Another two weeks has passed, I spent most of it on a “stay at home” order after being in parliament in Sydney, and being in the proximity of Adam Marshall MP, who tested positive for COVID-19. For the record, I had another test on the 14th day – all clear.
What is happening in Sydney is concerning.
The numbers of cases and hospitalisations has been increasing.
Along with that we have seen a return to restrictions in metro and regional NSW.
When this all started there was a need for government to move quickly and ensure a virus we didn’t know much about was contained.
For the last 17 months or so, I have not sought to oppose or defy the health advice and restrictions.
Not being a health expert, I put trust in our state health experts and the restrictions they suggested.
I have tried to keep the electorate up to date with what was required of people, groups, schools and businesses along the way.
I will continue to do that, because I believe it’s a responsibility of this role.
However, after 17 months we now know much more about the virus, its transmissibility and the likely health impacts.
We have mountains of domestic and international data to guide us.
People are experiencing what is most easily summed up as ‘COVID fatigue’ – frustrated by curtailed liberties, lost economic opportunity and the never-ending threat of an invisible rogue that keeps taking more away from us.
We may not be able to see the virus, but what we should be seeing is a far higher degree of transparency around the decisions that are made in regards to COVID, and the evidence that underpins the decisions.
By the time restrictions are announced, decisions have been made, evidence assessed, but we don’t see it. This detail is only visible to the closed door crisis cabinet.
This has resulted in individuals and groups coming up with their own theories that will undermine confidence in government and its agencies at a time we need that confidence.
Given the very real impacts of COVID restrictions on the people of NSW, I believe the citizens of our state deserve to have their goodwill and compliance efforts repaid with transparency.
Share with us the evidence, explain the evidence behind the decisions.
COVID testing for people leaving Greater Sydney should be required.
From the messaging at the daily press conference, we could all be forgiven that thinking that people must be tested before leaving Greater Sydney for essential work in regional NSW.
We would be wrong.
It’s a recommendation only.
I believe it should be a requirement for people to be tested before leaving Sydney for essential work in the regions. Preferably getting a negative result before setting off.
Just this week we have over 100 film crew and staff heading west to film near Broken Hill – in my mind this is not essential work and places the entire far west at risk.
When the Premier and Health Minister talk about the need to contain the spread this is one loophole they need to close to do just that.
We simply do not have the health system out west to cope with an outbreak of COVID.
I have contacted the NSW Health Minister asking for this to be urgently addressed.
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Good news for the Narrabri community with Hunter New England Health letting me know the new chemotherapy chairs and equipment are on their way.
The chemo chairs are expected to arrive in August with the remaining equipment arriving by October.
The push to get chemotherapy services to Narrabri has been a long slog for a number of people in the community and started many years ago. I was pleased to be able to facilitate the right people talking with HNE Health about the need to get chemo services to Narrabri back at the end of 2019.
HNE Health has also let me know that an administration staff member has been recruited for the chemo service and that recruitment for nursing and social work positions remains ongoing.
When the Narrabri Hospital chemo service is up and running Dr Matthew George, senior oncologist at Tamworth Hospital, will be conducting telehealth clinics for patients and will oversee patient care.
We’re not done yet. There are more medical services that Narrabri needs and I look forward to continuing to work with the community to make sure we get them up and running in town.
We can’t continue to see sick people travelling back and forth across the country when they could be treated closer to home.
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In February, I wrote to the Federal Minister for the Environment, Sussan Ley – she has responsibility for the Bureau of Meteorology – about getting a doppler radar in the far west.
The Minister has responded to me and her response “… the bureau has no plans for expansion of the radar network to the far west of New South Wales…”
She did attach a handy map to her response showing the far west as the only area in NSW that doesn’t have doppler radar weather monitoring which really just highlights to me how needed a doppler radar is in the far west. The NSW government has also responded to my Question on Notice – regarding the need for doppler radar – it’s equally dismissive. Very disappointing responses all round.
I’ll be keeping at this, doppler radar is essential not only for farming but for the safety of our communities.
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At the end of this month, applications for the COVID support grants for businesses open.
These grants are for businesses in the hospitality and tourism industry (total wages below $10 million), who have been impacted by the lockdown (this includes every café, pub, club, cinema, museum etc. in Barwon that anticipated having people visiting for school holidays). Eligible businesses receiving either the Small Business Grant or the Hospitality and Tourism Grant can receive:
• $10,000 for a decline in turnover of 70 per cent, or more;
• $7000 for a decline in turnover of 50 per cent, or more;
• $5000 for a decline in turnover of 30 per cent, or more.
Grant funds can be used for business expenses for which no other government support is available, for example: • meeting business costs, including utilities, wages and rent;
• financial, legal or other advice to support business continuity planning ;
• marketing and communications activities to develop the business;
• the cost of perishable goods that can’t be used;
• other activities to support the operation of the business.
