They have cancelled the Show

three weeks out from the event.

Up until now I have been happy to accept the need for lock down procedures and other precautions. I will shortly have my second Covid19 jab. I have been wearing a mask in public places. I have been checking in as required. 

Many other people have been doing the same thing. The results have been good in this state. We have had some cases but, touch wood, there has not been a major outbreak. 

The state's Royal Agricultural and Horticultural Society Show was cancelled last year. It's the state's premier agricultural event. It is of enormous importance to farmers and all rural people. It is where rural people meet and compete. It was a devastating blow but people wore it believing it would be a "one off" decision. 

That it should happen again is too much. It was not a decision of the RA&HS. It was a decision of the health authorities. These are the same health authorities who are allowing the football to go ahead with such big crowds. It seems football is more important than agriculture. 

As I am involved in a very small way as a volunteer at the Show I know something of the work that had gone into planning an event that was designed to be as Covid-safe as possible. It was not easy. The Show is an extraordinarily complex event in some ways. In more normal times it can attract 50,000 people a day. SA Health said no more than 10,000 people and that meant it was not financially viable. This was despite the fact that a good deal of what happens does happen outside or where the numbers in and out of buildings could be easily controlled.

All that planning has come to nothing. 

Will next year be any different? The reality is that it probably won't be. We will still have cases of Covid circulating in the community. It will almost certainly be the Delta variant or a new variant. It is unlikely vaccination numbers will be high enough because too many people still think vaccination is "not that important". Our economy will still be taking a hit.

 In the midst of all this we need to think about our farmers and livestock people. We need to think of those whose livelihood depends on the work these people do. Cancelling the Show might be disappointing for many city dwellers. For the rural community and for the Show society itself it is devastating.