Whilst I had always anticipate problems employing private security guards to manage COVID hotel quarantine the scale of disclosed failings is rather shocking. Information released to the media by the South Australian government opposition revealed 99 security guards in that state have been dismissed or stood down over various failures on their part. Offences include sleeping on the job, drunk, etc.
State police forces have not wanted to provide hotel quarantine guards as they only have sufficient resources to manage (debateable) existing requirements. State Governments have been reluctant to ask or accept Federal Defence Force personnel. One assumes because they are concerned it will further dilute their ‘state rights’.
The salaries of security guards are low and it’s not unknown for them to make ends meet by having secondary employment. Moreover a boring job either attracts people of limited intellect or leads to poor performance. A boring job requires regular rotation of personnel to avoid complacency and lapses. I remember my various backpacking trips through the 3rd world and the 3rd week was the dangerous one. The first two weeks you’re on heightened alert. It’s the 3rd week where you start to become complacent. Having the same security guards do the same boring job for 10 months will almost certainly result in things going wrong!
One wonders just how bad the security guard issue has been in other states? This may well be the tip of the iceberg!
Whilst Australia has a problem with quarantine absconders or avoiders, we are not in the same dire situation as the UK where Boris has got his pandemic response horribly wrong in opting to employ the cocker spaniel strategy. For those readers who haven’t heard of the cocker spaniel strategy let me explain. A kindly elderly widow was given a cocker spaniel puppy as a companion. She knew it needed its tail docked but didn’t want to hurt the puppy. She therefore decided to cut off an inch every week. Boris has employed the cocker spaniel strategy! He now faces two major problems. He has to introduce hard lock-down measures and also convince a disgruntled and COVID weary general public its necessary. Good luck with that!
At home my thoughts have turned to the pool mermaid. She currently appears for her daily swim, however that may change when the weather cools. I’ve been thinking of a way to heat the pool, thus extending the swimming months. Yes, I could buy a system and have it installed. Instead I’m thinking of making one from beer cans. This has two advantages; it will be cheaper and someone (me) will have to drink the beer.
Google sketchUp was very useful in designing the prototype.
The cans form 10 solar collector contained in an insulated box with a polycarbonate front panel. Vertical copper pipe through the centre of the cans connect to a top and bottom copper pipe. Cold water enters via the bottom and hot out the top. I suspect the most difficult part of the project is going to be drinking the contents of the cans.
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We have a friend who heated their pool with very little effort. They took ordinary household radiators, probably cleaned second hand ones, which they put in a long line resting on the ground and leaning on their boundary fence. They were painted black and soon blended into the background and became partially hidden by plants.
They were plumbed in series with short flexible pipes so small movements wasn't a problem. Pool water was pumped through them and that kept the pool warm enough to swim all year except when the white snow settling on the radiators reflected too much sunlight instead of absorbing it.
The pump was solar powered but had to have a thermostat fitted so the pool didn't get too hot, even in spring and autumn.
Last time I asked he was trying to work out how to use the excess heat from this system to pre-heat the water for the domestic hot water system.
Hi Paul
Lovely to hear from you! What is a radiator... I don't believe they are available in Perth :-) Surely drinking 100 cans of beer is a better option :-)
Stay safe....
Here in NZ we also had the same sort of problems with private security, sleeping on the job, some times with the guests, excessive cell phone use. Pictures appeared on the news of these breaches. Now the isolation hotels are manned by the military, seems to be working as it should, and we get regular TV updates from the top guy in charge.
How cold do the temps get in winter in Perth? I always imagined it was warm all year round.
Drinking the beer may be difficult but someone has to make the sacrifice
Hi Jenny, We've also had the excessive mobile phone use (boredom!) and sleeping with the inmates. There won't be ice in the pool during winter but the mermaid does like the water temperature to be similar to a warm bath.
And I'm prepared to make the sacrifice in emptying the cans
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