Parra News August 10 2021

« parra news
Tuesday, August 10, 2021
parra
news
PO BOX W107
Parramatta Westfield, NSW 2150
P (02) 9168 8094
www.parranews.com.au
www.facebook.com/theparranews
www.twitter.com/theparranews
theparranews
Editor’s Note
troy.dodds@parranews.com.au
Troy Dodds
@troydodds
HSC exams should be postponed
The HSC is one of the most important
times in a young person’s life, but I find
the obsession with getting the exams to
happen on time during the pandemic
somewhat over the top.
The State Government has moved heaven
and earth to get these exams happening,
even redirecting vaccines from regional
New South Wales.
They should have just been postponed.
We’ve all had to deal with postponements,
cancellations and delays during
this pandemic.
Running the exams in December surely
would have been a smarter option.
Issue 38
Visit
www.parranews.com.au
to find out more.
Parra Matters
alanmascarenhas09@gmail.com
Alan Mascarenhas
@alanmasc
Advertising: sales@parranews.com.au
Editorial: news@parranews.com.au
Distribution/delivery queries:
distribution@parranews.com.au
Published by: Western Sydney Publishing Group
Managing Editor:
Troy Dodds | troy.dodds@parranews.com.au
@troydodds
Journalists:
Senior Journalist: Nicola Barton | @nicolabarton123
Sports & TV Journalist: Nathan Taylor | @natetaylor87
Photographer: Melissa Stevens
If you have a story suggestion or news tip,
email news@parranews.com.au
Sales Director:
Chris Pennisi | chris.pennisi@parranews.com.au
Sales Executives: Chris Middleton, Andrew Harris, Linda
Miller, Jay Lowe, Angela Jevdich
To receive a copy of our media kit and advertising prices,
email sales@parranews.com.au
Production: Ian Beard, Zoe Merrick, Kacey Wilson
Administration: Jennifer Zuleni, Megan Dunn
Western Sydney Publishing Group is a
proudly independent publisher. Talk to
us today about our sister publication,
The Western Weekender in Penrith, or
about our other services around custom
publishing and advertising solutions.
Lockdown must be tougher
Parramatta is now more than six weeks
into Australia’s most ineffective lockdown
of the pandemic. New daily case
numbers average in the high 200s in NSW
– and are poised to rise further. The virus
has gained a foothold in parts of Sydney
and seeped into the Hunter. It has forced
lockdowns in other states.
A lockdown, of course, is at most an
ideal. Only so much movement can be
curbed. People still have to exercise and
shop. Our essential public services must
go on. Others have no option but to leave
the house for jobs in supermarkets, pharmacies,
factories, construction, logistics
and freight.
But we’ve also learned a few other lessons
since last year. Australians want to
do the right thing. It’s easier when governments
do right by them. By honestly
communicating the severity of the situation
and sacrifice required. By providing
genuine financial support to make compliance
possible. Not backflipping every
few days, such as changing the goalposts
on tradies and HSC students.
And certainly not by raising hopes, then
dashing them. Establishing a one-week
lockdown, then extending it another two.
Then another month. We can all see August
won’t be enough.
Index
News..............................................1-16
Horoscopes.................................17
Business..................................18-20
Despite the obvious dedication of the
Premier, her senior ministers and everyone
in NSW Health and allied agencies,
it’s now clear our state underestimated
and underprepared for the Delta variant
in Sydney.
Walking in their shoes can’t be easy.
Flawed as it has been, Sydney’s lockdown
has undoubtedly spared us thousands of
cases and deaths. Around the world, we
see countries grappling with Delta and
doing immeasurably worse.
So, I believe the public would sympathise
if the Premier admitted the obvious:
Sydney could have locked down faster
and harder. And in our understandable
desire to keep our society open, we misjudged.
Seeking this forgiveness is essential to
the Premier rallying the public one last
time. Gladys Berejiklian is right that lockdown
is only one part of the solution.
Vaccination is ultimately our ticket back
to a normal life. However, she again raises
unrealistic expectations by implying restrictions
can be eased in any significant
way by the end of August. Vaccination
will take months to be a game-changer.
This means a combination of solutions
and adjustments to settings is required.
Lockdowns are hard for people in all
Entertainment ....................21-27
Business Directory.......28-29
Auto..................................................30
sorts of situations – and those impacts
need genuine attention. But there’s a silver
lining. A more restrictive lockdown
can be shorter. Lockdown-lite in Sydney
simply hasn’t worked and we still have
the chance to switch to something that
might.
So it’s hard to understand why NSW isn’t
imposing restrictions at least as strict as
those that quashed last year’s Victorian
outbreak. Victoria had a curfew from 8pm
to 5am to limit household visits. Essential
workers required permits. Exercise was
limited to one hour. Stores like Bunnings
were restricted to click and collect. At the
very least, this could be implemented in
specific LGAs like Cumberland and Canterbury
Bankstown until cases eased.
There’s more to do: massively surging
the state’s contact tracing capability.
Rapid testing and vaccination of workers
who still need to move around. Genuine
outreach and integration of multicultural
communities. And restoring JobKeeper –
if it was needed in 2020, then even more
so now.
Bromides about how “we’re all in this
together” no longer cut it. Our response
to Delta in Sydney is failing. Where’s the
real leadership and hope to bring the finish
line in sight?
Sport ...........................................31-32
CALL FOR
A FREE
QUOTE!
PENDLE HILL
MEAT MARKET
OUR SERVICES: • Cash for unwanted vehicles
• Free car removal Sydney wide • Same day service
• Top dollar paid • Car recycling
DINE WITH
4
We buy all scrap, damaged and unwanted
cars, vans, utes, 4x4 & small trucks.
Unit 4/160-166 Forrester Road, St Marys
0405 990 100
info@atlanticcarremovals.com.au
PN45023
DANIEL
parranews.com.au/pendlehillmeatmarket
PN45289