Friday Day 52

This Cairns Council report highlights economic impact on Cairns from COVID-19

·        The unemployment rate is expected to increase to over 12 per cent.

·        More than 13,000 jobs in Cairns will be affected, with 7700 (9.4 per cent) people losing their job and a further 5700 (6.9 per cent) supported by Jobkeeper payments.

·        Cairns’ Gross Regional Product (GRP) in the June quarter is expected to be $386 million (16 per cent) lower than the average quarter experienced in 2018/19. 

·        Cairns will be the second most impacted regional city in Australia for the June quarter.

The Cairns economy is expected to take a $1 billion hit this year with nine out of 10 business impacted as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Before COVID-19, Cairns’ economic growth over the past three years was 3.5 per cent (above the State and National average of 2.2 per cent), and the unemployment rate was 4.3 per cent, well below the Queensland rate of 6 per cent.

Key data from the report about the city's post-COVID-19 economy includes:

“Our economy usually services almost 200,000 people – about 167,000 residents and more than 31,000 visitors – with the collapse of tourism those visitors are no longer here and people have lost their jobs as a consequence, which is why the impact is so severe."

I went into school today for the handover from my job share teacher, as I start face to face with a class of 18 next week. Despite the less than 1.5m distancing, I still have the biggest classroom and I an sick and tired of zoom teaching, so I'll suck it up and get on with it.

I did a private dinner party the other night for a couple's 25th wedding anniversary. Everyone happy; I got paid; I got a tip; and they comped the booking commission. Happy chef.

Wed 13, day 50 of our ISO. I notice that Tas' blog, is like mine, winding down with the easing of restrictions. I don't feel that our restrictions were too harsh. It was hard not socialising but we contacted, and were contacted by, many distant friends on zoom and had many chats with childrena and grandchildren  on other video platforms. Penny was able to go to work every day, so there was not two of us in 100sqm all day long, otherwise who knows what might have happened.

I kept busy cooking and delivering meals, then back to virtual teaching. The Jobkeeper payment is not much less that my old wage, so it has been very helpful. We are all back face to face teaching now and in the coming weeks will have greater freedoms.

I do however, fear that the economic damage, particularly to a fragile tourism based economy like Cairns, will be huge and a long time in recovery. I reckon 2020 will be a year best forgotten and crikey, we are almost half way through it already!

Friday day 45
Well, things are changing in Queensland. It looks like the lock down is not quite a lockdown
Some great news: 

Premier maps road to easing restrictions

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has released Queensland’s roadmap to a COVID-safe recovery allowing more travel, more activities and larger gatherings.

From 11.59pm, Friday May 15, the following will be allowed:

• Gatherings of a maximum of 10 people together in a public space
• Dining in at restaurants, pubs, clubs, RSLs and cafes for a maximum of 10 patrons at one time as part of a gradual re-opening (no bars or gaming)
• Recreational travel of a radius of up to 150km from your home for day trips
• Some beauty therapies and nail salons for up to 10 people at one time
• Reopening of libraries. playground equipment, skate parks and  outdoor gyms (a maximum of 10 at one time)
• Wedding guests increased to 10 people and funeral attendance  increased to 20 (30 outdoors)
• Open homes and auctions with a maximum of 10 people at one time;
• Re-opening public pools and lagoons (eg South Bank, Cairns, Airlie Beach) with a maximum of 10 people at a time or greater numbers with an approved plan

For Outback Queensland, where there have been no COVID cases, two special concessions have been made:

• Dining in at pubs and cafes will be up to 20 for locals only, reflecting the important role these venues play in connecting small outback communities; and
• Recreational travel of a radius of up to 500 kilometres reflecting the long distances in the Outback.

Stage Two, effective 11.59pm, Friday June 12 would provide for:

• Gatherings at homes with a maximum of 20 visitors
• Dining-in at restaurants, pubs, clubs, cafes and RSLs for up to 20 patrons at a time and an option for more with an approved COVID-safe plan
• Holiday travel within your region

The Premier said Stage Three would include reviews of border closures and build to 100 customers for venues giving certainty to business, communities and families to be able to plan ahead.

Apparently, there aren't as many selfish wankers here as in Vic and NSW, but I'm not sure.

We are back F2F teaching as of Monday 11 May. So I may give up this blog, since it's not locked down at the Esplanade any more.

Wednesday
Day 43
I found out this morning that my school will be back face to face teaching next week. My students are very happy but some of the teachers are still a bit concerned. Try getting a Gen X to socially distance, let alone the South Americans. Anyway, it's probably time we started the economy again here.No active cases in our region so I reckon we might have dodged a bullet. I feel for the Victorians, you must be thinking it's Groundhog day!

Now, I know things are relative, but our weather has turned cool and wet. Unusual for May. We have turned to long pants and socks, a light bed cover and turned the fans off. Must be end of days!



New competition. What is this? Hint: it is something that used to happen in the past!

Monday day 41
We departed Cairns at 1130, leaving cloudy and cool 22C weather behind but as usual once over the range we hit "300 days of sunshine Mareeba" and 37C. Grant and Merril put on a great lunch of tempura prawns, which we enjoyed with a Galician beer, vermintino white and a rose. The baclau salted cod  was accompanied by a Spanish red from around Leon, which we continued through to the cheese course. Before we left we were given some fresh bay leaves and Kaffir lime leaves from the garden and 6 eggs from the chooks. Lady P drove back home.

There were more cars out than previously and going up and coming down the range there were also a few motor bikes on the road.  However, there were not hordes of people breaking the rules. Perhaps I didn't look in the right places because I don't believe certail types will ever change their behaviour.

There is a small possibility that I may be wrong in this judgement. The TV and local papers are all quoting the police saying how responsible FNQ'ers were. No fines issued. Mmmm ...

Ladt P has now completed her second 999 piece jigsaw. One piece has gone missing.

Saturday 2 May, day 39
Another excellent job of trivia by Andrew and Katie last night with a close win by Shane in Sydney. Our lamb and tzatziki pizza on home made sourdough base was also excellent. Also another beautiful morning with warm sunshine and clear blue sky. It's enough to make you want to slip into lycra and go for a run, but I didn't.

Lady P has been occupying her lockdown time with jigsaws. This is her second one almost completed

 It's our long weekend here - Labour Day and the travel and socialising restrictions have been eased. You now can go shopping for non-essential items; go to public spaces and have a picnic (not that this stopped wankers before sunbathing and picnicking); and drive 50 kms - I mentioned this before, so I am going to be particularly vigilant on my patrols this weekend so I can give a fascinating and accurate report tomorrow on the behaviour of the various generations.

In preparation for tomorrow's trip to Mareeba (35 km as the crow flies), Lady P has been baking. And I am forbidden to test it warm. Evil woman!