Like every single member of the human race, I am currently dealing with the dilemma of the COVID-19 virus, again from a distance. The Bega Valley seems a relatively safe haven when one compares our locale with living in close quarters like a city high-rise or a cruise ship. Out of this nightmare, we might just be forced to wake up to ourselves as a species and no longer carry on in the selfish manner of the past.

There will be a new world after this. It might be a world where people of all religions and political persuasions are accepted by each other, where our politicians don't carry on like spoilt brats and actually set a good example to the rest of us and truly lead, where we see the importance of nature and don't continue to destroy what we've been given in this stunning planet of ours.

We might be forced to put away the gadgetry we have become so reliant upon and look at each other in the eye rather than the incessant heads down, stop being glued to miniature screens of connectivity and start to be properly connected again, to look up through an unpolluted atmosphere to the sky and dream of what might be beyond.

Often from adversity we experience growth. I sincerely hope we show ourselves as true champions through this nightmare and become what many just a few months ago would not have thought possible...a race with humility, compassion and higher intelligence, striving for a future that is better and far more positive than that which we were heading towards until very recently.

As the mother of a young employee of Merimbula Woolworths I would just like to acknowledge the wonderful job my daughter and all her work colleagues are doing during this unprecedented panic shopping. Thank you each and every one of you (I include Tura Woollies employees in this as well). In my opinion, you all deserve the same recognition that our RFS men and women received during the bushfires.

My thanks also extend to all the shoppers who have gone about buying their groceries (where possible) in their normal way, not hoarding and being polite and respectful to the staff. My daughter has said that the majority of under 30s fall into this category. We are quick to judge young people these days for their apparent lack of manners and selfishness, but based on this information I want to say well done to you.

Now to the rest of the people who think they are more entitled than the rest of us. If you are one of the people who have deliberately hoarded the basics such as (I hate to say it) toilet paper, tissues, paper towels, rice, pasta and so on, I just ask this question: Why? To the senior, and not so senior people who are coming in every morning during the 7-8am timeframe and buying the same essentials (basically hoarding) I ask Why? I say to you Stop It. And finally. If you have abused, harassed and complained to the staff I say to you Just Stop It.

Today we have seen 20,000 staff from Qantas laid offing the latest war on the coronavirus. The government has already warned that further stimulus measures are coming and that they could result in a deficit of $110b in the second year.

In light of this, as revenue falls due to stimulus measures such as the waiving of government charges and fees, how much longer can we afford the middle class largesse of dividend imputation for investors who pay no tax and negative gearing?

If these were "grandfathered" today, how much more revenue would the government have to ease the pain of recession?