Government's Failure on COVID-19

As the school holidays get underway, our community is again fighting a COVID outbreak and with it, holiday plans in disarray.

Once again, Sydney has been plunged into uncertainty and disruption because of the Morrison Government. It had two jobs during this Pandemic: to vaccinate the population quickly and efficiently and to provide an effective quarantine system. It has failed on both accounts.

Currently Australia is not in the top 100 countries in total vaccinations with less than 4% of us fully vaccinated. All because the Prime Minister failed to secure enough vaccines.

Recent media reports have revealed that the Morrison Government met with Pfizer in July last year. Australia was offered as many doses as needed to be delivered in January. There is still no explanation from the Government as to why the offer was rejected.

Australian should have a national quarantine system, and it should have been implemented last year. There have been 25 leaks of COVID-19 from hotel quarantine, leading to recent outbreaks and increased restrictions in NSW and Victoria.

Despite this, it's still not clear what it will take to get Scott Morrison to step up and do what's needed. We must build dedicated quarantine facilities in every state and territory, start a mass public information campaign, and begin manufacturing mRNA vaccines, like Pfizer, in Australia.

Please continue to follow the health advice. Wear a mask, wash or sanitise your hands, stay 1.5 metres apart and look after each other

Published in the Liverpool Champion on June 29 2021: https://www.liverpoolchampion.com.au/story/7318992/werriwa-matters-with-anne-stanley-governments-failure-on-covid-19/