Weekly Wrap: COVID has skewed how we view news

On Friday, Gladys Berejiklian resigned on the back of the news of an Independent Commission Against Corruption investigation.

Some have expressed sadness with the news. Why I am not sure, but I will hazard a guess.

COVID has skewed how we view news and how we have viewed Ms Berejiklian's performance as Premier.

At any other time, with no pandemic to deal with the questions surrounding Operation Keppel, which is investigating whether Ms Berejiklian engaged in misconduct in connection with grant funding, would not have stopped since they were first asked more than a year ago.

COVID has given the Premier cover. Therefore, resigning is the right thing for her to do.

Trust in our leaders should consistently be rated as the highest benchmark of our leaders, competency second. ICAC will probe these trust issues and we await its findings.

In brighter news, Jim Gainsford continues our series of yarns about how things will look when lockdowns end.

He tells us signs the green shoots of life are returning after the long lockdown come with the popular Bayside Garden Centre reopening for retail shopping.

Green thumbs unite! I enjoy looking at a blooming garden in spring and we are lucky to have many in our readership.

Jim also tells us the Georges River Council sought to 'note' rather than 'congratulate' the government on its return to school plans. Most councillors thought the NSW government's handling of the Delta strain outbreak cost children the opportunity to attend school, especially Year 12 kids. What do you think?

Jim also reports former long-term Bayside mayor Councillor Bill Saravinovski returned to the mayoral chair this week, replacing Cr Joe Awada.

Many found this a strange move, with only two months left until the December council elections. Even though this is at a local government level, I reckon this is one of the reasons Labor finds it hard to get elected at a state and federal level. They eat their own. Why not wait for Cr Awada to serve out the next two months and then allow the new council to decide who should be mayor after December? Labor has too many people more interested in having power in the Labor Party rather than seeing Labor in power. Having said that, Cr Saravinovski has a good reputation amongst many long-time observers of local politics, and I am told he is a 'can do' person.

In further signs things are opening up in our state Murray Trembath tells us non-urgent, elective day surgery will recommence at three private hospitals in St George and Sutherland Shire.

Murray also reports a new section of shared path to be built around Woolooware Bay behind the Sharks development and football stadium will have special safety features.

This will be good news for many in our readership, I am sure.

Did you wind forward your clock last night? If not you should.

Well, that's it for me this week, before I go, I'd like to use the Romper Room magic mirror and send a hello to Bill, Jenny, Wendy, Ron, Chris, Tony and Julia. Thanks for writing to me. I do appreciate it and thank you to all of our weekly wrap subscribers for spending some of your Sunday with me.

I hope your day is full of love, laughter, music and news..