I was watching Gladys Berejiklian over the weekend saying it will get worse before it gets better.

The alarmists are arguing the lockdown - and that’s an interesting word in and of itself – could last until the end of August that would appear more alarmist than real.

But I was trying to work out just what the so called lockdown meant.

Remember in the early days of last year when we were in Level 4? Essentially that’s the lockdown we know and reference.

You couldn’t go anywhere short of a walk or run in a local area and supermarkets and chemists were open. We scrapped over butchers and green grocers and rang talkback with absurd examples of what may or may not be local.

Latterly I think we came to regret some of the things we locked up that could have in fact stayed open that ultimately damaged our economy.

Australia, for example, kept construction open, and why not? Construction is out doors and distanced, our freak out response appeared to make no sense, and in the ensuing quarters it proved to be a massive cost we didn’t actually need to incur.

Australia has continued to outgrow us and recover faster because they hobbled less of the economy.

So I texted my mate and asked what’s locked down. The phone rang two minutes later: he was in his car on his way to JB Hi-Fi.

Everything bar large hospitality outlets that can’t or won’t do take out are open. You wear a mask, QR code, socially distance, don’t browse and hang around, but New South Wales is open.  

Work and workers are essential, as opposed to our heavily restricted list of who could or couldn’t go to work.

They’ve started handing out $1000 instant fines for idiots who flout mask rules, and they sack league players who have BBQs.

But essentially, my mate’s assessment is they are taking a grown up approach to this. He said the fear he saw in this country before he left last year isn’t part of Sydney life.

Yes, it’s not where they want to be, and yes, it’s not normal, but it’s a completely different way of handling the same problem.

There doing it with more maturity, more common sense, less fear, more doors open and less economic damage.

So next time you see an alarmist headline out of Australia, remember that even in the middle of a so called lock down, you can still get a cable from JB Hi Fi.