Andrewsbungles tower lockdown
Publichousing residents banned from leaving their buildings are confused, frustratedand fed-up with this hard lockdown by the Andrews Labor Government.
Policeresources are stretched, with reports there are not always police on everyfloor. If residents inside the towersare not getting the support they need from the Andrews government and itsagencies, then they will be supporting each other through tough times, possiblygoing from unit to unit, defeating the objective of a hard lockdown.
We are concernedthat 3000 Victorians have been left without basic human needs. Foodsupplies have been inadequate, with residents reporting inedible or expiredfood left on their doorsteps, without even a knock on the door to let them knowit was there.
A severelack of communication to residents has many fearful and unaware of what’sactually happening, and why they have been deprived of their liberty.
DanielAndrews should have had a plan in place but clearly he didn’t. You would havethought his Labor Government would have already had procedures for a break outin housing commission estates given they were aware last week of COVID-19cases in public housing, and what has happened overseas in high-density towerslike this.
It’s clearAndrews was more worried about covering up his hotel quarantine fiasco, thancreating a plan to assist Victoria’s most vulnerable.
We want toknow what the Andrews Labor Government will do next. Will they beseparating those who test positive to COVID-19, to help stop the spread? WillDaniel Andrews be transparent and reveal his plan to protect these residents,who have done nothing wrong?
One thing thePremier did do, was hire 35 management consultants to help co-ordinate hisCOVID-19 response, at the cost of almost $3.5 million to taxpayers, in justfour months! Lot of good that did.
Commentsattributable to Shadow Minister for Housing, Tim Smith:
“DanielAndrews knew coronavirus would spread like wildfire in high-density apartmenttowers. It defies belief no planning was undertaken, like in aged carefacilities, if there was an outbreak in these towers.
“This secondwave in Victoria has been caused by Labor’s hotel quarantine fiasco. Not oneminister has lost their job over that debacle which is the reason Victoria isnow the laughing stock of the nation.
“The 3000 residents ofthe towers in Flemington and North Melbourne who are virtually under housearrest are paying for Daniel Andrews catastrophically poor leadership.”