Canavan backs Virgin Australia CEO’s ‘stark but factual’ border message

Nationals Senator Matt Canavan has addressed tough border comments delivered by Virgin Australia’s CEO Jayne Hrdlicka on Monday. Speaking at the QUT Business Leaders Forum in Brisbane Ms Hrdlicka said the nation needed to live with the coronavirus even if it means more deaths. “It will make us sick but won’t put us into hospital. Some people may die but it will be way smaller than the flu,” she said. Mr Canavan said those who had attacked her comments were “doing so a little opportunistically” given it was impossible to reduce the risk to zero. “Obviously Ms Hrdlicka put it very, very starkly there but that is the facts,” he said. “The comments yesterday were starkly put but it probably is about time we have this conversation because we cannot stay under the doona forever. “If the coronavirus is out and around the world forever then unfortunately like other airborne diseases it will cause fatalities in some instances.” Mr Canavan said it was it was important people did not tell each other “fairy tales” about the threat posed by the COVID-19. “We can’t wave a magic wand and make all deaths go away no government can do that,” he said. “We cannot reduce risk to zero. The idea here though is to use our lucky position to reduce risk to a background level that doesn’t disrupt our daily lives.”

Nationals Senator Matt Canavan has addressed tough border comments delivered by Virgin Australia’s CEO Jayne Hrdlicka on Monday.

Speaking at the QUT Business Leaders Forum in Brisbane Ms Hrdlicka said the nation needed to live with the coronavirus even if it means more deaths.

“It will make us sick but won’t put us into hospital. Some people may die but it will be way smaller than the flu,” she said.

Mr Canavan said those who had attacked her comments were “doing so a little opportunistically” given it was impossible to reduce the risk to zero.

“Obviously Ms Hrdlicka put it very, very starkly there but that is the facts,” he said.

“The comments yesterday were starkly put but it probably is about time we have this conversation because we cannot stay under the doona forever.

“If the coronavirus is out and around the world forever then unfortunately like other airborne diseases it will cause fatalities in some instances.”

Mr Canavan said it was it was important people did not tell each other “fairy tales” about the threat posed by the COVID-19.

“We can’t wave a magic wand and make all deaths go away no government can do that,” he said.

“We cannot reduce risk to zero. The idea here though is to use our lucky position to reduce risk to a background level that doesn’t disrupt our daily lives.”

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