Interesting stuff

He's not a reputable journo, has vacillated on many big issues to the extent that I see him as someone who simply follows crowd favour. An opportunist when it suits him.

However, he ain't as bad as Paul Joseph Watson, the other guy mentioned, who is straight up batshit crazy, and who's journalism simply has no basis in fact but, like his compadre Alex Jones, is simply designed to stir up anger, something he does very well.

No fan of Tucker Carlson or Fox News.

But to the extent he quotes the Australian 60 Mins piece and fingers the WHO for it's obsequience to China it's hard to dispute the factuality of what he says.

The U.N. has to be dragged kicking and screaming to be critical of any of its more powerful member nations, including the U.S.A.

So in the past 40 days about 6 million people have died on this planet as an average but only approx 50,000 COVID-19 victims- many whom were ready to go anyway.
Thats 1.2% if my maths is correct.
Still the NSW government want to enforce lockdown for another 90 days!
Not to mention all the other fallout- like that incredibly greedy cock sucker Alan Joyce at Qantas who will be rubbing his hands knowing he can "restructure" and offload heaps of staff.
Theres something wrong here...

"Victoria has banned fishing and hunting ?

Fuck that. They are inalienable human rights.

What is more responsible.....catching a fish alone on a rock or buying a fish at a supermarket which requires dozens of human interactions to be possible ?"

Yep up until yesterday it was all a bit grey lot of rumour and speculation on social media etc, if we can if we cant, and very strong views either way.

But last night the victorian health minister(or someone similar) tweeted and made it clear no hunting or fishing.

In NSW this was also the original rule, but got overturned.

I can understand if you don't abide by other restrictions like travel and social distancing etc, but if you are fishing alone on a beach, or rocks or boat, you are often hundreds of metres even kilometres from anyone and technically it could come under both getting food & exercise.

But seems the rules are now clear, i had a fish in my boat alone yesterday, but won't be going again unless there is a change.

Nanny State Indo, I'd rather a solitary Flatty from the briney depths than a box of whitewings that every ones pawed over in Coles.

0.83%, views from the... Even crazier.

Naa mate hunting is still allowed in Victoria according to DWELP (The Victorian government organisation that manages the bush) and the GMA (Game Management Authority) (another vic gov organisation that regulates hunting ). Its just that the covid rules mean you are not allowed to travel to get to the bush to hunt, so unless you live where you hunt, you are not allowed. The 1st of April was the opening of the "sambar deer hound hunting season" and "hog deer season".
I don't hound hunt but to hound hunt you need a pack of dogs (usually beagles) and a pack of blokes (5 or more) so it is still aloud as long as these fallas don't travel to get to the hunting grounds and don't all be at the same place at the same time..
I hunt fallow deer, sambar deer (by stalking, not with hounds) and hog deer. Have done for over 20 years. April is the only month you can hunt hog deer and there are strict rules for hog deer, like you are only allowed to harvest 1male and 1 female, you have to obtain tags, and tag the animal as soon as its dispatched and you have to take the animal to a hog deer check-in station with in 24 hours of harvesting so statistics and dna from the animal can be collected. I have been in regular contact with the bloke that runs the check-in station and the gma ( Gma fucking useless providing no information) to see if the hog deer season was to ahead or not. The good bloke at the check station would ring me every time he was up dated by the government. On the 30th it was going ahead as usual. In the morning of the 31st it was going ahead but you were not aloud to get out of your car at the hog deer check-in station, they would get the deer out of the car for you. In the afternoon he rang me to say hold tight the season might be cancelled. And then at 6pm on the 31st he sent me a message to say the hog deer season is going ahead but the check-ins are going to be done over the phone.
So hunting is still allowed.
I cant hunt because I have to travel to gippsland or the otways where hunting is allowed and I can't afford the $1600 fine if I get caught. Even though the only place Id be anywhere near people would be at the local servo filling up... So I'm stuck on the Bellarine for now.
Venison from the bush and fish are not just my main source of protein but a way of life. The government don't see it like this because if it doesn't come from a shop it is not allowed.
The fishing I'm not sure about but I need to know as the pier and boat ramp are only a short walk from my house and are my only chance now!
Indo, I Think you are spot on, It is food and exercise, It is also a medical reason because it helps with our mental well being especially in tough times!
Good on you mate, Fight the good fight!

@ Balackdog

Here is a few recent links on the issue.

http://www.fishingworld.com.au/news/victoria-fishing-banned-yoga-allowed

And not the best source but
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8173981/Recreational-fishing-ba...

Ive seen a few social media post from police and government now saying fishing is off limits too.

If its only until April 13th yeah okay, but the thing is these restrictions may need to be extended, right now its still good fishing but as that water cools down so does the fishing in victoria.

If there was a real risk to spread the virus, you could understand, but the reality is there isn't.

Edit: and facebook one from "Victorian fishing authority" https://www.facebook.com/VictorianFisheries/photos/a.247706658633185/378...

Yeah just bat shit crazy Indo D . I have had the same dilemma. I fished Friday and then i took the boat out again yesterday. On calling in to the tackle/marine centre to get a new squid jig, the owner told me i was not allowed to fish. Water police were out on Wednesday booting everyone off the water.
However i had done some home work and on ABC online the federal gov says fishing to provide for your Family is OK. The vic state gov has no idea and is leaving in in the hands of police to enforce, as fishing is not one of the 4 reasons to be leaving home.
utter confusion and senseless. Fark if i don't catch for my family , i have to go to the stupormarket to by food. Makes no sense.

My family have been eating tuna breakfast lunch and tea from the one I caught last weekend.
I won't be giving up providing that food source for my family without a fight.

US tragically has the highest cases of coronavirus...

US President Commander in Chief addresses the Nation.

"Did you know I was #1 on facebook!"
Only I just found out I was #1 on facebook.
I thought that was very nice.
For whatever it means.
Do you know it represents something!"

Get on to the VRFISH site falla's (the vic governments governing body for recreational fishing) and express your concerns in the "have your say" message part. Speak up or not fish.
Tight lines chaps (on both fish and waves) and fight the good fight!

I've eaten heaps of mack tuna.

normally slice off thin cross steaks from the loin and flash fry them.

squeeze of lime and mayo.

Much better than Aussie salmon.

I do normally release them though if I get them on heavy gear and they are in good nick.

No need to feel like a criminal when fishing in NSW anymore either after the minister says it is okay to go fishing. As long as the usual social distancing rules are observed

"...Then it all got a little confusing Wednesday, when Bloomberg reported both that the United States leads China in coronavirus cases and that China is concealing cases and deaths inside the country.

“China has concealed the extent of the coronavirus outbreak in its country,” the latter story reads, “under-reporting both total cases and deaths it’s suffered from the disease, the U.S. intelligence community concluded in a classified report to the White House.”

And there it is. The news certainly checks out with what reporters could have confirmed if they’d actually been reporting this past month."

"...No surprise. Michael Bloomberg’s fortune is deeply entangled with China (and he knows it).

But his company is not alone. CNN uncritically repeats China’s false statistics over and over again. NBC, MSNBC, BBC, The New York Times — the list goes on, all without corrections or updates.

The corporate media’s trumpeting of foreign propaganda is especially eager when it hurts the president they don’t like. Outlets like Vox and BuzzFeed relentlessly attack Trump for not taking the coronavirus seriously enough early enough, but rushed to edit their past coverage that had authoritatively declared coronavirus less dangerous than the common flu. Vox, The New York Times and their television peers declare the president’s use of “Wuhan coronavirus” racist, while editing and forgetting past coverage that used “Wuhan coronavirus” or explained why so many pandemics come from that country."

as I said, weeks ago, if the fuckstick journalists were actually doing their job - you know, sniffing out some semblance of truth - instead of just continuing to be fuckstick sensationalist propagandaists a lot of this mess could have been avoided...

"Oh but it's the federalist" I hear people cry ...sorry, there's no help for you...

https://thefederalist.com/2020/04/02/the-corporate-medias-coronavirus-pr...

https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/health-problems/coronavirus-chi...

https://www.nationalreview.com/news/wuhan-residents-dismiss-official-cor...

I think someone needs to start a change petition to stop change.org

the platform just seems to be increasingly used for nefarious purposes, I though they sold themselves as the good guys, charitable even...

Anyone else got wired mouse trouble?
Ditched one tried 2 new ones & are all going Spazz!

@Blackdog

"Get on to the VRFISH site falla's (the vic governments governing body for recreational fishing) and express your concerns in the "have your say" message part. Speak up or not fish.
Tight lines chaps (on both fish and waves) and fight the good fight!"

Did that today, but took it a step further and did half a dozen post on different Victorian facebook fishing groups urged others to do the same.

Got at least 20 people replying they had now sent an email too, so hopefully many others did and didn't say anything.

That said even though most groups approved my post, most of the post got deleted a few hours latter, because of the differing opinions etc

I hadn't been on here for a while but thought I'd take a look to see what the swellnet lunatics in might be ranting about in the "interesting stuff" thread. And sure enough, blowin and Indo's outrage-o-meter is dialed up as much as you see on twitter and facebook.

From when the restrictions on fishing were announced by the feds:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-04-01/coronavirus-forces-leisure-boats-...

"New Federal Government restrictions for coronavirus implemented on Sunday night mean recreational boating and fishing for leisure is no longer permitted.

Only those boating and fishing for "essential purposes" is allowed, including travelling to work, to get provisions from the shops, or those providing for their families."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-04-03/coronavirus-rules-restrictions-ca...

"We'll say it again — if it's not essential, you shouldn't be doing it."

I know you lot love a good conspiracy but you don't have to be einsten to realise that providing food for your family as an essential activity.

Just read the last 2 pages of this forum, we really do live in the first world don't we.

Just what part of you must stay at home unless (1) working (2) buying food (3) see a doctor or (4) walking or riding a bike in your suburb do people not get?

Fishing on a lonely rock is a lovely picture but allowing fishing invites people to gather on jetties and at boat launching ramps. I also note the rants from gun shops when VicPol banned gun and ammunition sales. A spokesperson claimed shooters were denied their rights with all this extra leisure time. Leisure time ffs! Again unless these shooters were shootin varmints in their back garden what on god's earth are they thinking.

Blowin, you might care to fact check your claim about London airports, I have a family member there in the fourth week of lockdown and I am told they are open but in a very restrictive way, just like ours.

And finally a chilling read in today's paper. Calls to domestic violence hotlines have collapsed with agencies fearful victims are hunkered down as they have zero confidence in getting required support and alternative accommodation. This tread is the exact opposite to what these support agencies expected.

Over and out.

The more numerous the laws,the more corrupt the government.

-TACITUS

Oh and Guy Smiley,you really are a pearl clutcher aren't you.

All the commos out there have serious fucken hard ons for this shit.It's like a wet dream for them.

@INDO
Shit hot mate! you da man!
Hopefully these muppets will be pressured into a back flip like the other states did.

Today, for me it really struck home. On the dog walk this morning, Not 1 trailer or boat at the ramp. Then at the pier Cops writing out fines (or warnings I didn't hang around to find out) to local fisherman on the pier. ordering them to go leave.

I had to go to the tip for work this arvo. The blokes at the tip where saying domestic people are still bringing in rubbish. And how this is no longer allowed and the cops had been on the main road booking people $1600 on the way to the tip. I laughed I thought they were having me on.
leaving the tip, unmarked coppers (lights flashing) had an older lady with a trailer of rubbish pulled up on the side of the road and at the same time one of the coppers flagged down a passing car towing a boat.
Old Dan Andrews has taken it a step to far.

Found this article on fishing and surfing in oz at the moment.
Just scroll down to what interests you.

https://apple.news/AwufTI_ySRs2dqa_a-fbSoQ.

@ Blowin, is that all visa holders (i.e. residency applications), or just the tourists?

What if other governments reciprocate and send the million or so Australians working overseas home?

Wouldn't that add considerable strain to the health and welfare systems too?

And to rub salt into the wound.

Victoria’s Premier and ministers are still on track to receive an 11.8 per cent pay rise at a time when hundreds of thousands of people are losing their jobs or taking significant pay cuts, Health Minister Jenny Mikakos has confirmed. The state’s independent remuneration tribunal last year deemed Premier Daniel Andrews worthy of a $46,522 pay rise from July 1, 2020, bringing his total salary to $441,439, while backbenchers’ base salaries are set to rise from $163,189 to $182,413.

Ministers and Opposition Leader Michael O’Brien — who has called for politicians’ pay to be frozen — are set to have their salaries rise 11.8 per cent to $352,057.

Asked whether it was reasonable to still accept the pay rise in light of the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Ms Mikakos said the decision had been made by the independent tribunal. “But I’ve got nothing to add on that issue,” Ms Mikakos said. “I know (politicians) are working incredibly hard at the moment to support their constituents in terms of COVID-19 response, and that’s not just a personal reflection, but I just wanted to say that I know that many in our community are doing it tough.”

Asked whether the government could request that the remuneration tribunal reconsider the pay rise in light of changed economic circumstances, Ms Mikakos said the decision was not part of her portfolio responsibility.

https://www.michaelsmithnews.com/2020/04/daniel-andrews-and-his-minister...

@Guy

"Just what part of you must stay at home unless (1) working (2) buying food (3) see a doctor or (4) walking or riding a bike in your suburb do people not get?"

Firstly lets remember QLD, NSW, TAS can all still fish, not sure on other states.

Secondly the regulation says "obtain food" not buy, the aim of fishing although enjoyable is to obtain food, unless you are a catch and release fisherman which most people are not.

Technically it also falls into number 4 which is exercise , from memory the regulation doesn't just say those things its also vague, sure fishing is only light exercise, but it's still exercise.

Im stoked i can still go surfing, but lets be real the risk of spreading the virus is higher surfing than fishing, and no matter your activity you should still abide by social distancing rules etc but when surfing even if you paddle out alone you are often sitting amongst 5 to 20 guys, you obviously try to keep your distance but it doesnt always happen although rare, there is always the risk of getting basically tangled up with someone or bumping into them etc

Fishing its very easy to keep away from people, even at a boat ramp on a busy day it would be rare for me to pass close to someone, and when fishing in a boat you are 50 metres at the closest from anyone else, often kilometres from the nearest person.

Jettys yeah okay maybe different, but very easy to just ban fishing on jettys if need be.

Just seems some big inconsistencies, there is also other activities that are banned but make no sense like horse ridding.

If these regulations end on April 13, its really no big deal, but realistically they could go on for weeks to months and like surfing this period of the year is some of the best months to fish, less people around light winds and still plenty of fish to be caught, but come May onwards once the water starts cooling down the fishing also slows down.

Thats what really sucks if we didn't have the ban then latter we went to stage 4 restrictions and a total ban, you could take it, especially as by then fishing would be slowing down, ad other states under stage 4 would also ban fishing, but for now it a real kick in the face for fisherman, especially knowing other states can still fish which reinforces the fact the decision is wrong or at the least highly questionable/debatable.

The only silver lining on this fishing ban is its only going to be a positive for fish stocks and size, which i have to say are better than ever fishery's in Victoria are doing an amazing job in managing this area. (unlike in SA where they have issues)

Pretty ordinary for those waiting on residency

Re: exercise and fishing.

My typical rockfishing expeditions normally entail about 6-8000 steps.

I've measured it.

Thats a long walk.

"Im stoked i can still go surfing"

Surfing is on the list of banned activities in Vic according to today's Murdoch papers,...

Blowin, Australia’s national debt is a minor concern at the moment. As a proportion of GDP it is currently 41% compared to USA at 107% UK at 85% and Canada at 88%. We are very fortunate that this relatively low level of debt has enabled the government to support the community so effectively. The debt will rise as a result of current policies but we will be unlikely to reach the levels of comparable other countries so no need to panic.

"Im stoked i can still go surfing"

Surfing is on the list of banned activities in Vic according to today's Murdoch papers,...

Really?...hmmm that's interesting.

Wonder how this will play out, fishing where i live even boating has now almost completely stopped people are really fearing fines.

But surfing and crowds where i live hasn't changed at all, its actually been very crowded with all the kids off school.

Even our council website says we can still surf and swim even though beaches are closed, but it was updated on Saturday just before the stage 3 came in.

Will be interesting to see if there is any change in the next week in numbers in the water etc

"Blowin, Australia’s national debt is a minor concern at the moment. As a proportion of GDP it is currently 41% compared to USA at 107% UK at 85% and Canada at 88%. We are very fortunate that this relatively low level of debt has enabled the government to support the community so effectively. The debt will rise as a result of current policies but we will be unlikely to reach the levels of comparable other countries so no need to panic."

It does go to show though how important it is to get debt to a minimum in normal times as allows us to do what is needed in times like this, would suck if we were like the USA with their debt levels..

Indo-dreaming, both sides of politics have been responsible in that respect and we have benefitted enormously from our resource base and trade with China.

What about personal debt, I think Australia is right up there on personal debt per capital. I wonder if that’s what will show the cracks in the economy before national debt comes into play?

Oh yeah, if we where really smart with our resources, taxation and management, would no national debt be possible?

I said in a comment in another forum it's time in this national emergency to reset royalty rates on gas and iron ore
Gas permantly and iron ore for a set period until the debt paid off
Qatar earn 27 billion in royalties on a out the same level of gas sold as we sell and we get about 800 million

.