O Melbourne, Where Art Thou?

 

As an Aussie expatriate from Melbourne, I’d hear frequent jokes about Victoria Premier Dan Andrews and his obsession with lockdowns. Mostly because Andrews has had six of them. But lately, no one is finding the humor in them anymore. After watching a live-streamed protest held at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, I saw why. 

That particular protest consisted of construction workers, trade union members, and the general public decrying the excessive vaccination mandates/lockdown lunacy. It’s been compounded by the state of emergency the premier announced in March 2021 that was later extended nine months until NYE. Live-streaming coverage conducted by Melbourne independent media via Real Rukshan and Rebel News has been invaluable for showing the unbiased truth. The Shrine of Remembrance protest, and others that occurred during that week, showed a collective representation of the public, who had reached their limit. Their grievances had enormous validity, and the subsequent actions by the Victoria Police were excessive, and unnecessary. That’s not including the rubber bullets they fired.  

The Shrine of Remembrance incident was also reported by mainstream media outlets and, not surprisingly, only condemned the actions of the protesters. This was lumped in with lazy generalizations like “anti-vaxxer protesters” or the sensationalism of “far-right violence.” After all, according to the elites within government (and the willingness of the gaslighting media who used to enjoy eagerly pointing out police brutalities), the only road to COVID-19 free salvation is through the COVID vaccination. Anyone that dares question or resists that directive is ripe for retribution, retaliation, and ridicule.  

This incident highlighted the disintegration of civil rights, individual freedoms, and the livelihoods of many that have occurred under Premier Dan Andrews in the state of Victoria. They stand as a disgrace to humanity, that a free society that we all thought thrived in Australia has now ceased. The justifications provided by Premier Andrews were based on the typical COVID excuses we’ve heard before. “We need to stop the spread” or “If we all do this, then everything will go back to normal.” The Victoria public did as they were asked, and suddenly, the Andrews government has become intolerant toward anyone who dares question its decision-making process.    

After six lockdowns (with possibly more to come), the lockdown method is starting to resemble a Ponzi scheme. Much like any Ponzi scheme, it eventually gets caught out. For Andrews state elitists, however, borrowed time can be created, and in this case, it can be forced. What you’re witnessing now in the state of Victoria is the fight to stave off any discovery of the elitists’ farce. This view of Australia is what the world is also seeing via viral videos. That of Dan Andrews and Gladys Berejiklian’s (the premier of New South Wales) very own Draconian anomaly.   

These videos have demonstrated a world where individuals can’t remove their masks to even breathe the air. To peacefully assemble without the onslaught of rubber bullets. Or the mere act of walking outside without the fear of being jumped upon by a hoard of police. That’s not even touching upon the Andrews/Berejiklian press conferences, providing proclamations so astonishing, they make fellow “lockdown advocate” Gov. Gavin Newsom look like the governor of Florida. 

Thanks to Andrews, the livelihoods for millions are now ruined. Squandered to save the premier’s political career, sacrificed to become a flimsy backdrop for justifying a lockdown policy that achieved none of its original intent. From a historical perspective, the state of Victoria has become a  crossbreed of Tulipmania and Cult of the Supreme Being. The world can easily see through the façade. This is not about stopping the spread of COVID anymore.

Whomever sells the promise of life only returning to normal if we “all get the jab” lives in a fantasy world. This doesn’t matter to the Dan Andrews or Gladys Berejiklian elites who continually saber rattle Australians with this nonsense. They have less in common with epidemiology and more with a father holding a rifle toward the groom at a shotgun wedding.

We need to face the reality, and remind ourselves, that the COVID vaccination is not the magic bullet, nor a cure from COVID-19. There are still those who have been vaccinated that were still infected. The original purpose of the vaccine was to assist us in overcoming COVID infection. Inevitably, treatment options, the ones elites endlessly ridicule, will be necessary to overcome COVID infection. 

Recently, I messaged a friend from Melbourne, and the subject of where I now live came up. “Texas,” I said. “Texas looks like heaven from here,” my friend replied. As an expatriate, halfway around the world, I now understand why my former hometown of Melbourne has been forever changed. It’s been replaced by a nation held hostage by its own government. It also has a compliant media, cheering on these antics forcing the populi into accepting their descent into serfdom. 

Victoria and New South Wales now serve as a warning to the rest of the world. Your freedoms can evaporate, and it’s not just limited to rogue nations anymore.  

I left Australia in November 2004 and moved to the United States. I’ve often been asked if I ever would return to Australia. My answer has always been “I can always go back to Australia, but America is my current home.” In light of the recent actions in Melbourne, I’m seriously considering renouncing my own Australian citizenship in protest. Why? Because Australia is no longer the home it once was, and Texas is indeed heaven compared to the Melbourne lockdown state right now. 

Published in Foreign Policy
This post was promoted to the Main Feed by a Ricochet Editor at the recommendation of Ricochet members. Like this post? Want to comment? Join Ricochet’s community of conservatives and be part of the conversation. Join Ricochet for Free.

There are 29 comments.

Become a member to join the conversation. Or sign in if you're already a member.
  1. EJHill Podcaster
    EJHill
    @EJHill

    I’ve been trying, to no avail, to get someone with Australian media to get on a special London Calling with Toby Young.

    Videos can be deceiving and not tell the whole story, but there are disturbing consistencies to them. Melbourne police resemble gangs. There just isn’t one or two on patrol, there are five, six or more. They swarm their victims or distract them while another comes in out of the blue with a violent body slam or knee to the back.

    And there’s always one or two sent to harass anyone that dares record their actions. And, of course, they are conveniently masked.

    In our vanity we swear we would never embrace authoritarian government. We were wrong.

    • #1
  2. Mark Alexander Inactive
    Mark Alexander
    @MarkAlexander

    Spoke to a friend Monday in Queensland, and he confirms everything you are saying. It’s a disaster unfolding in Australia, and it appears the core Aussie spirit is rising up.

    May they destroy the destroyers.

     

    • #2
  3. Richard Easton Coolidge
    Richard Easton
    @RichardEaston

    EJHill (View Comment):

    I’ve been trying, to no avail, to get someone with Australian media to get on a special London Calling with Toby Young.

    Videos can be deceiving and not tell the whole story, but there are disturbing consistencies to them. Melbourne police resemble gangs. There just isn’t one or two on patrol, there are five, six or more. They swarm their victims or distract them while another comes in out of the blue with a violent body slam or knee to the back.

    And there’s always one or two sent to harass anyone that dares record their actions. And, of course, they are conveniently masked.

    In our vanity we swear we would never embrace authoritarian government. We were wrong.

    Have you tried Rita Panahi? @ritapanahi on Twitter.

    • #3
  4. EJHill Podcaster
    EJHill
    @EJHill

    Richard Easton: Have you tried Rita Panahi?

    Yes. Maybe y’all should tweet out to her and help make it happen.

    • #4
  5. Dotorimuk Coolidge
    Dotorimuk
    @Dotorimuk

    EJHill (View Comment):

    was, and Texas is indeed heaven compared to The Melbourne Lockdown State right now. 

    Bookmark

    Rita Panahi would be GREAT.

    • #5
  6. Craig Inactive
    Craig
    @Craig

    Mark Alexander (View Comment):

    Spoke to a friend Monday in Queensland, and he confirms everything you are saying. It’s a disaster unfolding in Australia, and it appears the core Aussie spirit is rising up.

    May they destroy the destroyers.

     

    I have family in Melbourne still. They tell me about being kept awake at night by police helicopters, all making sure nobody breaks curfew. They’re afraid to leave the house, for fear of getting COVID from anti-vax superspeaders. And they support this all as they think they’re being protected.

    To me, those are the signs of a person experiencing Stockholm Syndrome. 

    • #6
  7. Richard Easton Coolidge
    Richard Easton
    @RichardEaston

    EJHill (View Comment):

    Richard Easton: Have you tried Rita Panahi?

    Yes. Maybe y’all should tweet out to her and help make it happen.

    I follow her but she doesn’t follow me. I suspect it would be better if Toby or someone better known contacts her. I’m willing to do it but she may not respond to me.

    • #7
  8. navyjag Coolidge
    navyjag
    @navyjag

    What a great city.  Daughter did her semester aboard at U. of Melbourne and finally saw it three years ago at the end of a cruise to N. Zealand and Australia.  Very lively place. But not now. Good friends in Sydney; not sure it’s as bad there but will check it out by phone.  Wonder when the fascists there will give up.  Probably never. 

    • #8
  9. EJHill Podcaster
    EJHill
    @EJHill

    • #9
  10. Annefy Member
    Annefy
    @Annefy

    JY and I have a very good friend who is from Australia (Sydney). I helped him study for his US  citizenship test six years ago. I have tons of relatives in Canada, Scotland and England. And we recently had dinner with an old friend of mine from India who I worked with in San Francisco in the 80s.

    What we both noticed is a lack of outrage in our small sample size. Granted, they and their families are all fairly well heeled. Can afford to have their packages delivered, etc. They or their family are getting paid fairly well to work at home, or do nothing (sometimes at the same time). Protection from “the virus” seems to be worth any offense.

    We sat in a gorgeous restaurant in Manhattan Beach, breeze blowing, drinks flowing, while my Indian friend tried to explain that New Zealand had the correct approach. (WTF?) Literally one of the smartest people I have ever known, while being so stupid at the same time.

    JY and I have come to simply catching each other’s eye and saying “the commonwealth”, and then rolling our eyes.

    • #10
  11. Marjorie Reynolds Coolidge
    Marjorie Reynolds
    @MarjorieReynolds

    Timely. I was just watching this earlier:

    https://youtu.be/FNKaM13IXdw

    She includes a clip of Real Rukshan speaking about the protest too.

    • #11
  12. Western Chauvinist Member
    Western Chauvinist
    @WesternChauvinist

    Once a people loses the thread of liberty (with Judeo-Christian values as its basis), the ruthless rise to the top every damn time.

    I watch those cops kicking people on the ground and all I can think is they’ve lost their humanity.

    So sorry for your loss, Craig. Australia is gone. The West is going. God bless Texas.

    • #12
  13. Buckpasser Member
    Buckpasser
    @Buckpasser

    I was lucky enough to spend a week in Melbourne in’96.  I enjoyed every minute of it.  Sad to see whats happening.  I was always of the thought that Aussies didn’t take crap from anyone.

    • #13
  14. Craig Inactive
    Craig
    @Craig

    Buckpasser (View Comment):

    I was always of the thought that Aussies didn’t take crap from anyone.

    They don’t, that’s why it’s odd seeing the left leaning citizenry applauding those getting kicked in the head. 

    • #14
  15. I Walton Member
    I Walton
    @IWalton

    It seems the US is still the West’s leader.   Maybe someone will fight back enough to turn matters around, but I guess it has to be us and China knows it.  We can’t even call it left, it’s just opportunism among a narrowing elite throughout the world which is what the left is, but the West’s elite doesn’t even realize it.  Nothing new, but our idiot leader is giving  courage to just about any evil impulse one can think of because China  owns him.  We have to fight it state by state.  Washington won’t and can’t. 

    • #15
  16. Kevin Schulte Member
    Kevin Schulte
    @KevinSchulte

    I Walton (View Comment):

    It seems the US is still the West’s leader. Maybe someone will fight back enough to turn matters around, but I guess it has to be us and China knows it. We can’t even call it left, it’s just opportunism among a narrowing elite throughout the world which is what the left is, but the West’s elite doesn’t even realize it. Nothing new, but our idiot leader is giving courage to just about any evil impulse one can think of because China owns him. We have to fight it state by state. Washington won’t and can’t.

    I am in Missouri a red state. The enterprise center that hosts the Blues and other events requires a Vaccination pass to enter.

    The Gov and red legislators are letting this fly.

    I am 😡 mad as hell about this. They are dropping the ball.

    The truth is there are shades of red. Damn few red states are going to truly fight. This is why Disantis stands out. 

    • #16
  17. Old Bathos Member
    Old Bathos
    @OldBathos

    There must be about 50 published studies that found no COVID lockdowns worked anywhere on the planet.  (Nice review/summary of the issue here)

    All of these mandated policies contradict the known, existing, officially accepted science and the clear need to weigh costs as discussed in this doc from the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security in Sept 2019:

    While national public health guidelines generally recommend NPIs during an outbreak to limit contact frequency between individuals and to decrease the potential risk of spread of respiratory pathogens, there is a broad lack of evidence of efficacy and a lack of understanding about secondary adverse impacts. It is necessary to further study the effectiveness of NPIs in a variety of contexts to ensure that they are employed properly with a strong evidence base, and that the value of taking any specific NPI intervention in a particular pandemic setting is not outweighed by the potential harm. It is important to communicate to political leaders the absence of evidence surrounding many NPI interventions and the adverse consequences that may follow them.

    We already know that vaccines do not eliminate the spread.  This article makes an impressively detailed argument that the small risk of adverse effects from vaccination may outweigh the small risk of adverse COVID infection outcomes for healthy people under 30 (even though a lot of old geezers like moi would be nuts to remain unvaxed).  A mandate is simply not warranted.

    With the combination of narcissism and power-lust that infects so many leaders, the desire to appear to Do Something trampled all other considerations, and the Faucis in almost every country but Sweden told the politicians what they wanted to hear instead of science and truth.

    Australians are being abused because their elected leaders need to impose overt nonsense until the pandemic fades on its own terms so the politicians can then claim the credit. Some evil clowns owe science and their fellow citizens more than a mere apology.

    • #17
  18. Unsk Member
    Unsk
    @Unsk

    Bravo Premier!  It’s so thoughtful of Victoria Premier Dan Andrews to do a dry run  and iron out all the bugs of the ultimate Lockdown our Dear  Supreme Leader Uncle Joe Biden has in store and is planning for us. It’s too bad Uncle Joe still has to deal with that tiresome old Constitutional thingy that the great Victoria Premier doesn’t seem have to adhere to.   Nonetheless our Dear Leader I’m sure is gonna move forward with a new improved version of this  based upon the lessons learned from this great experience aided  I ‘m sure with the admirable advice of Buraq Hussein in the background.

    Long Live the Biden Police State!

    • #18
  19. Zafar Member
    Zafar
    @Zafar

    Craig (View Comment):

    Buckpasser (View Comment):

    I was always of the thought that Aussies didn’t take crap from anyone.

    They don’t, that’s why it’s odd seeing the left leaning citizenry applauding those getting kicked in the head.

    They see it as not taking crap from antivaxxers.

    Australia is an odd combination of risk taking at and risk aversion. The latter is dominant. 

    • #19
  20. Western Chauvinist Member
    Western Chauvinist
    @WesternChauvinist

    Zafar (View Comment):

    Craig (View Comment):

    Buckpasser (View Comment):

    I was always of the thought that Aussies didn’t take crap from anyone.

    They don’t, that’s why it’s odd seeing the left leaning citizenry applauding those getting kicked in the head.

    They see it as not taking crap from antivaxxers.

    Australia is an odd combination of risk taking at and risk aversion. The latter is dominant.

    And I thought Americans were bad at risk assessment. . .

    • #20
  21. Zafar Member
    Zafar
    @Zafar

    Western Chauvinist (View Comment):

    Zafar (View Comment):

    Craig (View Comment):

    Buckpasser (View Comment):

    I was always of the thought that Aussies didn’t take crap from anyone.

    They don’t, that’s why it’s odd seeing the left leaning citizenry applauding those getting kicked in the head.

    They see it as not taking crap from antivaxxers.

    Australia is an odd combination of risk taking at and risk aversion. The latter is dominant.

    And I thought Americans were bad at risk assessment. . .

    I think it’s a world thing

    • #21
  22. Richard Easton Coolidge
    Richard Easton
    @RichardEaston

    Zafar (View Comment):

    Western Chauvinist (View Comment):

    Zafar (View Comment):

    Craig (View Comment):

    Buckpasser (View Comment):

    I was always of the thought that Aussies didn’t take crap from anyone.

    They don’t, that’s why it’s odd seeing the left leaning citizenry applauding those getting kicked in the head.

    They see it as not taking crap from antivaxxers.

    Australia is an odd combination of risk taking at and risk aversion. The latter is dominant.

    And I thought Americans were bad at risk assessment. . .

    I think it’s a world thing

    A new risk is generally exaggerated. That’s been magnified by the fear mongering of the authorities. This actuary thinks that most of the public health officials are lunatics.

    • #22
  23. Zafar Member
    Zafar
    @Zafar

    Richard Easton (View Comment):
    A new risk is generally exaggerated. That’s been magnified by the fear mongering of the authorities.

    They do it because we consistently (WoD , WoT, war on Woke/Unwoke, Great Replacement, Over-run Borders, War on Women/Abortion, etc etc etc) respond by rewarding them. We have trained the monkey, people, it’s hardly responsible to then blame it for doing what it does.

    • #23
  24. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    • #24
  25. Stad Coolidge
    Stad
    @Stad

    Craig: This incident highlighted the disintegration of civil rights, individual freedoms, and the livelihoods of many

    And it usually starts after a gun ban . . .

    • #25
  26. Craig Inactive
    Craig
    @Craig

    Stad (View Comment):
    And it usually starts after a gun ban . . .

    A lot of left leaning Australians tend to accuse the Liberal/National Party as being like American Republicans. I have always kiboshed that argument by pointing out that John Howard (Prime Minister at the time of the Gun Buyback/confiscation) as being such a Republican he banned guns and introduced new  taxes (GST/goods and services tax).

    • #26
  27. Jan Inactive
    Jan
    @ChileGirl

    So true.  I am a Texan, too and very grateful to live here. We live on the NM border and the governor there would love to have the power and brute force of the Australian government. 

    My Aussie cousin has bought into the media line that the protesters there are all  “Neo-nazis” and were desecrating the monument. It’s sad. Another victim of media propaganda, it seems to me. 
    I would love to see massive kick-back from the Australian voters. 

     

    • #27
  28. Zafar Member
    Zafar
    @Zafar

    Craig (View Comment):

    Stad (View Comment):
    And it usually starts after a gun ban . . .

    A lot of left leaning Australians tend to accuse the Liberal/National Party as being like American Republicans. I have always kiboshed that argument by pointing out that John Howard (Prime Minister at the time of the Gun Buyback/confiscation) as being such a Republican he banned guns and introduced new taxes (GST/goods and services tax).

    Everything’s relative. Socialist isn’t a bad word here, and GST is a regressive tax.

    Plus -after Port Arthur the gun buy back was what people wanted.  Nobody’s ever accused John Howard of taking a principled but unpopular stand. 

    • #28
  29. Tiger Inactive
    Tiger
    @Tiger

    EJHill (View Comment):

    Richard Easton: Have you tried Rita Panahi?

    Yes. Maybe y’all should tweet out to her and help make it happen.

    What about James Bolt, or Rowan Dean or Gideon Rozner?

    • #29
Become a member to join the conversation. Or sign in if you're already a member.