Blaming teachers, which is essentially what the South Australian Labor policy is about, is seductive for government's because it presents as a budget-friendly solution to the problem of Australia's sliding student performance. The "teacher quality" debate conveniently takes the focus from cuts and underfunding that would not be countenanced by any other public service. For example, when was the last time you heard "doctor quality" as the reason for ramping at emergency departments of our hospitals?

Or what about a bad fire season being blamed on "firefighter quality"?

As Southern Tasmania sadly descended into a three-day lock-down, I was reminded of one positive of the lock-down during 2020 – the opportunity to slow down.

The news of stay-at-home orders travelled fast with grocery store aisles filling quickly as non-perishables and the need to stock up on an endless supply of toilet paper like it was the height of a gastro outbreak were rapidly depleted across local stores.

The long lines of traffic waiting to park coupled with trolleys tailgating checkout queues and the resultant empty shelves were predictable, but also sad and difficult to watch as the reality of heading back into lock-down hit the punters of Southern Tasmania long before the Premier made his announcement.

No one should be naive enough to believe that some young people between the ages of 12 and 19 are incapable of making criminal decisions that deserve consequence. Yet, research tells us that youth incarceration simplistically delivers one certainty - an undergraduate transition program to adult prison.

Premier Peter Gutwein deserves credit for making the decision, following revelations heard during Budget Estimates and during a private meeting. Back at the start of the century Attorney General Judy Jackson made a very similar decision. Willow Court was closed in 2000, and The Royal Derwent Hospital soon followed ceasing operation 2001. They were once described as insane or mental asylums or even further back, lunatic asylums.