Sit on the mat, cross your legs but don’t dare sing
If tennis great John McEnroe had a child attending a Victorian kindergarten, his reaction to the Andrews Government’s latest coronavirus restriction would surely be “You cannot be serious?”
Last week, kindergartens across the state were advised by Victoria’s Deputy Chief Health Officer, Alen Cheng, that children at kinder are no longer allowed to sing.
Under the Labor edict, group singing and woodwind instruments are banned as a measure to help stop the spread of the virus.
The Liberal Member for Western Victoria, Bev McArthur, has told the Victorian Parliament that the Government’s ban in kindergartens is “cruel, callous and stupid.”
“Where is the proportionality here, the common sense, the compassion, the care?” Mrs McArthur asked.
There are six active cases in regional Victoria: five in the Mitchell Shire and one in Geelong.
“Communities in Western Victoria Region are closer to South Australia – some to Adelaide itself – than they are to these active cases.
“In South Australia, which has similar case numbers to Western Victoria – indeed rural Victoria – guests can dance at weddings but in Victoria, children can’t sing at kindergartens.
“Yet, children, at the lowest risk of catching and transmitting the virus - will, if they are really lucky, be left to hum ‘Happy Birthday’ or clap along to a YouTube video.”
Mrs McArthur highlighted to the Parliament the absurdity of the ban given that kindergartens have discretion over whether they undertake basic temperature checks.
“Yet this joyless, one-track-minded government chooses instead a blanket ban on singing.
“It is heart breaking. Mr Scrooge has nothing on Mr Andrews.
“My thoughts are with the children and teachers. Just when will the Premier realise that he has crossed the line?”
14 October 2020