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WHAT’S FAIR ABOUT THIS? Featured
30 August 2021 Posted by 

WHAT’S FAIR ABOUT THIS?

Blacktown being penalised for its success
STEPHEN BALI | VIEWPOINT
THE good news is that Blacktown City residents have responded to the call for vaccinations with almost 32% of residents being double dose vaccinated and 33% have had their first dose.
The sad news is that there are1,619 active COVID cases as at August 25, 2021 which means almost 1in 7 active COVID cases in NSW are in Blacktown City.
 
For Blacktown City to achieve 80% double dose vaccinations there are another 234,000 doses to be delivered and that will still leave 80,000 people unvaccinated.
 
Is it fair and equitable that Blacktown City has over 7% of the greater Sydney population but only 5% of the access points for vaccinations?
 
The State has only occasionally provided a walk-in vaccination centre in Blacktown City and has left all the hard work either on residents to travel long distances to mass vaccination hubs or for the local GP and pharmacy networks to deliver the vaccines.
 
Most GPs report that they are booked out till November for vaccinations and could easily double their current allocations to meet demand.
 
NSW Government must allocate mobile vaccination teams to support our vulnerable communities to have access to vaccinations.
 
The case for Blacktown City to have additional vaccination resources is clear:
 
Population of 400,000spread across 247 square kilometres.
 
152,000 residents either don’t have access to acar or have 1 car in the household and public transport, particularly buses, is difficult to access.
 
51,000 people have a disability.
 
188 languages spoken.
 
 
Almost 10,000 people from an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island heritage and 140,000 people do not have English as their first language.
 
The Federal Government must also step up and increase the dose allocations to local GPs and pharmacies and honour their commitment for a drive thru vaccination hub.
Blacktown City has NOT received its fair and equitable share of resources.
 
The Premier announces every day that Blacktown and surrounding suburbs are of concern.
 
Extra lockdown restrictions have been imposed on Blacktown without the required resources to deal with it.
.
The solution is simple–State to provide mobile vaccination teams to deliver directly to the vulnerable communities and the Federal Government to increase the supply of vaccines to GPs and pharmacies and provide the promised drive thru vaccination centre.
 
Blacktown City is TOO BIG TO IGNORE!
 
Stephen Bali is State Member for Bali. www.blacktown@parliament.nsw/gov.au


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Michael Walls
michael@accessnews.com.au
0407 783 413

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