One of Australia’s best-known public intellectuals, the late Clive James, once said, “The problem with Australians is not that so many of them are descended from convicts, but that so many of them are descended from prison officers.”
Japan won deserved global plaudits for the 2020 Olympics held under uniquely challenging circumstances. Athletes and national delegations were required to be fully vaccinated, lived in a highly controlled bubble and were tested daily for COVID-19. Australians won 17 gold medals, the sixth best. On completion of the Games, the delegation returned home to two weeks of international border quarantine.
South Australia’s 16 athletes must quarantine for another two weeks — 28 days in total — on getting home from Sydney. Commentators have slammed the cruelty of this “Covidiocy.” Australian Olympic Committee CEO Matt Carroll said: “While other countries are celebrating the return of their athletes, we are subjecting ours to the most cruel and uncaring treatment.”