Shadow Minister for Central Coast and Wyong MP, David Harris, is calling on the community to support each other, not turn on each other, and follow the COVID rules so everyone can move through the lockdown as soon as possible.
The NSW Government announced on Tuesday, July 27 that the lockdown would not end on July 31 as hoped because of the public health risk from the 150 Central Coast residents who attended a mass rally in Sydney on July 24 as well as five new COVID cases confirmed in the 2262 postcode area.
“Our whole community is being impacted by a set of circumstances which are challenging for even the most resilient people amongst us,” Harris said.
“People’s livelihoods, their businesses and their mental health are under severe pressure, more than even during the 2020 lockdown.
“People are worried about how they will pay their bills, their rent, and their mortgages and they are worried, even scared about what they will do even when the lockdown ends.
“In this environment people will make decisions which might not, in hindsight, be the best for them or the community.
“Unfortunately, there are no silver bullet solutions in circumstances such as we currently face and only through following the restrictions and trying to get vaccinated can we move through the current situation,” Harris said.
He said that NSW Labor had been calling for improved vaccination opportunities including a Coast-based mass vaccination Hub; reintroduction of the Jobkeeper program to better support workers through this crisis and streamlined and improved access to business grants, particularly micro businesses.
Labor is also calling for a reduction in Central Coast restrictions when it is safe to do so (following health advice) and improved Community Mental Health services which are sustained even after lockdown.
“What I do ask from Central Coast people at this time, is that we do not turn on each other,” Harris said.
“Under pressure people don’t necessarily make the best decisions, but attacking each other through social media and other avenues will not make the lockdown end earlier.
“We ask that people across the Central Coast reflect on their decisions and actions every day through lenses which focus on possible impacts on the whole community.
“I want to commend and thank those individuals and organisations who are everyday out supporting our community through delivering food and looking after vulnerable people across the Central Coast, in this difficult time – they are real heroes.
“Now is the time to be supporting each other, following the rules and moving through this situation as soon as we can,” Harris said.
Verified Information Source: Media release, July 27 Shadow Minister Central Coast, Wyong MP, David Harris. Interview July 26, 2021 Skaie Hull.
It’s a bit hard to support people such as the owners of Modern Organics and Glass Onion when they attend marches in Syd amongst fools unmasked and violent during such a hard time for all of us and then come back being a threat of spreading covid19 not giving a hoot about those of us with fragile lungs who will die when they get the disease!!
I agree with this comment. Their actions as well as being unAustralian could be considered as negligent. If they pass on the virus to a person who unfortunately passes away, are complimentary manslaughter?
please stop playing politics, support our elected Government, State and Federal.
Now Is the time to support and back each other to be able to lower our numbers of covid cases and increase our vaccination rate.
A large part of the problem has been vaccine hesitancy , just go get whatever vaccine you can get and be thankful we have a
way of protecting our population.
The labor government is not in power and we don’t really know what they would have or would not have done.
Dont presume!
How can we be asked to support people who decided to jeopardise the health and safety of residents of the Central Coast by participating in last Saturday’s march? I hope they are punished to the full extent of the law and if there is another march this Saturday that they get the water cannons out and stop these idiots in their tracks. None of us want to be in lockdown but if they keep behaving in this manner we’ll never get out of this situation. It’s not a Government conspiracy to control us, just ask those people who’ve had Covid or lost a loved one to the disease.
The government has been hiding the fact that Australia has not had enough vaccine since the outset. Saved money, lost lives. Poor governance and keeping it a secret with ineffective alternatives masking the truth is not acceptable by Prime Minister and National Cabinet. Time for change.
Platitudes from politicians are not required Mr Harris. The kumbaya moment passed a long time ago, what is left now is anger. Anger at bureaucrats and politicians such as yourself and anger at the selfish drongos that threaten our lives and our livelihoods by attending pointless protests. What is need now Mr Harris is harsh penalties for those that show contempt for their community by ignoring health directives. That’s your job Mr Harris.
I totally agree with Lyn Howells reply . Yes get the water cannons out to stop the idiots in their tracks .