Nosy in the Neighbourhood | Dear Learned Friend

15/9/2021

Volume 20, Issue 8

Dear Nosy in the Neighbourhood,

This is going to be short and not so sweet: whether your friend is or is not breaking lockdown rules is not your business, plain and simple.

If you feel more comfortable asking an online rag about your friend’s activity than your friend, you’re probably not that close. Putting aside the million compliant explanations – the person could be the partner’s roommate, she moved house, her relationship status has changed, she’s providing caregiving – even if she is bending the rules, it’s not your place to do anything.

While it is appropriate to report some breaches, such as massive house parties or someone breaching quarantine while infectious, this is not one of those cases. Melbourne has spent in excess of 220 days in lockdown. Is this an anti-lockdown piece? No. Am I saying it’s ok to break the rules? Also no. However, given the situation, shouldn’t we be understanding, kind and forgiving to those around us rather than pointing the finger? And this goes for neighbours and strangers, let alone someone you consider a ‘friend’.

Lockdown boredom gets the best of all of us but try baking bread or rewatching Tiger King before playing “Real-life Stasi Simulator”.

Somewhat sincerely,

Your Learned Friend

The views in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of De Minimis or its Editors.

Um no

16/9/2021 12:06:35 am

Whilst it is generally true that each of us is responsibilities for our own actions (and others have no duty to report one another), as prospective members of the legal profession, and in midst of a pandemic that spreads by breaches of lockdown rules, each of us have to be held to a higher standard.

As proto members of the legal profession, we are subject to a higher standard than that of the public. This is so as plenty of case law demonstrates that legal prohibitions cannot simply be "understood" away and "miniature" breaches are nonetheless breach. Also, as DnE would clearly instill, members of the profession must work to ensure confidence in the profession, therefore each of us have an ethical duty to ensure that both our own actions and others of the profession meets the minimum standard of not intentionally breaking the law.

Also, given the nature of the pandemic, every breach of lockdown rules is condusive of the next chain in the virus' trasnmission. To "understand" that each and everyone person is sick and tired of lockdown does not mean intentionally breacking rules for ones selfish reasons should be tolerated. Further, by being kind and understanding toward breaches, we are taking away the social disincentives that prevent rulebreaking, and simply contributing to deteriorating public health.

Now, am I suggesting for over-zealous reporting of others without at least reasonable certainty that a breach occurred? No. But I am most definitely saying that we should not condone or "understand" when a intentional breaking of lockdown rules occur.

PS. There are perfectly lawful reasons for having someone over or being in a different location, and my comments DOES NOT address those cases

Exactly

16/9/2021 12:12:46 am

Well said

Matthew

16/9/2021 09:49:30 am

You can only serve one master. If reporting such a situation is fine with your conscience, go off

16/9/2021 01:16:07 pm

Hey Matthew,
Yeah ofc conscience is our only "master". All I was saying is that, contrary to the piece, whether our fellow Victorians are breaking rules is our business. Defo not advocating for being a stasi about it, just that we, at least students at MLS, should not normalize or make socially acceptable unlawful behaviour.

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