The WSL pulls the pin on Snapper due to coronavirus

Stu Nettle picture
Stu Nettle (stunet)
Swellnet Dispatch

After weeks of conjecture, the WSL has cancelled the first event of the CT season and also the Papara Tahiti QS contest due to the threat of coronavirus.

The WSL has emailed all CT and QS surfers early this morning, and they'll make an official announcement later this morning. Word is all QS events over the next month are off and those next month are tentative.

Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison is urging Australians to carry on as usual, however the cancellations follow an international lead with America's NBA cancelling its season, and music festivals such as SXSW and Coachella cancelled or postponed.

The situation remains fluid and everchanging.

The WSL just released this statement:

"Out of an abundance of caution and concern for the safety of athletes, fans and staff, the WSL has made the decision to cancel all upcoming events in the month of March, including the opening of the 2020 Championship Tour on the Gold Coast of Australia. The WSL is carefully considering the impact of these cancelations on our Tours and we will provide more information as it becomes available."

The WSL is currently holding a meeting and Swellnet has been texted the following: "Possible that Bells and MR [Margaret River] will still run but without crowds."

List of currently cancelled or postponed events:

  • Papara Pro Open Tahiti, French Polynesia - canceled
  • Piha Pro Junior, New Zealand - postponed
  • Corona Piha Pro, New Zealand - postponed
  • Seat Pro Netanya, Israel - postponed
  • Barbados Surf Pro, Barbados - postponed
  • Corona Open Gold Coast, Australia - canceled
  • WSL Awards - postponed
  • Red Bull Airborne Gold Coast, Australia - canceled
  • Jack's Surfboards Pro, USA - postponed
  • Longboard Pro Espinho, Portugal - postponed
  • Caparica Surf Fest Pro, Portugal - postponed
  • Central Japan Open, Japan - postponed
  • Krui Pro, Indonesia - postponed

More news as it arrives.

Comments

Clivus Multrum's picture
Clivus Multrum's picture
Clivus Multrum Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 10:12am

Had to happen I’m afraid. This ain’t a drill. Morrison’s remarks are irresponsible

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 10:18am

Also posted this as amendment in story:

The WSL is currently holding a meeting and Swellnet has been texted the following: "Possible that Bells and MR [Margaret River] will still run but without crowds."

memlasurf's picture
memlasurf's picture
memlasurf Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 2:06pm

As per your assumption.

spelled3's picture
spelled3's picture
spelled3 Saturday, 14 Mar 2020 at 8:24am

Decent 'Bells with no crowd' - I'd like to see that!

bluediamond's picture
bluediamond's picture
bluediamond Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 9:57pm

Good. Fuck their boardwalk. Should buy the local crew time to fend that off.

Lanky Dean's picture
Lanky Dean's picture
Lanky Dean Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 10:22am

Super ,
Great no cost event promotion .

Island Bay's picture
Island Bay's picture
Island Bay Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 10:31am

Piha only postponed, according to the Wozzle website?

"List of currently canceled or postponed events:

Papara Pro Open Tahiti, French Polynesia - canceled
Piha Pro Junior, New Zealand - postponed
Corona Piha Pro, New Zealand - postponed
Seat Pro Netanya, Israel - postponed
Barbados Surf Pro, Barbados - postponed
Corona Open Gold Coast, Australia - canceled
WSL Awards - postponed
Red Bull Airborne Gold Coast, Australia - canceled
Jack's Surfboards Pro, USA - postponed
Longboard Pro Espinho, Portugal - postponed
Caparica Surf Fest Pro, Portugal - postponed
Central Japan Open, Japan - postponed
Krui Pro, Indonesia - postponed"

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 10:36am

Cheers, IB.

Amended.

Island Bay's picture
Island Bay's picture
Island Bay Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 10:46am

I was unsure what they meant. No snark implied.

It seams most organisations could do with a good comms shake-up.

Gra Murdoch's picture
Gra Murdoch's picture
Gra Murdoch Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 10:32am

Bugger!

Bnkref's picture
Bnkref's picture
Bnkref Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 10:33am

How's the feeling over in NZ, Island Bay? Hopefully your government has been more proactive than ours.

Blowin's picture
Blowin's picture
Blowin Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 10:40am

Does this mean that without a tour , every Pro will now be forced into the “ Gazing deep into one’s own soul “ sub genre of docutising *self promotion ?

Cue personal journeys of self discovery involving tow ropes, fears confronted and low key bombies around the Australian coastline . Emotional reflections on the adversity faced when the dollars are removed and a Pro is faced with the grim prospect of surfing purely for the love of it .

The lonely pro staring at a desert sunset with nothing more than the promise of unrealised contractual opportunities disappearing over the horizon like the fading daylight. Lost in the moment of remote solitude. Having to reshoot the scene when one of the dozens of production crew coughs off camera.

* It’s the new propaganda. Advertising dressed as documentary.

Lanky Dean's picture
Lanky Dean's picture
Lanky Dean Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 1:37pm

Read this comment without noticing who wrote it.
Guessed it was you .LOL

tango's picture
tango's picture
tango Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 5:29pm

That's definitely the main surf impact here......the threat of the bastards and their entourage having nothing to do other than seek out good waves for the next few months rather than be committed to a predictable circus.

Island Bay's picture
Island Bay's picture
Island Bay Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 10:37am

Yes, better leadership here.

That said, there's a strange feeling that the shit will hit the fan, as we only have 5 confirmed cases so far.

Everybody's washing their hands and crossing their fingers.

Wavezone101's picture
Wavezone101's picture
Wavezone101 Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 10:38am

Having watched the event for many years, crowds are well behaved socially and don't over socialise except within their own cultures. At least a televised event should of gone ahead. Total blow for the coast, other major events are still going ahead.

I have to agree if its the members (Competing Surfers) who voted as they are made up of surfers however a total over reaction.

Bnkref's picture
Bnkref's picture
Bnkref Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 10:42am

I think you'll quickly find that other major events will be cancelled. Or at the very least for AFL, NRL etc, that they'll be played at empty stadiums.

Buzz1's picture
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Buzz1 Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 11:12am

I have it on good authority that there’ll be an announcement tonight that the AFL season will have a delayed start.

indo-dreaming's picture
indo-dreaming's picture
indo-dreaming Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 12:37pm

100% agree Wavezone huge overreaction.

It's at a beach for gods sake, let people decide if they want to go, it's not like a sporting event where you have no choice but to sit side by side with others or like a music concert where you have no choice to be packed in like sardines..

peabo's picture
peabo's picture
peabo Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 10:42am

If Bells and Margs can run without crowds, why not GC?

jetson.rover's picture
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jetson.rover Saturday, 14 Mar 2020 at 5:55am

Because the WSL are hoping with the extra time until those 2 events run the situation will have somehow peaked and have mostly run it's course by then.
That's highly unlikey until well after those event dates.
With the limit of no more than 500 people allowed to congregate being imposed in Oz, and hopefully the situation not getting much worse soon and significantly inproving by then, i think a good idea would be to cap spectator crowd numbers at those 2 events to 500 per day.
It would be much easier to implement that at Bells and Margaret River than Snapper because spectator crowds are always lower there due to the locations being in more rural areas instead of in a city environmment like the Goldy.
This could be the way to get around this thing and keep the WSL season on track until the situation hopefully improves when the tour gets to other more heavily populated areas in Europe and Hawaii.
Brazil is too soon and capping spectator numbers there would be a nightmare, so that'll likely have to get the chop too.
G land has virtually no public spectators, Jbay would be similar to Bells and Margarts depending on what rules they have regarding congregating spectators there, Tahiti is like G land, and the wavepool could have capped numbers too.
I think this season could still run on 8 or 9 events (providing this corona virus saga doesn't get a lot worse still), cut the 2 throwaway results with 2 cancelled events and voila,the season is still more than relevant and legit enough.
Problem though is that this seems like a good strategy today but with them having to be monitoring a constantly evolving situation, as they say, day to day and even hour by hour, then by Bells if things are still getting worse, then the season will definitely be drastically altered and could be cancelled by May if there's no end in sight to this thing.

wally's picture
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wally Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 10:46am

I blame Tom Hanks.

shoredump's picture
shoredump's picture
shoredump Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 11:03am

I agree this is all a total over reaction for a sore throat. If you want to talk mortality rates then look at the numbers at the different age brackets. How many of those older ones would have died from pneumonia or flu anyway?
800,000 people commit suicide every year, and alcohol is found in half of suicide completers systems, and is thought to increase the risk 90 times,
yet no one has a problem in sponsoring the event with this fatal and dangerous drug. Why? Because it’s not a problem for 99% of the population, just like CV...

Blowin's picture
Blowin's picture
Blowin Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 11:06am

Cool story , bro.

“Adjunct Professor Bill Bowtell, a leading infection control expert, has slammed political leaders who have vowed to attend footy matches this weekend, including the Prime Minister and Queensland Premier.

“The NRL season should be cancelled. Anzac Day, there should be a big question about whether those ceremonies should be called off. The Prime Minister can’t know, nobody can know, who in that crowd at the NRL has coronavirus.”

It comes after University of Sydney Professor Robert Booy said the best-case scenario is just 20 per cent of people getting COVID-19 – around 1.5 million in NSW alone.

The worst-case scenario is that half the population comes down with the virus.“

shoredump's picture
shoredump's picture
shoredump Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 11:24am

Half the world IS going to get it.
The other half will get the flu.
You just have to accept it.

Island Bay's picture
Island Bay's picture
Island Bay Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 11:21am

If you think that half the world's population is going to get it, and you're not worried, then I'm worried for you.

wingnut2443's picture
wingnut2443's picture
wingnut2443 Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 11:26am

Mate, seriously think about the numbers...

This Coronavirus, COVID-19 has major differences due to how it spreads and the impact on health systems. It’s a numbers game.

At present about 10% of people need acute health care (so, yes, that leaves 90% with mild symptoms). But, when over half our population ends up infected at the peak (current forecast), that’s say 10 million people, at 10%, so 1 million needing acute care, our health system can’t cope.

With usual illness, accidents, emergency, etc the hospitals are likely to face tough decisions on who to treat. People will die from other illness, accident, etc because of the capacity blocked by Coronavirus patients.

If your kid gets sick and the hospital is full of old people with covid-19, where do you go? And, would you want to be in the same hospital?

At around the 3.5% mortality rate, with a large infected population, say we only get to 20%, so 5 million, we’re looking at 175,000 deaths. That impacts health system (treatment before death) and death system (body storage before burial etc) because it will all come at same time. We don’t have the capacity.

The biggest impact is when the population is forced into lock down. Whether by large numbers in self isolation or by imposed area wide lockdown. Things stop. Deliveries are slowed to a crawl. Food supplies dwindle due to slow deliveries. Economic activity grinds to a halt. Businesses will go bust because they do not have the cash or access to funds to trade through. You can’t stop the grind of economic trade slowing right down due to population wide lock downs. That is what the governments want to stop, but once covid-19 takes hold, it’s a quick slope to lock down.

You don’t need alarmist BS, but equally a flippant nonchalant attitude won’t help either. We all need to be prepared for a lock down and economic, financial, impacts.

And we can all help to stop the spread of this thing. Washing hands regularly while out in the community is one step. Stopping usually body to body contact like shaking hands can help slow the spread.

The ideal is a long slow peak. So longer impact but without the peak crisis. This could be a 12 month thing if a long slow peak, or a 6 month thing if a large peak. Either way, we’re in for a lot of disruption.

shoredump's picture
shoredump's picture
shoredump Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 12:00pm

Washing your hands! FFS, I’m glad everyone has finally worked that out. I’ve been practicing great hygiene and health for decades. I’m not nonchalant at all, it just sounds like everyone’s actions are finally catching up with them to me. Should have been doing this for all disease a long time ago...
I guess I’m more comfortable with the current situation because I’ve been under no illusion that this was coming. The world has a major population crisis, I’ve been expecting something to give.
And yes, my over 80s parents had a good joke about all this yesterday too.
I don’t like seeing people panic, but I’m glad the world is learning some sound lessons

wingnut2443's picture
wingnut2443's picture
wingnut2443 Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 12:00pm

And ...

- stop hand to face touching

- social distancing

- self isolation if symptoms or suspected contact with someone infected

Remember too, it's not just washing hands after going to the toilet or before eating. It's regular hand washing through out the day when in public.

shoredump's picture
shoredump's picture
shoredump Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 12:09pm

But carry on if it’s just the flu, because we’re used to the half a million deaths a year

wingnut2443's picture
wingnut2443's picture
wingnut2443 Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 12:17pm

Mate, serious, you're not even close to understanding this.

Your stats are worldwide deaths, right?

Australian numbers:

https://7news.com.au/news/health/flu-deaths-hit-300-as-season-passes-pea...

Compare that to the likely impact of 175,000 deaths in Australia from COVID-19, most likely over the next 6 months.

Might be time to get away from the fake news and BS being sprouted on social media.

juegasiempre's picture
juegasiempre's picture
juegasiempre Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 12:50pm

Don't know what you're hoping to achieve by engaging someone that's only source of news is fb boomer memes.

shoredump's picture
shoredump's picture
shoredump Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 1:01pm

Hehe what’s incorrect?
I don’t do social media sorry, but I hear that’s what’s fuelling the panic.
Just pointing out there’s a disproportionate world wide response going on to what’s actually happening.
All you’ve got is speculation.
Happy to take a wager with you to prove my point. I’ll bet you $100 that sugar kills more people in 2020 than CV.
Have fun going down the sugar isle now hehe

juegasiempre's picture
juegasiempre's picture
juegasiempre Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 1:14pm

Sorry, I just assumed because your line of argument is the same as the misinformation, but to your point. I agree that sugar would kill more people, but that's a very narrow view of something that literally affects EVERYTHING.

As for what I have? I have nothing except what I could repeat back to you from listening to this.

http://podcasts.joerogan.net/podcasts/michael-osterholm

Who is that guy?

Michael Osterholm is an internationally recognized expert in infectious disease epidemiology. He is Regents Professor, McKnight Presidential Endowed Chair in Public Health, the director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP), Distinguished Teaching Professor in the Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, a professor in the Technological Leadership Institute, College of Science and Engineering, and an adjunct professor in the Medical School, all at the University of Minnesota. Look for his book "Deadliest Enemy: Our War Against Deadly Germs" for more info.

Maybe we should both keep our opinions to ourselves and listen to the experts in the field.

shoredump's picture
shoredump's picture
shoredump Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 1:48pm

I agree with the experts!
The ones on disease, diet, suicide, climate etc etc
I’m just questioning the world wide panic on cherry picking this particular crisis...

ron's picture
ron's picture
ron Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 9:41pm

Yeah worth a listen. One of the main things i took from it is how seriously he highlights the point that it is airborne. Washing your hands and masks arent going to help here.

Pops's picture
Pops's picture
Pops Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 2:29pm

No citation to back this up, so may just be hearsay, but I've heard that Italy has imposed a do-not-resuscitate order on over 65's to reduce the overload on their acute care systems.
Heavy sh*t.

Ben Harding's picture
Ben Harding's picture
Ben Harding Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 3:30pm

Agree with pretty much all, other than the reference to the 3.4% mortality rate.

This is an excerpt from The Harvard school of public health that directly address the problem with WHO guesstimate mortality rate.

"In spite of a World Health Organization (WHO) estimate that the new coronavirus’ death rate is 3.4%, experts say it’s more likely about 1%. WHO’s estimate measures only the “case fatality rate”—a statistic that takes into account only reported cases of an illness. A more accurate statistic—the “infection fatality rate,” which includes everyone infected—will be available only after the coronavirus spreads more widely. Marc Lipsitch said that the infection fatality rate “is essential for understanding how big our response should be. All responses have costs. If we think the risk is higher, then we should be willing to tolerate bigger costs, more inconvenience and the mental health loss from social distancing.” Ashish Jha said of WHO’s death rate estimate, “When I looked at the 3.4 percent number and where they got it, I thought this is both wrong and irrelevant.”

Either way, letting the virus spread at its natural pace will surely cripple our health care system as infection rate would far outnumber peak patient capacity and resources for other more serious health conditions shall be exhausted.

Its starting to get fucking annoying as it's been a long summer of boring as batshit cricket, now potentially no footy and no wozzle.

rondoggie's picture
rondoggie's picture
rondoggie Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 6:01pm

that's the most responsible and intelligent response. while there is no need for panic, lots of people are going to be out of a job and be under financial stress over the next 1-2 years.

Ben Harding's picture
Ben Harding's picture
Ben Harding Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 9:37pm

Yep - there really doesn't seem to be an end to this, with personal freedoms more than likely being restricted to unprecedented levels since the world wars. That is not really an exaggeration if you look at today's parliamentary address. The media are lapping this up as I'm sure subscriptions for various news corp in this country have gone way up aswell as readership..revenue, revenue, revenue.

It is a major issue, however the media have intentionally whipped people into a frenzied panic as their incentive to do so is significant. I guarantee that pandemics like this are viewed as wonderful opportunities in their annual reports. The news was already hard enough to read without round the clock corona virus updates literally every hour.

wingnut2443's picture
wingnut2443's picture
wingnut2443 Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 11:10am

Ah, hmmm, look, it's a bit more than about mortality rates and or if it's just like the usual 'flu...

Might be worth a read of this:

https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-control-measures-arent-pointless...

TGM's picture
TGM's picture
TGM Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 11:15am

I understand where you are coming from.. but: mortality rate of the common flu 0.1%.. COVID-19 3.5%.. looking at the known data from Italy, even around 6.5% at the moment (200+ in the last 24h alone).. the problem is, this is only the beginning and not enough is known about this virus, no effective or proven treatment for acute patients.. I‘m in Europe right now and I tell you, this is no joke or exaggeration.. restrictions must be made before this gets much worse..

100percent's picture
100percent's picture
100percent Saturday, 14 Mar 2020 at 8:19am

Ignorance is bliss. You get infected with a slight cold like Symptoms, then go home to your parents who you infect, then they die of the virus which has a mortality rate between 10 to 30 times as infectious as influenza. The more people that isolate the quicker this virus gets defeated.

shoredump's picture
shoredump's picture
shoredump Saturday, 14 Mar 2020 at 11:34am

If you went to your parents with symptoms your an idiot. Sick, elderly and infirm people should isolate. Healthy people should keep the world going.
It won’t work here just like it hasn’t in other countries. Despite calling off the surf comp, it will still spread. If you genuinely want to stop the spread, you’d have to weld peoples doors shut and lock them in like they did in Wuhan.
We could save a lot of lives by making alcohol illegal too, but again, it would be an over reaction

juegasiempre's picture
juegasiempre's picture
juegasiempre Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 11:13am

As someone that lives on the GC; good. What's the downsides for the average punter? Less people surfing, less crowded, less co2 emissions, less blowins and less promotion of surfing as a 'sport' are all big positives for me. What am I overlooking?

I don't get to see the battle of who is the best? Like I give a shit, I can watch Mason Ho, Nathan Florence and others surfing real waves whilst I'm taking a shit for free. I don't need to see ego-maniacs battling it out in marginal conditions to 'prove they're the best' at the expense of the environment and the average punter. Hopefully they kill the whole tour for the good of everyone/everything. My $0.02

dastasha's picture
dastasha's picture
dastasha Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 4:54pm

hear hear

tango's picture
tango's picture
tango Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 5:34pm

That's good value at $0.02.

bluediamond's picture
bluediamond's picture
bluediamond Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 10:05pm

Yup. Yes sirree. This!!

mlb33surf's picture
mlb33surf's picture
mlb33surf Monday, 16 Mar 2020 at 3:33pm

Well said!

wingnut2443's picture
wingnut2443's picture
wingnut2443 Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 11:13am

Formula 1 cancelled.

Crowds / fans banned at Cricket.

This is the new norm for a while yet.

It's all about 'flattening the curve'

Have a read:

https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-control-measures-arent-pointless...

Means we've got disruption for longer.

ringmaster's picture
ringmaster's picture
ringmaster Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 11:16am

Fuck..............probably means the whole circus will come down to Vic early now in the hope that Bells won't be cancelled.

What a freakin nightmare if all the 'pros' and the multitude of sycophantic hangers on and industry flogs are gunna be clogging our line ups for even longer than normal.

thermalben's picture
thermalben's picture
thermalben Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 11:23am

First world problems, eh?

wingnut2443's picture
wingnut2443's picture
wingnut2443 Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 11:28am

Whole world problem!

ringmaster's picture
ringmaster's picture
ringmaster Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 11:44am

Correct Ben.

.....and I HOPE that issues like that are continue to be what we whinge about cause on a serious note, the bigger picture is starting to look pretty bleak for all of us. Hopefully just for the immediate future.

Lanky Dean's picture
Lanky Dean's picture
Lanky Dean Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 1:45pm

Serenity now!

wingnut2443's picture
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wingnut2443 Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 11:31am

Hey, ringy, just tell them your a responsible citizen and practice social distancing ... so you need them to go find their own peak to surf.

And.

Don't paddle out yourself if the lineup is already busy.

tango's picture
tango's picture
tango Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 5:37pm

If today's numbers in the water are anything to go by, it's going to be grim. Packed everywhere, multiple burnings, the full muppet show. Great waves when you got one though....

Vic Local's picture
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Vic Local Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 6:26pm

"What a freakin nightmare if all the 'pros' and the multitude of sycophantic hangers on and industry flogs are gunna be clogging our line ups for even longer than normal."
You need to give the SA Rep for Mad Hueys a little more respect ringmaster. That guy deserves priority at the pop over Easter.

Duesouth's picture
Duesouth's picture
Duesouth Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 11:23am

I’m not cut up at all about the wsl not coming to NZ, infact it’s put a spring in my step!

anthony.olsen's picture
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anthony.olsen Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 11:28am

Wondering if we should start monitoring population density at popular breaks. No more than 1 person per 10 square metres .... in the interest of safety. Perhaps take a wave pool-esque attitude where you have to book a spot at places like Winki or the Goldie and then wait in line a designated number of metres apart before you can catch your wave.

jasper99's picture
jasper99's picture
jasper99 Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 11:28am

Friday the 13th.........

wingnut2443's picture
wingnut2443's picture
wingnut2443 Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 11:32am

@ least not 1st April

daisy duke kahanamoku's picture
daisy duke kahanamoku's picture
daisy duke kaha... Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 11:34am

Finally some good news........

Following the Federal Government's lead, Ballina Shire Council has introduced measures to slow the spread of Covid-19 on the Far North Coast.

As of today, Council officers will patrol all coastal carparks and check the registration plates of all vehicles entering plus the particulars of each driver. Any vehicle with Queensland registration plates will be denied entry, while drivers residing outside of Ballina Shire will be told to fuck off back to the Bay.

Local addresses notwithstanding, Council officers will follow medical advice and shut beachside carparks if the number of surfers at adjacent breaks exceeds twenty, or thirty at the point. After that, it'll be a 'one out, one in' situation.

wingnut2443's picture
wingnut2443's picture
wingnut2443 Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 11:53am

I'm not sure fake news is the most responsible approach here.

I'm sure the local businesses with memories of decreased trade due to the cluster of shark attacks keeping people away will be keen to have a quiet word with you.

gregstock's picture
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gregstock Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 11:36am

sucks!!

Solitude's picture
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Solitude Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 11:42am

surfed there this morning and thought that the infrastructure looked a bit light on for only a 2 weeks from the start...………...Pakerupppp Boyzzzzzzzzzzz

simba's picture
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simba Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 12:17pm

People losing there lively hoods could end up being more of a problem than catching the virus.Been talking to a few people who own buisnesses and probably hocked to the eye balls and they havent got much work happening but they also employ others,so when do you start laying workers off?..When do you start to panic.....?

wingnut2443's picture
wingnut2443's picture
wingnut2443 Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 12:27pm

It's not just small business. But, yes plenty out there already hurting. Things are slowing to a crawl.

Flight Centre just announced closure of 100 stores.

Theme parks on gold coast have already wound back casual staff hours. Airport done same.

Supply chain issues for building industry starting to appear (plumbing pipes, electrical cable, metal straps and gang plates) so won't be long and work grinds to a halt. There'll be building company collapses that take out subbies, suppliers

Hospitality workers across country already getting less hours, no work.

Logistics operations slowed so workers getting less hours.

This is a downward spiral. Going to get a lot worse.

Sharemarkets tumbling down.

Italy likely to collapse, starting next cascade of financial collapse.

Way more disruption to come.

memlasurf's picture
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memlasurf Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 2:18pm

Anybody old enough related to the construction industry remember 1987? I sincerely hope we don't get back there again that was BAD. The industry disappeared overnight and didn't recover until 5 years later, and even then it was slow. Most people don't know how bad it can get as we have been in boom times (in this industry) ever since. Architectural practices dropped hundreds of staff overnight and even some of the principles were driving taxis.

simba's picture
simba's picture
simba Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 3:03pm

yeah good memories eh ..not....and then interest rates went verticle.......

garyg1412's picture
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garyg1412 Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 2:55pm

Difference this time around, if it happens, is there will be some cheap boat/4wd combos around if you're cashed up!!!

indo-dreaming's picture
indo-dreaming's picture
indo-dreaming Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 12:45pm

What a weird decision.

It's at a beach for gods sake, it's not like they have to be seated side by side like a sporting event, or at a band where you are pushing up against others.

I mean seriously how hard is it to just keep your distance from others, and if you are paranoid stay home.

If crowd numbers are down it wouldn't effect anything from a $$$ point of view anyway would it? The WSL doesn't make money from crowds in anyway do they, bar advertising i guess, the main focus now is the online audience.

As for the competing surfers themselves would they be at any extra risk if they ran the contest than if they didn't?....only if they all decided to stay home which is unlikely, many will go traveling elsewhere, if some don't want to surf the event, then let them decide.

If they aren't going to run one contest now, they might as well just call the whole year tour off, because things are going to get a lot lot worse before it gets better.

The most sensible option would have been to run it and then just ensure the crowd doesn't go up to pro surfers, just a simple rope type barrier to give the surfers a safe path back too their area, and then just advice those at high risk like elderly or sick not to attended, which shouldn't need to be said anyway, it's just common sense.

IMHO this probably more motivated by a fear that if anyone spreads the virus at the event it is not good for the WSL image and will be critiqued for not calling the event off.

ojackojacko's picture
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ojackojacko Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 12:52pm

ID, it's not about 2 people in the surf and one person on the beach with a video camera. it's about thousands of people (workers, competitors, audience) coming together over days in one place from all parts of the world in close proximty, socialising etc.you stop this, you slow the disease considerably. unfortunately also the economy

https://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/coronacast/is-it-time-to-ban-mass-...

indo-dreaming's picture
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indo-dreaming Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 5:52pm

Thats the thing though, having gone to the Quicky pro a few times, i know what they are like with numbers down it wont really be much of an event, these crowds they pull are really not that big and easily spread out.

They are not like AFL games or Music festivals where you are crammed in with 30,000 people, the behind the scenes thing is really no different to any other work place.

I guess thermalben point about travel bans is the thing, they could easily hold this comp, but three months time when shit is way worse they will have to stop comps and cancel the year, so having this comp would then be pointless in the scheme of things.

thermalben's picture
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thermalben Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 1:07pm

Some surfers (and their support teams) will be unable to fly into Australia once new travel bans are put in place (for example, Europe). 

I suspect the entire WSL tour will be shut down for this year because of this reason alone. Each event's host country will have specific travel bans/quarantine periods - all of which are changing on a weekly basis - which will be impossible for all World Tour surfers to navigate properly, especially with (sometimes) tight schedules.

indo-dreaming's picture
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indo-dreaming Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 1:18pm

"Some surfers (and their support teams) will be unable to fly into Australia once new travel bans are put in place (for example, Europe). "

Okay thats a fair point.

Yeah 100% agree, if this contest is off, the whole thing will be off, this Corona virus things isn't going anywhere its only just started.

memlasurf's picture
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memlasurf Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 2:20pm

Along with MotoGp and Formula 1. Any sport which is international is dead in the water for this year.

adam12's picture
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adam12 Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 12:50pm

Bells won't happen .

simba's picture
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simba Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 1:24pm

olympics would have to be canned .....?

Pupkin's picture
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Pupkin Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 1:27pm

G-Land out.

Nuuuuuuuuuurse!

yodai's picture
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yodai Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 1:38pm

Absolute joke the Sydney pro is being held in 1 ft close out
If this was in Brazil Aussie fans would be blowing up
Joey and full commentary obviously gagged to make comment on poor conditions, they just keep talking it up ,even Richie lovett
Because nsw gov has put 2m to event that makes it acceptable ! ,

Sadly points on offer mean good surfers who couldn’t ride 1 to 2 ft will/ could find yr end qualification curtailed

memlasurf's picture
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memlasurf Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 2:24pm

Can't understand why you hold an event in Sydney? It's sketchy at the best of times for this level of surfing. You need a world class location with consistentcy in swell, both of which rule out Sydney.

freeride76's picture
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freeride76 Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 2:31pm

no mystery.

taxpayer money through Destination NSW makes it viable.

thats the basis of the Challenger Series.

memlasurf's picture
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memlasurf Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 2:40pm

Ok just looked on their website no mention of it. Hmmm...who cares about a couple of mill here and there. I would have thought if they are serious about fostering bushfire recovery they could of down south somewhere. Might be hard to get to locals on side though. I don't reckon Sydney needs any more help attracting people.

freeride76's picture
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freeride76 Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 2:44pm

couldn't see it?

Destination NSW, VisitManly branding is everywhere.

memlasurf's picture
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memlasurf Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 2:58pm

Sorry FR I must be blind as the home page has a surfboard in the right hand corner and then nothing. I know I'm getting old but this must be major brain fade.

D-Rex's picture
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D-Rex Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 2:15pm

As an aside, no-one is giving a shit about CC anymore (I hear Greta's really pissed)!

indo-dreaming's picture
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indo-dreaming Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 2:24pm

Yep its a nice break and the best thing is large group protest are now high risk.

seen's picture
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seen Saturday, 14 Mar 2020 at 4:54pm

Ironically emissions will be down massively in 2020

Lanky Dean's picture
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Lanky Dean Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 2:22pm

New advice,
Stay home , surf local ,
Buy local
Live local.
Sounds like my program anyway.
Nothing changing here !

stunet's picture
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stunet Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 2:39pm

And same here too.

Just went down the street, checked the banks (terrible if anyone's thinking of visiting), bought a coffee, had a chat about the next swell, and except for the elderly lady using her elbow to press for traffic lights you'd never know there was an approaching pandemic.

Lanky Dean's picture
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Lanky Dean Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 3:26pm

Check tomorrow, the elderly lady probably uses her elbow every day. Must be an arthritis thing .

If banks are shit, practice closeout barrels, or pretend you're Richie Collins and practice those floaters !
getting to go surfing is always a win in my book.

Vic Local's picture
Vic Local's picture
Vic Local Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 2:58pm

"Possible that Bells and MR [Margaret River] will still run but without crowds."
Ha Ha. The WSL should have checked the crowds there today.
Plenty of C^nts who must have thought they were going to die from Covid-19 so why not just drop in on everyone.

greyhound's picture
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greyhound Monday, 16 Mar 2020 at 9:28pm

Did you join them VL.?
Geez it was a good Long lunch session though.

willburb's picture
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willburb Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 4:49pm

Swell forecast on the west coast is not appealing enough yet for an industry shutdown. Would be nice to see how it looks in a week or two then make a call.
However, I think when containment reactions start they will come in quicker and harder than predicted(already happening with NBL final tonight). A week ago I was thinking there is no way we can all just stop for a cold. Now i am thinking if it's going to be this disruptive then do the shutdown nip it in the bud and move on(nice theory hey).
A positive spin on this is we curb the spread of corona virus, some markets rebound, some take the correction they may well have needed and we have the best flu season in years this winter.

Sprout's picture
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Sprout Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 5:16pm

What's the bet Snapper actually pumps on the contest dates for once.
Ahh well, hopefully this virus cleans out some Boomers.

Blowin's picture
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Blowin Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 5:32pm

That’s some bad karma for you Sprout.

I thought you were the higher level consciousness kind of fella ? Or does that only apply to the specious notion of board design choice aligning with spiritual enlightenment ?

billie's picture
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billie Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 9:15pm

Yeah, not cool. I think it's all a bit blown out of proportion, but I would never joke about hoping anyone dies. Humanity is too precious. We're all brothers in this place called Earth,

tango's picture
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tango Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 5:43pm

Yeah, +1 with Blowin. That's a pissweak comment. You obviously only half understand what's going on.

truebluebasher's picture
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truebluebasher Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 10:36pm

Yeah! It's Oz Health Professionals job to impose senicide.
Sprout is only half as caring as Oz Health wishing 'all' boomers dead.
Boomers count on Corona to cure us while Oz doctors leave us for dead.
Oz Doctors are poisoning Grom'z minds with elder abuse...
Sprout is simply feeding off best Oz medical advice.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8102329/Coronavirus-Australia-t...

tango's picture
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tango Sunday, 15 Mar 2020 at 2:11pm

Hmmm dunno about the best Oz medical advice being reflected in the Mail, TBB. My better half is a doctor and to suggest she or any other doctor is poisoning groms minds with elder abuse is a level of sensationalism that would make Murdoch blush. Of course, you may well be taking the piss.

Current debate is about the availability of beds in ICUs in Australia and around the world. Corona isn't the only thing going on for intensive care, and the issue seems to be more that there won't be beds available when combined with everything else that already requires admission to ICU. I read a good post from a Dr the other day and, rather than senicide, the focus was on whether you prioritise those with a good chance of getting through vs those with a poor chance of getting through whatever condition is afflicting them. Corona is just another input affecting bed availability.

Robo's picture
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Robo Saturday, 14 Mar 2020 at 10:18am

what a goose

troppo dichotomy's picture
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troppo dichotomy Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 5:52pm

Hard to imagine that they'd cancel an event called The CORONA OPEN!

Vic Local's picture
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Vic Local Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 7:06pm

It's only a matter of time until governments around the world stop bankrolling the WSL with tourism related advertising. Firstly the tour this year is over before it started. Secondly the number of people watching surf contests is tiny. Thirdly, viewers are surfers and when Destination NSW sponsors the Manly event in absolutely crap surf, the number of new tourists coming to Australia is zero. Same goes for sharks in WA. And finally, the tourism industry is on the ropes. There's no point marketing a destination when nobody is buying, full stop. There's a reason why cruise companies aren't pissing away their money on advertising at the moment. The WSL is screwed. It's one of the world's shittiest investments in professional sport ever.

Remigogo's picture
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Remigogo Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 10:46pm

Mentioned this very morning on ABC digital radio some cruise ship arrived preparing to offload passengers today onto Busselton jetty after going through strict protocols of course. I presume clean hands and wet wipes arses.

Later on, Federal government's announcement to limit gatherings of over 500 people as of Monday. I presume after this weekend's cocktail party or theatre or something.

My guts twisted when hearing about ships arrival.

Increase reliance on overseas tourists, off shore manufacturing and selling off essential services.

Great combo Gov. Now what?

Brian from Brissy's picture
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Brian from Brissy Sunday, 15 Mar 2020 at 9:18am

I agree, WSL won't run this year.. and most unfortunately I won't be able to scream at my screen everytime gabby pulls another dog act.... I assess alot of people will be looking for work across the whole competition industry... poor joey turps stocking toilet paper in aisle 8

mikehunt207's picture
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mikehunt207 Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 9:12pm

Buy wax.You can wipe your arse on anything but grip on your surfboard is a specialty item.
Dumb comment sprout.

billie's picture
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billie Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 9:12pm

Two weeks ago my whole family had body aches, high temperature, some vomiting, coughing, fatigue. Then three of my staff had the same symptoms, lots of my customers also.

I wonder if we all had Covid-19? Does anyone know if we can be tested post recovery? It was like a mild flu.

I have a hunch we did have it as do millions of others world wide; all oblivious, therefore the death rate is much lower than stated and the infection rate a lot higher. Obviously all conjecture, but I wonder......

mickseq's picture
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mickseq Saturday, 14 Mar 2020 at 4:00pm

Two weeks ago my whole family had body aches, high temperature, some vomiting, coughing, fatigue. Then three of my staff had the same symptoms, lots of my customers also.

I wonder if we all had Covid-19? Does anyone know if we can be tested post recovery? It was like a mild flu.

I have a hunch we did have it as do millions of others world wide; all oblivious, therefore the death rate is much lower than stated and the infection rate a lot higher. Obviously all conjecture, but I wonder......

I wonder about this as well.

Back in Jan when I got back from overseas I was crook for the first time in about 3 years. I also noticed a lot of people around me at that time was sick as well. Then as we started back up for work, a lot of my staff were sick, and with around 1500 transactions a day with our customers it was noticeable a lot of people were showing cold and flu symptoms

wally's picture
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wally Saturday, 14 Mar 2020 at 5:37pm

“ Does anyone know if we can be tested post recovery? ”

I’m no doctor. However, there are 2 covid-19 tests.

The more common swab of the back of the throat that is tested for the presence of the virus.
Or, a blood sample can be taken that is tested for the presence of antibodies against the virus.

I reckon the blood test probably would identify, post-recovery, if you had the virus. Virus antibodies tend to hang around for months. That’s what flu vaccines rely on.

billie's picture
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billie Saturday, 14 Mar 2020 at 9:19pm

Thanks Wally, I'm going to get the blood test done. I'm really curious about that.

shoredump's picture
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shoredump Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 10:03pm

truebluebasher's picture
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truebluebasher Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 10:46pm

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shoredump Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 10:51pm

bluediamond's picture
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bluediamond Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 11:07pm

My 3 cents worth....(#GST). I personally, whether this is paranoia or pure instinct, is that we live in a country (world) that is structured in a way that the rich get richer and the poor, get poorer. It's an elitist's economy in the western world. It has played out over centuries, it's nothing different....it's just another version of that. Now maybe i'm wrong,....but i feel like i've seen too much in my 43 years on this planet to think all is sunshine and lollipops (and occasional dolphin drop ins). So as far as this Covid 9 corona thing goes......i see, hear and watch the media...like a comedy show...(in the 80s it was Benny Hill, the 90's Seinfeld, 00's SouthPark, 10;s, fuck i dunno) and i hear on the news..the almighty politicians are trying to help their slaves escape this TERROR!!!! PANDEMIC!!. Where have they been for the rest of those times, when we have jumped through hoops, crossed rivers, climbed mountains, and held our breath in public spaces to avoid this new challenge.......just to survive their fucking putrid system??? Is this virus real?? Who can say? I can't...seems it is..but how do i know..i'm not a scientist. But it's important, right now, more than ever to question everything!! Everything we see, everything we hear. Repeat. Question everything you see...with your own eyes, in your daily life, away from the screen....and question everything you hear....on the screen...NOT YOUR REAL LIFE! And ask questions. My personaly perspective. If the media doesn't currently rule us, then who does?? Anarchy....never had a better opportunity than to rise. Having said that, rationalism and rule, has it's perfect opportunity to oppress us for years to come right now. Question EVERYTHING! And if all else fails....just go surf. That's my 1 and a half bottles of wine worth. Peace (- #cash incentives)

Remigogo's picture
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Remigogo Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 11:20pm

I hear you BD all the way.

I have been listening in on non conventional media and am convinced of... well..? Dunno.

Epstein case is silent as under still water.

bluediamond's picture
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bluediamond Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 11:29pm

Cheers Remdog. :-)

velocityjohnno's picture
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velocityjohnno Sunday, 15 Mar 2020 at 1:58pm

Yes, and when your questions lead you to the terrifying, undeniable one truth:

or just surf ;)

AndyM's picture
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AndyM Sunday, 15 Mar 2020 at 3:10pm

It's true VJ, the world is ruled by shape-shifting alien reptiles!

velocityjohnno's picture
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velocityjohnno Sunday, 15 Mar 2020 at 5:46pm

I was readying to reply with a dodgier yt reptile link, but there's just so damn many!
Reptiles don't hold a candle to my school headmaster, so here's some quality:

Remigogo's picture
Remigogo's picture
Remigogo Friday, 13 Mar 2020 at 11:07pm

The things you don't see coming can have...

An affect on others.

velocityjohnno's picture
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velocityjohnno Sunday, 15 Mar 2020 at 5:35pm

That never gets old. Bet it was perfectly fine after too.

poo-man's picture
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poo-man Saturday, 14 Mar 2020 at 6:24am

I'm still struggling to come to terms with the blanket cancellation of all events. I know it's not everyone's cup of tea but lots of crew around here were looking forward to the Piha pro and the WSL canned it the day before it started. Most surfers are already here. As Indo said, it's on a beach and if you're worried then don't go. It's not the WSL bankrolling that event but a local guy that stands to lose heaps. I thought they could have continued with events that were scheduled to run in the next week and put anything else on hold. The surfers and others actually travelling deserve better warning than that. I mean every other big rugby game is still running here this weekend and Jacindas memorial for the mosque attack is still happening so I just can't see the point in cancelling an event on a beach at piha. It might never come back

topgeer's picture
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topgeer Saturday, 14 Mar 2020 at 9:16am

Be interesting to see what the WSL contract with the local guy says about compensation! He had to organise, setup the location, commit to catering, etc and all the WSL had to do was appear with surfers funding their own travel... many of them are still swanning around the west coast today, one of the remote (walk in 30 mins) had 12 guys on it.. normally 2-3 in the weekend, and it was to big for it anyway!

stunet's picture
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stunet Saturday, 14 Mar 2020 at 10:28am

Most contracts have a force majeure clause.

I'd say the local guy is screwed.

wingnut2443's picture
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wingnut2443 Saturday, 14 Mar 2020 at 12:26pm

Not necessarily.

From legal advice I've had, this health issue does not fall into the "act of god" requirement for "Force Majeur"

If he had a contract, performed the contract, but does not get paid because they cancelled the event etc. he is likely to still have strong claim for payment under normal contract law; offer, acceptance, performance and consideration.

Lawyers will be having a field day everywhere in the world.

There is another legal aspect, argument, called 'frustration' too. Again, more fuel for the lawyers.

Anyone, any business, person or organisation (charity etc) in any situation where supply, performance or cancellation may impact should be getting legal advice now.

Chonglang's picture
Chonglang's picture
Chonglang Monday, 16 Mar 2020 at 5:52pm

It's not so simple, I'm afraid. 'Force majeure' clauses are often found in more complex contracts but it's not a common law principle (so it depends on how the lawyers drafted the clause). There are some other principles that are likely to apply and how the contract was structured, but, in very general terms, if payments were due for particular milestones, the local guy will get paid for those; however, if payment was depended on the event going ahead (that is, if he would only get paid if he performed all services), a cancellation as a consequence of a government order would probably render the contract frustrated and the local guy would get nothing. People often negotiate a settlement in situations such as these, though.

freeride76's picture
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freeride76 Saturday, 14 Mar 2020 at 6:53am

yep, it'll be the wrangling over broken contracts/insurance clauses and who eventually pays for it: WSL or the sponnos that'll determine the long term fallout.

Robo's picture
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Robo Saturday, 14 Mar 2020 at 10:23am

Obvious thats why it took so long to can F1, over who pays.

Craig's picture
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Craig Saturday, 14 Mar 2020 at 11:12am

Shoredump, I posted this in the forums but this is the reason to try and keep crowds to a minimum, to slow the spread..

Yes they can run the event with no one really on the beach etc and webcast it but I feel this is just the beginning of cancellations for the majority of the tour with flight disruptions, quarantine etc.

shoredump's picture
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shoredump Saturday, 14 Mar 2020 at 12:30pm

Totally across it Craig, however the diagram is misleading,
Be careful, wash your hands, don’t touch your face etc is just normal every day practice to avoid colds and flu.
It’s the cancelling of a surfing contest, that could have easily still run, is the panic. People not eating Chinese food is the panic.
We should cancel all sporting crowds every winter then, or dont those 3,500 Australian lives lost to the flu every season matter?
We should have a 40kmh speed limit everywhere to save the lives lost on the road, and every fast food joint should be made to close immediately, to save lives.
Or don’t those lives matter either?

That’s my point, I’m not disputing it will make a difference. We could make a much bigger difference by making sugar illegal. That’s a fact.

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dawnperiscope Saturday, 14 Mar 2020 at 12:04pm

My understanding is that we're all exposed to some level of the common flu viruses each year but most people fight it off. I don't believe anyone has immunity to this new virus as we've never seen it before so magnitudes more people will come down with the symptoms, massively increasing the numbers of those that need to go to hospital.

wingnut2443's picture
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wingnut2443 Saturday, 14 Mar 2020 at 12:29pm

You really do not understand the numbers or scale of covid-19 vs the 'flu.

shoredump's picture
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shoredump Saturday, 14 Mar 2020 at 1:08pm

I think it’s the worst disease in 100 years. I predicted quietly to my wife two weeks ago that it might kill my elderly father.

I understand it mate, but I’m not going crazy stockpiling of toilet paper, and I had the most delicious Kingfish Sushimi at a Surry Hills Asian restaurant last week.

I’m just not panicking.

Put it this way, if this were a clean up set, you’d be paddling towards the shore, and I’d be taking a deep breath and getting ready to dive, knowing it’s going to pass.
I had a near death experience as a teenager, I’ve held great perspective ever since.

We are basically on the same page other than you think cancelling Snapper will stop it, and I don’t

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dawnperiscope Saturday, 14 Mar 2020 at 1:26pm

I don't anyone thinks they can stop it, just trying to slow the spread and flatten the curve to give the hospitals a chance to cope

shoredump's picture
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shoredump Saturday, 14 Mar 2020 at 1:37pm

Should have seen how busy it was at the local club last night, everyone drinking, exchanging cash, laughing, coughing, all within 1 metre of each other

wingnut2443's picture
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wingnut2443 Saturday, 14 Mar 2020 at 3:27pm

Precisely the reason why governments have to make decisions to restrict people movement and activity.

Watch everyone bitch and groan when they're sick and can not get treatment because the health system is over loaded.

Your posts continue to show you do not understand the numbers or scale of the situation unfolding around the world.

I hope your dad ends up ok.

Regardless of your life experience or self perceived bravado, a nonchalant attitude won't help the wider community.

shoredump's picture
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shoredump Saturday, 14 Mar 2020 at 4:10pm

Have you stopped going outside?
Will you be staying home until it’s gone?
Or are you practicing good hygiene like myself and everyone else?
Just because I’m talking the truth doesn’t mean I’m not aware of it’s dangers. Getting dinner isn’t bravado. You’re the one pretending you’ve self isolated, when really you are doing what I’m doing. Continuing to live.
I think you underestimate how long this is going to drag out. The reality is we will have to live with it.

Eugene Green's picture
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Eugene Green Saturday, 14 Mar 2020 at 9:30pm

The lights are on but nobody’s home....

truebluebasher's picture
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truebluebasher Saturday, 14 Mar 2020 at 2:31pm

Daily Flu Patient costs one o/n lie down & is assigned to self Quarantine costs less than a prisoner $300/day costs less than Dole card junkie $450/day costs less than Reffo $650/day costs less than Emergency Patient $900/day costs less than Open Heart surgery $1,000/day cost less than Corona patient $1,100 day costs less than Diseased Animal care $1,200/day, cost less than booting out & relocating @ $2,000/day solid Gold Private Brain Dead + Pre Bubs leasing top floors of Public Hospitals..
Let's break it down
Remove & relocate to penthouses ***** Gold Level Patients costs ($2,000/day)
Corona Care ( 1,100/day + Extra Tent reality + Losing of $1,000 Private Gold rent)
Total $4,000/patient/day cost is more expensive than an a pretend patient TV Actor.
Which by the way is more expensive than a Flu Patient!

Island Bay's picture
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Island Bay Saturday, 14 Mar 2020 at 5:23pm

Are you an epidemiologist, shorey?
Can you tell us how that is misleading, please?

shoredump's picture
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shoredump Saturday, 14 Mar 2020 at 7:34pm

It’s misleading IB because no one thinks you shouldn’t wash your hands etc to help stop the spread of the virus, like it’s implying.
The dont panic words belong to the guy on the left of the gif.
The girl on the right, the other side of how people view this, should say panic, fill your garage with toilet paper, don’t eat Chinese food, don’t go watch a surf contest.

I’m sorry if it bothers you but I’m convinced it will still spread, despite a surf contest being called off. The reasons for that is that represents about 2% of social interactions. Don’t go to a surf contest but go to school and uni instead. I’m sorry but that is wrong, harass me all you like I won’t believe you. That’s why I pointed out social interactions that are continuing, and also why I said the only way to stop it, or achieve the lower case curve, is to weld people shut inside their homes like what they did in Wuhan. Of course that’s not going to happen in this country. I’m just telling you how it is, it’s coming, the disease is going to spread, you are going to have to deal with it. Instead of worrying, I suggest you be proactive. Give up alcohol for a while, smoking forever, increase your zinc and vitamin c intake, eat wall nuts and start taking echinacea and olive leaf extract. Also be aware that sugar suppresses the immune system for a few hours after consuming it. Any vegetables with orange in them are also beneficial, beta carotene, also onion and garlic.
Trust me, panicking won’t help you.
Virus love a body under stress, so yeah, relax.
Like climate change, the time for prevention in Australia has passed, we are now in the adaption phase.

And don’t forget to surf

Island Bay's picture
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Island Bay Saturday, 14 Mar 2020 at 7:17pm

Of course it’ll fucken spread, the thing is to get it to spread slowly so as not to make for a calamitous situation where the hospitals are way beyond capacity. That’s what that graph is saying. Nothing misleading about that.

shoredump's picture
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shoredump Saturday, 14 Mar 2020 at 7:36pm

Nothing more I can say other than shutting down 2% of social interactions won’t work.
If you read my comment I wasn’t talking about that part being misleading

Bnkref's picture
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Bnkref Saturday, 14 Mar 2020 at 9:03pm

I think we’re going to be in a situation in the next few days when the vast majority of social interactions will be cut right back. Schools, unis and childcare will be shut, working from home will be the norm for those with office jobs and a lot of non-essential services will be operating on skeleton staff.

I hope things get under control quickly but now is the time do keep a low profile.

Whether a surf contest is cancelled is the least of our concerns.

Jacinda Ardern very impressive in getting on the front foot with the mandatory self-isolation for everyone entering NZ. .

Vic Local's picture
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Vic Local Saturday, 14 Mar 2020 at 11:25am

Looks like the WSL has used the Corona Virus to dump a few events much later in the year. eg Krui Pro and Central Japan Open. Don't be shocked if there is a very big cull of comps that are seriously expensive to put on and have terrible audience numbers. Never miss a crisis in business to cut away the fat.

truebluebasher's picture
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truebluebasher Saturday, 14 Mar 2020 at 1:14pm

Professor Craig shows how the Wave of support for Corona Surfluenza backs down.

4th Feb 2020 ATEED cancelled Auckland Lantern Festival (200,000 visits in 4 days)
(Ages ago!) Now 20 yr event was cancelled with 1 weeks notice due to corona virus.

Govt Tourism & Council vs WSL Ransom demands (Rises by No's >>> Tier 1 Events)

Note: WSL CT are very much Tier 1 State Tourism Events of highest priority
Age Old Mantra! No Govt wants a Surf Event...until neighbouring Premier buys one!
WSL ransom WSR Comps > Council / State QS > (CS + CT)2 x main events per State
https://www.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/documents/ma/events-20181011-adoptedrep...
Sunny Coast Ranch + WSR Rort (Even closed door Govt/WSL bribes are fixed!)

WSL Comp 3 year Ransom Demands:(Top Down)
CT: $9m ( 3 years ransom - m/w) + Council > $450K + 24/hr 100% Free Assist
CS: $1.65m ( 3 years ransom - m/w) + Council > $175K + 24hr 100% Free Assist
QS: $150K ( 3 year ransom-m/w ) + Council > $75K + Park/loos + XXXL [P] inspector

Surf Festivals
City: $150K (3 year ransom) + Council > $75K (Need: Kid /Dog Friendly Beach Bars)

State Surfing Organizations
Qld $5m ( 3 year ransom-m/w) Must have WSL club card to Qualify for cash splash.
NZ $150K ( 3 year charity -m'w) After WSL Piha > $75K (Need my WSL card Cuz!)
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=12316664

Most Govt Handouts are mutual agreements requiring local economy spend gesture.
Govt contributions to WSL are a straight up ransom, they do not require local spend.
No local media requirement + No regulatory compliance...(100% PURE Pork Barrel)
WSL fly in Charlie's Angels to selfie VIP Corona Beach cocktails @ $500 Beach Bar

PS: Goldie surfing ratepayers are taxed 2 x $3m for nuthin'!
2019 GC WSL Quiky packed up & pissed off
2020 GC WSL Corona packed up & Pissed off
2021 GC WSL Fly by Nite Pro will kick board the Wave Pool for double or nuthin'!

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prothero Saturday, 14 Mar 2020 at 3:35pm

...and the Chinese are blaming the Yanks....if the Chinese had got on to it earlier instead trying to hush people up, we may not have found ourselves with out bog rolls....a bit like the bush fires, Dr Karl said if they smashed the fires early with aerial bombing it may well of not blew out like it did. The rapid spread of the virus was due to the head in the sand and don't stick your head out form of Chinese governance.....good for business not so good for your health..

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wingnut2443 Saturday, 14 Mar 2020 at 3:36pm

Fuck.

Italy running at 47% of cases ending in death!

See the data, graphs here:

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/italy/

Look at the closed cases!

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bluediamond Saturday, 14 Mar 2020 at 7:40pm

France, 87%.. hectic.

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stunet Sunday, 15 Mar 2020 at 2:22pm

I think you need to look at that data again, Wingnut.

It's 1,441 deaths from 17,750 infections, so about 0.08%.

You're looking at 'closed cases' which is pointless in the midst of an ever-changing situation. 

For your sake and the people around you, I hope you haven't been relaying that stat because it's the kind of fear-mongering that causes people to do irrational shit.

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AndyM Sunday, 15 Mar 2020 at 3:15pm

More like 8% Stu - pretty concerning.

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stunet Sunday, 15 Mar 2020 at 3:59pm

Mathematics be damned...

Still, in comparison, it's not quite the same as half the population keeling over.

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Joshy2000 Sunday, 15 Mar 2020 at 6:28pm

My point exactly Stunet

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wingnut2443 Sunday, 15 Mar 2020 at 5:39pm

Look at it in the world context.

World is running at 7% of "closed cases" ... Italy 47%. Why? Their health system is not coping. As it unfolds watch the stat... your version and mine.

Keep your eye on other Eurozone countries too...

Counting all "active cases" while the majority of them do not have an outcome yet (recovery / death) is like counting your chickens before they are hatched.

And, yes, I understand the calculation of mortality rates for other diseases etc. And, yes, it's based on total infections. But, that stat is after a longer period (usually a year or season) and outcomes known for the majority of cases.

The 'closed case' % of death vs recovery is the KPI while infection is spreading. If health system coping, it's low like it was in China. If health system not coping, it jumps up like in Italy.

I'm not fear mongering. I'm trying to get people to understand why we need to stop the spread. Our health system ability to cope needs us to stop this thing.

But our leaders are fucking around. Lead by example. Clear message. Fuck. World Health Organisation had the new handshake up for weeks. Why only now going out as a message to Australia by our leaders?

We have to stop this thing. It's way bigger, worse than media or government is telling us. Fuck. Read the letter from Chief Health minister to GP's and the comments.

https://www.health.gov.au/news/letter-to-doctors-from-the-chief-medical-...

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Pops Monday, 16 Mar 2020 at 11:24am

I'd read that data as suggesting that recovery times are slow, and death's tend to happen quickly. So you'd expect that ratio of deaths-to-recovery's to start high and slowly drop off as more people in the "infected" bin slowly move to the "recovered" bin.
Note also the mild vs serious/critical numbers of those in the "infected" bin - sure, some mild cases will become serious/critical, but not all serious/critical cases will result in death, so you could treat that 8% serious/critical as an upper limit on the mortality rate. Bearing in mind that there's likely to be a good number of unreported mild cases, the real mortality rate should be a good bit lower than that. Still high, but nowhere near that apocalyptic 44%.

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etarip Saturday, 14 Mar 2020 at 8:07pm

47% looks bad, but on first blush that’s not how I’d interpret that data.
You’re only looking at dead vs recovered - not counting those infected but not yet determined as ‘fully recovered’. Which I’m guessing takes a while.
Might be wrong - hope I’m not.

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wingnut2443 Sunday, 15 Mar 2020 at 2:34am

Yes. That's the real unfolding impact. Only cases with outcome produce known statistic. If not recovered or dead, they're still active and can go either way...

So taking % as death / total cases, while still unknown outcomes distorts what is happening.

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freeride76 Saturday, 14 Mar 2020 at 9:19pm

1600 cases between Denmark and Holland.
No deaths.

Does that mean the fatality rate is zero, in some instances?

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Bnkref Saturday, 14 Mar 2020 at 9:21pm

Surely just a time lag thing for now?

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Bnkref Saturday, 14 Mar 2020 at 9:27pm

As a follow up, Denmark still no deaths for now but Holland has 10. https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/685d0ace521648f8a5beeeee1b9125cd

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wingnut2443 Sunday, 15 Mar 2020 at 2:36am

Look at recovered and deaths. They are known outcomes. That gives the unfolding situation.

% death using total cases distorts. Until either recovered or death, outcome unknown.

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Island Bay Sunday, 15 Mar 2020 at 5:04am

Denmark just reported its first death. They have 500 ventilators, and estimate 3000 will be necessary.

Hence the need to flatten the curve, Shoredump.

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shoredump Sunday, 15 Mar 2020 at 8:03am

Haha you’re incredible.
I wonder if like Island Bay they won’t practice what they preach, still go to work, still buy food, still interact.
I bet they do, and I bet it doesn’t get flattened, or maybe it does by 2% like in Australia. I think that’s what’s really eating at you, that you know you’re not taking it as seriously as you think it should be. The psychology says the reason you aren’t practicing what your preaching is because you just want to appear to be of a certain character. They call that integrity, or lack of to be precise.
Cancelling a surf contest won’t work mate, and you saying we should boycott all small business is causing problems too. I’m not a villain for supporting small business that is hurting because of people in panic mode.

If you want to flatten the curve, you’re doing it wrong. Don’t go to the beach, go to Uni instead. It’s an over reaction, a poor decision made under stress. I won’t support you on it. Indoor gatherings should be the first thing to go.
You won’t convince me that that’s the way to flatten the curve, which I whole heartedly support. All I did was point out the flaws. You’re one of the flaws, tapping away online on what should be done, then going off to the supermarket. I’m actually more serious about flattening it than you. It would only work if it were a blanket decision. Get off my fucken back you two are giving me the creeps. channel your fear and anger elsewhere please. Stop telling me that people dying of other causes don’t matter, because they do. I merely pointed out that no one has cared much to protect the vulnerable from the flu. I don’t support you on that either, flu deaths do matter I’m sorry. Why you would argue that I’m am over trying to understand. Being an international flight attendant has made me pretty germ aware, despite your false accusations. I reckon now that you all realise how important it is to wash your hands, that the world flu death rate will drop. See the link I’ve got you on. I’m not trying to close your eyes to cv, I’m trying to open them to everything else.

For example, there are approximately 25,000 suicide deaths each year that have alcohol in their system. I want to make alcohol illegal, to flatten the rate.
But you don’t care about the frightening death rate. Why don’t you care (enough to ban alcohol)?
Because you feel strong enough to not fall victim to it. Because you feel they might die anyway. Does that argument sound familiar

What we are debating here is not about me supporting cv awareness, it’s about you supporting awareness outside of cv.
That’s my point

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Joshy2000 Sunday, 15 Mar 2020 at 11:09am

Wingnut that’s crap, your saying half the people who contract the virus die. It’s this sort of scaremongering/misinformation that causes panic leaving us with no toilet paper!

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goofyfoot Sunday, 15 Mar 2020 at 11:30am

X2. Wtf is wrong with some people.
My neighbour is absolutely freaking out about the virus, he sees figures like this and won’t sleep that night because of it. Literally.

He was telling my missus over the fence yesterday that she should be at the supermarket right now stocking up on everything she can. If I see one more selfish fuckwit walking out of Woolies with a trolley full of shit tickets I might knock the cunt out.
The poor teenage girl working at the checkout was telling us that she has been copping abuse all day because she has to tell people that they can’t fill their trolley with packets of flour and pasta.
Enough’s enough

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wingnut2443 Sunday, 15 Mar 2020 at 1:10pm

Perspective.

I known of situations as you describe. Someone loading up a trolley, being abused by someone like you. Yes, toilet paper, but also water, pantry staples etc. Big full trolleys.

Why?

They live remotely in one case. Shop every few weeks.

Other one had family in isolation, he was taking precaution to stick up so he didn't need to go out if he got sick too.

Another was buying for his family and his elderly parents and the parents elderly neighbours.

Perhaps genuine situations exist like them.

Also, dig deep and find the truth in Italy etc. People are struggling to get good in a lot of Euro zone countries due to bans, lock downs etc.

If I'm doing my usual shopping trip and someone like you does as you threaten, I'm happy to stand up for my family and our rights. Plenty out there who will too.

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goofyfoot Sunday, 15 Mar 2020 at 2:03pm

This is basically metropolitan Melbourne, they don’t live remotely.
Yes, for the other situations you describe they could be genuine.
But more likely they think buying 6 months worth of toilet paper at once is fair and reasonable. They’re selfish pricks.
An elderly Italian couple ( not that being Italian has anything to do with it ) in front of us at the checkout were told by the lady serving that they can only buy one pack per family, their response after a few seconds was that they were neighbours not family, which was absolute b.s, then proceeded to abuse the lady doing her job. Fucking scumbags.
This brings out the worse in people

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Blowin Sunday, 15 Mar 2020 at 2:12pm

Just an extension of the great Aussie dream of owning your own home.....and also owning as many of the other houses around you so that everyone has to pay you to have a roof over their heads.

The Great Aussie role model https://www.realestate.com.au/news/scott-kuru-how-a-father-of-four-built...

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wingnut2443 Sunday, 15 Mar 2020 at 1:13pm

That is what is showing in Italy. Their health system is in crisis because their leaders didn't take more action quick enough.

Worldwide shows 6%

Age is skewed to elderly.

Look at that link. Heaps of info to stay informed.

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Stupot Sunday, 15 Mar 2020 at 11:41am

No gatherings of more than 500. How are they ever going to police the Snapper through Kirra line up over the coming days...

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FreddyWaters Sunday, 15 Mar 2020 at 12:00pm

2020 Might just be the core renaissance.. Comps scrapped, whole industry thrown by the waist side, forcing surfing, to be Surfing, with interest from surfers. Can't say it's all doom and gloom

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Island Bay Sunday, 15 Mar 2020 at 1:33pm

File this one under How Fucken Stupid, Callous, and Don't Give a Shit-y Can you Get:

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/120290336/coronaviru...

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velocityjohnno Sunday, 15 Mar 2020 at 2:37pm

There's so much of this. Who are these people??
Eg last week one example, she's getting chemo but flying soon after cos cheap flights and you can't put your life on hold. YOLO

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Island Bay Sunday, 15 Mar 2020 at 2:40pm

Mind boggling!

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velocityjohnno Sunday, 15 Mar 2020 at 4:18pm

would you believe all 3 nearby were about to fly somewhere? My brain literally snapped

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udo Sunday, 15 Mar 2020 at 3:06pm

All O.S. Arrivals in Aust must now self Quarantine for 14 days.

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Island Bay Sunday, 15 Mar 2020 at 3:08pm

Yep, there goes Lennox in April. Hope Webby will store my 6'4 DS till we can get there.

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freeride76 Sunday, 15 Mar 2020 at 4:01pm

You can store it here IB.

Perfectly safe, promise.

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Island Bay Sunday, 15 Mar 2020 at 4:17pm

Very good of you, FR.

Sent Webby an email, and we'll see if he has a dark corner where it can hibernate. Otherwise I'll gratefully take you up on your offer - and repay you in good NZ wine :-)

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AndyM Sunday, 15 Mar 2020 at 5:16pm

Just make sure you clean all that wax off before Island Bay comes to pick it up ;)

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Island Bay Sunday, 15 Mar 2020 at 5:49pm

Don't let him take it out at the point in a solid E swell and high tide!

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freeride76 Sunday, 15 Mar 2020 at 5:58pm

umm.....probably safer in Webby's dark corner.

ah, anyway, thats a real bummer you can't make it over here IB.

you're always a good luck charm for waves, for one thing.

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Island Bay Sunday, 15 Mar 2020 at 6:15pm

Yep, not exactly stoked about it.

Will try to nail it next time!

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mikehunt207 Sunday, 15 Mar 2020 at 3:39pm

Same story here, my neighbours just got back from overseas, hes sick with a sore throat and they are waiting for test results. Talked to her (from a fair distance ) and she is "oh yeah hes self isolating , we got tested and waiting to hear back, got to go to busso and meet removalists" shes out and about , cars too and fro, wtf ?? need a hotline to report these useless cunts, Fine em , mandatory isolation somewhere less pleasant than at home if your a selfish fuckwit

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freeride76 Sunday, 15 Mar 2020 at 4:04pm

Self quarantine of all OS travellers?

WTF?

where?

so some backpacker arrived from Europe is going to hole up in the nearest backpackers dorm for 14 days?

How are they going to police that?

if they leave the airport then all bets are off.

useless as tits on a bull.

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Blowin Sunday, 15 Mar 2020 at 4:13pm

The entire government response has been nothing but marketing to soothe the electorate.

And Scomo the smarmy fuck can’t help but smirk his contempt with every measure he reluctantly concedes.

“ I’ll still be going to the footy.....”

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velocityjohnno Sunday, 15 Mar 2020 at 4:16pm

self isolation in a clapped out van in a local carpark near you (or me)

backpackers are going to be fun, as are the bus trips to said backpackers

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Blowin Sunday, 15 Mar 2020 at 4:35pm

You’re so cynical, Freeride.

People are so much more honest than you assume !

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8049789/Coronavirus-fears-hit-M...

Particularly like the way the magistrate didn’t record a conviction. Presumably because he didn’t want to jeopardise his chances of Permanent Residency through poor character references. God knows that we wouldn’t want the country to miss out on the potential of someone who is willing to drive pissed , run from a car crash and then ignore a mandatory health quarantine which may save lives !

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wingnut2443 Sunday, 15 Mar 2020 at 5:09pm

Yep, 100% agree.

Fucking useless leadership.

From the lack is self isolation with Dutton 'casual contact' to "I'm going to the footy still" and the piss weak crowd management to this border control BS.

And, before that, his 'holiday' amid bushfire crisis.

ScoMo is a fucking numpty muppet.

I'm not usually a fan, but credit to Chris Bowen who has been at least echoing in the broader mefiay the public social media displeasure of the ScoMo numpty leadership.

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shoredump Sunday, 15 Mar 2020 at 5:25pm

I reckon the cats already out of the bag. It spread big time this week, the sore throats will come next week, then the confirmed cases the week after

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stunet Sunday, 15 Mar 2020 at 4:20pm

Now that the travel bans and isolation periods are in place, and city-wide lockdowns threatened, it's kinda hard to see any of the Oz CTs happening.

I also doubt there'll be a truncated season as per 2001. Possible they'll run comps later in the year but they won't be weighted. My bet, the top 32 of 2020 lines up again in 2021.

Though surf comps seem the least of anyone's worries right now

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wingnut2443 Sunday, 15 Mar 2020 at 5:14pm

Be an interesting year for all sports.

You all hear the NRL commissioner in the press conference this morning? Framed up NRL doesn't have the cash to get through this and government has to bail them out 'for the public good' because NRL is 'part of the fabric of society'. FMD.

What about all the small businesses out there that are going to go broke? If ScoMo n co give any sporting codes money small business should stop paying all and any GST. See how the government goes chasing a million or more at the same time.

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shoredump Sunday, 15 Mar 2020 at 5:28pm

I reckon every single sport from little Tommy’s soccer league to the entire WSL to the Olympics, all off for 2020.
If you’re going to have an isolation policy on something that essentially can’t be contained then that’s going to be the result.

My wife joked that CV is a woman, cancelling sport all over the world

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billie Monday, 16 Mar 2020 at 8:33pm

HA!

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kooklife Wednesday, 18 Mar 2020 at 7:29am

Yeah my kids soccer has just been cancelled indefinitely due to an FFA ruling so presumably all kids soccer across oz is the same

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mikehunt207 Sunday, 15 Mar 2020 at 4:34pm

Surfing WA still refusing to comment on margs comp, J Majeks was on media all chipper about it, but dream on, I guess they are hoping to stitch (I mean sign )up a few more business for catering and the like before the state gov shelves them. "Not for Profit" used car salesmen (and woman) the lot of em

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Blowin Sunday, 15 Mar 2020 at 4:46pm

Scomo is truly a piece of shit.

Airports open. Schools open.

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

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icandig Sunday, 15 Mar 2020 at 5:22pm

Even though schools are staying open, Mr Morrison said students were to socially distance themselves from each other, which means staying 1.5m apart.

“It’s pretty straightforward,” he said.

“You are (to stay) about 1.5m away. Ensuring that you refrain from that sort of physical contact, whether it might be a handshake or something a bit more intimate, unless my close family and friends. It’s all commonsense."

So....they have classes out on the oval. Sit kids 1.5 metres apart and teach with a loud speaker?

Commonsense?

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freeride76 Sunday, 15 Mar 2020 at 5:59pm

the cunt has to be joking don't he?

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Blowin Sunday, 15 Mar 2020 at 6:19pm

Our Prime Minister needed to employ an empathy coach for $190K of taxpayer’s money .

He’s mentally retarded. Quite literally stunted in his caring for those around him. This is the fella charged with making decisions which will result in life or death situations for many people.

AndyM's picture
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AndyM Sunday, 15 Mar 2020 at 10:57pm

Bingo.

"Profile of the Sociopath:

Glibness and Superficial Charm.
Manipulative and Cunning. They never recognize the rights of others and see their self-serving behaviors as permissible. ...
Grandiose Sense of Self. ...
Pathological Lying. ...
Lack of Remorse, Shame or Guilt. ...
Shallow Emotions. ..."

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Solitude Monday, 16 Mar 2020 at 11:07am

I'll just make sure my 5 and 6 year old keep there distance from their kindergarten and year 1 mates. FFS

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wingnut2443 Sunday, 15 Mar 2020 at 6:20pm

We are doomed with this bullshit leadership. If they just bite the bullet, do a full shut down and run on "emergency services" only for a month, we can get through fairly unscathed.

This current path has us on a crash course with no parachute.

Fuck. Even with health workers, food supplies, deliveries and essential services we're still high risk.

I can understand if they are planning child care for health workers and essential services workers etc. But, I don't think they even have a concept of that linked issue.

Fuck. Is it too late to bail to NZ?

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icandig Sunday, 15 Mar 2020 at 6:30pm

So average class size around 21 students. (Sitting next to each other, burping, farting, sneezing etc...)
Average classrooms in a school, lets say 20.
400 odd students. 25 odd teachers.
Add a few admin....
Let's say roughly 500 people - sound about right?
Let's send them out to snack and lunch....but don't mingle. Stay 1.5 metres apart.
Fuck me.

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poo-man Sunday, 15 Mar 2020 at 8:57pm

I wouldn't think you're going to find it any better here. Jacinda dithered lots last week on what to do then came up with the bombshell 14 day isolation policy yesterday including all cruise ships. It's about to completely decimate the NZ economy and the tourism industry is our biggest earner. Air NZ is only going to fly most routes for the next 2 weeks then will completely wind back to virtually nothing as NZ herald reported this afternoon. I've already heard of businesses being 70 or 80% down and if there aren't any people then there isn't any work. Massive job layoffs coming and massive hit to GDP and consequently the tax take. And even if the government bails out businesses then what's there to do if there are no customers? I've heard all the stuff about flattening the curve but it's a bit theoretical and what happens if it just delays it to the middle of winter to coincide with the flu season? Isn't China way past the worst now? I don't have any answers but I'm just watching the massive economic hit about to take place and the thousands of jobs about to be lost. There's way too much scaremongering to my mind but time will tell I guess

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Island Bay Monday, 16 Mar 2020 at 4:17am

If we were to do nothing, or implement less restrictive measures, then the NZ economy would be far more severely impacted, and many more people die.

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poo-man Monday, 16 Mar 2020 at 5:16am

Yeah I hear you but I'm just not sure what the real science is behind that. Governments make decisions all the time that cost lives and there's always a financial cost. They could spend 5 billion and put a median barrier down the centre of SH 1 from Auckland to Welly and save 50 lives a year and countless injuries but they don't because of cost. They could fund more expensive drugs but don't because of cost. So this one they're about to nuke the economy which is where the tax money comes from to fund the stuff that they want to spend. Just not totally sure on the risk versus reward. Fascinating in morbid way watching it play out

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shoredump Monday, 16 Mar 2020 at 7:35am

Yep, there’s going to be far less money to save lives, for an entire decade now. Maybe we can scrap Medicare, or all spending on climate change to pay for it? The response is going to cost lives, maybe more lives, it’s a complex situation with like you say, no true answers.

38,000 deaths so far this year from soft drinks alone

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Distracted Monday, 16 Mar 2020 at 8:19am

Tough call balancing economy vs health. But with 368 dead from the virus overnight in Italy, daily increases in death rate and a critical shortage in intensive care beds already, then health starts looking more important.
Others side of the coin is the events industry in Oz, apparently worth $15billion annually .... that is a lot of casual workers missing out on work.

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shoredump Monday, 16 Mar 2020 at 8:48am

It’s a terrible situation, our hands are tied, what else can we do but fight what is in front of us right now

I guess I just get frustrated when I see how well the world can come together for smaller issues like terrorism and covid 19, but ignore the bigger ones

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brainiac Monday, 16 Mar 2020 at 10:05am

Mate reckon NZ and Oz have both missed the boat. We should have shut the borders 7 weeks ago. At least this thing might of been far more contained . We may have been able to continue living with minor inconvenience and a loss of international tourism along with a reduced impact, but now we are faced with a total shitstorm of mass society shut downs and a far worse economic and pandemic outlook. Scomo is a disgrace.

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Lanky Dean Monday, 16 Mar 2020 at 11:00am

For whatever reason , humor isn't working right now.

AndyM's picture
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AndyM Monday, 16 Mar 2020 at 12:02pm

Nah, there's always time for a bit of black humour.

Time honoured and effective way of stress reduction.

Just don't be grabbing my arse Lanky...

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philosurphizing... Monday, 16 Mar 2020 at 7:30am

6. The Hopoate manouver.

zenagain's picture
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zenagain Monday, 16 Mar 2020 at 1:20pm

Ah yes, great movie-

'Crouching tiger, hidden finger.'

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crg Monday, 16 Mar 2020 at 11:22am

Flew back into Aus last night at 9:00pm. I’ve been offline from most of the news and progress of the virus but heard of the self isolation in transit at Singapore. Not one mention of it at the airport and customs. Hard to believe the difference if I’d landed three hours later.

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Blowin Monday, 16 Mar 2020 at 11:34am

Yep .

From being virtually self reliant and being able to physically fight a war to save our nation , to a country where the ability to wrangle a grasp of arbitrage into a better house than your neighbour is the highest form of success in an 80 year period.

Wow.

truebluebasher's picture
truebluebasher's picture
truebluebasher Monday, 16 Mar 2020 at 11:42am

Corona Surfluenza ..Go Team Pink...That's a clean Ride!
https://www.surfertoday.com/images/stories/tandemsurfteam.jpg

Vic Local's picture
Vic Local's picture
Vic Local Monday, 16 Mar 2020 at 12:23pm

This virus has given the WSL the perfect opportunity to revamp the commentary team. Bring in the Lipped Podcast boys with special comments by the peanut gallery from Torquay Board riders / Jan Juc board riders clubs. Last night's Pool Comp broadcast was hilarious.
They'd double the CT audience straight away.

mick-free's picture
mick-free's picture
mick-free Monday, 16 Mar 2020 at 1:28pm

Get that gold on a podcast please

truebluebasher's picture
truebluebasher's picture
truebluebasher Monday, 16 Mar 2020 at 2:16pm

Good call Vic Local ...
Crew are summoning the Ghost of Beast Wave Pool Comp.
5/6 Reels (One without a Timer)
https://www.facebook.com/surfingvictoria/

Here's yer swellnet crew complimentary Wave Pool Comp Heat Draw
https://d1dxeappjj9zpc.cloudfront.net/events/N2YzlCz82H4ljkWLFx7AHOm06iJ...

Bonus Urbnsurf back up link to VS [f] page (You may need this!)
https://www.facebook.com/urbnsurf/

Lanky Dean's picture
Lanky Dean's picture
Lanky Dean Monday, 16 Mar 2020 at 6:04pm

Corona. Pulled all money from snapper already ? Then cancellation or the other way around?
Is there any better social distancing than surfing?
South and west oz seem like great places to social distance other people.
Honestly there is so much room for social distancing in surfing.
No wonder they pulled snapper.
Far to many surfers with far to little social distancing there.

No indo trips this year( don't do indo personally), we shall all honor our back yard. Where ever that may be, remember to keep your social distance and stay off others waves.

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Monday, 16 Mar 2020 at 6:16pm

Doing the run around today and I bumped into a Wozzle commentator bloke, conversation fairly quickly turned to coronavirus, and without sounding disrespectful to those who may suffer, he noted how it could be a good thing, an antidote to crazy times, paraphrasing, 'Now we're forced to slow down, stay local, talk to each other again.'

I haven't felt like writing anything about CV, what's happening is far bigger than surfing so nothing a surf journo says matters, but there was wisdom in what old mate said, and what you've been saying too LD.

Me, I've been running the angles off CV. How can I use it to get less crowded waves, cheaper flights etc....but fuck it, think I've just gotta slow down. Everything may seem out of control, but if you view it as an opportunity to take time out, a peace fire, then it's actually an opportunity to regain some control.

velocityjohnno's picture
velocityjohnno's picture
velocityjohnno Monday, 16 Mar 2020 at 6:57pm

Yep, slow down. We've been planting fruit trees and a garden; and stocking firewood; and tuning an old motor. I've got model boat kits to finish from years ago, and eventually new boards to design, but no biggie, the current quiver works.
The new ones will be all wood, might as well make a difference and be part of healing the place, go slow and work out how to do it best. Tomorrow, a surf and it doesn't have to be magazine quality. I've been enjoying a board I ordered 22 years ago. It's all nice.

In the meantime I'm linking you air horn video compilations and hopefully making you all laugh.

billie's picture
billie's picture
billie Monday, 16 Mar 2020 at 8:43pm

Oh man, I'm shitting myself financially. My business is 30% down on the usual numbers. And THAT'S bad. Imagine if it gets down to 70% down??!!

According to a supplier of mine, I'm not doing too bad. Hotels, function centres all fucked. It's pretty heavy. 1 month no dough and we're all broke. There will have to be some sort of understanding and help from landlords and tax department. My wife and kids are so stressed. I'm kinda zen. I don't know why. Actually, maybe I do know why; I'm in a constant state of worrying about going bankrupt, bring it on! I'll move me and the family into the desert and lick the dew off the roads like the kangaroos do.How zen is that?

poo-man's picture
poo-man's picture
poo-man Monday, 16 Mar 2020 at 9:05pm

Yep I hear you Billie. Mine is down well over 20% already and unless Jacindas package for business tomorrow is any good then staff will have to go. But how about Air NZ? 6 billion revenue last year down to 1 billion. 3500 layoffs coming quickly. They're now talking not only a deep recession but full on depression in NZ whatever that means

zenagain's picture
zenagain's picture
zenagain Tuesday, 17 Mar 2020 at 8:45am

I'm down 30% and April will probably be closer to 40%. Still gotta pay people too so looking like a pretty lean period coming up.

Think i'm going to have to start enjoying cup-noodles.

Apart from that, i just wish things would get back to normal.

Lanky Dean's picture
Lanky Dean's picture
Lanky Dean Tuesday, 17 Mar 2020 at 3:43pm

Zen, you're two months in to this right ?
How long till back to normal?

Blowin's picture
Blowin's picture
Blowin Tuesday, 17 Mar 2020 at 3:50pm

I think Japan was at where we are now about a month ago.

And then they went full Diamond Princess.

Never go full Diamond Princess.

zenagain's picture
zenagain's picture
zenagain Tuesday, 17 Mar 2020 at 7:09pm

Hi Dean, i wish knew.

We started a lot earlier with the cancellation of gatherings, schools, sporting events etc. and while cases are still rising, it's quite slow. Japan is still around the 1000 mark and about 500 or 600 were from the cruise ship. Panic buying has really slowed and food is plentiful. Toilet paper is still an issue but you can get it most places in the morning, limit is one pack.

My stepson is a Patisserie chef and he's kinda two days off one day on- hotel is empty but he's getting paid but won't be getting a bonus this year. The other stepson is a software designer, business as usual for him.

As for me, we're doing ok but basically what's coming in is going out, i hope it doesn't get to the stage where i have to pay my staff out of my personal savings.

Anyway, what can you do, just gotta soldier on i guess.

Got another hot drive coming up Thursday morning- another Aston. New Vantage. The owner (my mate) is in the aged care industry- plenty of money to be made there.

goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot Monday, 16 Mar 2020 at 9:05pm

“1 month no dough and we’re all broke”

Too true billie.

Not sure what you do for a crust, but im in construction and I’m wondering how long it’s going to take before it starts slowing right down. And how bad it may get.
Worrying times mate

billie's picture
billie's picture
billie Tuesday, 17 Mar 2020 at 7:43pm

I have a cafe/restaurant. My landlord came down today, he was pretty cool: "going to be some tough conversations in the future"......

zenagain's picture
zenagain's picture
zenagain Tuesday, 17 Mar 2020 at 8:55pm

Good luck with it Billie, i'm in the service industry too but a little bit shielded as a lot of my clients are locked in to contracts. Unfortunately end of March and most are up for renewal.

Interesting times are afoot. Hope you come out the other side ok.

simba's picture
simba's picture
simba Monday, 16 Mar 2020 at 9:27pm

And this is only the start ......give it another few weeks .....cant see it being good....

Solitude's picture
Solitude's picture
Solitude Monday, 16 Mar 2020 at 9:42pm

Yeah, thoughts out to you all and your families. I hope things don’t get to grim.

Distracted's picture
Distracted's picture
Distracted Tuesday, 17 Mar 2020 at 6:25am

Taking time out is a nice idea and surfing will be a perfect escape from the approaching chaos.... but holy crap, there will be some shit to deal with.
Apart from family and friends health, as the fella’s have pointed out above, there will be some serious cash flow issues. Hope some of the stimulus package works but for construction can’t see it having any impact.

Blowin's picture
Blowin's picture
Blowin Tuesday, 17 Mar 2020 at 7:58am

Crew should be getting their families ready for an extended period of shutdown. And I mean shut in their homes .

And not the 14 day bullshit that people think is appropriate.

Scummo is dragging his feet as hard as he possibly can cause he’s :

A/ Corrupt
B/ Fucking stupid
C/ A sociopath

But soon he’ll either get swept aside or , more likely, overwhelmed by smarter people who can’t stand back and watch any longer as he runs the country into a dead end.

The virus took hold in China in mid January. People there are still hiding in their houses 2 months later. What’s that tell you about Scummo leaving schools and borders open ? His refusal to affect a rule preventing mass gatherings so that his Pyramid scheme church could stage their annual cash harvest , despite being privy to inside knowledge of what is unfolding overseas , is no less criminal than Xi Jinping’s persecution of whistle blowing medical experts at the initial viral outbreak.

History will judge him but that won’t make the present any better .

Robo's picture
Robo's picture
Robo Tuesday, 17 Mar 2020 at 2:13pm

And the $750 bonus if you can even get it, will only go to coles and woolies. Being self employed and not claiming any family benefit in case over going the thresh hold, i won't even know if i can get it till May next year lol.

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Tuesday, 17 Mar 2020 at 3:18pm

32 day lockout of Norfolk island..
Lots of Tourism $ gone ..

freeride76's picture
freeride76's picture
freeride76 Tuesday, 17 Mar 2020 at 9:01pm

yep, tight times ahead.

I've been stocking up on lures and seedlings.

crg's picture
crg's picture
crg Tuesday, 17 Mar 2020 at 10:38pm

One off payments and tax concessions are useless band aid measures. Any decisions to alleviate financial pressures should start at the top with a freeze on all mortgage/rent payments so people know they have somewhere to live and don't end up in a financial hole. The banks shouldn't be the only people still making money that's for fucking sure.

freeride76's picture
freeride76's picture
freeride76 Wednesday, 18 Mar 2020 at 7:40am

yep.

Trump is going to mail out cheques.

Never thought I'd agree with something he did.