LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
I find it unbelievable that the state government can continue to keep regional Victoria locked down and then tied to Melbourne with the easing of restrictions.
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Each time we get told of measures to release us, the government changes the rules and does not reward anyone for the hard work being done.
We need to now live with the virus, as experts are stating, until such time as a vaccine is found.
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Even then this virus will be around for years to come and the whole idea was to have a suppression - not eradication - policy.
Let's see all the government ministers and their health advisors survive on what the rest of us are living on instead of their bloated wages and perks remaining through this lockdown!
Don Pennell, Ballarat.
I agree with our city's leaders - it is time to further ease restrictions in regional Victoria.
More open-air dining is a start but it is not enough to keep businesses viable.
Regional Victorians have shown that they are able to continue their daily lives in a safe manner - please allow us to get back to a new normal now.
Please allow us to get back to a new normal now.
I cannot see any reason why places of worship cannot be opened as well, with social distancing and face masks.
Most churches can safely accommodate at least 20 people, just as restaurants can, so why are churches still closed?
Colleen Orchard, Ballarat.
The government is frozen with fear after their dismal hotel quarantine failure.
NSW has led the way, balancing livelihoods with lives and their contact tracing is far superior.
If we followed their model then our businesses would be trading.
Gavin James, Ballarat.
Until Dan Andrews is forced out of the Premier's job, there will be little sensible change.
Dan is determined to get the numbers down even if the whole of Victoria goes down the gurgler.
He believes in a one-size-fits-all approach, hence the lockdown restrictions and masks in the regions where there is no virus. It's easier to police.
Too bad about the impact on people and businesses.
Victorians have repeatedly voted his government in. Now the tide is out and everyone can see what this really means.
Despite the draconian lockdown restrictions, there is plenty of support for what he's doing.
Why wouldn't he keep on going with that feedback?
Regional Victoria should be able to open and trade relatively normally now.
Everybody masked up, regardless of whether there's any virus here or not.
When will people start really agitating to end these over-the-top restrictions and demand that Dan resign?
Only then will we get some much-needed pragmatic changes for our lives and businesses.
When the lockdowns finish the virus will still be there, making a mockery of our attempts to eliminate it.
When the virus numbers start to rise again, will Dan decide on lockdown number three, rather than learn to manage through it like NSW has done?
Dan is prepared to destroy Victoria in order to save it. He has to go.
Lynette Williamson, Ballarat.
With regional Victoria's zero cases of community transmission, it's time gyms, health clubs and yoga studios were allowed to open with COVID-safe procedures.
Stephen Fewell, Mortlake.
The hotel quarantine debacle has certainly brought the Dan Andrews haters out of the shadows and onto social media, with their disgusting language and ignorant outpourings.
It seems that regardless of action taken to mitigate the damage and keep the community safe from the virus, it's "all the government's fault".
In the clamour to blame someone - anyone, for your inconvenience, an important point has been overlooked - personal responsibility!
Getting to the core of the incompetence and bad management of the hotel quarantine situation is vital, but those who want to blame the premier and ignore the glaring obvious are forgetting that the hotel 'guests' were there at the pleasure and expense of the public.
They knew the rules (why else would they be there?) - stay where you are told, don't sneak out to buy a hamburger, don't sneak out to meet your girlfriend and don't fraternise with people who are there to protect you.
Surely I'm not alone in my opinion that we all have a personal responsibility to do the right thing and not blame someone else for your poor behaviour.
Eileen McGhee, Miners Rest.
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