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Over three states have this week announced strict new draconian measures to prevent the further spread of COVID-19.
People in NSW are living under Australia’s toughest coronavirus lockdown and face fines of up to $11,000 if they break the rules that prevent Australians from going outside unless it is for work, groceries or medicine. The State Government has warned the new laws, which came into effect at midnight, could be in place for weeks.
Victoria and Queensland have followed suit – after the North Territory brought similar laws in last week. In Tasmania, these measures have been in place since Sunday.
While the limitations of travelling outside the house for no good reason have limited the rush of supermarket hoarding – it seems the panic-buying is still happening online.
Hundreds of thousands of Australians have this week taken to eBay and Amazon to get their hands on a Rita Hayworth poster, as the pressures of being locked in doors begin to hit home.
As is often the case with panic-buying, there are growing concerns of price gouging and profiteering by opportunistic Australians who are buying up far more Rita Hayworth posters than they need.
Like the ripple-on affect that saw the secondary panic-buying of tissues and paper towels take place after bog roll was cleared off the shelves earlier this month – Australians are now finding alternative posters to get them through this uncertain and un-intimate months ahead.
Other prominent 1950s pin-ups, including Marilyn Monroe and Raquel Welch, are also moving fast in the absence of Rita Hayworth posters.
The Prime Minister has today been forced to address this selfish behaviour and called for an end to the stockpiling of Rita Hayworth posters, labelling the practice ‘ridiculous and un-Australian’.
“Stop hoarding Rita Hayworth posters!” he said during a live press conference earlier.
“I can’t be more blunt about it. Stop it. It is not sensible, it is not helpful and it has been one of the most disappointing things I have seen in Australian behaviour in response to this crisis.”
“There are plenty of Rita Hayworth posters to go around but we need to be measured and calm in the way we approach these next few months”
