This is an archived version of one of Gigi Foster’s email missives. Some links may no longer be current.
Dear all,
Another update here on the Covid situation and opportunities to push for sensible policy responses to it in Australia. Please liberally forward this message to others.
First, the cost-benefit analysis that I submitted to the Victorian parliament – to my knowledge still the only detailed CBA of wholesale lockdown policies publicly available in Australia – has been posted in toto at the following blog site by my colleague Paul Frijters, and has attracted over 150 questions and comments there:
Second, you have likely heard of the Covid Doctors Network that put together a letter to the Victorian premier arguing against the Victorian lockdown due to its detrimental health consequences. I spoke earlier today with the main instigator of this initiative. He asks that anyone with a story to tell about suffering due to lockdowns should feel free to pen it and email it to info@coviddoctorsnetwork.com for possible publication on the network’s website. He also foreshadows that moves are afoot to migrate the doctors’ network’s online presence to another, highly secure website, and to create analogous networks for other professions (e.g., “Covid Legal Network,” “Covid Journalists Network”, “Covid Economists Network”, “Covid Business Network” – all loosely united under the umbrella of “Covid Truth Network”) for which he is in the process of purchasing domain names. If you are interested in being involved in any of these networks, or if you are in the medical profession and wish to add your name to the original petition, please do not sign via the existing website but rather email info@coviddoctorsnetwork.com.
Third, amongst us is Liz Bryant (liz.bryant@iinet.net.au) who has instigated a Change.org petition to open Victorian schools that now has nearly 13,000 signatures. You may wish to email her to aid with her efforts, and/or add your voice to the petition: https://www.change.org/getvictoriankidsbackintheclassroom
Fourth, in the past few weeks the openness of the mainstream press to alternative views such as ours seems to have been on the increase. One particular opportunity is afforded by Channel 7’s “Spotlight” documentary team, who are putting together a piece about the costs of lockdowns to be aired live (with some pre-recorded interview content) from Sydney on the evening of Sunday, 27 September. I and many others will be interviewed for this piece. If you have a compelling story to tell and are interested in putting your hand up to be interviewed for the program, please let me know and I will pass your name to the producer.
Fifth, one amongst us has started a GoFundMe site to raise money for people issued fines in Melbourne for violating the lockdown restrictions. It hasn’t gotten much traction and perhaps feels to some people too much like enabling the Victorian government in its present policies, but I offer the link nonetheless, caveat emptor. https://www.gofundme.com/f/raise-funds-for-melbourne-protest-fines?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=copy_link_more&utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet
Finally, some links to recent pieces of possible interest:
- https://www.afr.com/policy/health-and-education/what-s-a-life-worth-counting-the-cost-of-lockdowns-20200827-p55ps2 (my most recent AFR op-ed)
- https://www.rt.com/op-ed/500000-covid19-math-mistake-panic/ (one of a number of stories alleging that technical errors fed into initial Covid policy settings)
- http://asenseofplacemagazine.com/by-dr-guy-campbell/
- https://the-iceberg.net/
I’m told that The Spectator is also soon to print an op-ed based on the letter to Australian leaders I co-organised back in June calling for the opening of the economy, mentioned in one of my earlier missives below, which now has over 1200 signatures: https://aip.asn.au/2020/06/open-up-our-country-sign-the-open-letter/
Sending thoughts of solidarity from Sydney to those all over Australia, and especially in Victoria.
gigi
