2021-09-09
A third First Nations person has died from COVID-19 in less than two-weeks. This comes as infections in western New South Wales have ballooned to 885 and 63% of cases are First Nations people.
Comment from Senator Lidia Thorpe, the Greens First Nations Spokesperson:
“First Nations people are in mourning because the Morrison government failed to follow their own guidelines and treat First Nations vaccinations as a priority. This level of incompetence and neglect is having devastating impacts on our communities.
“How many more people need to die before this inept government figures out how to do their job and protect First Nations people from this disease? They were given culturally safe and geo-politically relevant strategies on how to do this 18 months ago, but they’re still not listening.
“The Morrison government has created a new gap between non-Indigenous and First Nations vaccination rates and new dangers are emerging.
“Predatory conspiracy theorists like John Huntley have targeted Wilcannia, trying to coax people into taking ivermectin. Huntley literally called the town a “petri dish” and told the press he was planning on “getting around” attempts to stop the drug being used in the town. What’s the Morrison government going to do about this?
“This government has continued decades of neglect that has left people in regional areas without access to a properly resourced healthcare sector. Scott Morrison needs to spend less time on private jets and more time addressing how his government has put First Nations people in danger.
"The people deserve better than this." Said Thorpe