Both sides of politics are calling on Central Coast business owners with the capacity to produce medical goods and other hygiene products to join the fight against COVID-19
Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast and Member for Terrigal, Adam Crouch, said the global pandemic had caused significant shortages in medical and hygiene products and has since called on local businesses who can to step up to help fill in the gaps.
His call to arm echoes a state wide call from NSW Premier, Gladys Berejiklian, and Minister for Jobs, Investment and Tourism, Stuart Ayres, for business owners to protect their livelihoods by diversifying their operations while simultaneously keeping people in jobs.
NSW Labor has also called on the Coast to step up and deliver with Duty Senator for Robertson, Deborah O’Neill, asking manufacturers to help in whatever capacity they can.
“I have GP’s and workers from the disability and aged care sector calling me every day because they can’t access PPE.
“They are being forced to source their own supply of PPE, find creative workarounds, or simply go without,” Sen O’Neill said.
“This is dangerous from a personal safety standpoint and also in terms of limiting the spread of the virus.
“So as the Duty Senator for Robertson, I’m putting out a call to manufacturing businesses in the region who are able to adapt their manufacturing process to provide this equipment, to please do so,” she said.
Goods of interest include protective eyewear, gloves, hand sanitiser, handwash soap, cleaning products, masks, protective clothing and paper products such as tissues and toilet paper.
NSW Labor Leader, Jodi McKay, said that she was pleased to see the Premier’s announcement encouraging manufacturing companies to retool, but called for transparency.
“The Local Health District needs to be honest about what shortages there are and then work with local companies to try and fix this issue,” she said.
“There are a growing number of COVID-19 cases on the Central Coast and we need to ensure that all essential frontline workers have the equipment they need to protect themselves.
“If you’re a paramedic, you’re dealing with COVID-19 patients, or you are dealing with people who are unwell and who need to be tested and screened, it is appropriate in every regard that we have the equipment needed to keep our essential workers safe.”
Source:
Press releases, Apr 2
Ben Sheath, Office of Adam Crouch MP
Grace Finch, Office of Deborah O’Neill NSW Senator
Media statement, Apr 7
NSW Labor Leader, Jodi McKay