LOCAL STORIES

findknox.com.au AUGUST 2020 | FIND KNOX 3 DON’T BE THAT “KAREN”

By Warren Strybosch

I feel sorry for anyone named as the name has become synonymous with anyone who is entitled, selfish and likes to complain. ‘Karen’ been getting some pretty bad press of late especially when a woman last month threatened to sue Bunnings when staff insisted that she wear her mask. She is now dubbed the “Bunnings Karen”. We also have the “Brighton Karen” who decided that it was acceptable to breach lockdown regulations and go for a walk. Apparently, she is upset that her 5km radius includes nearly 50 she lives so close to the beach.

Even when someone tried to help a ‘Karen’ they get backlash for doing so. Like Domino’s when they offered free pizza to up to 100 Karen’s who are doing the right thing. Both Domino’s Australia and Domino’s New Zealand ran the campaign. Unfortunately, Domino’s in New Zealand got such a backlash from those playing the race card, they had to withdraw the competition.

The offer was criticised because many people argued that “Karen negativity” was an issue that affected mostly “privileged white women”.

“Most of the time ‘Karens’ are entitled privileged white women. If a few people actually called Karen can’t handle the meme they should try handling 400 years of oppression,” said one user on Twitter.

“When you wanna reward more privilege to the most privileged in our society,” another said.

Then you have the Karen’s and others who believe the term “Karen” has proved controversial online. Many arguing the term is an insult in itself, racist and misogynistic.

Domino’s said that people interpreted their campaign “in a different way than we intended”. “Our intention was one of inclusivity only. We want you to know that we are always listening and learning and when we get it wrong, we fix it. We are sorry.”

Domino’s Australia, which ran the same campaign, did not withdraw the offer but allowed it to run until the competition ended.

The company said: “Thankfully, the majority of Australians interpreted the giveaway in the light-hearted way in which it was intended and had some fun tagging their friends and family named Karen.

“Unfortunately, due to lacking important context in New Zealand, it was not received in the same way. “Our intention was one of inclusivity only, which is why we removed the post in New Zealand and issued an apology.”

At the Find Maroondah, we just want to encourage everyone to do the right thing, wear your masks, and be kind and considerate to those around you.

Also, before you attack someone who might not be wearing a mask, take the time to find out why. Not everyone is required to wear a mask and there are circumstances where it might not be practical to do so at a given point in time.

For instance, a man and his daughter were yelled at when they were out walking because the daughter had her mask down whilst talking to her father. What those who did the abusing did not know was that the father was deaf and had to lip read his daughter to understand her.

This is just one example of where we need to be mindful of others during this difficult time. Again, we encourage everyone in Maroondah and throughout Victoria to wear your masks but also be kind to others if they are not…just remind them of their masks or take the time to enquire as to why they may not be wearing one. Alternatively, just keep well away from them so you reduce the risk of infection.

Don’t be a “Karen”, or a COVID IDIOT (more on that in next month’s issue). Be kind, compassionate and do the right things by others.

Stage 4 Lockdown

By Warren Strybosch

Under the Victorian government’s new stage four lockdown rules, Melburnians will be allowed only to travel within a 5km radius from their home to go shopping and exercise (with a few exemptions).

So how far is that? The tool below lets you enter your address and then see how far you can travel without breaking the basic rule (there are some exemptions).

To use the tool, type in your address (don’t forget the street number particularly on a long road) and hit “search”. Your address should then appear as an option, click on the correct address option and a red circle should be generated to show you where you can travel.

The circle that you’ll see will show you the direct distance - as the crow flies - so you might see a descrepancy with how far away your navigation system says things are particularly if there’s a winding road or a river on the way.

Curfew

There is a nightly curfew from 8pm to 5am with exemptions for work, caregiving, medical and compassionate reasons.

Exercise

Maximum one hour daily within 5km of home, with one other person - no family/share house groups. There is an exemption for dependent children.

“Daily exercise is just that. It’s an opportunity to get some exercise. It’s not an opportunity to live our lives as if this pandemic was not real and not here,” Mr Andrews said.

“When it comes to exercise, it’s no longer three sets of tennis or a game of golf or any of that. It is staying close to home and only once per day and only one person. That is really very, very important as well.

“The whole issue of one hour really puts beyond doubt some of those recreational activities anyway because you simply wouldn’t be able to conduct some of those things in an hour.

“There will be commonsense exemptions for children who are being cared for and can’t be left at home and things of that nature.”

Shopping

Only one person per household per day within 5km or closest supermarket. There is an exemption for caregiving, assisting the elderly.

“You will no longer be able to leave home and go any further away from your home than a 5km radius,” Mr Andrews said.

“You will not be able to be at any point more than 5km away from your home for the purposes of shopping for what you need. Only one person will be able to go shopping once per day and they will need to secure the goods and services that are what you need within a 5km radius. “I want to assure all Victorians, supermarkets, the butcher, the baker, food, beverage, groceries, those types of settings, there will be no impact there.

“I want to make the point there’s no need to be queuing up at the Coles or Woolworths or queuing up at the local baker or butcher, they’ll remain open.

“They’ll remain able to provide you with the things that you need. Takeaway meals, home delivery meals, they’ll remain as they are now.”

Education

Monday - as per the current program. Tuesday - pupil-free day.

Stage 4 Lockdown

Wednesday - all classes return to remote learning statewide

“What that means for metropolitan Melbourne is the year 11 and 12s will go back to working from home.

“Special schools will remain open for those who really need to be in those settings. And the children, the students of parents who are working, they will be able to go to school and be supervised but it will really only be those that are absolutely necessary to do so.

“We’ll be reducing the total amount of students that are at school and therefore the total amount of movement.

“In regional Victoria, they will move to remote and flexible learning for all students but there will be I think larger numbers of students that are allowed to be at school because their parents are working.”

Childcare

Childcare will be closed. There will be an exemption for vulnerable children and children of permitted workers.

Education Minister James Merlino said: “That means for the first time in our early childhood settings, the only children who will be attending on site will be children of workers and those defined industries or very vulnerable children.”

Taxis/Ubers

Mr Andrews was asked about rules in ridesharing cars and taxis and said: “Mandatory mask. Mandatory backseat and we’ll be doing further work around whether there are passenger limits on that.”

Intimate partners

There will be an exemption from the 5km limit for people to visit their intimate partners.

“The arrangements in relation to intimate partners are unchanged,” Mr Andrews said.

“The arrangements in relation to shared custody are unchanged.

“Things like five-kilometre rules and reasons to leave your home, they don’t apply in those circumstances.”

Public transport

Restricted overnight train services - returns to pre-Night Network program.

Some Protective Services Officers deployed from Night Network to enforcement.

Restaurants/Cafes

Takeaway and home delivery allowed subject to conditions.

Bottle shops

Will remain open.

Weddings

Banned from Thursday.

There are exemptions for compassionate reasons.

Funerals

Mr Andrews said the rules on funerals were unchanged.

Recreation

Organised sport, recreation, golf and fishing are all banned.

Businesses

Mr Andrews said there would be more detail on Monday about restrictions on businesses.

“I’ll have more to say about the types of restrictions within the economy, types of changes to the way we work and the types of support we’ll provide to all those affected,” he said.

Regional Victoria

Moves to current stage three restrictions from Thursday.

Mitchell Shire

Remains on the current stage three restrictions.

Extension of JobKeeper

By Warren Strybosch

The Government has announced an extension of JobKeeper from 28 September 2020. From this date, the flat rate of JobKeeper will reduce, payment tiers will be introduced and ongoing turnover tests for businesses will be used to determine eligibility.

Legislation is necessary to support this measure and the next sitting of Parliament is 24 August 2020.

Rate of JobKeeper

Currently, JobKeeper is a flat rate of $1,500 per fortnight. It will continue to be paid to eligible recipients at this rate until the original end date of 27 September 2020. However, the extension of JobKeeper until 28 March 2021 will have two rates. The new rates will be:

From 28 September 2020 – 3 January 2021: 20 hours or more per week (on average) $750 per fortnight for those working less than 20 hours per week.

From 4 January to 28 March 2021:

$1,000 per fortnight for those working 20 hours or more per week (on average) $650 per fortnight for those working less than 20 hours per week.

Eligible employees are those who were working in the business in the four weeks before 1 March 2020 (ie February 2020). The ATO will be provided discretion on alternative tests to determine an employee’s hours during the test period where the employee may not have been working, such as being on leave due to bushfires. Guidance will also be provided where employees are not paid on a weekly or fortnightly basis. All other criteria to determine the eligibility of an employee is unchanged. Businesses will need to continue to identify those employees that JobKeeper is being claimed for and this will be extended to nominating the relevant amount which is being claimed for each employee based on hours of work.

Turnover test

Businesses will need to show a continued decline in turnover to be eligible for the extension of the JobKeeper payment. The decline in turnover is:

50% for businesses with aggregated turnover of more than $1 billion 30% for business with aggregated turnover of $1 billion or less, or 15% for Australian charities and not-for-profit commission-registered charities (excluding schools and universities).

More information of Turnover test on the Find Accountant article or you can click

$1,200 per fortnight for those working here.

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Victorian VCE Coronavirus Assesment to be based on individual Circumstanaces

By Elspeth Kernebone

THE effects of COVID-19 on year 12 students will be reflected in each of their individual final scores.

The state government declared extra support for vulnerable students after another 450 COVID-19 cases were announced on Friday.

Eleven more people have died from COVID-19 since Thursday, including a woman in her 50s.

Others included two men in their 70s, three women in their 80s and two in their 90s. Seven of these deaths were connected to aged care.

The state government announced individual consideration for all students completing their Victorian Certificate of Education on Friday.

Every student will be individually assessed about the adverse effects of coronavirus, which will be reflected in their ATAR ranking.

Consideration will take into account factors such as school closure, illness and extra family responsibilities.

Education Minister James Merlino said the change put students across the state on a level playing field. Meanwhile, Premier Daniel Andrews said about 1000 of 1150 people doorknocked on Thursday were found at home.

Mr Andrews said 60 teams visiting 1150 homes was the biggest single day effort yet.

He said joint Australian Defence Force and Department of Health and Human Services teams had conducted more than 5000 home visits since July 22. More than 1500 cases have been confirmed in healthcare workers.

Another 66 cases are considered “mystery cases” where health authorities could not find the source of infection.

About 1550 cases are connected with aged care.

As of August 7th, A total of 7637 COVID-19 cases are currently active.

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