Apparently, it seems, Victorian Senior police in the dark over ADF’s refusal to support border closure.

One of Victoria’s most senior police officers says he has not been told why the Australian Defence Force cannot provide personnel to support the NSW border closure as homicide and counter terrorism officers are revealed as being among those called in to man checkpoints. A significant number of the more than 700 officers who are being recalled from holidays or redeployed for the mammoth task will spend the festive season in tents with most of the accommodation near the border already booked up with holidaymakers unable to leave Victoria due to coronavirus restrictions. Deputy Commissioner Rick Nugent said the border operation had come at the most difficult time for the force with “tent cities” being created in towns including Cann Riverin East Gippsland. The state government had asked the ADF to send troops to support police officers at the border operation but that request was knocked back at the weekend and instead, 50 defence personnel will help behind the scenes with logistics and planning.

Here’s the reason. The armed forces are for protecting our national borders, not for idiotic police actions to stop the spread of a disease between states that has already almost completetly stopped spreading.

Really pleased to see the Prime Minister stop at least some of the political side of the Covid rot. Andrews feels he can aggravate the public at will since he has his loyal supporters well in hand. Since he never takes responsibility for anything, we will see who he can blame for the more than 700 officers who are being recalled from holidays. He has ruined many more holidays than just among the police. But at least we can be sure that Deputy Commission Rick Nugent along with the police who will be placed along the border with NSW, will be very clear who is to blame this time round.

I am also finally happy to see something said by the Victorian Opposition, in this case by Tim Smith in The Oz this morning: Hotel inquiry did nothing but cover up for Daniel Andrews.

No one took responsibility. Coate said “it is beyond the remit of this inquiry to engage in an examination of the Westminster system of ministerial and public service lines of accountability and responsibility”. As I wrote in these pages in September, this is beyond a farce. It is beyond an embarrassment. It is utter and undisguised contempt for Victorians. The report did find there was systemic state government failure resulting in 801 deaths. But Andrews has never had the slightest interest in giving grieving families answers, or devastated business owners the truth about why their life’s work is in smoking ruins…. If it were a private business that caused the deaths of 801 people WorkSafe would already be prosecuting management under Victorian occupational health and safety law. WorkSafe has 24 separate investigations under way into the second wave, particularly the hotel quarantine fiasco; this must result in prosecutions of those responsible. The Premier, who said under oath he has ultimate accountability for the things that happen in his government, simply lied. Accountability in these circumstances means you resign in the face of such failure.

Andrews has no idea what it means to be a “responsible” minister. It means if things go wrong, he personally must be the one who carries the blame.

Each voucher gives the recipient the right to claim a reimbursement of $200 if they have spent at least $400 on accommodation, experiences, tours or attractions for a minimum 2 nights in paid accommodation in regional Victoria, the Yarra and Dandenong Ranges or the Mornington Peninsula. Regional Travel Voucher Scheme

Just occurred to me now as I was lying in bed thinking about the Travel Vouchers in association with the absurd obstacles being put in the way of going to Sydney for Christmas. There are virtually no Covid cases in Victoria. Andrews doesn’t want us to travel interstate at Christmas because we would then be spending our money somewhere else. Nothing to do with Covid, other than as an excuse. He really is the stupidest most repulsive creep ever to be premier of the State.

NOW’S THE MORNING AFTER: Woke up wondering how this would read in the morning. Yet the first comment suggested that there had even been an indication of this already and so I went looking and found the following statement from Jaclyn Symes, the Minister of Tourism, Sport and Major Events taken from her press release of December 12.

“We recognise the serious inconvenience caused to many people by the website issues yesterday.” “These extra vouchers will mean even more people have the chance to get out and about in regional Victoria this summer. “Victorians are clearly excited by the prospect and the extra money poured into communities across Victoria will provide a real boost for businesses and jobs.”

The virtual closing of the border is a means to stimulate the economy. They see it as a program “backing local economies and workers across the state”. They really are insane. And naturally with full compliance from the local media. This is The Age this morning: Victoria to ask military for help on borders.

Victoria Police is preparing to set up checkpoints on the NSW border and the state government will ask for military assistance as it moves to implement tougher measures to protect Victoria from Sydney’s growing COVID-19 cluster. Senior Victorian officials were locked in discussions late on Saturday night about hardening border restrictions with NSW and enforcing tougher testing measures as thousands of travellers from Sydney arrived in the state. Government sources with direct knowledge of the talks, who declined to comment on the record, said Victoria Police would step up checks at the road border and a request would be made for Australian Defence Force assistance with the operation.

We are dealing with the Stasi and our own “Berlin Wall”. The Federal Government needs to start sorting this out and with no delay.