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The Good Germans.
An example of the fast-churning news cycle and an outdated mode of journalism that takes everything said to them by those in power in good faith.
Two tourists/travelers/peoplefromoverseas arrive from Europe via Japan at Sydney airport.
. . . .
An example of the fast-churning news cycle and an outdated mode of journalism that takes everything said to them by those in power in good faith.
Two tourists/travelers/peoplefromoverseas arrive from Europe via Japan at Sydney airport.
. . . .
They pass through customs & "NSW health checks" presumably while speaking English & being able to communicate without picture cards & crayons.
Were they told to go directly to the quarantine hotel?
If so, who is responsible for ensuring they do this & not just wander off?
Were they told to go directly to the quarantine hotel?
If so, who is responsible for ensuring they do this & not just wander off?
We're told the federal govt that is legislatively responsible for our borders & our quarantine is not responsible for either of them.
Scott Morrison sends Greg Hunt out to explain this because Morrison likes to keep his ministers away from the limelight - unless there's trouble.
Scott Morrison sends Greg Hunt out to explain this because Morrison likes to keep his ministers away from the limelight - unless there's trouble.
The media then report the federal govt's words verbatim without questioning why this abrogation of responsibilities exists.
Dutton's Border Force then release not 1, but 2 media releases pointing the finger at NSW.
They do this on a Sunday pm, so you know they're in a panic.
Dutton's Border Force then release not 1, but 2 media releases pointing the finger at NSW.
They do this on a Sunday pm, so you know they're in a panic.
Greg Hunt on Sky! bolsters the duck-shoving by claiming that yes, things may have gone wrong, but an impenetrable special ring of federal something or other managed to capture the Good Germans.
In another media room in Sydney, the NSW police are in a frenzy of blame shifting.
In another media room in Sydney, the NSW police are in a frenzy of blame shifting.
They too suddenly pop up on a Sunday and despite Greg Hunt's insistence on his bullet-proof ring, admit that they maybe sort of made a mistake but not really.
NSW Police's statement is their usual legally double checked, carefully worded blancmange of nothing.
But wait.
NSW Police's statement is their usual legally double checked, carefully worded blancmange of nothing.
But wait.
We now have media reporting that the Good Germans were caught in a car park at Melbourne airport.
A Wilson Security guard saw them looking lost and engaged in conversation, discovered they had arrived from overseas without quarantining and alerted their superiors.
Mmmm.
A Wilson Security guard saw them looking lost and engaged in conversation, discovered they had arrived from overseas without quarantining and alerted their superiors.
Mmmm.
Which tells us that Wilson Security provide more thorough covid quarantine awareness training of their staff than NSW Police do.
It also means Greg Hunt's fabled ring is not nearly as strong as he thinks it is.
But the NSW Police won't be pinned down with blame that easily.
It also means Greg Hunt's fabled ring is not nearly as strong as he thinks it is.
But the NSW Police won't be pinned down with blame that easily.
A senior NSW Police figure gets shoved out the door on Sunday to claim there was "a language problem" and "communication issues".
Oh yes indeed.
Some media then breathlessly report this statement verbatim without googling that ~70-80% of the German population can speak English.
Oh yes indeed.
Some media then breathlessly report this statement verbatim without googling that ~70-80% of the German population can speak English.
After the media allow the NSW Police to say what they like without question, another govt head pops up on the issue of the Good Germans.
Scott Morrison shoves Simon Birmingham into the spotlight.
Birmingham tells us this morning that the Good Germans were in fact dual citizens.
Scott Morrison shoves Simon Birmingham into the spotlight.
Birmingham tells us this morning that the Good Germans were in fact dual citizens.
We learn that the 53 year old woman and her 15 year old son were in fact living in Australia and were returning from a break in Germany.
Which leaves the NSW Police's "language barrier" defence looking like, well . . . a big fib. An unchecked one.
And then of course,
Which leaves the NSW Police's "language barrier" defence looking like, well . . . a big fib. An unchecked one.
And then of course,
we have Greg Hunt and his impenetrable ring.
Despite Hunt's outrageous load of hastily produced weekend lies, I doubt many media will follow up on it or the fact that a lowly paid (probably casual) security guard did a better job than the NSW & Australian governments combined.
.
Despite Hunt's outrageous load of hastily produced weekend lies, I doubt many media will follow up on it or the fact that a lowly paid (probably casual) security guard did a better job than the NSW & Australian governments combined.
.
