I feel so strongly about this that I searched for an explanation.
It seems that ‘positive discrimination’ is indeed illegal.
However, the rules have been twisted, and a new term: ‘positive action’ substituted.
I continue to believe this sort of thing is unfair.
Employment should be on one basis only: the best person for the job completely regardless of colour or creed.
Global Cases 8,264,399
Global Deaths 446,135
Australia
Cases 7,370
Deaths 102
Critical 3
Cases per Million 289
UK
Cases 298,136
Deaths 41,969
Critical 395
Cases per Million 4,393
USA
Cases 2,208,400
Deaths 119,132
Critical 16,695
Cases per Million 6,673
Victoria has recorded 21 new cases of coronavirus overnight, bringing the total number of active cases in the state to 70.
Health Minister Jenny Mikakos said 15 of the new infections were returned travellers who were already in hotel quarantine.
Of the other six cases, one is a resident at the Rosstown nursing home in Carnegie, in Melbourne’s south-east.
Ms Mikakos said the 53-bed facility had gone into lockdown and residents had been restricted to their rooms.
Another is a contractor working at the Stamford Plaza Hotel, which housed returned travellers who were in mandatory quarantine.
There are now 70 active cases in Victoria
Hope for those in hospital fighting.
An anti-inflammatory drug called dexamethasone has been hailed as a ground-breaking treatment for hospital patients seriously ill with Covid-19.
A UK trial showed the drug could save lives - the first internationally to do so - and it can be used in the NHS immediately.
Lockdown As I see it…
The Coronavirus lockdown seems to be dissolving like mist in the early morning sun, with people wandering around willy nilly in our local Tesco, although all credit to most of the old people (and I include myself with that description) most of them are wearing masks. The media, and especially the BBC, have done a sterling job in frightening the population half to death with daily reports of who has been infected and who didn’t win the battle with Covid19.
Everyone has become an expert in virology and has their own theory about how the virus spreads, and how to protect oneself, including me!
The number of deaths and infections is quite high, but we didn’t seem to notice in previous years when believe it or not, it was much worse. The good news is that as of today there have been 298,136 infections in the UK. How this is even possible to make any kind of forecast when in the earlier days of the virus there were as few as a couple of hundred tests being done each day! Anyway, out of a population of 68,000,000…67,701,864 have remained free of the virus…More chance of winning the lottery or being struck by lightning than catching Covid…
By and large the population of the UK have been good, in fact I’ve been quite surprised by the response to the government’s recommendations to ‘Lockdown’ Stay in your home - don’t go to work (unless it’s in the NHS) - only go out into the fresh air for one hour to just, walk the dog, or take some exercise – do not drive – and to help you keep to these instructions, public transport has been cut to the bare minimum, all public toilets have been closed, together with pubs, clubs, gyms, restaurants, theatres, cinemas and all non essential shops…And the wearing of masks appearing on every individual over the age of fifty.
And…You must go outside at 8:00pm on a Thursday night and pay homage to the wonderful staff of the NHS by clapping until your hands are raw or beating a saucepan with a wooden spoon. Confined to barracks children (due to closed schools) have been painting rainbows on just about everything that doesn’t move, and hanging pretty coloured objects in our local woods. And people passing you on the paths and lanes shuffle away from you like a bad smell to maintain their Two Metre social spacing. Some even risk their lives by stepping out onto the road in avoidance. A two ton vehicle is less of a threat than I appear to be.
I sometimes wonder if we have all been part of some massive global experiment to see how easy it would be for the rich and powerful to control the great unwashed. I was surprised how easily we gave up our freedoms when the virus actually never reached many households, but there was one thing that did manage to permeate every household and create fear and mass hysteria, especially in the older generation, and that was the media ( and in the UK, especially the BBC) …The power of TV , Radio and the internet…
Just a quick dash, in and out again.
I am beginning to suspect that Covid-19 is not quite as easy to catch as the media has been making out.
True, I only go out to go grocery shopping and to buy cigarettes, but, fingers crossed, I have had no problem.
I can’t help but wonder if those who have contracted the virus are doing something very different than the rest of us. One thing I’ve been noticing is that many, many people are wearing their masks covering only their mouths. (At least here in Mexico)
I agree with so much of that, it could have been me wrote it, Foxy. 
You say about people walking in the road to avoid getting near you, but I was shocked a couple of weeks ago when a couple pushed their baby in a pushchair out into the road to avoid me! It was a wide pavement as well, about 10-12 ft wide. :shock:
I also understand your thoughts about being a massive global experiment.
And as for the Thursday night ritual, I never have understood how banging a saucepan with a wooden spoon at 8 pm, helps the NHS in any way. 
I think you may have a very good point, and it is the comparative figures you provide which convinced me.
Marge and I have been self-isolating… to a point.
I certainly have because I am honoured to have both diabetes and chronic kidney disease, both making me rather more potentially susceptible to Covid-19 than most, and then of course is my age (only a youthful 67 but apparently that also goes against me).
Marge (nine years younger than me and in perfect health), on the other hand, has occasionally gone to visit her aged mother (who is also self-isolating) and has volunteered to do the supermarket shopping without my help for the sake of my health.
More recently, we have been becoming somewhat less stringent with our activities and, so far, have had no problems.
What I’m getting round to saying is that I’m not sure whether it is because we have been sensible and therefore deserve to have avoided infection, or perhaps we are just two of the vast majority!
I sometimes wonder whether it might have been very unlikely that we would have caught the disease even if we’d led a pretty normal life over the past several weeks.
You have to be in close proximity for a certain amount of time. I think it’s 15 mins or longer. With someone symptomatic in an enclosed space. If everyone is wearing a mask that will reduce spread considerably. If people aren’t touching their face because they are wearing a mask or gloves that will reduce spread considerably. If you’re outside you are not likely to catch it unless someone sneezes or coughs in your face.
TB wasn’t easy to catch, you had to be in close proximity with someone for a while. Yet it was a big killer. Still is in some areas of the world. AIDs isn’t easy to catch either. Again millions have died. Covid is far easier to contract than either of those.
If you take sensible precautions you won’t catch most infectious diseases.
Exactly. I completely agree.
I have never worn a mask, but on the other hand I avoid getting close to anyone (apart from Marge!), and if anyone stupidly intentionally walks towards me, I hold my breath until well after they have buggered off.
The Federal Tourism Minister says short-term international visitors will probably not be allowed into Australia until at least next year.
That has prompted Qantas to cancel all its international flights up to late-October, with the potential exception of flights to and from New Zealand that may be facilitated if a travel “bubble” between the two countries is put in place.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews says the state will press on with its plans to further ease coronavirus restrictions next week, despite an apparent increase in community transmission of COVID-19.
The state has recorded a further 18 new cases, including a third Black Lives Matter protester and a “very young child” who attended a childcare centre while infectious.
Australia’s unemployment rate jumped to 7.1 per cent in May from 6.4 per cent in April, with the Bureau of Statistics estimating a further 227,700 jobs were lost last month.
The loss in jobs was much larger than the 100,000 typically forecast by economists, and the unemployment rate would have jumped much higher still without another big fall in people looking for work.
Global Cases 8,406,062
Global Deaths 451,384
Australia
Cases 7,390
Deaths 102
Critical 3
Cases per Million 290
UK
Cases 299,251
Deaths 42,153
Critical 379
Cases per Million 4,409
USA
Cases 2,234,471
Deaths 119,941
Critical 16,644
Cases per Million 6,752
Australia’s tightly sealed international borders could see their first major opening next month, with plans underway to begin returning international students to two major universities.
Under the plan, roughly 350 students from the Australian National University (ANU) and the University of Canberra (UC) would be flown into Canberra Airport on a specially chartered flight.
As is compulsory for all Australians returning from abroad, they would have to quarantine for a fortnight in a hotel before they would be free to resume their studies.
The proposal has been cleared by the ACT Government, who would take responsibility for managing the quarantine period and clearing the international students for a return to the community.
And it has been put to the National Cabinet, receiving encouragement from Prime Minister Scotty from Marketing.
I sometimes wonder if we have all been part of some massive global experiment to see how easy it would be for the rich and powerful to control the great unwashed. I was surprised how easily we gave up our freedoms when the virus actually never reached many households, but there was one thing that did manage to permeate every household and create fear and mass hysteria, especially in the older generation, and that was the media ( and in the UK, especially the BBC) …The power of TV , Radio and the internet…
OGF you are not the only one that has espoused this theory. The 2009 Swine Flu virus infected more Australians and killed more people worldwide than Covid19 has yet there were no lockdowns, or the new buzz words… self isolation and social distancing. We all went about our lives as normal back then.
The lockdown was put in place because the number of mortalities without it were estimated to be astronomical. You can’t compare the two diseases.
There seems to be a lot of ‘Estimating’ concerning this virus Annie…
The number of fatalities expected from Swine Flu at the same point was also supposed to be ‘Astronomical’ but neither has achieved expectations, lockdown or not…
Thanks Mups…and good evening…
I’m not suggesting that anyone should drop their guard, I’m certainly not! I am avoiding crowded indoor situations and public transport, and although I’m not too concerned with observing the 2 metre rule while outside, I will respect other peoples space.
I think it’s a case of ‘Its better to be safe than sorry’ because you’re damned if you do, and damned if you don’t.
[quote=“JBR, post: 1920139”]
I think you may have a very good point, and it is the comparative figures you provide which convinced me.
Marge and I have been self-isolating… to a point.
I certainly have because I am honoured to have both diabetes and chronic kidney disease, both making me rather more potentially susceptible to Covid-19 than most, and then of course is my age (only a youthful 67 but apparently that also goes against me).
Marge (nine years younger than me and in perfect health), on the other hand, has occasionally gone to visit her aged mother (who is also self-isolating) and has volunteered to do the supermarket shopping without my help for the sake of my health.
More recently, we have been becoming somewhat less stringent with our activities and, so far, have had no problems.
What I’m getting round to saying is that I’m not sure whether it is because we have been sensible and therefore deserve to have avoided infection, or perhaps we are just two of the vast majority!
I sometimes wonder whether it might have been very unlikely that we would have caught the disease even if we’d led a pretty normal life over the past several weeks.[/QUOTE]
It’s difficult to say JB, I suppose it’s been the same for you and Marge as it has been for Mrs Fox and me, apart from being disappointed about missing a couple of holidays, it’s not been too difficult to self isolate as we don’t generally visit busy places very often, and there’s always something to occupy our time at home…
I had to chuckle at that JB, it’s exactly what I do if someone comes too close in the supermarket…
Although I’m not prone to conspiracy theories Swannie, I like to keep an open mind and sometimes wonder ‘What If!’ Some of these exorbitant claims are too wild to believe, and I suppose that’s why they can get away with it. It couldn’t possibly happen!..
If just twelve months ago I would have posted that the world was going to be held to ransom by some virus that would close down practically every business that wasn’t essential, and everyone would be confined to their homes, it would have been laughed at and considered a conspiracy theory…Well they are not laughing now!
There have been many epidemics that have taken lots of lives in the past, but I think the difference with this one is, never in the past has there been so much wall to wall overage by the media, and still it continues…
Funnily enough, I’m sure that it’s far more effective than wearing a mask. Certainly, ordinary masks offer very little protection to the wearer.
At least we are still part of those 67,701,864 infection free subjects JB, so it must be working…
