Noosa MP Sandy Bolton
Christmas again was not in any way normal, nor what we would have wished for anyone including our businesses, workers, families and community. The vast complexities and impacts from decisions by government, including opening borders at a traditionally busy time, created what I warned would be ‘untenable situations’ in my Parliamentary speeches, letters to the Premier and Ministers in November, that unfortunately came to fruition over the break. Even though I have said many times my crystal ball has flat batteries, it seems that there was some grunt left in them as I had asked re state government ordering of Rapid Antigen Tests (RAT’s) back in September.
At the pre-holiday Local Disaster Management Group (LDMG) meeting which Mayor Clare chairs and I attend, the focus was to ensure needed resources were available to accommodate the decisions outside of our control locally. As an extra precaution, I personally contacted our testing sites to make sure we were covered, especially on weekends and public holidays which is always an issue. As well extra policing resources for the volume coming into our home, and potential pent-up emotions from the opening. However, none of us predicted what unfolded.
Whether it was youngsters who ran amok leading into Christmas, or our Covid testers dropping from heatstroke, at both federal and state run sites, leading to closures, daily we sought alternatives. In amongst, close contact rules saw every industry lose staff including supply chains leading to empty shelves, as well as lack of Rapid Antigen tests and changing directives. The perfect storm formed, creating duress in some form to every member of our communities.
As one of only 2 MP’s in QLD that stood in Chamber and spoke of the impacts of heading into this period without a full complement of front line staff, as well I believe, the only MP requesting the use of Rapid Antigen Tests months ago, there are many questions including where our logistics and operational specialists have been. With AHPPC providing advice and recommendations to federal government to steer us through this pandemic from the first day, we need to know what changes will be made to ensure we do not have a reoccurrence of these last weeks, as according to latest forecasts we have a long journey still to go.
Out of our many requests to the Premier, one is an essential in-home ‘care pack’ including a RAT and paracetamol. This would assist greatly those with symptoms and reduce the spread. Shoey and I experienced firsthand the reality of Covid even after being ‘pandemic pedantic’ and isolating as soon as he had the ‘sniffles’. Yet we were unable to follow standard government advice as we could not, like thousands of others, access testing in any form. The difficulty for us was not in knowing what we had, it was in how not to spread whilst accessing what we needed to alleviate the very nasty symptoms including fevers, ‘razor blade’ throat and hideous back pain, without leaving home. We quickly found out that home deliveries are not available to our address, also there was no ‘boot’ pick up times available for days! Thankfully by night 5 a friend sent us a couple of RATs, paracetamol and other essentials which was all we needed, and confirmed what we knew, positive! So, our top tip is to be prepared, and even though most will start improving after day 3 and be out and about after 7 days in isolation, as I sit here writing on day 11, we still have symptoms and test ‘faintly’ positive, so preparation needs to include a 14 day period!
Also requested of the Premier to take to National Cabinet, is much needed financial support for businesses who continue to close due to lack of staff. We are fortunate that workers now have the support of the Covid payment when they test positive or are caring for someone positive, however our businesses through their efforts to remain a Covid safe space have no support since hitting the targeted 80% double vaccination rate as announced by the Prime Minister. With suggestions from our Noosa Business Roundtable to state and federal governments for ‘rapid cashflow compensation’ via the ATO, this is another of those requests that we await a determination on from National Cabinet.
And finally, which has been requested previously, is that the dissemination of information be simple, timely and not open to misinterpretation. I can say firsthand, there is no joy over Christmas, daily chasing clarifications from government, and feeling like I’m in that movie Groundhog Day?
Working daily over this time with our businesses, residents and families, I have enormous gratitude for the incredible resilience, common sense and care that is in abundance. As well, efforts of those who did everything they could including taking my calls on Christmas Day. They include Dr Nova from Sunny St, Chris from 4Cyte, Sunshine Coast Health Service CEO Dr Peter, Dr Ian from Respond Global, Noosa Council staff who were brilliant and state departments who sourced information we needed including on bulk RAT suppliers (when available!) As well, to our police who worked overtime to stem the disgraceful behaviours that have no place in Noosa, which will not be tolerated, and is on the agenda at the first meeting of the LDMG. Having all frontliners together working on the LDMG in prevention strategies has held us in good stead and will continue to. Thank you to everyone again.
We have learnt much over this month. We know that cases reported do not reflect the reality, nor that knowing exposures sites keeps you any safer. We know we are now living alongside, as well amongst this ‘bug’. Knowing whether someone is vaccinated or not has been replaced with the importance of knowing whether someone is contagious, which is difficult with many not displaying symptoms and unaware they are positive. We know from data, that hospitalisations have been minimised through vaccinations, however our health systems and phone lines are being overwhelmed by those with minor symptoms. We know there is no magic wand, and during a recent Webinar we heard that we could face another 2 years of ‘waves’ similar to what we are in now and need further preparations.
The simplicity is if we all treat every place, including friends’ homes, as potential risks and behave as if we have been in contact, or will be in contact, we will minimise risk to ourselves and others. Remember my last column and my mention of the ‘pandemic of the complacent’ or ‘false sense of securities’? If symptoms develop whatever they are, do as Shoey and I did. Hunker down, treat symptoms, and only seek medical advice if these become severe. And as I was trying to do before we became a statistic, focus on improving overall health and fitness as part of prevention and to assist recovery. Having had Covid on top of being double vaxxed, I had hoped that might have given us greater immunity, yet advice provided has been I will only have between 30 days and 3 months before immunity wanes unless ‘boosted’. So, a reminder if you have not done so, book in now!
My new year’s wish? I would love to say not to get another ‘dose’, however unless I lock myself down that may not be possible! So instead, may politicians of all colours and levels, as well commentators, see that engaging in the ‘blame game’ especially in the middle of a crisis is ineffective and a waste of time. Across the world and Australia, criticisms fly, yet ultimately what we need to concentrate on is to learn from where we fail and from what others are doing well, communicate clearly, honestly and in a timely manner, and remember what had been said at the beginning of this journey. There was no template for COVID and being ‘novel’ meant even the experts did not have all answers, with some countries now heading into their 4th booster. Let’s do as we have over these last 2 years, and with the borders now officially down keep striving to do better, as well give gratitude. QLD achieved what it had set out to do, and that was to keep residents safe until everyone had the opportunity to vaccinate. That we have had a major glitch in implementation of the opening should not override the incredible work our frontliners have done, and I am more than happy they are coming home to assist with issues that have grown during that time including domestic and family violence.
Happy New Year’s everyone! From resolutions that I am determined to not see fall to the wayside after a poor start (watch out for Shoey or I in a kayak!) to very grass roots solutions loaded with common sense, may 2022 be full of achievements and aspirations including from greater self-responsibility. Oh, and those convolutions mentioned in the heading? Not needed as we have had enough of those in 2021!!
And as always, do not forget your regimes, and maybe add in some of that sanitizing spray for surfaces in public spaces?
Blessings to all and I cannot wait until I am no longer a ‘carrier’ and back out supporting our businesses who need us more than ever!
Sandy
