The Brand New PIO Parents Visa thread

[Toots]

1 hour ago, SusieRoo said:

Having lived in Australia now for a few months (and now in my third lockdown), I can confirm that the response to covid here is a real shit-show of political incompetence, weak journalism and an apathetic people. There is no realism or acceptance and the latest four-stage plan to get to 80%+ jabbed is just a pipe dream.

Australia has dug herself into a ‘zero covid’ hole and it will take a paradigm shift across society before she rejoins the rest of the world.

The saddest part for me, is to witness how a once proud nation has been transformed into fragmented and competing groups.

From the perspective of parent visas, it’s hard to see borders fully reopening for a few years.

 

Yes it must be immensely frustrating Susie.  Keeping my fingers crossed Covid doesn't leak back into Tasmania.  Tassie was in strict lockdown from the end of March last year until the end of May that year but we have been very fortunate as things have been normal here for over a year. We never even needed to wear a mask at all.  It was mostly social distancing.

All  my friends and acquaintances have had their 2 AZ jabs and they are all looking forward to Australia's borders reopening.  Many of us have family overseas.

[Ollie1234]

20 hours ago, Alan Collett said:

Am I alone in feeling a tad jaundiced with how everything stops in Australia because of Covid?

I'm fortunate enough to be in the UK presently.   Learn to live with it seems to be the basis of society here.

In Australia the country has hit the buffers, with nothing happening.    A hopeless bureaucracy is being found out by Covid.

Onwards!

Best regards.

Alan, all my family are in the UK (or holidaying elsewhere in Europe right now) and I couldn't agree more. I'm utterly shocked at how badly this has been handled and how we have managed to fall so far behind the rest of the world. 

[Ollie1234]

On 31/07/2021 at 15:14, Marisawright said:

Their argument is that they cannot predict how long applications might take in the future, so their figure is always based on how long applications are actually taking right now.  Feeble, I know, but it's how all waiting times are stated.

The point is they are not making this clear. People keep applying with great expectations because they are not being transparent about wait times. If they don't know, they should say they don't know. It's ridiculous. 

[Ollie1234]

19 hours ago, Alan Collett said:

IMHO the Minister's response is disrespectful and formulaic - it is a typical bureaucratic reply.

The present situation is a consequence of a botched vaccination rollout, and there will - or should be - consequences at the ballot box.

Just not good enough.

Best regards.

More scary than his botched vaccine stroll-out, lack of a solid plan and absolute inability to make a decision on anything, is the fact that lots of Australians think he's the dogs dangly bits. Between his inability (or lack of desire) to stop vaccine misinformation and ability to pass the blame for everything, he's managed to keep a bunch of Aussies on-side. Australia isn't what I thought it was. Land of the free my arse. 

[Ollie1234]

17 hours ago, Parley said:

The UK has had over 130000 deaths compared to less than 1000 in Australia.

In the end that is the comparison that matters and what will be remembered into the future. The slow rollout will be forgotten by Christmas when it is largely completed.

I actually don't think this is the only comparison that matters. Australia should have used the first 12 months to secure vaccines, learn about the virus, build quarantine and come up with a plan. They did nothing but site back and give themselves a pat on the back. Those with family overseas are leaving in droves (when they finally get exemption to go) and taking their skills and cash with them. The mental health toll for the rest of, be that forced separation from loved ones or inability to work through lockdowns is going to be huge. 
We reached the tipping point where the cure is worse than the disease. Australia squandered an opportunity by being smug and insular. As usual. 

[Parley]

41 minutes ago, Ollie1234 said:

 Land of the free my arse. 

Isn't that the USA? Land of the brave and home of the free, or something like that.

[Parley]

47 minutes ago, Ollie1234 said:

The point is they are not making this clear. People keep applying with great expectations because they are not being transparent about wait times. If they don't know, they should say they don't know. It's ridiculous. 

You are presumably a would be migrant or traveller.

You are in the minority probably 10% of Australians. Most are happy to have borders closed at this dangerous time.

[LindaH27]

10 minutes ago, Parley said:

Isn't that the USA? Land of the brave and home of the free, or something like that.

Well if you know your anthem then you’ll know it does say in the first verse

“We are one and free”

and in the second verse 

“For those who come across the seas  We’ve boundless  plains to share “

Australia also has no Human rights legislation plus over a third of Australians are migrants with family overseas who they are forbidden from seeing. 

[Parley]

5 minutes ago, LindaH27 said:

Well if you know your anthem then you’ll know it does say in the first verse

“We are one and free”

and in the second verse 

“For those who come across the seas  We’ve boundless  plains to share “

Australia also has no Human rights legislation plus over a third of Australians are migrants with family overseas who they are forbidden from seeing. 

So you would prefer the 130000 deaths if it meant you could fly overseas and visit relatives?

I certainly wouldn't.

[LindaH27]

3 minutes ago, Parley said:

So you would prefer the 130000 deaths if it meant you could fly overseas and visit relatives?

I certainly wouldn't.

Most of those occurred before there were vaccines. Once vaccines were introduced UK raced ahead due to the willingness of citizens to be vaccinated. In the current situation,  if an Australian or any other nationality is doubly jabbed there is very little chance of hospitalisation or death - proof from around the world. 
Most borders now ask for proof of vaccination. Most of the world is now returning to normality. Australia is going the other way. . 

[Parley]

4 minutes ago, LindaH27 said:

Most of those occurred before there were vaccines. Once vaccines were introduced UK raced ahead due to the willingness of citizens to be vaccinated. In the current situation,  if an Australian or any other nationality is doubly jabbed there is very little chance of hospitalisation or death - proof from around the world. 
Most borders now ask for proof of vaccination. Most of the world is now returning to normality. Australia is going the other way. . 

We'll be there by Christmas if not earlier so start planning your trip.

[LindaH27]

Just now, Parley said:

We'll be there by Christmas if not earlier so start planning your trip.

I don’t want to go there then as I really don’t think you’ll be at that stage having seen how virulent Delta is.  But I would like my vaccinated family to be able to leave Australia and come somewhere where they can have some normality 

[Parley]

6 minutes ago, LindaH27 said:

I don’t want to go there then as I really don’t think you’ll be at that stage having seen how virulent Delta is.  But I would like my vaccinated family to be able to leave Australia and come somewhere where they can have some normality 

If they want to they will be able to. Of course they may not want to.

[ramot]

Think this is all getting out of hand. Yes the vaccine roll out has been handled badly, and I hope it’s starting to get sorted for everyone unvaccinated,  but I have been fully fully vaccinated with AZ since mid June, as have most people i know in my age group. 
Australia isn’t the only country to have messed up one way or another, and when I compare the freedom I have had, in comparison to friends of my age in England, there is no comparison. My grandsons have had hardly had any time in school, in comparison to the young members of my family here, they have suffered far more in UK, their other grandparents only seen through a window for far far longer than we have been in lockdown.

In case anyone thinks I don’t understand, I have to face the reality of never seeing my UK son and grandsons again, and have direct family who are affected in Sydney by lockdown, but moaning on a web site that is a parent visa thread isn’t going to change anything. 
So as I totally sympathise with everyone in the parent queue, please keep to the thread about only that.

 

 

[LindaH27]

Just now, Parley said:

If they want to they will be able to. Of course they may not want to.

It’s extremely difficult to get exemptions to leave Australia. People are having to watch funerals online etc. I think you would be surprised how many Australians actually want to get out of there. 

[Parley]

Just now, LindaH27 said:

It’s extremely difficult to get exemptions to leave Australia. People are having to watch funerals online etc. I think you would be surprised how many Australians actually want to get out of there. 

I said by December not now.

[LindaH27]

1 minute ago, ramot said:

Think this is all getting out of hand. Yes the vaccine roll out has been handled badly, and I hope it’s starting to get sorted for everyone unvaccinated,  but I have been fully fully vaccinated with AZ since mid June, as have most people i know in my age group. 
Australia isn’t the only country to have messed up one way or another, and when I compare the freedom I have had, in comparison to friends of my age in England, there is no comparison. My grandsons have had hardly had any time in school, in comparison to the young members of my family here, they have suffered far more in UK, their other grandparents only seen through a window for far far longer than we have been in lockdown.

In case anyone thinks I don’t understand, I have to face the reality of never seeing my UK son and grandsons again, and have direct family who are affected in Sydney by lockdown, but moaning on a web site that is a parent visa thread isn’t going to change anything. 
So as I totally sympathise with everyone in the parent queue, please keep to the thread about only that.

 

 

Yes you have had the freedom in the past - which we are having now as you are going into harder lockdowns. It is relevant to the parent queue as it affects the wait time and the chance to see their families. 
 

Having said that I will not be posting/ replying any more as we are all entitled to our own opinions whether we agree with each other or not. 

[ramot]

25 minutes ago, LindaH27 said:

Yes you have had the freedom in the past - which we are having now as you are going into harder lockdowns. It is relevant to the parent queue as it affects the wait time and the chance to see their families. 
 

Having said that I will not be posting/ replying any more as we are all entitled to our own opinions whether we agree with each other or not. 

It depends where you live in Australia, we were only in lockdown for 10 days, we have been living a normal life for months with sensible precautions. We have been to the theatre several times, meals out with friends every club etc up and running, as have several other states. Sydney is very worrying at the moment, and because the borders keep closing  those of us who live here mostly stay in State, but we have been able to go to Sydney to see our daughter recently, and family members have been on holiday to Tasmania and NZ before the latest outbreak. 
 

I keep saying that I really do understand and sympathise, and in case you think otherwise  I’m on your side, but I think a bit of balance is needed from someone who lives here, that apart from what is happening in NSW which is very worrying, we are still living our normal lives in many parts of Australia, and really hope when more people are vaccinated, the latest lockdown doesn’t impact on the parent visa queue. 
 

[Alan Collett]

2 hours ago, Parley said:

So you would prefer the 130000 deaths if it meant you could fly overseas and visit relatives?

I certainly wouldn't.

https://www.france24.com/en/20200809-uk-might-stop-official-covid-death-count-over-claims-of-exaggeration-telegraph

That's a significant overstatement of the real number.   IMHO.

I am aware of people dying in the UK identified as a Covid death when they didn't have Covid.

I fear you may be comparing apples with oranges ...

Best regards.

[Tulip1]

There was some terrible examples of that early on.  There was a report in one hospital that people on end of life care had Covid put on their death certificates even though they were days away from dying from something else and never had a Covid test.  I actually spoke to a few people who said the same thing had happened.  Someone told me their mum was on end of life with cancer, was in hospital a week and passed away.  The death certificate said Covid.  That’s so bad.

[MillieB]

2 hours ago, Tulip1 said:

There was some terrible examples of that early on.  There was a report in one hospital that people on end of life care had Covid put on their death certificates even though they were days away from dying from something else and never had a Covid test.  I actually spoke to a few people who said the same thing had happened.  Someone told me their mum was on end of life with cancer, was in hospital a week and passed away.  The death certificate said Covid.  That’s so bad.

I think everyone has examples of this.  I found it really bad, too. I’m sure it was because only one doctor was needed to sign death certificate when Covid was entered as the cause of death, instead of the usual two doctors needed (post Dr Shipman). 

[LindaH27]

Yes I’m also aware of at least two cases where they died in hospital of something other than Covid! There are also many deaths every year from flu  - thousands - but we don’t freak out over those and do a daily headcount. The death rate will also go up over winter with flu cases as we are more active this year instead of being locked down like last autumn/Winter and because people with serious illnesses haven’t been seen during lockdown. There’s millions caught in the backlog. Let’s hope the deaths are not all lumped into one figure !! 

[Geoffandgill]

Thank God that is just your opinion We have been here since 2017 and have endured the whole of the Covid outbreak, thank goodness we have been in Victoria and abided by Victorian rules. 
So far here we have not lost anyone to covid, unfortunately can’t say the same for friends and neighbours who I had known since 1978 back in England. 
The only thing I agree about your outburst is the sad state of Australian politics but as in most democratic countries, you get what you vote for. 
In defence of the Federal Australian Government, they were originally hampered by the wisdom of the EU  who purposefully delayed our first shipment of vaccine and then put out the propaganda regarding to blood clots. All to punish the UK  for voting Brexit.  
As far as I am concerned I have Dan Andrews and his Victorian Government to thank for being as healthy as I and my wife are at the moment, even they will admit that we will never eradicate Covid but do there best to keep it at bay until a much higher % of the country is vaccinated so we can re-join the rest of the world. 
Just a thought

Geoff

[Marisawright]

16 hours ago, Ollie1234 said:

More scary than his botched vaccine stroll-out, lack of a solid plan and absolute inability to make a decision on anything, is the fact that lots of Australians think he's the dogs dangly bits. Between his inability (or lack of desire) to stop vaccine misinformation and ability to pass the blame for everything, he's managed to keep a bunch of Aussies on-side. Australia isn't what I thought it was. Land of the free my arse. 

So you think the population in the UK is much smarter when they all rave about Boris Johnson?   One problem Australia has, which it shares with the UK, is the lack of a convincing Opposition leader.  People vote for ScoMo because they're not convinced by the alternative, just like people vote for BoJo in the UK.

Edited August 10, 2021 by Marisawright

[Marisawright]

8 hours ago, LindaH27 said:

Yes I’m also aware of at least two cases where they died in hospital of something other than Covid! There are also many deaths every year from flu  - thousands - but we don’t freak out over those and do a daily headcount. The death rate will also go up over winter with flu cases as we are more active this year instead of being locked down like last autumn/Winter and because people with serious illnesses haven’t been seen during lockdown. There’s millions caught in the backlog. Let’s hope the deaths are not all lumped into one figure !! 

I find it astonishing that people who went through the UK's early Covid experience can now say, "Covid's not that bad, Australia, just open up and let it rip".  Have you forgotten what it was like then? 

I am as angry as anyone over Australia's botched vaccination rollout but that's the reality - we are largely unvaccinated and if we open up now, we'll have to go through what the UK and eveyrone else did last year. 

I  know you're all upset because there's 100,000 grandparents sitting overseas unable to see their families temporarily.    But what you're saying is that we should just open up and let 100,000 grandparents die here, which will deprive thousands of Australian families of their loved ones forever.  Not a fair trade, sorry.

Edited August 10, 2021 by Marisawright