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Subject: Wed.6.1.21 daily digest

Roderick

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Wed.6.1.21 Metro Twitter
Bridge Road renewal works, 11pm Sunday 3 January to 5am Saturday 16 January
We strongly encourage you to register your myki so that we can contact you if you've travelled on a public transport service that's identified as a coronavirus exposure site.   It's quick and easy to register your myki, at: http://ptv.vic.gov.au/myki
17.17 Burnley group: Delays up to 25 minutes (an equipment fault near Richmond).
Buses replace trains South Yarra - Sandringham from 20.25 until the last train (maintenance works).
Craigieburn line: Buses replace trains Essendon - Broadmeadows from 20.30 until the last train (level-crossing works).
Buses replace trains North Melbourne - Upfield from 20.30 until the last train (maintenance works).
Sunbury line: Buses replace trains North Melbourne - Sunshine from 20.40 until the last train (maintenance works).
Werribee/Sunbury/Craigieburn/Upfield lines: All trains terminate/originate at Southern Cross from 21.00 until the last train (works).  From loop stations, take a city circle train from pfm 1 to connect. [poor Sunbury: get to SC, then train to NM, then bus to Sunshine]
Pakenham/Cranbourne lines: All trains direct to/from Flinders St from 21.00 until the last train (maintenance works). From Southern Cross and loop stations, take a Burnley group train to Richmond.

COVID-19 IN AUSTRALIA updated 13.30 on Jan 6, 2021
13 New cases (Jan 6)    293 Active cases    25761 Recovered    909 Deaths    View full Australia and global data

'You can't really predict anything': Slow return of office workers prompts rethink of CBD model. Bianca Hall January 5, 2021
The slower-than-expected return of office workers to Melbourne's central business district has dealt another blow to the city's hospitality and retail sectors, struggling to recover after an interminable 2020 and a quiet festive period.
Restaurateur Guy Grossi says his industry is banking on workers and tourists returning en masse to help boost the CBD's fortunes.
Melbourne restaurant owner Guy Grossi says the sector has endured another blow in recent weeks.CREDIT:EAMON GALLAGHER
But that boost seems further away than the sector had hoped, with many of Melbourne's major employers in no rush to bring their staff back amid fresh community transmission of COVID-19 and strict indoor mask rules, including in workplaces.
The CBD received a further blow on Tuesday when the state government confirmed it was reviewing its plans for workers, including its own public servants, to return to the office.
The Victorian public service – the largest employer of workers in the city – was due to bring back up to 25 per cent of its staff from next Monday.
The phased return was due to cover up to 50 per cent of public servants from February 8, subject to health advice.
Commercial offices in the CBD were set to have up to 50 per cent of staff capacity from next Monday.
But on Tuesday a state government spokeswoman said both programs would be revised because of Victoria's recent coronavirus outbreak and cases in NSW.
"The government has asked the public health team to review Victoria’s return to work schedule," the spokeswoman said.
Given the evolving COVID-19 risk, major employers and the Victorian Chamber of Commerce expect the return to be a slow, drawn-out process.
NAB, Westpac, ANZ and other major employers say their staff will return in stages, mostly from next month.
"The [hospitality] industry is banking on a boost for the city to come back, there's no doubt about that," Mr Grossi said.
"It's just one of those things. We've had a bit of a blow now with this last couple of weeks of cases having come back.
"So obviously everybody's a bit shaken up by that, and not feeling great about it ... we've gone through some really hard times last year so, hopefully, we've got all the positive spirit and energy that we could possibly muster up and get over it and keep moving forward rather than seeing us go backwards."
Kirk's Wine Bar owner Ian Curley said there were "no real surprises any more".
"You can't really predict anything," he said.
Ian Curley, chef and owner at Kirk's Wine Bar.CREDIT:JOE ARMAO
"We were sort of hoping that everything was going to be good and we had that little spurt just before Christmas where everybody seemed to be out and about and happy. And now we're back to, like, we could go either way at the moment, I think."
While many venues draw patrons into the CBD for a dining or drinking experience, the precinct is heavily reliant on office workers for day-to-day income.
Pre-COVID, almost half the estimated 1 million people who travelled into the CBD every day did so for work, while relatively few people call the CBD home.
At the 2016 census, 45 per cent of the then 37,341 CBD residents were students.
video More potential exposure sites in Victoria Fresh alerts, as many Victorians remain stuck in NSW
Since Australia shut its borders in March, applications by foreign citizens to study in Australia have collapsed by more than 80 per cent. The number of international students is expected to be half its pre-pandemic total by mid 2021.
Fleur Brown, head of industry affairs at the Australian Retailers Association, said working-from-home arrangements for city workers and university students, combined with the loss of international students and cultural events, was hitting "CBD retail ecosystems" hard.
"In the short to medium-term we're unlikely to see pre-COVID-level CBD office populations, with workers and employers favouring more of a hybrid approach to working," she said.
"This is not only a safety and social distancing choice, it is becoming a lifestyle choice as well. Once formed, consumer habits tend to stick."
Ms Brown said there was an opportunity this year to rethink and redesign the CBD model, including retail, "and leasing relationships need to be reimagined as part of this".
"Whilst CBD worker populations are traditionally the largest group, it's a connected ecosystem, with hospitality, cultural and residential life all feeding the retail sector.
"We all need to work together to revitalise the CBD and create a dynamic visitor opportunity. CBDs are powerful precincts with a magnetic pull when all these stakeholders work together to attract people into the centre."
City of Melbourne chief executive Justin Hanney said the council was focused on the return of office workers.
"Ensuring the safe return of city workers remains a priority to help boost Melbourne's economic recovery and reinvigorate our streets," he said.
"The safe return of more people to our city will boost the confidence of employers and employees alike and encourage the return of more workers in the future, creating crucial jobs as our economy recovers and reactivates."
RELATED ARTICLE The government will review plans to allow up to 50 per cent of private sector office workers to return to the CBD from Monday, but most companies are taking a cautious approach anyway. Virus return and indoor mask rules will make return to the office slow: employer groups
RELATED ARTICLE Staying home: Pauline Ioannou, husband Arthur and children Austin, 13, and Sienna, 11. 'Starting to feel quite isolated': Families back from NSW battle quarantine blues
<www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/you-can-t-really-predict-anything-slow-return-of-officer-workers-prompts-rethink-of-cbd-model-20210105-p56ruu.html>
* Many of those buildings formerly used as offices could be converted to apartments (expensive yes it may be), some of which could be used as low cost housing for people needing accommodation who aren't able to access the Rental market.
* Trying to hold onto obsolete practices and models for the sake of existing businesses never works in the long term. Far better for the city businesses who rely on a daily influx of office workers to survive to be given immediate (and substantial) financial and practical support to enable them to adapt to a new reality. City workers have tasted freedom from long and crowded daily commutes, airless cubicles, sneezing co-workers, and expensive dress codes. At the same time they’ve proven productivity does not suffer, but actually increases with that freedom. Give the city businesses the help they will need to adapt to a new way of life instead of encouraging them to go broke (or more broke) waiting for the reinstatement of obsolete and redundant practices.
* people are still on holidays, probably slowly ramp up next week.
* Now is the time to rethink and reshape Melbourne. Over the last 5 years there has been a push, a concept of creating the 20 minute Melbourne, where people live within 20 minutes of where they work. Creation of this vision pre-covid seemed to involve creating huge skyscraper apartment blocks ala Hong Kong and Singapore with the worker population moving to the CBD. We are creating a public transport system and road network that deposits people in the CBD at the expense of people moving within the suburban environment. It is time the 'Bigger and Better' CBD model was reviewed/slowed/stopped and satellite business districts established where the population resides (Werribee, Craigieburn, Caroline Springs and or Melton, Chirnside Park, Cranbourne, Pakenham, Mornington with a few middle suburban CBDs such as Cheltenham, Glen Waverley, Box Hill, Ringwood.) Some of these are happening organically with the associated issues of unplanned development. Whilst 'work from home' has kept many people employed, it is not the way forward. Large and medium businesses do not need to have all staff under the one roof (indicator of poor management behaviour). Creating multiple sites across the city for workers to go to allows for the creation and maintenance of corporate culture, identity and creativity while also ensuring people work close to home. This has numerous benefits to the economy and the environment.
* No one I know was returning to the city next week anyway. Most corporates indicated feb at the earliest from what I hear from friends.
* Why on earth would anyone think that people would in anyway want to go back to commuting to an office in the CBD vs working from home. In my case a couple of hours a day wasted commuting .. time that I could otherwise spend working .. or with my family ..
* Firstly, the thing we should be shocked by is the fact the public service is the biggest employer in the CBD! If our economy it to have any hope that must change. It won’t though under the current VIC government, who treats business with contempt. CBDs are important for tourism, when that starts again, and it will one day. Ours is also an important cultural and historical hub - you can’t wipe out 150 years in a year or two. It would be shortsighted to let it fail
* Melbourne's CBD was on the nose well before Covid hit.
* So good in the non-crowded cbd right now. Really enhances life living in the city centre without all the people.
* Stuff the city. I never go there. If I want to go out, I goto the inner ring of suburbs. Particularly Richmond. Way better atmosphere. It's time for a rethink of our centralised city. It would help relieve the pressure on roads and transport centred on the CBD. Also. While it's a concern we have cases again & it isn't under control just yet, it's such low numbers, I don't see how it should dramatically upend everything, even if it delays it for at least a week, perhaps 2
* I love going into the city
* The local Jolly Miller in my suburb (outer western suburb) has been thriving with the patronage of WFH workers and families. Why should CBD cafes be supported over this local cafe?
* Oh no! People won’t have to wake up early and use a third world public transport system to get to work! Oh heavens they won’t have to buy overpriced convenience store food that expired 2 days ago! Spending more time at home with their families? Oh the horror! Good riddance to the centralised model I say! Time to decentralise and revitalise our regional towns and centres!

Energy industry warns disjointed climate and energy policies risk network failure. Mike Foley January 5, 2021
<www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/energy-industry-warns-disjointed-climate-and-energy-policies-risk-network-failure-20210105-p56rvo.html>

Eftpos records, CCTV footage, Opal cards helping contact tracers contain the virus. Mary Ward January 6, 2021
Sydneysiders have been urged to register their Opal cards as health authorities attempt to increase ways they can identify a coronavirus case's close contacts.
While the Service NSW QR code has been compulsory in the state's businesses since January 1, there are a number of places a person may visit – such as a quick trip to a supermarket or a train station – where codes may be missing or missed.
Public transport users are being encouraged to register their Opal cards so that they can be contacted if exposed to COVID-19.CREDIT:MICHELE MOSSOP
When coronavirus cases were linked to the BWS and Woolworths stores at Berala Shopping Centre, Woolworths, which also owns BWS, provided contact details for loyalty program members who had shopped at the stores to health authorities.
"Customers who scanned their Everyday Rewards card or signed-in via QR code at those stores during that period have had their details passed on securely to NSW Health so urgent health advice could be communicated directly with them," Woolworths confirmed.
The effort has identified close contacts who were not otherwise aware they were possibly exposed.
An 18-year-old man was on a road trip in western NSW when a text from NSW Health informed him the BWS he shopped at on Christmas Eve was the site of a coronavirus outbreak. He presented for testing and was found to be positive.
Eftpos data and CCTV footage have also assisted contact tracers, who are tasked with confirming the memories of an often sick person for up to a fortnight, as well as tracking down who they may have infected.
video NSW Acting Premier gives COVID-19 update Acting Premier John Barilaro, Minister for Health Brad Hazzard, NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant and Transport for NSW Acting Deputy Secretary for Greater Sydney Howard Collins provide a COVID-19 update.
On Wednesday, Transport for NSW Acting Deputy Secretary for Greater Sydney Howard Collins urged people who use public transport in Sydney to register their Opal card with their contact details on the Opal website.
He extended the advice particularly to the 10,000 people travelling to the Sydney Test at the SCG on Thursday.
"Like the QR code, it's a very good way of us working with Health on tracing and tracking," he said.
Opal card data has previously been used to identify people who may have caught buses, light rail services or trains with a person who was potentially infectious.
Although the data is not exact – someone might arrive at the station but then miss their train – it provides a guide to when a person attended the station. Generally, tap off times are more accurate than when someone taps on, NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant has said.
In November, Australia's Chief Scientist, Dr Alan Finkel, chaired a review of contact tracing systems for national cabinet.
The review recommended the federal government "lead the development of arrangements between states and territories and payment card providers", noting this could require legislative change in some jurisdictions.
RELATED ARTICLE 82-year-old Brian Pinker receives the Oxford University/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine on January 4. Vaccine rollout moved slightly forward as pressure on government intensifies
RELATED ARTICLE Northern beaches residents queue for COVID-19 testing at the Frenchs Forest Warrningah Aquatic Centre testing site. December 19, 2020. SMH SHD NEWS. Photographer has requested no credit please.  Coronavirus as it happened: PM calls for special national cabinet meeting; four local cases in NSW as more suburbs banned from SCG Test; MCG, Chadstone named exposure sites
<www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/eftpos-records-cctv-footage-opal-cards-helping-contact-tracers-contain-the-virus-20210106-p56s50.html>
* The problem with registering your Opal card is that you also have to register yourself. At any time you can delete the Opal Card. The account you created with all your personal details though can never be deleted. There is no option do this on the website and they cant do it if you ring. Mr Howard Collins should be explaining this.
* “ The review recommended the federal government "lead the development of arrangements between states and territories and payment card providers", noting this could require legislative change in some jurisdictions.” So we could have another cock-up like the covid safe app or robo debt?
* A bit more info would be good. Was qr code sign in compulsory - guessing not. How many of say the 1000 xmas eve customers were they able to identify for nsw health? With eftpos maybe a lot?? And of course the biggie... how many of the store’s customers, over that period, do nsw health know, have gone and got tested?
* Having 10 000 people visit the cricket is sheer lunacy. Also what about privacy? You can’t go back. Did people know when they scanned their loyalty cards that info would go to the government? I think not. I’m all for tracing but this is not smelling good. Does it comply with privacy legislation?

JANUARY 6 2021 EPIC to Gungahlin light rail service to stop for two weeks
Canberra's light rail network will be partially shut for two weeks. Picture: Karleen Minney
The ACT's light rail network will be partially shut down between the EPIC & Racecourse and Gungahlin Place stops from Sunday for two weeks.
It will be shut due to the construction of the new Sandford Street light rail stop.
The light rail will resume on Saturday, January 23.
Queanbeyan's Qcity buses will replace the affected light rail services. These services will operate between Dickson Interchange and Gungahlin Place.
The replacement bus stops are adjacent to the light rail stops and will depart from platform three at Gungahlin Place and from platform two at the Dickson Interchange.
The buses operate to a higher frequency compared with the normal light rail frequency; buses will run every three to 15 minutes.
Customers will not have to tap on and off when entering and exiting the replacement Qcity buses.
Advice for people travelling within inner north area (between Dickson and EPIC & Racecourse)
Passengers travelling between Dickson Interchange, Swinden Street, Phillip Avenue and EPIC & Racecourse can continue to travel on light rail, or they can use the rail replacement bus services if they are travelling north of EPIC.
Advice for people travelling into Gungahlin area (between Dickson and Gungahlin Place)
Passengers travelling into the Gungahlin area are encouraged to transfer to a rail replacement bus service at Dickson interchange. Rail replacement buses will depart from Platform 2, Dickson Interchange.
EPIC Park & Ride
The EPIC Park & Ride will remain operational for the duration of the works and passengers can transfer from here onto light rail services travelling to the city.
Effects on traffic
Motorists will not be able to turn right into Morisett Road from Flemington Road.
One lane will be closed in each direction on Flemington Road near the Sandford Street intersection.
The speed limit on Flemington Road will be reduced to 40km/h adjacent to the construction site.
Access to bicycle paths and on road cycling will be maintained during construction.
All pedestrian access will be maintained, noting that the signalised pedestrian crossing located at the southern end of the Flemington Road and Sandford Street/Morisset Road intersection will be detoured to the northern signalised pedestrian crossing until mid 2021.
<www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7076080/buses-to-replace-epic-to-gungahlin-light-rail-service-for-two-weeks>