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It's not all bad news, just ask the friends and families of the two fishermen considered lost for good off the South Australian coast this week.
Australian Community Media's Southern Australian papers covered the developing story over to the week - and, to be honest, locals who know the waters around Kangaroo Island did not give them much chance.
The police officer in charge on Wednesday made the solemn statement that with each passing hour, hope was fading for two men's survival. The search was to be suspended the next day.
Then the very next morning the men and their old wooden boat turned up miraculously hundreds of kilometres away at the Coorong four days later, much to the relief of those family and friends.
Sitting here on Kangaroo Island with a boat of my own, you have wonder how you "disappear" in this age of digital communication and satellite technology. But perhaps that will come out in an investigation.
You don't have to search that hard for good news on Kangaroo Island in the wake of summer's devastating bushfiires.
For instance, the two elderly ladies in Perth who spent the first six months of the year knitting teddies for KI's youngsters after watching the disaster unfold on their televisions.
There have been countless examples of donations and help made from all over the world for the people of Kangaroo Island. Now if we could get the same spirit of cooperation and togetherness on a national level in the time of this latest pandemic disaster.
The federal government and certain sectors of the media seem more interested petty political games, rather than following advice and looking ahead for the long term.
It escapes me my conservative pundits and politicians don't realise that the faster and better we comply and submit to tough restrictions, the faster we can reopen the economy and get back to normal life.
Take the Parndana Show Committee on central KI as an example. The committee , is hoping to go ahead with what could be only country show in SA this year.
Do the nay-sayers want us to go down the path of Trump's America?
Seems with this government in charge, the country might be better off splitting up and the state's going their own way under their own capable leadership willing to follow health advice.
Some of us on Kangaroo Island might be hoping we can sail off into the sunset, away from COVID-19 and political tensions - a bit like that boat that went missing really ...
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More stuff happening around Australia ...
- Nationals, Barilaro back down on threat to shift to cross bench
- The device which could provide a COVID-19 result in 20 seconds
- Calls for 'national certificate' to replace HSC
- Do I need to get tested even if I think I have hayfever not COVID
- Almost two-thirds of NSW now out of drought or recovering
- Whale carcass causes shark feeding frenzy
- GP calls for extension to soon-to-expire telehealth program
- When will Australia's government act on the climate imperative?
Stan Gorton
Walkley-nominated journalist based at The Islander on Kangaroo Island with an interest in the local community and the environment.
Walkley-nominated journalist based at The Islander on Kangaroo Island with an interest in the local community and the environment.
