So the day after I wrote about the post on solo travelling, greater Melbourne is once again in lockdown…for the fourth time and this time for 7 days.

Lockdown Number 1: had us all panicked, anxious and stressed with the unknown.

Lockdown Number 2: we were a little bit comfortable and in good spirits….until the lockdown extended into months and then we became disheartened and fearful, tired and couldn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Then we came out of the tunnel and there was much rejoicing. People slowly emerged from their homes and into the community once again. People got their grey hair cut and dyed again (namely, me).

Then came….

Lockdown Number 3: and we became peeved that we had to do it all over again especially after a good run of no community cases and now….just when we were enjoying going to cafes, bars and restaurants once again.

But, we got too complacent. People stayed away from vaccination centres which lay empty because they were holding out for the “safer” Pfizer vaccine which wasn’t due for some months. People dropped the face masks, they weren’t checking in to places and then on Thursday, our state government announced…

Lockdown Number 4: for seven days, back to strict lockdown, closure of schools and community places, all business, work from home and a crazy, mad rush to the vaccination centres.

If I was a nurse administering the vaccine at one of these empty vaccination centres and now swamped off her feet, I’d be pissed off. People had ample opportunity to vaccinate before this happened but chose not to.

Australians are usually a complacent lot. We’re laid back and our “she’ll be right” attitude is one of the Australian cultural behaviours that we are known for and, I don’t like.

Well, to be fair, “don’t like” is quite tame.

Let’s just say “I despise”.

“She’ll be right” helps us to help others but it must not allow us to turn a blind eye, stay silent or excuse the behaviour of people especially if it’s not in the spirit of the community or the good for the country.

We needed this rocket up our arse to get people to get their vaccination and in some way, I’m glad this happened this time around if it means putting a spotlight on the incompetence of our Australian government in botching up the vaccine rollout and quarantine situation.

No matter how much they try to spin their way out of it, I’m hoping the Australian public sees their incompetence at the next election but I don’t hold out much hope. I wish also that the opposition, the ALP played a little less of the ‘nice politics’ not wishing to offend and instead, used stronger language, had a stronger narrative and vision for Australia’s future, and basically used an all out media wide campaign with a consistent message (not just pithy tweets) to close down any argument and incorrect facts that our government spins.

Of course, as most of the media is owned by Murdoch, this will never happen.

Am I angry?

Of course I am.

Will I lose sleep over it?

No I won’t.

I realise that all this may make me sound like I don’t like my country or my fellow country people.

That’s incorrect.

I love my country and its people. I love the towns and the regions. I love the fact that we are a people who – yes, are laid back – and this attitude just rears up at the wrong times, at times they should be getting vocal and angry against those who are pulling the wool over our eyes.

I love my country enough to have served 21 years in its military.

What does annoy me about it all is watching our politicians bicker, berate, insult each other rather than working together in some bipartisan way especially at this time.

It annoys me to watch the state governments bicker amongst themselves; the media slang on the states with Labor governments (like Victoria – ours); and it completely shits me no end to watch our sly prime minister and his ministers pull the wool over our eyes, keep things hidden and secret and basically treat the Australian people with contempt.

That’s how I see it. They’re all at fault. They’re the ones who aren’t loving Australia.

That’s not how you serve a people.

That’s not leadership.

So now, while our state is in lockdown, again, I will do my duty and stay home and hope that once again, this situation makes people sit up and take note and do the right thing despite the fools running our country.

The people who do the right thing, our doctors, nurses and emergency staff are showing more leadership than our politicians ever will.