A legally blind woman who visits the supermarket with her guide dog says she had toilet paper stolen from her trolley as coronavirus panic-buying reaches a new low. Photo / Nine
A legally blind woman who visits the supermarket with her guide dog says she had toilet paper stolen from her trolley as coronavirus panic-buying reaches a new low. Photo / Nine
A legally blind woman who visits the supermarket with her guide dog says she had items stolen from her trolley by panic-buyers trying to stock up due to coronavirus.
Melbourne woman Casey Hyde said panic-buyers are reaching a new low, revealing she had toilet paper taken from her trolley.
Hydeurged shoppers to think about the disadvantaged while stocking up on groceries.
"Because we can't see, people behind us are actually stealing our toilet rolls because they're panicking," she told Nine News.
"Please consider other people who are disadvantaged because we can't get food because we don't have cars.
A legally blind woman who visits the supermarket with her guide dog says she had toilet paper stolen from her trolley as coronavirus panic-buying reaches a new low. Photo / Nine
"It's just unfair when you go to the supermarket and you catch an Uber but there is nothing left."
Thousands of people have hit out at those stealing the blind woman's essentials, with many saying it's showing the worst side of Australians.
" A whole new low life has emerged with this virus.. show their name. Disgraceful behaviour... Although it won't change them," one wrote.
Another said: "Disgusting. Is this what Australia has come to?"
A third person compared the situation to the movie Lord of the Flies.
VirusFacts2
In New Zealand, the Government has rolled out a $12b coronavirus rescue plan.
Almost half of the cash will be spent on a wage subsidy package for all coronavirus-impacted businesses.
Those full-time workers eligible for the package will receive $585 per week from the Government, paid in a lump sum package of just over $7000 covering a 12-week period.
The Government is also raising benefits by $25 a week, starting April 1, and doubling the Winter Energy Payment.
This is just the first tranche of the Government spending response – the rest will be unveiled during May's "recovery" Budget.
Today's package comes as part of "the most significant peace-time economic plan in modern New Zealand history".
AT A GLANCE • Extra spending of $12.1 billion for businesses, beneficiaries, pensioners and the health system.
• $8.7 billion in support for businesses and jobs.
• $2.8 billion for income support.
• $500 million for health.
Wage subsidy for employers up to 12 weeks and up to $150,000 if they have suffered a 30 per cent decline in revenue compared to last year, $585 a week for full-timers, $350 a week for part-timers, available to all employers and self-employed.
• Leave and self-isolation support for eight weeks for people with Covid-19, caring for people with it or people in self-isolation up to eight weeks at same rates as wage subsidy but not for those who can work from home.
•Self-isolation payments not available to people who leave NZ after March 16 and return.
•Permanent increase of $25 a week in main social welfare benefits after increases from indexation on April 1, likely to affect 350,000 low-income families.
•One-off doubling of winter energy payment to $1400 for couples and $900 for singles, likely to affect 850,000 people.
•Families with children not receiving a main benefit but are in work will no longer have to satisfy the work test of 20 hours a week for sole parents or 30 hours for couples, likely to benefit about 19,000 low-income families.
•$50 million extra for GP and primary care and $20 million for videoconferencing consultations.
•$32 million for extra intensive care capacity and equipment in hospitals.
•$40 million for public health units mainly for contact tracing.
•$100 million set aside to support work deployment.
•Provisional tax threshold will lift from April 1 from $2500 to $5000 allowing an estimated 95,000 businesses to defer tax payments and possible waiving of interest on late payments.
•Reinstatement of depreciation deductions for commercial and industrial buildings at an estimated cost of $2.1 billion to 2024.
