Covid-19... the upsides

[Marty_d]

There's a silver lining to every cloud, and while this whole thing is pretty damn scary and stressful for everyone (especially older people with existing health problems), there is always a positive to be found.

 

Here's a couple to get us going:

 

- less Mormons knocking on your door. (Just use RED750's printed label to keep them away!)

 

- With the guts kicked out of the airline and cruise ship industries, reduction in fossil fuel use by traditionally heavy users.

 

- With imposed isolation, more family time and possibly a return to traditional crafts.

 

I'm sure there's more. Come up with your best positives and give everyone a boost!

[octave]

I am also wondering if working from home will become more widespread even after this passes. Also I have always wondered what percentage of business travel is really necessary. Some businesses may in fact find that they save money and are more efficient.

[red750]

I don't have to drive my daughter to the station to go to footy/cricket/NRL etc, then pick her up near midnight. Don't have to drive my wife to the city for her concerts - cancelled. Petrol use will plummet.

[willedoo]

I am also wondering if working from home will become more widespread even after this passes. Also I have always wondered what percentage of business travel is really necessary. Some businesses may in fact find that they save money and are more efficient.

Good point, octave. This looks like sticking around for a while so maybe a lot of business will have a re-think about how they operate. I'm sure some good will come of that. Maybe the world needed a shock like this to kick start a much needed transition.

[onetrack]

The upside is that many things will become cheaper, as many costs associated with production and delivery and employment, will decline. Vehicle sales and prices will almost certainly reduce, as people are not driving around as much.

Fuel prices are down substantially for the rest of this year, and possibly even well into next year. As fuel is a big input component into business costs, this means cost savings to those businesses.

 

The Chinese market has collapsed, so many products we were selling to the Chinese (crayfish, oranges, cherries, and many other fruits) will be much cheaper.

The crayfish market in W.A. is decimated, the Chinese bought all our fishermans cooperatives, and they were selling 95% of their catch to the Chinese. A good lesson in being too reliant on one client.

 

We have a large citrus grower, Moora Citrus, they produce beautiful oranges - but we were struggling to get any amount, a vast percentage of their oranges were going straight to China. I'm looking forward to some cheap Moora Citrus oranges.

The same with Australian cherries. Over 60% of our cherry production is exported, I don't see that figure being that high at the end of this year.

 

Numbers of local businesses are ramping up production as demand soars. Toilet paper and paper towel production is the obvious one, but there are many others associated with health industry that are getting a shot in the arm.

I saw an article about how a local face mask manufacturer is pleased about the massive increase in demand, as supplies from overseas dry up. He's ramping up production to meet the increased demand.

[red750]

As long as they don't ramp up prices to kill the golden goose.

 

What happens when everybody's cupboards, fridge, freezer etc. are full and demand drops?

[Yenn]

Those things we can't produce here will go up in price, just look at what our dollar is worth. It is pathetic.

[willedoo]

just look at what our dollar is worth. It is pathetic.

 

Now that our dollar has reached tin pot status, maybe it's time to rename it. The Pacific Peso perhaps, or the Dunnyroll. 60 Dunnyrolls to the USD.

With Australian Dunnyroll we could keep the acronym AUD.

[willedoo]

If you're looking for a good cheap shipping container, there's going to a lot on the market soon.

[onetrack]

There's going to be a lot of cheap cruise ships, too! I read in the Financial Review today, something like 37 cruise ships are tied up in quarantine at Australian ports, for an extended period.

 

The daily financial losses involved in a tied up, big cruise ship, would make a grounded jet look cheap, cost-wise.

 

Good to hear about the cheap shipping containers, I need one - but every time one comes up for auction, they fight over it!

[willedoo]

On the upside with any disaster is the international cooperation and assistance to other nations. One example is Cuba, a country with a long history of providing overseas aid despite being one of the poorest. A medical team has arrived in Italy, making it the first time Cuba has provided medical assistance to Europe.

 

[willedoo]

Another upside, today on the ABC radio talkback, people are discussing ways to extend the life of fresh food and avoid waste. I've heard it said that the world throws away 20% of all food produced. Some people might change, and after this virus is over, hopefully some might like the more sensible lifestyle enough to adopt it long term.

[onetrack]

I'll wager there'll be a lot of food wasted this time around, because those same dumbos who did vast amounts of panic-buying, do not have good food-use management ability, either.

Did you see the clown on the news who bought $1200 worth of alcohol, because he heard liquor outlets were closing down? Give me strength, these people actually vote and breed, too?

[red750]

My son works at a pub, has stepped back from the management. Says the sudden closure of pubs and clubs didn't give them time to adjust. They are not set up for takeaway. Worries about what is going to happen to the $20,000 worth of food and drink stock they had for their two dining sections and the public bar. A lot of their beer is bulk delivered into large tanks and may not last the duration. Even if insurance covers it, the insurance premiums will go through the roof. Lose/lose.

[Marty_d]

My son works at a pub, has stepped back from the management. Says the sudden closure of pubs and clubs didn't give them time to adjust. They are not set up for takeaway. Worries about what is going to happen to the $20,000 worth of food and drink stock they had for their two dining sections and the public bar. A lot of their beer is bulk delivered into large tanks and may not last the duration. Even if insurance covers it, the insurance premiums will go through the roof. Lose/lose.

Can't they decant into bottles and quietly sell it on Gumtree? Same with food stock - people who stockpile would snap that up. May be less than the worth but more than zero.

[spacesailor]

One restaurant has put their stock on FB market place, going cheap!.

spacesailor

[onetrack]

A local pub has rapidly changed their set up, to simply retailing on a takeaway basis. They have a "bar-type" menu available from the liquor shop drive-through, you don't even have to pre-order.

I heard of another pub that had changed to a retail shop style setup, they were operating like a mini-Coles. Piles of food and basic necessities for sale - walk in, grab what you want, they run you through a checkout, and you're on your way.

[old man emu]

One of the pubs local to me also has posted on Facebook that they are now providing take-away meals (from a pretty good kitchen) as well as selling basic food and stuff. And that is in a suburb five minutes from a number of supermarkets.

[onetrack]

Pubs innovate to beat the COVID-19 virus bans - Milk, bar: Country pub's virus response lifts local spirits

[pmccarthy]

Pubs are all now closed. No takeaway food allowed. Only existing bottle shops.

[willedoo]

Another upside - if the pubs are shut, there will be less punchups, less drink driving, less rapes and assults, less gambling on the pokies and horses. Just a lot of cranky people sitting at home getting p*ssed.

[Marty_d]

I thought that maybe the shutting of the pokies may have an upside that people addicted to them would be forced to go cold turkey, but then I remembered online gambling.

 

The Federal group who owns all pokies here in Tassie wants pubs to keep paying rents for the machines despite being shut. If I were a pub owner I'd seriously consider removing all pokies and telling them where to shove them, but I'm guessing they signed some draconian agreement that forces them to keep the machines for years.

Money-hungry ar*seholes. Unfortunately they seem to own the state government so nothing will be done about this profiteering.

[willedoo]

Same up here, Marty. I heard a hotel guy on the ABC radio yesterday saying they still had to pay rent on the pokies. You would think in the national interest, they would at least allow a reduction in the rent.

[onetrack]

W.A. pubs are still supplying takeaway food, the situation is obviously not as dire in W.A. as in NSW, where the infection rate is still spiking at a high rate. I reckon you can thank all your roaming cruise ship passengers for that.

There was a 7km long traffic jam at the W.A./S.A. border yesterday, as hundreds of people made a last-minute mad dash to get into W.A. before the border closed completely, to all but essential traffic.

What is unbelievable is that the message has failed to get through to a lot of them - many were just holidaymakers intent on continuing their caravan and camping holidays in W.A.!

They might find it was better to go home, after they find they'll struggle to get essential supplies in country towns and remote areas, as the locals are securing their supplies for local people only.

 

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-03-24/hundreds-travel-across-nullarbor-before-new-border-restrictions/12084628

[spacesailor]

Not much use coming back to a high density area full of runaway ship passengers! .

Better to camp in the wilderness, and have Roo steaks for dinner

. LoL

spacesailor