COVID-19: How Not To Kill an Economy

[tech/a]

Barney
If we could place a dome over wherever
You want to test and quarantine the virus
Into oblivion.
Then it has merit
Truth is unless you permanent close borders
Both domestically and internationally you’ll
Just keep re infecting

Personally I think herd immunity and some form of
Vaccine will see us all live with Covid 19
Eradication in my view is not going to happen.

need to learn lessons and quickly
Chances are a serious virus (much higher mortality rate)
will appear at sometime
In the future. This is simply a test run.

Economically I think there will be a re balance.
A modification of free trade to not so much free trade.

 

[SirRumpole]

I'd like to see a general manufacturing company set up under government subsidy.

One that could coordinate the building/manufacture of items that could be scarce if we had to depend on overseas supply, and let's face it, that's virtually everything these days.

This company wouldn't have to produce every little piece of the items, they would subcontract to the private sector and get the best price for the supply of components, like our dearly departed auto industry did.

They could encourage a degree of commonality between items they produce. eg virtually every device these days requires a CPU, memory and other integrated circuits. The same components could be used in a multitude of applications thus giving economies of scale.

This could be the basis for a revival of Australian manufacturing. Some suppression of competition from overseas would be needed, but not taken so far as to encourage featherbedding of local industry. The competition factor should exist, but cooperation comes into the equation as well.

 

[rederob]

I'd like to see a general manufacturing company set up under government subsidy.

One that could coordinate the building/manufacture of items that could be scarce if we had to depend on overseas supply, and let's face it, that's virtually everything these days.

This company wouldn't have to produce every little piece of the items, they would subcontract to the private sector and get the best price for the supply of components, like our dearly departed auto industry did.

They could encourage a degree of commonality between items they produce. eg virtually every device these days requires a CPU, memory and other integrated circuits. The same components could be used in a multitude of applications thus giving economies of scale.

This could be the basis for a revival of Australian manufacturing. Some suppression of competition from overseas would be needed, but not taken so far as to encourage featherbedding of local industry. The competition factor should exist, but cooperation comes into the equation as well.

Humpy, we could actually tweak the idea so that we created a national manufacturing training centre of excellence, which provided opportunities for people from apprentices to managers to learn not only how to produce things, but do it with the best available technology in association with production skills which were 21st century.
We have an outdated, inflexible training system at present and with so little manufacturing now being local, it would be imperative that this skill base grew, in keeping with world best practices.

 

[SirRumpole]

Humpy, we could actually tweak the idea so that we created a national manufacturing training centre of excellence, which provided opportunities for people from apprentices to managers to learn not only how to produce things, but do it with the best available technology in association with production skills which were 21st century.
We have an outdated, inflexible training system at present and with so little manufacturing now being local, it would be imperative that this skill base grew, in keeping with world best practices.

Good idea Bobby, excellent training is obviously essential, but if we don't have the industry in place to employ these skilled people, they will just go elsewhere.

What should come first ? We shouldn't create vast production lines waiting for people to turn up and use them, so maybe the first trainees will be the ones to set up the company and develope the processes.

We would also need those with commercial expertise to sniff out the opportunities and commercialise the ideas.

There would need to be some mechanism to make contact with inventors who have good ideas but no idea of how to put them into production.

 

[rederob]

Good idea Bobby, excellent training is obviously essential, but if we don't have the industry in place to employ these skilled people, they will just go elsewhere.

What should come first ? We shouldn't create vast production lines waiting for people to turn up and use them, so maybe the first trainees will be the ones to set up the company and develope the processes.

We would also need those with commercial expertise to sniff out the opportunities and commercialise the ideas.

There would need to be some mechanism to make contact with inventors who have good ideas but no idea of how to put them into production.

First, we already invest $2.8B annually in vocational training, so putting aside +$100m would build and sustain a pretty good facility, especially as some costs could be offset by real world production of goods via the facility. Alternatively, the facility could double as a testing ground for whole-of-product manufacturing where current manufacturers simply lack the ability and knowledge to keep up with the rest of the world.
I would envision the facility as a manufacturing style CSIRO.
As a very quick aside, China is pouring $billions into getting their chip technology up to speed, as presently they are reliant on external suppliers for the most advanced technology. Once they win on that front the USA will be cactus.

 

[jbocker]

Evidence that our government is out of ideas about actually stimulating job creation are found all across the country.
This project in WA should have been jumped on. Not just ultra-low risk, but high return in that much needed medical supplies could be brought back on return flights.
At the local level, fruit & vegetable growers in eastern Australia are still hamstrung by an inability to have fruit pickers cross State borders unless they go into 14 days quarantine. And that's aside from the issue of finding accommodation as they go, because often their group size would prevent the usual sharing arrangements.
Building and construction projects should have been fast tracked as these activities are low risk for virus transmission. We could have had a lot of State Housing underway, and we could have ramped up infrastructure projects.
We don't have any visionary projects to launch into, so that remains a major failure of Morrison. He's so focused on steering us off the rocks that he's lost the map to our destination.

Appreciate your points but in their defence we have been overwhelmed in the finding the best way to fight. Maybe a little patience? Would be great to see another bipartisan govt group of planners working on opportunities and forecasting opportunities and how to enable them.

 

[kahuna1]

Trump has a cure ....




Since his main support base is types like this ... I kid you not.

Meanwhile ... USA set to report more infections per million and deaths adjusted for population and since some states only shut down and SOME still not fully, but 4th April ... and he wants to go back to work 1st May with 5 times 0our infection rate ?

Watch the preacher again and again.

 

[moXJO]

We have an outdated, inflexible training system

This right here is a huge problem in Australia. Neither government has addressed the issue. But it is extremely difficult to learn here and then set up afterwards.

 

[basilio]

Trump has a cure ....




Since his main support base is types like this ... I kid you not.

Meanwhile ... USA set to report more infections per million and deaths adjusted for population and since some states only shut down and SOME still not fully, but 4th April ... and he wants to go back to work 1st May with 5 times 0our infection rate ?

Watch the preacher again and again.

Horrific...One can forget what true insanity is until this this sort of dribble come up.

 

[lindsayf]

Trump has a cure ....




Since his main support base is types like this ... I kid you not.

Meanwhile ... USA set to report more infections per million and deaths adjusted for population and since some states only shut down and SOME still not fully, but 4th April ... and he wants to go back to work 1st May with 5 times 0our infection rate ?

Watch the preacher again and again.

FMD! What a sad, mad and distorted individual. Sadder and more distored the idea that there are people that listen. Poor old USA..and any other place that gives any validity to blatant delusional insanity as a way forward.

 

[SirRumpole]

Trump has a cure ....




Since his main support base is types like this ... I kid you not.

Meanwhile ... USA set to report more infections per million and deaths adjusted for population and since some states only shut down and SOME still not fully, but 4th April ... and he wants to go back to work 1st May with 5 times 0our infection rate ?

Watch the preacher again and again.

This seems to be a particularly American phenomenon, the insane Bible basher. We don't see such things in Australia, UK, Canada. I wonder why.

 

[rederob]

Americans coined the phrase "god bless America" but maybe they should look elsewhere for their trust.

 

[rederob]

We would also need those with commercial expertise to sniff out the opportunities and commercialise the ideas.

Geelong has some ready build facilities that would be ideal now that we have lost vehicle manufacturing.
I reckon there are also lots of talented people around Geelong that were previously involved in manufacturing.
Were the idea to have legs, then straight off the bat the Victorian Premier could go to Elon Musk and see if we could be involved in elements of production for his Cybertruck or even the whole shooting match. If SA could get the world's biggest battery, why can't Victorians get the world's biggest electric ute?

 

[barney]

Watch the preacher again and again.

I watched almost twice at your suggestion @kahuna1 ... you owe me big time!

Guys like this man (and I use the word "man" lightly when dealing with users and manipulators such as he) do a disservice to the thousands of socially conscious people who go about their daily lives trying to genuinely help others with no hidden agenda. The man is genuinely scary! ..

I love (not) the way he implores those who have lost their jobs to "don't stop tithing" and keep sending him money so he can reach his $300 million target that "god" has promised him …..

Watching him makes me want to go out and buy some silver bullets, garlic, and a few wooden stakes!

 

[kahuna1]

This sadly is more sobering ....

3 deep 2 in a row so 6 per 1 metre and the pit is 80 metres long.

Sadly there is 2 pits. 500 per pit .... so so sad and also angry at what the Yanks endure.




Likely this gets removed ....

But this is America and 2020 .... whilst Trump claims all is well.

Unlikely much changes, the media is well .... not free and the sad fat is both parties with a few exceptions are almost identical.

Do we, Australia ... want to have anything done with a nation led by such people ? Not the common people, the leaders. The common people are those being brainwashed or buried here.

Time for a please explain from Morrison ?

It may not be removed this video as CNN is the actual people who provide many of these clips and well .... they try a little harder to remove the clouds of BS surrounding Trump and other neoliberals.

MAGA ... maybe Trump can use the footage as I am sure it will appeal to many of his supporters.

 

[Smurf1976]

Economically I think there will be a re balance.
A modification of free trade to not so much free trade.

I'll be very surprised if there isn't at least some move in this direction.

There already was to limited extent before COVID-19 and that'll almost certainly give it a huge push along.

 

[Smurf1976]

We have an outdated, inflexible training system at present and with so little manufacturing now being local, it would be imperative that this skill base grew, in keeping with world best practices.

A related issue is that much technical and related training in Australia focuses on one of two things.

It's either "tick a box" compliance activity being done purely to cover someone's rear end legally or it's focused on pushing out the highest possible volume of work at the lowest tolerable cost and quality. Neither will cut it when it comes to manufacturing high quality products.

 

[rederob]

I have been trying to find something on how the government is going to get us back to "normal."
Does anyone know if something exists?
Some ideas:

• First, until we have educated people properly about how the infection is caught AND the 3 simple steps to be safe, we are wasting our time:
  • social distancing is not an option in a functional economy, so wearing face masks and having readily available sanitiser for use after touching any surface is essential when not at home
• Second, implement a system that allows all returning employees to check for antibodies and ensure that anyone testing positive is immediately isolated (the fact we still rely on "self monitoring" is a recipe for disaster)
• Third, if you haven't been tested then you don't go back to work
• Use mobile technology to (as a suggestion, link this to your Medicare number) accord you a "pass" which can be used for access to public transport and places of work
• Use technology to enable contact tracing in the event you subsequently become infected for some reason
• Ensure temperature checking equipment is in wide use as a supplement to the above (again, I remain in disbelief that it's not been anywhere I have visited this year)
• Identify industry sectors that are initially low risk, and provide guidance on safe operating practices. In fact, do this in conjunction with all industry bodies so that it is they who endorse safe practices. (I remain bewildered that many hairdressers are still working without any protective equipment.)
• Lift all border restrictions where people have a "pass"
• Communicate the strategy and make clear that the progressive scale-backs are targeted rather than broad-brush, so we do not penalise the many for any infractions from a few.

Some nations have proposed that "young" people can get back to work first as they might get infected but are less likely to end up at ICUs. Frankly, if you have "passed" the hurdles I have outlined above it really does not matter how old you are. The issue here is that we do not want to add to our nation's infection rate, and that's what constant testing ensures.

 

[matty77]

It may not be removed this video as CNN is the actual people who provide many of these clips and well .... they try a little harder to remove the clouds of BS surrounding Trump and other neoliberals.

CNN you friendly left wing news media. Yeah right, you couldnt pick any more of a biased media outlet towards Trump unless you chose MSNBC. lol

 

[qldfrog]

CNN you friendly left wing news media. Yeah right, you couldnt pick any more of a biased media outlet towards Trump unless you chose MSNBC. lol

CNN was Bush channel, definitively NOT pro Trump indeed
Pure democrat establishment: anti Sanders pro Biden anti Trump;