had to actually ask Brad Hazzard for assistance before continuing. ( 8 men 3 women , no other details were provided by her) Was She hiding something? I am sure I am not the only person kerping an eagle eye on every figure or statistic announced daily! She was in a hurry to get keen to leave question time until she was halted with another question about the revised roadmap out of lockdown trying to defend the decisions. Heckled again with her concerns about opening up. She was really in a hurry to escape question time this time round. She encouraged everyone to get vaccinated - vaccines work and she realised that as NSW approaches the 90% single vaccination rate ( ACT is ahead at 94% and she says it's not a competition but it would be nice to see NSW up there as well) it will become more and more difficult. Talking about barriers - it"s not her barriers causing vaccine hesitancy but the NSW governments. She can only advise, discuss and recommend from a health perspectives. Maybe she is trying to escape the all male possey. She seems a little lost without Gladys by her side . What is actually going on behind the scenes of these daily COVID announcements? Back to the NSW premier and more questions heckled at him about the move from hotel quarantine to home quarantine ( which we all know is currently being trialled but not in NSW) and his response was they are still working through it. Intetesting that he says " We'll be able to fly to Bali before we fly to Broome!" Mate, do you not know that Australia is one of the countries Bali has on their list that has not open their borders up to yet!? And time for one final non COVID question from the media was about support towards secret donation transparency before ending the daily COVID announcement.
Boy that was a very long daily COVID announcement no wonder they start earlier now!!! I now need to go back and catch up on all the others I've missed from Monday.
Sunday 10th October 2021
Myer 10 am - 5.30 pm stock ( Last minute request to work shift added to Kronos last Thursday afternoon)
Day 104 of an indefinite lockdown although the news on channel 7 mentioned it was 100 days in lockdown NSW residents have actually been in lockdown officially for over 104 days remembering that I went into lockdown a few days after the 2nd lockdown near the end of June 2021.
No time for breakfast so I stopped at Coles for a loaf of wholemeal bread, a bunch of corriander a packet of mixed greens turkey slices and one single nutella bar. so had been wanting to try this latest nutell a product but had not bern able to find it. Rating don't bother at $2 a bar it was not worth it. It was very light and the bar broke as soon as I ripped the package open. A cross between a kinder surprise , ferrero rocher, kit Kat ice cream cones without any ice cream in them and chocolate wafer biscuits, I was unimpressed to be eating a chocolate wafer filled with nutella. Buy a jar of nutella and spread it on a wafer biscuit or bread yourself or eat a tim tam or kit kat instead Rating 4/10. I could not taste any nuts in it It looked better on the advertisement then it actually is. Photo below
My unvaccinated Homewares team member told me on Friday to wait it out a few days and the dates for real freedoms for all ie vaccinated partially vaccinated and unvaccinated will be bought forward . Signs that they will by mid October and the end of October 21 where 80% and 90% double vaccination rates respectively are forecast to be reached. That's way ahead of the December 21 date initially forecasted. Was she or is she correct ?
So called "Freedom Day" eve or as NSW residents see it "Party like it's 1999!"
It's forecast to storm today and I'm at work today.
Today was just a lot of bullshit again at Myer. Again at the team huddle managers were trying extremely hard not to mention the "V" word.
Most of today was moving stock around nothing else or playing "foreman" for the customer service manager yep delegating team members jobs to assist me with moving heavy stock around of boxes of cookware from tables to shelves and shelves to shelves. What a brain dead job.
I am so tired. I caught the first bus a 167 to Manly which takes forever to get there. It's my last day at Myer so I don't really care what time I get home but would like to get home in time to watch Hey Hey It's Saturday 's 50th anniversary tonight at 7 pm as I grew up with this now defunct tv show. Home on the 145 home just in time to watch it. Dinner was my lunch I did not eat with another turkey and mixed green salad sandwich and so mandarin juice I had squeezed earlier over the weekend.
Today team member ticket girl was called in to help out. She does have a full time job but said she would do a short shift on the weekend if Myer is desparate. Looks like she will be doing another Christmas at Myer! It was great to catch up with her though at lunch. She has a twin brother and I though she had a brother who has a twin all this time I have been working with her. Why isn't he working at Myer along with her other brother?
Today I put up a few more signs but my biggest job today was moving the kitchen aid pot and pans to another wall where bakeware was removed off and placed on a display table and putting all the heavy cast iron BK boxed casserole pots and pans as well as moving the Analon and heavy Tamortina pots and pan sets onto the other bakeware wall. It was a big job organising and delegating team members from other departments etc with jobs to complete. I was playing "foreman" for the customer service manager as she was too spaced out to even think about what she had to do next ( by the way her pinky finger is now out of her makeshift splint she created and it looked bad! The nail itself does not look like it had any damage to it although it looked really thin and elongated - it looked like a finger nail a crack cocaine user would have but the finger itself is swollen but not "dead".)
I asked team member ticket girl if she got a reaction from the COVID vaccination ( she is now double vaccinated with Pcizer) and she said she also had a very sore arm which she could not lift but she did not get a really bad headache or other bad COVID like symptoms until the following day , she and her twin brother also fainted and her twin brother also got chest pains and had to get this checked out in hospital) These are very similar symptoms to the VM team member. Everyone I asked or heard directly has had quite a severe reaction from the vaccine which is really concerning. I am considering cancelling my Moderna vaccine appointment at a pharmacy and waiting until 1st Dec which was when my original Pfizer vaccine was booked for at a GP's office. It makes no difference now when I decide to get vacvinated or remain unvaccinated since as an unvaccinated or partially vaccinated NSW resident I can't work or e you any freedoms the fully vaccinated NSW residents how have.
There were thunder storms most of today around lunch time and rain into the night. This may explain why I am so itchy at the moment.
Monday 11th October 2021 - Week 81 Of Total Unemployment Again !
106 days in lockdown it was announced NSW is finally out of lockdown. The premier insists there will be no more lockdowns.
"Freedom Day" as at midnight last night but only for the fully vaccinated asnd not for the unvaccinated or partially vaccinated.
It's not freedom day - although there are plans to bring forward international travel you still can't fly anywhere until 14th November 21 at the earliest until home quarantine is sorted out.
It's very wet and still rainong this morning after the bad forecasted thunderstorms yesterday delivered , rain continued throughout yesterday afternoon and throughout the night. October/November is when it usually rains and is storm season.
Day 1 of phase 1 of NSW reopening after 70% double vaccination reached for double vaccinated only.
477 COVID cases yesterday but they predict an increase in cases today.
The usual daily COVID announcement media press conferences were said to be a shift about the number of COVID cases and deaths to more about reopening up of NSW and today it delivered.
The NSW premier is about to make his 10 am speech in a pub ( another shift to an earlier time slot that has happened since he became the new premier)
People are urged to be exercise caution with today's reopening prior to the 10 am daily media press conference.
The premier's speech is followed by the deputy premiers speech.
All they seem to be interested in was shouting all their mates a beer at the Sydney pub they were in.
Nothing about the partially vaccinated or unvaccinated again.
The NSW premier starts his speech with the problem with a shortage of labour and as people return to work. Well if there is a shortage of labour why am I unable to work due to age discrimination for a start and because he hasn't addressed the situation of the partially vaccinated and unvaccinated who can't go back to work due to companies mandating a no double jab no work policy?
There is a definite problem limiting freedoms to only the fully vaccinated. Some small businesses won't open until all are welcome ie unvaccinated partially vaccinated and fully vaccinated due to a series of concerns including discrimination, lack of social distancing requirements, policing of customer vaccination status, staff shortages, limit of revenue generation and ending of government small business support for example.
Rain rain and more rain today and forecasted for rest of the week in NSW. Typical Summer rain annually in October/November.
The building maintenance person has been in the apartment block again continuing to do repairs. They took the yellow bin 1 of the green bins and both big and little red bins out onto the curb. They left the blue bin (hopefully) still in the dumpster area behind for some reason - maybe it's empty. The little red bin is full of rubbish - not mine that's for sure. This means I have to bring the bins back in tomorrow ( just as well I'm not working).
Tuesday 12th October 2021
Day 2 of phase 1 of NSW reopening after 70% double vaccination reached for double vaccinated only.
Forecasted thunderstorms to be continued today and the rest of the week. I need to venture out today but it is such a yukky day.
The garbbos came around 8 am this morning so I snuck out to bring the 2 red bins back in ( just like I snuck out after the maintenance person left yesterday afternoon to take my rubbish out) but left the green and yellow bins out on the curb not emptied yet. Later when the yellow bin was emptied I took this back in before venturing out to go grocery shopping as well but the green bin was still full of dead leaves- should I bring it back in ? I decided to leave it out . I didn't take it out so if the property owner gets fined for leaving the green bin out - not my fault I didn't put that bin out! I didn't even know if the yellow bin was suppose to be put out for today. Lucky it was.
9.30 am and I forgot to log on and register to attend the Telstra AGM today. Oh well there is Myer's AGM which falls on my birthday this year and I have already asked for the day off way back in January 21 so if I get called back to work due to a change in vaccine mandate y Myer too bad! They can unapproved my leave that has already been approved almost a year in advance.
This is crazy 7.15 am and the premiers is making his daily announcement for today!
There was 496 COVID cases yesterday & 8 deaths which is a slight increase in the number of cases. It will be interesting to see what figures are like today. However it was nothing about the medical side of COVID like numbers of COVID cases deaths tests and how many are in hospital etc, it was all about a new COVID support package (s) for tradie's and small businesses to reopen and continue to trade with rebates to road tolls and other government fees upto $2000 and the assurance for small businesses to go ahead and purchase of perishable stock without having to dispose of it all again at their own cost.
News today was all about the return to work of vaccinated and unvaccinated workers ( office). Should unvaccinated workers be allowed to return to work along with vaccinated work colkegues? The debate of whether it is actually legal to mandate a no jab or work policy. A lawyer has bought up the point on reasonable grounds to remain unvaccinated such as medical or religious grounds. The vaccine mandate in VIC is different to NSW. In NSW the government has not mandated a all frontline workers must get vaccinated partially and have until 26th November to get their second vaccination whereas there is no such mandate by the NSW government and it is up to individual companies to mandate vaccines and that is the difference between NSW and VIC so Myer should take note! You have broken 2 more laws even if you are adhering to VIC's vaccine mandate of only needing to be partially vaccinated and not giving employees in NSW of any notice to be double vaccinated ( which is not even required under VIC vaccine mandates until Nov 26th).
Other non COVID news Lego is to go genderless. No more Lego for Girls and Lego for Boys, Lego searches will be by "interests" and "passions" instead. This is to ensure childrens ambitions are not limited by gender.
Other non COVID news today there is new hope for Parkinson disease sufferers, a dose of non intoxicating component of cannabis may help relieve symptoms. Great timing maybe they can get their hands on Justin Beiber's recent collaboration with LA cannabis company Palms of limited edition pre rolled joints called Peaches named after his recent single described as :
"The limited-edition product consists of seven 0.5 gram pre-rolls that includes Sativa, Indica and Hybrid strains, all with a “peachy’ flavour. The Bieber cheeba dropped today across dispensaries in four states — California, Nevada, Massachusetts, and Florida — for a retail price of USD$50.00 (AUD$69.00)."
There were 360 COVID cases & 5 deaths, cases are decreasing rapidly but the focus has shifted to the 80% target double dose date. Ot's getting difficult to kerp up with daily announcements from the new NSW premier as the times kerp changing. Daily news bulletins are the only way to find out what is happening daily.
I want to go out today but it is so wet outside and cold I have the heater on.
What yesterday was subdued ? of course it was it's not the best day to be out and about. Hairdressers are probably the only businesses that are booming (some booked out for the next 2 months) as they don't have the risks hospitality has of the risk of having to dump their perishable supplies again. Retail - shopping can still be done online. I just purchased my $40 Hallmark Christmas ornament - awaiting confirmation to actually click & collect it.
The next freedom day when 80% double dose is reached is forecasted in another fortnight's time.
The new drug still in the process of being approved as a COVID treatment is said not to be a substitute to getting vaccinated. There are still millions of Americans who remain unvaccinated but they are still getting on with life living with COVID even running large events like marathons.
Bonza airlines. Another budget Australian airline to debut next year sometime ( I think it is actually an American company) It will open up more direct routes to region areas around Australia instead of having to depart from a major capital city in order to get to these regional areas. Debate and discussion is around whether there is room for another budget airline especially when airlines like Ansett and Tiger both became defunct. I believe this new airline is purchasing and refurbishing the old Tiger planes. Let's hope this budget airline doesn't offer el cheapo fares with no meal service, do it yourself everything no check in luggage and a 5kg or less carry on luggage strict limit and a no seats standing only for the entire flight! How about safety?
I did venture outside today in the afternoon as I had to get more moisturiser and antihistamines. I had been trying a new brand of antihistamines and they just had no affect therefore I purchased another brand name packet. I could not buy everything on my shopping list today so may have to venture out again tomorrow. I wish I didn't. Home delivery is not an option as it takes too long and I am not willing to pay the delivery fees as I am not currently employed. Click and collect also takes too long where I live.
I did all my shopping at Woolworths - gee I hate shopping there, it's the supermarket I am most allergic to and today I was really allergic whilst there. My eyes were extra watery my nose would not stop running and I had a very bad asthma coughing fit which was mucusy and deep definitely not a COVID cough for sure. I grabbed what I could chucking it into my wheelie bag and got out of the supermarket as soon as I could. As soon as I got out into the open air I took my mask off blew my nose and repacked my groceries put my mask back on again before walking home. I might have taken an antihistamine as well.
Home I washed my hands and bleached my masks washing them and hanging them up to dry before unpacking my groceries and watching the usual news The Cook Up 8 Out of 10 Does Countdown and insight as there was nothing else on before falling asleep.
Wednesday 13th October 2021
Day 3 of phase 1 of NSW reopening after 70% double vaccination reached for double vaccinated only.
It's a really rainy day again today. It rained throughout the night and was a little cold again. I did not sleep very well at all and have a very bad rash over parts of my body and over my face which is red. My ezcema has flared up so badly. I had to take 2 a antihistamines yesterday. I am due to get my first vaccine of Moderna tomorrow but am cancelling as I am just too allergic to something and don't want to make whatever is causing my allergies and ezcema worse from a reaction from the vaccine. I had such a bad sleep I slept in until 8.30 am this morning.
NSW has 90.8% single vaccinations reached & 75.2% double vaccinations reached.
There were 444 COVID cases & 4 deaths overnight. A slight increase in cases from yesterday BUT I think a significant increase. The question is why and are these figures correct? If so where are these figures coming from?
4.30 pm and I haven't done much except ventured downstairs to do one load of laundry. It's really awful outside so I haven't even ventured out to take my rubbish out or taken my bag of bottles to the nearest return and earn machine in the carpark in Little Street Lane Cove. Maybe tomorrow. Today I just watched tv and cooked a few things. I made up a bottle of mandarin juice as I could not find the green juice I usually buy during yesterday's shopping trip. I also made myself some oven poached turkey breast toasties with 2 cheeses olives sundries tomatos onion garlic basil mushrooms mixed herbs & chilli flakes. Yummy! Still don't know what made me have that itchy allergic reaction but I suspect it was something I put into the chocolate granola slices I made as I had a itchy milder reaction again today after eating a bit of it.
My laundry is not quite dry yet so I am trying it for another 20 minutes.
6 pm news . Loads about vaccinations again. Vacvine passports should be up and running this weekend and trial results for vaccination of kids submitted for review and approval.
A 4th MP Melanie Gibbons ( Holsworthy) is leaving state politics for a Federal political career. That makes 4 up coming by elections!
Live auctions are back on.
Final voyage of the Queenscliff ferry. Retiring after it's 1983 maiden voyage 40 years of service. This service will be replaced by smaller more frequent ferries. The ferries with a dodgey safety record built not to withstand Sydney's "battering" waves.
History in the making again? An Aussie is preparing to go into space with Captain Kirk ( William Shatner). On board the Blue Origin Rockets - 15 minutes of fame & 3 days of training, he will be strapped in next to his childhood idol Captain Kirk. It was not a free trip, this country Australian paid for his seat on the rocket which is debated as to whether it is actually travelling into space and whether these passengers on board are actually considered "astronauts".
Nett zero by 2050? I don't know about this. The PM hasn't even made up his mind as to whether he is going to attend the Glasgow climate change summit - even Prince Charles hopes he comes to it.
Ah the QR codes. So versatile. Now there is talk that we will be using them to pay for stuff by Christmas. You have got to admit they are very clever. I use them ( refer my Facebook and previous blog).
I better retrieve my laundry from the drier now. Done. My freshly washed and dried towels and quilt are so warm and cuddly. I felt like wrapping it around myself straight out of the drier as it is so awful outside at the moment and going to be horrible tomorrow according to a severe weather warning for tomorrow!
I am trying to book an alternative appointment to get vaccinated since the pressure is off to get vaccinated now. I can get vaccinated whenever I wanted to now as it makes no difference as I can't work for Myer even if I am partially vaccinated.
I can't seem to log in to my original vaccination appointment at the GP to change it or see earlier vaccination appointments - it needs a password and I Can't remember it or if I had one and there is no forgotten password option - this can only be done via the service heath website.
After watching the news The Cook Up and 8 out of 10 Does Countdown, I waited to watch New Gold Mountain on SBS which was suppose to started at 9.30 pm but I forgot about watching it and missed the first 30 minutes of it. It waa slow to get into this mini series based on the Australian Gold Rush and it is half in English and half in Cantonese ( true Cantonese and not Manadanese) with English subtitles when required ( I didn't need them as I only speak and understand Cantonese). I think it is only a 3 part series continuing tomorrow. That would have been a great mini series to be an extra in although the cast was mainly male ( the Australian Gold Rush was no place for a lady back in the day and the females were mainly from the well to do.)
By 10.30 pm the vaccination % in NSW were 91.1% single vaccination reached and 76.5% double vaccinations reached according to the late news.
Thursday 14th October 2021
Day 4 of phase 1 of NSW reopening after 70% double vaccination reached for double vaccinated only.
The Pfizer for kids vaccination safety debate is again under discussion. Still waiting approval to go ahead.
Chloe Mccardel completes her 44th English Channel Crossing to break current record of 43 swims.
William Shatner actor (Captain Kirk - Star Trek) the oldest person ( he is 90 really?) goes into space and is back on earth. It was just a 10 minutes and 17 sec journey in space - another successful Jeff Bezos " Blue Origin flight" space venture! Why do all "spaceships" look like penises? There was an Australian physicist on board who paid his way to be on board this space ship. I wonder who will be the next to send more civilians into space? "Beam me up Scotty!"
A teenager nearly died from secretly vaping. She was hospitalised for what doctors thought maybe or pneumonia even COVID until she admitted she had been vaping. The symptoms described were very similar. She had so much fluid drained from her lungs and still has trouble breathing to date. A warning to 12 - 17 year olds - the age group who are the vapers and who vaping products are marketed towards as these vaping products may not contain nicotine but come in addictive flavours such as fruity flavours in a "menu" which are appealing to this age group. Vaping may look harmless but it's addictive and toxic as nobody knows what's in the flavoured liquids that goes into these capers or e cigarette type devices. A few puffs could make these kids really sick or kill them especially inhaling vitamin E which is found to be in some of them. I wonder in the far far distant future where anyone will have heard of vaping.
More Dine & Discover Vouchers and business grants will be made available over Summer in NSW to encourage residents to get out and about. I still haven't used my last 2 which don't expire until 30th June 2022.
NSW is expected to hit 80% vaccination by this weekend which means further freedoms for the fully vaccinated only I assume.
Less COVID news and more other needs- maybe I missed all of it as I did not wake up until 8.30 am this morning after another not so good night's sleep. I have decided to definitely delay vaccination now. I need to get over my current allergies .
It's another awful day today but I have things to do today. Another wet & stormy day today is forecasted.
Why has Victoria reached 2297 COVID cases yet their vaccination rate is rapidlyincreasing to wards the 70% even 80% rate and on par almost with NSW? How can these figures even be possible or correct?
NSW has 406 COVID cases down again from yesterday. The number of deaths was not announced on this morning's news. Apparently there were 6 deaths. 77.8% are now reported to be fully vaccinated.
I was applying for more jobs when the pesky Centrelink employment service provider rang again. Can you imagine what would have halpened if I was in the middle of getting vaccinated today? ( yes they decided to prebook a phone appointment at the same time and date of my vaccination I had booked weeks ago and was suppose to have today ). I again did not answer the call. My allergies intercepted all plans for today.
I wrote another letter ( card actually) to the aged care resident at the same aged care facility the late Irene Career resided at. There were some realky interesting things in the package I received from the Volunteer manager which I could sought through and write and send to this aged care resident. It wasn't just some local postage stamps and envelopes but cards and past news articles as well and some jokes. I do hope this aged care resident writes back to me.
I ventured out to post the letter I wrote to her in the afternoon. I was going to return my botyles as well but it was starting to rain quite heavily and there were forecasts for thunder storms as well so I walked back to the bus stop and caught the 144 bus to Chatswood. I haven't been to Chatswood for so long. When I arrived it was still raining and looked as if it would thunder (& lightening) as well. I felt safer doing the remainder of my grocery shopping there as most of the shops are undercover either at the Station Concourse or at the Westfield ( I did not want to walk all the way down to the larger Coles and Aldi across the road as it is a bit of a walk and there is no shelter until you reach The Chase which means you could be caught in the rain on your way there or back).
My first stop was to top up my Opal card with $40 not that I need it as I don't really have anywhere to go. I did not go upstairs to the Woolworths Metro at Chatswood Station where I normally top up my Opal card but used the automatic Opal card top up machines opposite the train station gates. Done.
My second stop was Australias Post located undercover just behind Chatswood Station. I purchased a word find puzzle book for $5.99, a glittery pen which I did not know cost $7.99 and a basic small mailing satchel , a black HP ink cartridge for my printer and a prepaid traceable envelope. The mailing satchel, puzzle book and glittery pen were gifts for the aged care resident I am writing to. I will post this later as I just sent her a letter. No writing sets so it took me a while to find something that maybe suitable for her. I asked the postal officer how much it would cost me to send the puzzle book and ppen in the mailing satchel to Marrickville and he said $21. What $21 to send that satchel locally?! I repeated . He misheard me and thought I said to the U.S. ( I don't know how he made this mistake as the other postal officer was assisting me with whether a packet of Christmas cards a little thicker then it would cost to post locally and it certainly wasn't $21!). I made the postal officer write on the mailing satchel the exact postage and asked him if I could put my own stamps on it to make up the $3.30 that it would cost and advised him that no I did not need to buy more local stamps. I asked for a receipt and it was off to my next and final destination Coles Local. The supermarket was downstairs in the Westfield Shopping Centre across the lane way. It was still really wet and raining outside so I had to make a dash for it. When I arrived at the entrance to Westfield there was a line for the barber shop and as I walked through Westfild every single hairdresser and barber had a line of people waiting to get their hair cut. I am l lucky I don't need one at the moment (nor do I need anything urgently as click and collect is so slow) as there would be no way I could get one as I am unvaccinated and only fully vaccinated residents can get a haircut go to the gym have a drink in a pub or have a sit down meal at a cafe or restaurant or do retail shopping ( anything other then essential shopping).
I don't like shopping at a Coles Local as it is more expensive then a normal Coles supermarket and often is smaller and does not have everything I need on my shopping list. Today I was still missing grocery items off my shopping list as they were not available. I had to purchase a small quantity of a substitute product. Grocery shopping done I did not bother going to Aldi or using a shopping trolley just a basket this shop so I don't over shop as I only had 2 cloth reusuable shopping bags with me. There is a limit as to how much I can carry home even on a bus. I asked for change for the llaundry before repacking my groceries so they were more secure in my shopping bags before walking back to the bus stop at the back of the station home. A toilet stop on the way. It was still raining by the time I reached the bus stop and it started to rain quite heavily as I got off the bus across from where I live. I was standing at the pedestrian crossing notorious for not turning to the green walk sign for upto 10 minutes when it started to thunder and lightening appeared. I was saying to myself come on lights turn green to the walk sign whilst I was standing there raining getting heavier by the minute. The forecasted thunderstorm fast approaching. I run across the pedestrian crosding as soon as the lights turn to the green waok sign and to the entrance to where I reside. My shoes are dirty and wet so I take them off just inside the entrance doir so I don't dirty the newly cleaned while tiled foyer area and hallway up the stairs to the apartment.
I was my ha new and bleach my masks to hang up to dry before unpacking my groceries have a snack then watch tv.
I manage to watch the 6 pm news followed by The Cook up then 8 out of 10 Does Countdown then Adam & Poh's Malaysia in Australia and finally the second episode of New Gold Mountain on SBS I think it's called. It's 10.30 pm and I am still up on a Thursday night catching up on my blog. Meanwhile the thunderstorm outside came and passed. It really poured with rain and thundered outside soon after I was safe and sound back home.
11pm and it's time to go to bed.
Friday 15th October 2021
Day 5 of phase 1 of NSW reopening after 70% double vaccination reached for double vaccinated only.
After the wild thunder storms, hail storms, tornados ( Armadale) and a major flooding including the roof of Westfield My Druitt ( in the Western suburbs of Sydney) collapsing , I slept in this morning waking at 7 am to an almost dry almost sunny day with clear blue skies peeping out however it's not over yet according to weather reports. More rain is still to come today in Sydney. Possibly more storms. It is still quite windy outside and the road is still a bit wet.
NSW is set to hit the 80% double vaccination rate by this weekend with more lifting of restrictions or "freedoms" to come this weekend. However promised regional travel has been delayed due to low vacination rates around regional areas of NSW ( delayed until Nov 1st)
A few things to do today - take my rubbish out DONE, do my remaining laundry DONE , return bottles for recycling hopefully over the weekend as it is not the best day to do it today, update my shopping list DONE, apply for more jobs DONE and general cleaning HALF DONE, pay some more bills in advance maybe over the weekend and cooking DONE.
A new sign was errected outside the property today late this afternoon. Hopefully there will be some new tenants soon although I did enjoy having the entire apartment block to myself for almostt 4 months now. It is getting a little lonely. I haven't even put up my Christmas tree yet and I am still waiting for an email for my Hallmark Keepsake that I ordered from Target to confirm it has arrived for me to Click & Collect - It's been over a week now and still nothing.
Vaccination certificates are now available online from Service NSW . Finally rapid antigen testing kits will be available soon - 3 will be available once approved (1 nasal 2 saliva testing kits).
There were 399 COVID cases in NSW and 4 deaths today I believe mainly in NSW regional areas. Only a slight decline in the number of cases from the previous day.
An end to all forms of quatantine in NSW as of 1st November! NSW welcomes all returning travellers from overseas only proof of double vaccination and 2 COVID tests required - one overseas before you depart and one upon arrival into NSW. Good news for Australians stranded overseas! A very brash move from NSW's new premier some have argued. Will this cause a COVID outbreak again? It is forecast not due to the very high rate of vaccination - remember vaccination does not protect you 100% from COVID nor does it 100% stop the spread of it and effectiveness is known to decrease over time so anyone can still contract or spread COVID even from returning overseas travellers. The PM was unimpressed by this announcement because the NSW state premier went above the PM with his decision to end quarantine.
It's still so nice outside although there are still rain and storm warnings for Sydney and other parts of Australia's Eastern states today.
Non COVID news today Adele has released new music for the first time in 6 years and everyone is thrilled. Her album titled 30 will be a smash! Her single released in full today ( she had been teasing listeners and fans for days now with only snippets of her new single) is about her divorce. It's called " Easy On Me". As with all of Adele's music I ❤ it.
There was the reminder of a vaccination mandate in Victoria ie all Victorian frontline workers must have had at least 1 vaccination by today and double vaccinated by 26th November 2021. Same mandate for all MPs , if MP's aren't vaccinated they won't be able to attend Parliament. Some argue that with the struggle of reopening and a shortage of labour , employers are reluctant to stand down unvaccinated employees. NSW 's government does not have the same mandate yet I am in a situation where I have been stood down due to being unvaccinated - unfair as I and my fellow retail frontline workers did not get any notice unlike Victorian retail frontline workers who did get notice.
I tried to report my fortnightly income to Centrelink online but the system is down. I will try again later but will also send them a letter with my income reporting and the dilemma with my current employer and complaint about the Centrelink Approved Employment Service Provider still hassling me whilst I am at work or looking for work.
By late afternoon still no success on the mygov website and now I know why the system crashed due to the high demand of residents trying to upload their vaccination certificates without success crashing the mygov system from trying to link the information from the service NSW website to it. The mygov website links the ATO Jobactive Centrelink Medicare and other government departments/agencies holding a huge amount of your personal information together.
I need to write about Myer and don't know where to start. They really have a people and cultures issue or is that HR issues? Probably both. Well my transfer request has finally been passed onto the attention of the store manager of Myer Warringah. It should not have been but it was. To the point where the customer service manager rang me about it today. So much for the chain of communication. I had been asking about a transfer for a while now via email communications but did not know exactly how to request a transfer Did I have to discuss this with the Store manager? Assistant Store Manager? Customer Service Manager? ( I was only told to speak to the HR department or Line Manager - who were they exactly?) It makes it even more difficult now that I have been stood down and only received a response to my transfer today via email. I applied for a Christmas Casual position at Myer Chatswood and was still waiting for a response. After not having much luck quite a while back with responses , I decided to take it upon myself instead of speaking to a manager about it , to apply via the jobs website applying for a Christmas Casual position thinking it may be quicker that way to obtain a transfer. I made it clear in my notes on my existing application profile that I wanted to temporarily transfer to the Chatswood store for Christmas to cut down on travel. Yes I maybe unvaccinated but I am responsible limiting my travel outside my LGA and not using public transport unless absolutely necessary. Christmas is going to be a real problem roads get congested public transport becomes crowded hence my request to transfer temporarily to work closer to home. I know that both Warringah and Chatswood are looking for Christmas Casuals so I selected the store I wanted to work at. The email of the status of my application should have been relatively quick but it dragged on. My intention was not to leave Warringah but just temporarily transfer to Chatswood and thought just applying for a temporary transfer to Chatswood for Christmas would be much quicker just reapplying online. When the customer service manager rang and spoke to me about this she explained to me that I had applied for a Christmas casual position meaning I would be leaving the Warringah store permanently and only working at the Chatswood store temporarily over Christmas with no guarantee of a permanent position there after this period ended. I would not be able to return to Warringah store afterwards. That's not what I requested. She said when she returned to work she would speak to the store manager about it and find out if this is actually even possible- she did not think so. She then went on to explain that even if I work at Chatswood that I would have to be fully vaccinated. I said to her that I don't think that is correct and she said she would speak to Nick about that as well for clarification. As far as my reasearch and the research other unvaccinated and partially vaccinated team members of Myer Warringah have done Myer's "no jab no job" mandate is actually illegal on 3 levels as previously mentioned in my blog - Human Rights Law Employment Law and Anti Discrimination Law.
How's this for a news headline " Sydney workers have launched a legal challenge over COVID vaccinations" dated 30th September 2021.
Well it had to happen however I don't think the case was as successful as it should have been because these essential workers to Brad Hazzard Kerry Chant and the NSW government to court but did not argue the case as I would have.
So here is how I would have argued it:
1. Level 1 legal implications According to Human Rights Law, a country's government cannot mandate vaccination on all it's "people" ( citizens non citizens refugees temporary and permanent residents etc) . Especially in a democratic or free country where people have the right to choose whether they are or wsnt to be vaccinated or not. This is particularly relevant on the grounds of medical or religious reasons where mandatory vaccinations could result in other consequences. There is a big difference how the NSW government and Victorian government handled this mandate of vaccinations. The Victorian government decided to
I watched the 6 pm news The Cook Up and The Living Room today. After putying my laundry away, It's time for bed early around 9.30 pm .
I plan to venture out tomorrow if not on Sunday.
Saturday 16th October 2021
Day 6 of phase 1 of NSW reopening after 70% double vaccination reached for double vaccinated only
Second weekend of "freedoms" and easing of lockdown restrictions where NSW residents may still not be able to travel to any regional areas of NSW but are able to travel to there areas of Greater Sydney such as The Blue Mountains this weekend - not the best weekend as it is forecast to be windy and It's the beginning of tick season between October and January each year.
9 am and the latest COVID figures are in. There were 319 COVID cases in NSW today again another decrease in COVID cases and 2 deaths. The state has reached the 78.8% double vaccination rate ( just .2% off the 80% target forecasted to be reached this weekend but there is still time today as people will get vaccinated over this weekend). Now that I'm stood down it doesn't matter to me when I get vaccinated I can't return to work unvaccinated or partially vaccinated so I'll take my time. Even the slim chance of being able to travel overseas again is not enough to encourage me to get vaccinated sooner especially when overseas travel without hassles any is still a long 6 - 12 months away.
All eyes ( from other states) are on Victoria's mandate on vaccinations by their state government for all frontline workers. All frontline must have had their first vaccine by today or intend to have one by having a vaccination booking and be double vaccinated by 26th November. At least frontline workers had notice although not a choice. The constant debate of weather mandating a vaccine is actually legal and not a breach of human rights laws especially by a government has been ongoing. This is why I am so pissed off and one of the reasons why I have delayed my vaccination and will get vaccinated when and if I decide to now.
The property management company came in today once before lunch and once after lunch I think to style and take final photos of the apartment block inside for posting online to attract new tenants. It is so nice and clean and I hope it stays that way. It was so disgusting before. I mentioned previously in blogs how I don't use the communal kitchen area and only do my laundry down there.
Sunday 17th October 2021
End of the first week since "Freedom Day".
Day 7 of phase 1 of NSW reopening after 70% double vaccination reached for double vaccinated only
There were 301 COVID cases and 10 deaths today. NSW has now reached the 80% double vaccination rate which means as of tomorrow there will be the further lifting of restrictions. "Freedom Day" is now in phase 2 of reopening NSW but still only for the fully vaccinated. No one can travel regionally so it's not really freedom even if you are fully vaccinated.
Yesterday at the first Spring Racing Carnival event out at Randwick Racecourse with a real crowd ( of fully vaccinated lucky live crowd of 10 000 people able to attend the event with emphasis of bring back together a younger demographic with all the fashions at the stake), Nature Strip the favourite horse wins the Everest 2021 with James McDonald as the jockey.
NASA launches a space craft with some diamond dust on board to Jupiter for a 12 year mission to study trojan asteroids named "LUCY" after the Beatles hit "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds" - Does NASA not know that LUCY is code name for LSD ? ( it is claimed that the space craft was named LUCY because it is carrying diamond dust therefore LUCY is in the sky with diamonds and nothing to do with reference to LSD). Ah "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star - How I Do Wonder What Substance You Really Are on board the space craft named LUCY!
A juvenile humpback whale has been tangled in shark nets at Whale beach yesterday and freed.
The Australian govermoment has secured an new preventative antiviral COVID drug (15000 units of the anti viral treatment Ronapreve) from Pfizer but advises it is not an alternative to vaccinations. It is apparently the drug used to treat Donald Trump when he was hospitalised with COVID. They also secured another drug used to treat COVID. These drugs are due to be available at the end of October.
9.30 am NSW premier's announcement. No sign of Kerry Chant again - I think her absence since the NSW premier was sworn in is an indication that she has well and truely become obsolete from the daily COVID announcements. Not much new today. The emphasis was just how NSW has reached the 80% rate , new restrictions lifted and mental health was the key discussion today. This announcement was cut very short - no figures no question time. The Health Minister's announcement overshadowed the NSW premier's daily COVID announcement today. Continuing after the Health Minister's special announcement, the media press conference question time was bombarded by questions in relation to mental health issues ( there was a discussion earlier on the news of the increased rate in eating disorders during lockdown) and even more questions on return to school safety for students parents and teachers and procedures and protocols - mandatory vaccination of teachers, students, phased return to school and rapid antigen testing at school of home were all topics of debate and discussions during the daily COVID announcement by the NSW premier.
So many questions from the National Media Press Conference question time today for the Chief Medical Officer of Australia Professor Paul Kelly & Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt . Not all about COVID also about climate change - emissions down jobs up? Yes they ( PM asnd other Federal MPs will now apparently be attending the Climate Summit ) are going to Glasgow Climate Summit now. 4 rapid antigen testing kits have now been approved. Questions and responses from the ministers were interwoven during question time at this special media press conference announcement. 2 new treatments 2 new pathways but vaccination is still the main preventative measure so Australians
Today I stumbled upon Dr Sam Bailey's YouTube Channel and it was fascinating to watch. I was surprised that her channel was not completely removed by YouTube with all the negative scientific COVID information it has on it. After watching 1 or 2 episodes of it, I realised that it was no removed partially because she is a doctor and her channel does discuss other medical subjects such as nutriential supplements but mostly because she tells "the truth and nothing but the truth" about COVID and believe me "the truth is out there" by her research and backing up her discussions and information with real scientific facts and even quotes from various award winning scientists and researchers. It does contain quite technical information but not overly technical that I having a science background in the wrong field ( ie chemical technology not biomedical science ) can't understand. She also has a book out on viruses. Though I would share this piece of information with my readers especially those who have stopped reading my blog.
After lunch I ventured out to pick up my $40 Hallmark Christmas ornament Father Christmas 2021 # 18 in the series ( this is my annual Christmas gift to myself and I have been collecting them since they were first released and they used to only cost $20 - $25 each!) from the click and collect at Target located in Westfield Chatswood. I took the 244 bus which I waited quite a while for. When it arrived there was another one right behind it. Always the case with the 144 buses. I was planning to return and earn my bottles at either the Lane Cove automated machine in an underground car park in Little St or take them to City Convenient Store in Chatswood and do a return and earn over the counter there but just as well I didn't as both were closed today. I checked the Lane Cove automated machine and it indicated it was closed on Sunday but when I looked up City Convenient Store it said it was open but when I arrived the store was closed. The signs on their doors even indicated they were supposed to be open all day today.
So it was onto Target. When I arrived everyone was scanning the QR code and checking in but there was no one really checking everyone's vaccination status before they entered via the downward escalator. At the bottom of the escalator there is a entrance and exit divider and a Target employee stationed at the entrance to the store who asked everyone if they had checked in but she did not check every singl e person's vaccination status so I could have spent the whole day inside target shopping and nobody would know however I was here to Click and collect only ( I made my purchase before Freedom Day so my click and collect is not impacted by the double vaccination entry policy anyway). I waited forever to receive my click and collect - moist people were queuing up for click and collect returns or exchanges and not shopping anyway. I thought it was a quick in and out of Target but no I was in a queue for so long I could have contracted COVID in the time I was in Target and there were so many people so close together waiting - so much for the 4 square meter rule in place until at least tomorrow and all the other restrictions in indoor retail settings. At least everyone was wearing a mask ( I hope) which is still mandatory indoors snd on public transport where you can't social distance are in close contact with others and where there is no fresh air circulating. Done barcode to confirm order pick up, presentation of ID box handed over to me . I ensured that I opened it up before leaving the store as it was really light to check the item I ordered was present in one piece and the correct one. Yep. I did not open the Hallmark box itself to check the ornament inside it. Photo below of my purchase.
Another major news headline around 2.30 pm Coffs Harbour in the Northern region of NSW has a massive freak hail storm and flooding with the super cell storm leaving a trail of destruction, collapsed shopping centre ceilings , smashed glass windows and dented cars with hail stoness the size of golf balls or lager even and blanketing the region in a blanket of white which liked like a thick layer of snow ( the locals wished) . People abandoned trolleys and sort shelter where they could. The flooding caused the level of water up to local residents knees and the clean up afterwards massive. There was discussion just a day or ago as to whether the size of hail stones in a certain region of Australia were actually record breaking size. I remember growing up in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney a few decades ago when the Eastern suburbs was covered in a blanket of white hail stones and caused quite a bit of damaged with the Royal Sydney Golf Course in Rose Bay looking like a Smiggins Hole ( ski area).
I watched the The Chase, the news, The Cook Up, A documentary on HIV AIDS and New Gold Mountain ( I love this short SBS drama series although I am unsure how close to history this actually depicts - was lift during the Australlian Gold Rush really like this? How civilised were the Australians actually towards the Chinese during the australian Gold Rush? We're women already fighting for gender equality in the form of carving out their independence and own career that early in history ? Was there actually prostitution between the Australian and Chinese? Was there actually tax evasion and tax avoidance during the Australian Gold Rush?)
It waa 10.30 pm and I fell asleep soon afterwards.
Thursday 21st October 21
I wake to quite a nice day today at 5 am. There is a forecast for a possible shower later today.
The focus of the news headlines today is :
There were 372 COVID cases & 1 death in NSW today.
All eyes are on Melbourne 's Freedom Day eve preparations at midnight tonight despite it's high COVID case numbers still well above 1000 cases. Well their curfew has been lifted early for businesses to prepare for when the clock strikes midnight and Melbourne reopens to the fully vaccinated however there are concerns of retailers being forced to sell their goods and services outdoors and on footpaths (as previously mentioned on the news) as retailers will not be allowed to trade indoors until later in November (I believe) . What a stupid new conditions of freedoms rule or regulation!
Booster shot roll outs are being discussed yet again!
Net zero emissions PM Scott Morrison has secured a 2050 deal with The Nationals. It was all about the economic impact on regions ie jobs job jobs!
The NSW premier has announced funding for a new vaccine research facility. A little too late mate!
Startrack Express is striking again so if you have ordered or sent parcels for Christmas expect delays . Yep another strike just after yesterday's railway workers' strike ( well it wasn't a full strike just a 70% go slow ). I haven't seen so many strikes for decades! Is this a byproduct from the COVID pandemic?
The job market where there has been a surge in skilled job advertisements, a skills shortage contrasted with a segment before this on under employment in casual jobs where there are apparently 27 applicants per every entry level job advertised. It difficult to believe any employment facts and figures at the moment. if tgere are plenty of skilled jobs advertised I should have found a job by now. I am not even working in my current job at the moment. I applied for yet another job yesterday and continue to get job application rejections one after another. Maybe I was destined to remain unemployed.
Although she is not sick or contracted COVID, the Queen has been ordered to rest upon medical advice hence cancelling her tour to Northern Ireland. She is getting on at 95 years old and has had a very busy schedule attending the races, and being out and about at various events including hosting an event for global business leaders last night. she will rest for the next few days but is still expected to attend the COP26 climate change conference in Glasgow next month. ( I wonder what resting up means for the queen - bikkies and tea or a gin and tonic?)
I often don't have time to finish writing on my blog and need to go back. I do have something that has been bugging me for a while now. Hopefully today I will have some time to write about it (and hopefully go back to writing about Myer's breach of employment laws.)
Facebook company changes it's name ( that's Facebok the company not Facebook the social media platform).
I just sent a complaint to The Salvation Army Employment Plus Chatswood office as it has been an ongoing problem in writing on their website. I have let Centrelink know about it. It's disgraceful how these private organisation work as they receive government kickbacks of some sort.
"I have complained on countless occasions and have let Centrelink know about my complaint about The Salvation Army Employment Plus Chatswood office who suggested I negotiate a reduced number of job searches per month on my job plan or change Centrelink approved employment service providers due to my current employment status and complaint.
I would like to pass on the following message to the appropriate department
1. If I don't answer my phone from Employment Plus Chatswood, it means I am at work and working, doing training , applying for a job or at an interview therefore cannot be disturbed. I am unable to return calls. So stop constantly ringing me.
2. I am unvaccinated and am not getting vaccinated as I have a high risk of an adverse reaction to the vaccine so will not be able to attend any face to face interviews at your site.
3. Because Centrelink advised me that since I am working I maybe able to negotiate the number of job searches on my job plan. I have not updated my current job plan as I don't think it is reasonable for whoever was ringing me from The Salvation Army Employment Plus Chatswood Office to force me to change my 4 job searches per month to 20 job searches per a month on my job plan particularly when I am working in an ongoing casual job and have been for over 1 year now. This is not only an unreasonable mutual obligation requirement but a liability to my current employment .
If the aim of a Centrelink Employment Service provider is to find employment so job seekers do not have to rely on Centrelink payments then your organisation is jeopardizing this for me.
4. The Salvation Army Employment Plus Chatswood Office has never assisted me in anyway in finding employment nor provided me with any job training or job placement not even volunteer work. I found my current employment on my own and my volunteering work on my own. The Salvation Army actually even discouraged me from volunteering with them when I originally inquired about it over a year ago as I wanted to keep up my skills and participate in the work for the dole program. I was told it would not actually count towards my mutual obligation requirements. Well I believe it does now.
5. I was really angry when whoever contacted me tried to advise me that I should apply for the COVID supplement and tried give me tax advice. How dare they. This is not their Job, Their Job is to find me casual if not permanent work which they have failed to do. I have uploaded my resume onto the Jobactive site so I've done what was requested by them . I f I don't want to apply for the COVID supplements, I don't have to.
6. I will advise The Salvation Army in advance that I will be unable to atrend the next appointment unless my schedule changes.
Please ensure that this message is passed onto the appropriate department and person at The Salvation Army Employment Plus Chatswood office.
Thank you
CRN ***************"
I turned my phone off overnight so I did not hear my alarm go off at 5 am and 6 am this morning.
I managed to sleep in until around 7 am.
It's not the best day today. It will probably rain today in the afternoon although the forcast was wrong for yesterday and it did not rain.
Today all eyes were again on 3 COVID related news headlines.
1. After Melbourne's world's longest lockdown of 262 days I believe it was finally Freedom Day at midnight for them. They reached 70% double vaccination despite still having over 2000 COVID cases. Victoria has well and truely opened their borders to NSW but has NSw opened their borders to VIC yet? Nope they have to wait until 1st November until NSW reopens up the boarders to VIC.
2. Allan Joyce CEO of Qantas made a big announcement today about which countries Australia is reopening it international borders to/from. Singapore was still at the top of the list. Dates for international travel have been brought forward some as early as November others in mid to late December.
3. A greater number of people have used the COVID lockdown to re evaluate their career path prompting an increased number of people resigning from their current positions and seeking alternative employment. This means there will be greater competition between job applicants for positions advertised. Meaning if you don't make yourself stand out you don't have a chance of scoring a job interview. Video resumes are becoming the latest trend.
Other non COVID news - the Queen was thought to have been ordered to rest upon medical advice however it has now bern leaked that she is fine and the reason behind her cancelled visit to Northern Ireland was due to security reasons and not a medical reason. Scrap that news reports she spent the night in hospital for medical tests but they were not COVID related. Well she would it be released from an overnight stay if she did have COVID! She looks fine except from Dr walking stick- she has only been in hospital it was reported 5 times in 40 years.
I missed a call from the customer service manager again.
I just texted the team member from Homewares who wanted to meet up on Monday at 11 am at Curl Curl to advise her that I have to give it a miss. I advised her that I have had an ear "infection" for the past few days which has been slightly painful but more annoying the last few days. I just put ear drops in them and let it go away by itself. It doesn't happen that often . It seems to affect my right ear more then my left ear but seems to be getting better. Sometimes it causes me to get vertigo but this time it's like a "pressure" feeling. I don't think I will be going out today - maybe just rest. I still have sp much to do even when I'm not working. So far this financial year I've worked 2 full weeks out of 4 months thanks to COVID lockdown # 2 and Myer's no notice double vaccine mandate !
I would like to stop again and do some calculations which are 2 days old as the NSW government statistics are 2 days behind their figures. Just for interest total Australian COVID figures were recorded as 130 000 total cases in Australia 1448 total deaths in Australia ( I am a bit suspect about these figures Alpha or Delta COVID strains or both and date period ? I assummed it was from Jan 2020 - Oct 2021.
According to world data there were ( 2 days ago as at 21 October 21)
72 560 COVID cases in NSW ( 2 different figures found on same website in different areas 72013 COVID cases this one says confirmed cases including interstate residents in NSW health care facilities - so where did the extra 547 cases come from? Probably an extra day. I am sticking with my original figures I found to use in my calculations or an accumulation of data collection errors over time noting that there were quite a few cases under investigation, false positives inconclusive and in term of deaths referred to the coroner or under investigation).
541 deaths in NSW ( again there are 2 different figures found this said 542 in NSW from confirmed cases - a difference of 1 extra death may not be significant on it's own but when you do the figures and compare it to other figures it is actually significant)
This means the number of deaths to COVID cases is
541/72 560 = 0.0074558986 deaths/ COVID case
To me this sounds like a rather small % of deaths per COVID case when converted unless I have made a mistake in calculations.
Now let's compare these figures with the flu over the same period in NSW. Wait a minute Oh no I've hit a problem - I can't! Why? Well for a few reasons
The number of deaths recorded from the flu in 2021 was 0 yes ZERO no deaths from the flu in 2021. Is this even correct? Then how about 2020? 36 deaths were recorded. OK it's a possible starting point. However the 36 deaths is for I assume the whole of 2020 therefore the next question is dates. For accuracy in order to calculate the number of Flu cases to flu deaths and compare it to the number of COVID deaths to COVID cases in NSW, the same date periods have to be used. This is where there's maybe a problem COVID only came to light around March 2020 not January 2020 therefore the number of COVID cases and deaths needs to be recorded during the same date periods. I hope I am making sense. So when was the first recorded COVID case and death in NSW? ok it was on 25th January 2020 however they were not locally acquired but Mainland Chinese travellers. So close enough to equivalent Flu case numbers date period for 2020. The number of Flu cases in NSW during 2020 and 2021 are extremely difficult to find so I've given up on this. This probably due to mask wearing social distancing quantine and quantine periods isolation and isolation periods, prolonged lockdowns and emphasis on COVID vaccinations over flu vaccinations and emphasis on CIVID case and death numbers over flu case and flu death numbers. Contracting the flu was no longer a priority hence facts and figures were pushed aside abandoned in favour of all things COVID hence distorting true infectious diseases figures between the 2 hence tgere is too much information on COVID cases and deaths and very lityle to no information on flu cases and deaths. I hope I am making sense. I am pprobably not the only Scientist with these theories or are they actually facts?!
So the only other way to compare Flu deaths to Flu cases in NSW to COVID deaths to COVID cases in NSW is to use flu stats from a previous date period say 2018 & 2019 although not ideal it gives an idea at least of a comparison between the flu and COVID. It would have to be total flu cases and total flu deaths over 2 years not 1 year as COVID is now almost 2 years old. Again not ideal but it will have to suffice. Let's see what figures I can find first.
OK in 2018 there were 43 reported flu deaths in NSW according to a report on the NSW Health website and in 2019 there were 312 reported flu deaths in NSW.
Shifting through the report I noticed some interesting trends 1. highest number of flu outbreaks was in Western Sydney 1. The largest number of deaths from the flu were people aged 65+ with a number of exceptions in the under 1 x <10 1 x 15 - 24 and 1 x 35 - 54 similar trend to the current COVID pandemic . Some had other medical conditions eg pneumonia.
I still haven't found the number of Flu cases in NSW for 2018 Jan - Dec. It is a little more complicated. I think it may be the totals from the table which list Influenza A and Influenza B strains which is probably like the multiple strains of COVID but mainly the Alpha and Delta strains ie the 2 main strains
From the same report there were 17520 flu cases reported in NSW in 2018 and 112841 flu cases reported in NSW in 2019 which is a big spike in cases from the 2018 cases. So the question is why?
Let's do the calculation for the number of Flu deaths to the number of Flu cases for NSW for the 2 year period prorate first
Total number of flu deaths in NSW for 24 months 2018 & 2019
43 + 312 = 355
Total number of flu cases in NSW for 24 months 2018 & 2019
17520 + 112841 = 130361
There the total number of flu deaths to flu cases in NSW for 24 months 2018 & 2019
355/130361 = 0.0027232071 deaths/ flu case.
There are a few things to note about my calculations. Figures are not as accurate as they should be due to a few reasons 1. It is not a comparison of the flu and COVID cases for exactly the same time or date period ie January 2020 to October 2021 as there isn't enough data to do a true calculation for flu deaths/flu cases in NSW 2. The number of flu cases and flu deaths in 2019 spiked dramatically from 2018 and there is no way of predicting whether the flu cases and deaths would have increased again in 2020 and 2021 realistically . However the calculations do show that the number of COVID deaths to COVID cases compared to the number of Flu deaths to Flu cases in NSW only slightly higher and my theory is a portion of the COVID deaths weren't actually COVID deaths but we're deaths from other underlying medical conditions that contracted COVID hence included in figures. The flu figure may be lower then the COVID figure caslculated but I don't believe significant enough to make any conclusions as to whether it should have been treated the way it was ie a pandemic and where it could be just like another illness similar to the common flu hence questionable over the need for all the testing, quarantine, isolation vaccination and lockdowns.
I'm still asleep and getting over my ear infection when i get a missed call from the North Sydney electoriate which I didn't want to ring back so sent them a text asking if I could call them back on Monday they said yes but positions are filling fast. Gee I must have been last on their list to call as I applied months ago to work and not given much choice of work locations. I ended up calling them back I'm too honest. I was about to receive an offer of employment to work as a DVIO at the St Peter's Church Cremorne site for the up and coming local elections on 4th December until they asked me about my vaccination status. I told them that I had tp wait 3 months for a vaccination appointment on 1st December and 22nd December 2021 . No double vaccination no job offer so the offer was retracted. I believe this is discrimination on 2 levels.at least The government had already announced previously an all welcome vaccinated and unvaccination on 1st December when it is forecast that 90% double vaccination in NSW would have been reached and the local election is not until 4th December 2021 which is not only after this date but which will mean that there will be both fully vaccinated partially vaccinated unvaccinated and medical exemptions citizens voting on the day therefore why do all polling officials have to be fully vaccinated when all voters do not have to be. This is considered discrimination against the unvaccinated Polling officials whether vaccinated or not will still be at risk just as equally as the voters and it is still over a month away until polling day. Vaccination of polling officials does not garantee that they will be protected 100% against someone that has COVID that is a voter whether they are vaccinated partially vaccinated or unvaccinated. On the other level the NSW Electorial Commission cannot mandate a "no jab no hire policy" when the NSW or Australian Federal Government has not done so therefore the NSW Electorial Commission can't do so as they are overriding Human Rights Law and anti discrimination Laws which is the reason the NSW government has not mandated a double vaccination mandate and left it up to individual organisations. I also believe tbat the NSW Electorial Commission may also have broken employment law in general and privacy laws by asking about an individual's vaccination status prior to an offer of employment before retracting it when they find out. One final point they were more interested in double vaccinated now before you were offered employment to double vaccinated by 4th December 21. So they said to let them know if my situation changes. Well they could have still offered me the position as I still have plenty of time to be double vaccinated before I start work and it's only a 1 day job - is it worth all the fuss? They are arguing it is as you will be face to face with people - everyone has to wear a mask indoors anyway. if they are that concerned why aren't the local elections contactless ie computerised ie click and forget rather the click and collect ? or postal votes only ie delivery?
This is a similar situation with Myer however on a bigger scale ( affecting multiple team members) and a worse scenario ( no notice given not even enough time to get a medical exemption) . I started writing about this but abandoned it due to my ear infection. TBC.
I would like to challenge my 2 cases based on what Fairwork website says and service NSW says on both their websites links.
1. There is no NSW health directive that says ( for a start ) that all employees in retail or elections have to be double vaccinated to work - it vaguely says
New South Wales
The New South Wales (NSW) Government has introduced COVID-19 vaccination requirements for certain workers. The requirements apply to:
- workers specified in the NSW Airport and Quarantine Vaccination Program, including quarantine, transportation and airport workers
- residential aged care facility workers (the requirements don’t apply until 31 October 2021 for some health practitioners and students entering an aged care facility)
- in-home and community aged care workers (from 25 October 2021)
- persons providing disability support services (from 25 October 2021)
- certain health care workers
- education and care workers, including teachers and education providers (from 8 November 2021)
- other workers who are allowed to go into work.
For detailed information about these requirements, including when they apply, go to:"
So when I click on the go to links
https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/covid-19/Pages/public-health-orders.aspx
https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/vaccination/requirements-for-workers
It advises anyone that enters a business premises upon reopening ie Monday 12th October has to be double vaccinated however it does not say employees only customers.
Onto another point (2. ) on the Fair work website
"COVID-19 vaccinations: workplace rights and obligations
Published 9 April 2021 | Updated 21 October 2021
While the Australian Government’s policy is that receiving a vaccination is free and voluntary, it aims to have as many Australians vaccinated as possible.
With Australia's vaccine rollout continuing and the increasing availability of COVID-19 vaccinations, employers and employees are encouraged to work together to find solutions that suit their individual needs and workplaces. A collaborative approach in the workplace that includes discussing, planning and facilitating COVID-19 vaccinations is an important part of Australia’s vaccine rollout, because having a vaccine is one of the best ways to protect ourselves and our community against COVID-19.
Employers can support their employees by:
- providing leave or paid time off for employees to get vaccinated
- helping to ensure employees have access to reliable and up-to-date information about the effectiveness of vaccinations – Learn about COVID-19 vaccines
on the Department of Health’s website - where employees do not wish to be vaccinated, or don’t yet have access to vaccinations, exploring other options including alternative work arrangements.
In some cases, employers may be able to require their employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Employers should exercise caution if they’re considering making COVID-19 vaccinations mandatory in their workplace and get their own legal advice."
There is one more important section from the Fairwork website I would like to quote and it relates to Myer's handling of their double vaccination mandate rather then the NSW Electorial Commission 's double vaccination mandate
"Can an employee refuse to be vaccinated?
Some employees may have questions or concerns about getting vaccinated. You can find information about COVID-19 vaccines from the Department of Health 
, including answers to common questions about the safety and effectiveness of the vaccines.
An employee might refuse a direction to be vaccinated even if they are required to under a specific law, agreement or contract, or after receiving a lawful and reasonable direction. In these situations, an employer should ask the employee to explain their reasons for refusing the vaccination. An employee may have a legitimate reason for not being vaccinated. For example, the employee could have an existing medical condition that means vaccination is not recommended for them. Employees should speak to their doctor if they have concerns about receiving a vaccination because of a medical condition."
"What happens if an employee refuses to be vaccinated?
If an employee refuses to be vaccinated (contrary to a specific law, agreement or contract that requires vaccination, or after receiving a lawful and reasonable direction), an employer should, as a first step, ask the employee to explain their reasons for refusing the vaccination.
If the employee gives a legitimate reason for not being vaccinated (for example, the employee has an existing medical condition that means vaccination is not recommended for the employee), the employee and their employer should consider whether there are any other options available instead of vaccination. This could include alternative work arrangements. Find out more at Alternative work arrangements.
Whether disciplinary action is reasonable will depend on the circumstances. For more information on disciplinary action for refusing to be vaccinated, see Can an employer take disciplinary action if an employee refuses to get vaccinated?
We encourage employers to discuss options with their employees depending on the circumstances of their individual workplace. Learn more about consultation and cooperation in the workplace."
Again this applies more to Myer and the Fairwork website goes into more details about a check list of things to do before standing down employees who are not fully vaccinated however a lot of it can apply to the NSW Electorial Commission as well. It's all about anti discrimination law which is discussed further in another section.
Employment Law is extremely interesting and quite a few employers must think their employees are dumb but it is not the case at Myer as other team members are aware of it. eg in my case and others I wasn't even offered "alternative work arrangements " until I got my vaccination and believe me there certain were some alternative work arrangements i was actually already performing and same with another team member who was partially vaccinated where her job didn't even have to come into contact with the public face to face at all!
The latest company to mandate a no jab no job policy is Coles and Woolworths. I personally don't think it is fair and there will be unfair terminations if not standowns of employees due to it. It doesn't really make sense as it has been an all welcome since the beginning of COVID and nothing drastic has happened since and even before the 70% and 80% vaccination rates have been reached without an employee vaccine mandate - so why now? It was recommended and encouraged for employees to get vaccinated quite a while ago but never a mandate by Coles. What is the reasoning behind it or isn't there one? Class action ? We'll just have to wait and see.
I only see on problem with taking legal action against companies mandating double vaccinations and that is there are no precedents. Well there sort of have been but they haven't been very sucessful.
The US is set to open its borders to international travellers on 8th Nov 2021. As I've written previously there are only 3 vaccines approved to enter the US Pfizer Moderna and John & Johnson. So the Oxford Astra Zenica vaccine loses out however it has been or is approved by the WHO which now opens up the US to more travellers from Europe ( and Australia? unclear as Australian manufactured AZ vaccine is suppose to be the same as the European one).
Saturday 23rd October 2021
| NSW has now reached the following percentages of 1st & 2nd dose vaccination rates | ||
|---|---|---|
| People aged 16 and over | 93.4% | 86.5% |
| People aged 12 to 15 years | 78.7% | 56.7% |
Hajkowicz has resigned for undisclosed personal reasons before he has even started. It was supposed to be a smooth transition into the role which replaced Jeannette Young who was to be sworn in as the new governor . The search to replace her took 4 months - such bad timing as QLD is so close to opening up their borders.
