Airport workers demand ban on flights from China: NSW Emergency Management Committee inaction needs explanation from Premier Berejiklian, and her SEMC chairman Andrew Cappie-Wood ;has Cappie-Wood again been busy playing politics while neglecting his job

by Ganesh Sahathevan

Results

Should Australia ban flights from China during the coronavirus emergency?

Yes

91%

No

9%

12229 Voters

News.com.au has just reported:

“Airport staff, including officers stationed at security checkpoints and facility attendants, may have no choice but to stop work, after being told they are not allowed to wear protective gear because this will make customers feel ‘uncomfortable’,” the United Workers Union said in a statement.

“In some cases, workers who have made a request to wear a mask have been threatened with disciplinary action.

“Access to basic hygiene, such as soap, has also been identified by security workers at Sydney Airport as a major cause for concern.”

The warning comes as the Transport Workers Union (TWU), which represents airline and airport workers, demanded the Federal Government ban flights from China over concerns about the virus spreading.

“Suspending flights originating from China may appear to be a drastic measure. But the consequence of inaction could be even more drastic,” TWU national secretary Michael Kaine said.

“Air travel is the most efficient means for the virus to spread, and already has been integral to the spread of the virus to at least 18 other countries around the world.

“Until more information about this form of coronavirus is known, then the precautionary principle must apply.

“That means taking all possible steps to contain the virus and protect the Australian community.

“All flights from China must be suspended until this disease is under control.”

It is clear that the workers, and the public given the results of the on-line poll above, have little if any confidence in their leaders and their bureaucrats to keep them safe.

As reported on this blog last week, Sydney City failed to issue any alerts despite its Sydney City Lunar New Year celebrations becoming a security threat (see story below).

Despite the escalation in the crisis the NSW Emergency Management Committee has remained silent on the matter of the risks posed by the Sydney City Lunar New Year events, as has the Premier Gladys Berejiklian. Her SMEC chairman Andrew Cappie-Wood has also remained silent, again raising the question whether Cappie-Wood is again busy playing politics rather than doing his job.

Andrew Cappie-Wood sees himself as a player

in the NSW political arena.

END

realpolitikasia

Saturday, January 25, 2020

City of Sydney Lunar New Year 2020 Festival became an obvious security risk by mid-Jan if not earlier,but no warning from NSW Emergency Management Committee, Clover Moore and no screening at airports

by Ganesh Sahathevan


                                                                       

Lunar Year 2020 banners in Martin Place 

The City Of Sydney's annual Lunar New Year celebrations are designed to attract visitors from China. These probably add to the large number of visitors from China who arrive daily in Sydney via Sydney Airport.

On 22 January 2020 the  WHO had advised:

On 31 December 2019, WHO was alerted to several cases of pneumonia in Wuhan City, Hubei Province of China. The virus did not match any other known virus. This raised concern because when a virus is new, we do not know how it affects people.

One week later, on 7 January, Chinese authorities confirmed that they had identified a new virus. The new virus is a coronavirus, which is a family of viruses that include the common cold, and viruses such as SARS and MERS. This new virus was temporarily named “2019-nCoV.”

NSW Emergency Management Committee  is responsible for community  safety but it does not seem to have had anything to say.The same can be said of the Mayor,Clover Moore, and the Premier NSW,Gladys Berejiklian.

Additionally, while airports in the US stared screening to coronavirus on or about 18 January 2020 and Thailand as early as 3 January 2020, Sydney and other Australian airports have only just started screening late last week. 
All this despite having in Sydney an annual event designed to attract visitors from China. END 

See Also

Did NSW Emergency Management Services ignore its own data, and fail to advise David Elliot of the likelihood of catastrophic bushfires? Chairperson Andrew Cappie-Wood's advise requires scrutiny