Heather Martin, Mullumbimby
I’m here in Mullum, barred from seeing my son or mother (both of whom are in Melbourne) for the foreseeable future, and I am angry that the situation is being exacerbated by an ineffective ‘lockdown lite’ in Sydney where people can simply exempt themselves from the lockdown rules (such as they are).
Gladys and Co were diverting vaccines from the regions to Sydney, yet allowing bored Sydneysiders to bring COVID to the regions, now including ours.
The fines for breaking health orders are substantial to some but insignificant to the wealthy. Let’s raise the stakes.
How about a class action against this selfish git from Sydney who just caused a Northern Rivers lockdown?
According to news reports he was not only subject to the Sydney (risibly porous) lockdown, but actually a close contact of a positive case (his wife) so he ought to have been in home isolation, not just confined to a 10km radius from home.
Even if it is true that he personally didn’t ‘believe’ in COVID, the fact his wife had COVID made it reasonably foreseeable to a reasonable person that he would be, or become, infectious and capable of spreading the virus.
How many people in the Northern Rivers had work cancelled last week – most of them with no pay because we have such a casualised workforce? How will they pay the rent and put food on the table? How about the business owners that have to throw out perishables, but still need to pay rent (and simply can’t afford to pay those casual workers for not working)?
If this entitled idiot owns a house in Sydney (and possibly also one in Byron Shire), or has other substantial financial assets, maybe a class action could force him to sell up to compensate all these people?
Also, maybe the NSW police force could charge him with recklessly endangering life rather than just breaching a public health order?
Maybe Mark Swivel or David Heilpern would care to comment?
(And I think it is time to take down those ‘no mask – we don’t ask’ signs!)