100% Locally Owned, Independent and Free

100% Locally Owned, Independent and Free

Ashley Robinson: how the pandemic sent people's behaviour down the toilet

Do you have a news tip? Click here to send to our news team.

Shark-spotting drones introduced at two busy beaches

SmartShark drones have been introduced at two prominent Sunshine Coast beaches amid a renewed effort to protect swimmers along the Queensland coastline. Life savers now More

Graduates lauded for efforts after ATAR results released

Queensland students, including from the Sunshine Coast, have been congratulated for "incredible" ATAR results. More than 30,160 Year 12 students in the state obtained their More

Aussies’ latest car choices are driving down pollution

The growing popularity of hybrid and electric cars is helping to reduce Australia's transport emissions but big, old cars are slowing progress. Australia's vehicle fleet More

Photo of the day: mirror, mirror

Lesley Evans captured this mirror-like stillness on the water at Bulcock Beach. If you have a photo of the day offering, email photo@sunshinecoastnews.com.au. Photos must More

New trattoria launches at renovated resort

A famous Sydney hospitality family has opened an Italian trattoria at a newly renovated beachside resort. The Pavoni family, known for its ventures in New More

Your say: growth area, seawall project and more

Do you have an opinion to share? Submit a Letter to the Editor at Sunshine Coast News via news@sunshinecoastnews.com.au. You must include your name More

I wrote a column about shortages, labour, attitude, food and general supply-chain problems post-COVID.

But unfortunately, a couple of people interpreted it as me having a crack at COVID rules and disregarding people’s safety … which is nothing like what I was trying to say.

Now that they have brought it up, I will make a few comments on restrictions.

It was a pandemic that we have never encountered before and the people making the rules most times did the best they could.

But I have some feedback if we have to do this again. I pray we don’t.

If you are going to make people exempt from wearing a mask, legislate that they have to be issued with an official card saying they are exempt (without having to say why).

It would make life a lot easier for hospitality staff and it would certainly keep some from having to defend themselves at ‘human rights hearings’.

Then those folk who felt violated by being asked if they had any documentation at entry to a venue could certainly come up with it at the hearing.

There has been an element of selfishness that has emerged post-COVID. Picture: Shutterstock.

Just thought I would clear that up before I make another example of changed human behaviour post-COVID.

Take that story the other week at a 5-star Brisbane hotel where guests were getting up at 5am over the holiday period and putting personal belongings on pool lounges so they didn’t miss out later on in the day when they wanted to sunbake by the pool.

If you don’t believe me, go to any local park near the beach on the weekend and see poor old dad sitting at a park pavilion at 5.30am, getting dibs so they can have a birthday party for little Johnny or Milly there many hours later.

Have you noticed these days it is far more common when you let a car into a line of traffic that they don’t give you a thank-you wave for being courteous?

They seem to believe, post-COVID, it’s their rite of passage. Every human for themselves.

I am sure I know what started this and should have mentioned it last week, saving all the confusion. Toilet paper.

It seems we all changed during COVID when we binged on dunny rolls.

While we are hopefully recovering from the pandemic, we may never recover from the selfishness of hoarding toilet tissue.

Ashley Robinson is a columnist with Sunshine Coast News and My Weekly Preview. His views are his own.

Subscribe to SCN’s free daily news email

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
This field is hidden when viewing the form
[scn_go_back_button] Return Home
Share