Andrew Barr is leaving us in the dark

Dear Chief Minister,

We love living in Canberra, and the city did really well to delay Delta’s arrival.

But as working parents with young children, we are struggling with the lack of a clear pathway out of lockdown.

We don’t expect a “freedom day”, and we support your extension of the lockdown and understand it allows time to get more people vaccinated.

However we don’t believe you understand the full gravity of extending lockdown without giving families enough support or hope.

We’re concerned you don’t want to articulate a pathway for fear it may not go according to plan. 

We appreciate this risk, but feel the community understands and expects that there will be adjustments along the way.  There is no perfect environment for decision-making in a pandemic and governments must simply do the best they can with the information available.

Our many friends with young children are struggling.

Like us, they spend their days trying to simultaneously parent, teach and work. 

Many are burning the candle at both ends at a significant cost to both mental and physical health. 

We accept this is required for a period of time, but the lack of a pathway out is taking it’s toll, and we’re not asking to attend footy matches or head to the pub. 

We are asking for some simple changes to ease the burden on working parents and we’d like to propose some things that could be included in a pathway forward:

1. The outside gathering limit of 5 people to not include children (like NSW and Victoria) and will allow families with four or five members to meet with grandparents and friends outside.

2. Allow family bubbles between vaccinated households.

3. Allow working parents to have a caregiver or family member come to their home to help care for kids while parents work.

When pressed last week about a lack of a pathway out of lockdown, we found you saying ‘I have a higher value on human life’ as very hard to cop.

We acknowledge and support a high value being placed on human life, but note that daily COVID-related deaths are only one side of the spectrum, and deeply saddened to hear of the recent suicide of a young person in our area. 

Those working from home are watching the mental health of colleagues deteriorate through a screen, and we were unable to mourn properly following the recent lost our Grandfather.

Chief Minister, we need a plan. 

The lockdown has successfully curbed exponential growth, but every day that passes we fear the loss of lives and livelihoods that won't be captured in your briefings.

There are no perfect choices and there is no path that avoids loss and suffering. 

Navigating and communicating this path is the job of the government, and we urge you to lead us through the pandemic, not away from it.

We look forward to hearing your announcement tomorrow.

Regards,

Ben and Jen Alexander

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If you want to see a clear path forward and out of lockdown in the ACT, then please share this post.

Cheers.