Keeping up with coronavirus can really distract from what else might be going on.
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But not for those whose livelihoods are under greater threat from other problems, especially when it relates to gas and when it threatens future water sources.
There has long been distrust of government in the Pilliga, and for good reason. In 2005 when the Pilliga's forests were locked up, its timber industry was worth $38 million a year, generating more than 400 jobs.
In comparison, the proposed Narrabri Gas Project is expected to maintain about 100 "direct" and 100 "indirect" jobs, according to a statement released in August, 2019, on the proponent Santos' website.
In 2003, two years before then NSW Premier Bob Carr announced the closures, he claimed on a 2GB interview with radio presenter Alan Jones that his government would protect timber, apiarists, gas and coal.
In a 2005 feature report in The Land titled "Brigalow timber hammer blow", parts of that 2003 interview were republished, in which Mr Jones asked: "So you're going to protect the timber industry, the gas industry, the coal industry and the apiary industry in this brigalow belt region?"
Mr Carr said: "Yes we are. And they've got no reason to be concerned ..."
That edition's cover featured Mr Carr with a Pinnocchio nose and was headlined "Pilliga porkies".
Unfortunately for those now worried about how the Narrabri Gas Project could affect their water source - the Great Artesian Basin - one of the few truths to persist was Mr Carr's support for gas.
Today's government has already failed to complete the chief scientist's 16 recommendations, deemed necessary to allow the industry to operate safely - recommendations made more than five years ago.
It has succeeded in completing only two.
It has also this year announced that NSW will provide an additional 70 petajoules of gas per annum into the east coast market in return for $3 billion from the Commonwealth government.
In early March, Santos also stated that Minister for Planning Rob Stokes requested the Independent Planning Commission hold public hearings and make a determination regarding the project within 12 weeks of receiving the Department of Planning's recommendations.
With the government's performance on coal seam gas and coronavirus restrictions that are now in place, and with the Department of Planning's recommendations not far off, 12 weeks is clearly an unreasonable period for a decision to be made.
