Matters of Interest

Coronavirus

The Hon. E.S. BOURKE (15:21): In many ways it is hard right now to find the words for this matter of importance, to find the words that best describe the loudest and most deafening sound of the impact of these unprecedented times we are faced with—and that is silence. I have for many years called the CBD my home. When I say 'my CBD' I do not just mean the bricks and mortar of my home; I mean the square I have surrounded my family with: North, South, East and West Terrace.

The hum and vibrancy of our streets connecting our cafes, restaurants, pubs and office buildings are the bones of this great city that I love calling home. But the vibrant and bustling morning streets in my community that are usually crowded with families running to the school gate, queueing for coffee and rushing to get to work have been replaced by a deafening sound of silence. It is a silence I wholeheartedly support, the silence that is protecting our community. It is this silence that is replicated across all communities locally, nationally and internationally.

But it is not just the worries about the health of our community that is keeping us up at night. It is also that silence—the silent cafe, the silent restaurant, the silent gym, the silent pub and the silent office block. There will not be a single individual who will not be confronted by the deafening sound of this silence. We have all seen the disturbing footage of queues circling around Centrelink offices, a sight that reminds us of the cost this invisible act of war is having on the world: the real stories; the real people this crisis is crippling day after day.

They are people like David, who spoke with my office over the phone yesterday. David is a photographer who has had all his future projects postponed indefinitely. He joined the tens of thousands of Australians around the country in Centrelink queues in the hope to secure much-needed funds. Also like many, David did not reach the front of the line. He did not speak to anyone. David is renting. He lives alone and has been living week to week. Because of his projects being cancelled, he does not know if he will be able to pay the rent at the end of this week. He is relying on his family, some of whom have already lost their jobs, too.

Unfortunately, David is not alone, and the queues will get much worse before they get better. We know a job is more than just putting money in your back pocket. A job provides a sense of belonging and a sense of purpose. This will be a difficult time not only financially but mentally for people in the growing Centrelink queues. My thoughts are with David and those who join him in their wait for support.

But the silence is not everywhere. It is not in our supermarkets, in our hospitals or in our schools, and there is no silence facing our emergency staff, for it is the front-line workers who will get us through the coming days, weeks and months, the same workers who will forgo seeing their loved ones to keep us safe and put food on our tables. Rarely do I echo the words of the Treasurer, but these are extraordinary times. Yesterday, the Treasurer thanked our health public servants at the front line of this crisis, but I would like to expand on who our front-line workers are who are tackling this crisis.

Thank you to our doctors, nurses, SA Pathology staff and all medical staff for testing, caring and supporting the unwell. Thank you to the public servants who are finding new beds and buildings to house the sick. Thank you to our police, who are protecting our borders, streets and neighbourhoods. Thank you to our teachers, who are soldiering on to keep our young minds active and strong. Thank you to our cleaners, who are helping to protect us from the invisible attack, and thank you to our supermarket workers who are often kids, who are also working in extraordinary conditions and being confronted with panic buying, abuse and disrespect for social distancing.

A nurse goes to work expecting to save a life. A teacher goes to work expecting to change a life. A police officer goes to work expecting to help a life, and a supermarket worker goes to work to help feed a life. If we can all be that loud voice that breaks the silence many are experiencing, let the loud voice be to remind everyone we are in this together.