But included among the "sobering" set of economic results was Mr Frydenberg's expectation that household savings would actually increase through the period because lockdown restrictions had limited spending opportunities, and because of an "understandably cautious approach by households to discretionary spending".

That's a double-edged sword.

While the individual benefits of increased savings are clear, there is a community cost.

Those extra household savings have inevitably come at the expense of the local businesses who have been forced to close their doors during the pandemic or have seen a massive drop in trade.

And the employment and business futures of thousands of workers across the Bathurst region may literally depend on what households do with those extra savings in the coming weeks and months.

In this context, spending money locally, where possible, becomes an act of intent, knowing that your purchase - even if only in a small way - helps the person you nod to at the coffee bar, the butcher on one side of the shopping strip and the baker across the road, to make it, financially, through the day.

Collectively, the money we spend locally becomes a substantial amount, and its distribution throughout the community becomes a virtuous circle that must surely contribute to keeping the region floating higher in these choppy seas than if these dollars and cents were spent elsewhere.

As trite as it may sound normally, to say "we do not know what the future holds" is an observation with real meaning at the moment. Australia is an oasis of calm compared with dozens of countries.

The 100 deaths we've had in this country represent 100 awful tragedies, but pale when compared to more than 300,000 coronavrius deaths worldwide.

If Australia does experience a dreaded second wave of infections, then the nation's planned emergence from "hibernation" will not eventuate, or at least not as our governments have planned.

In the meantime, though, supporting Bathurst businesses will give us all the best chance of either emerging by September strongly, or surviving whatever difficulties may be to come.