If Canberra is going to host Olympic events in 2032, we’re going to need to renovate. Photo: Dominic Giannini.
Confusion still reigns among many in the community according to last week’s poll. Amid rising concerns around the vaccination rollout, we asked whether you thought the government’s COVID-19 information campaign has been effective.
The Federal Government has rolled out several new advertisements – a targeted campaign for Sydney showing a woman suffering the effects of severe COVID-19 and a more benign national campaign that urges people to “Arm Yourself” by getting the vaccine jab.
Of the latter, Angela Robbers wrote: “It’s effective, simple and on point (no pun intended). I also like this one”. But Carol Miller thought that “the grim reaper ad with the bowling ball was more effective. This ad isn’t graphic, it’s laughable”.
Hidden Dragon described the Arm Yourself advertisement as “bland, dull, colourless, low voltage – basically indistinguishable from the steady stream of yawn-inducing infomercials which emanate from Canberra regardless of which side of politics is in power”.
Renee Mae wrote: “Ever since hearing about younger people being in hospital with this new strain, I have been fearful and this is what has motivated me to book in for the vacc, rather than the idea that the sooner we all get it the sooner life can go back to normal. The latter hasn’t really motivated me that much because, being in Canberra with very few cases, we haven’t felt the fuller effects of lockdowns etc.”
A total of 474 readers voted in the poll. Your options were to choose No, I’m confused about where, when and how to get the vaccine. This received 64 per cent of the total, or 303 votes. Alternatively, you could vote Yes, vaccination is a complex issue but they’re getting it right. This received 36 per cent of the total, or 171 votes.
This week, as the pandemic-affected Tokyo Games begin, we’re wondering whether Canberra could ever host the Olympics?
The new slimmed-down version of the global games doesn’t require the extensive infrastructure investment it once did, and Brisbane will host the 2023 games across the state’s southeast.
But has the gloss gone off getting the Games?
Tim Gavel reminded us that in 1996, following an invitation from the Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games, the ACT Government lodged a bid to host preliminary round matches in football and be the training base for several teams. But costs to renovate Bruce Stadium blew out considerably, with consequent political costs. And, Gavel wrote, there’s been little attention to developing world-class sports venues since then.
Could we step up to the mark in the future, either as a joint venue for the Brisbane Games or in our own right? Or have our sporting venues deteriorated to the point where we would have few options for Games hosting rights?
Michael Kummle wrote: “Well, this needs to be fixed and it needs to be fixed right now. There is no way the pandemic is going to end very soon. It would be great for Brisbane to get the Olympics and if there are to be matches happening outside of Brisbane, we hope that Canberra plays a role in it and that their facilities are better than ever”.
Our poll question this week is:
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