Sada-e-Watan
Sydney ™
sadaewatan@gmail.com
The Hon. Shaoquett Moselmane
The Hon. Shaoquett Moselmane MLC, Speaks in the Parliament regarding COVID -19 and NSW government’s unfair treatment of Western Sydney
My brief contribution on the NSW government’s COVID -19 harshest treatment of Western Sydney. The people of South West and West of Sydney, had the hardest lockdown throughout Australia at any time during the pandemic.
*********************************************************
Monday was truly Freedom day for the people
of South West and Western Sydney. It is a day of relief. The Pandemic was not
just a health crisis but for the people of Western Sydney it was an economic
crisis and a political crisis as they suffered the full brunt of an ignorant
NSW government and arrogant federal government. The Target was Western Sydney.
Police compliance operations were stepped up and the noose around Western
Sydney tightened.
The NSW Government imposition of curfews on Western
Sydney LGA's they called areas of concern was another blow to communities
brought down to their knees pleading for assistance as they struggled to pay
their mortgage, pay rent and bills or put food on the table.
People in
Western Sydney began to wonder why the ill treatment. Why were people in
Eastern Sydney in their thousands flocking to the beaches with little regard
for masks or social distancing free to enjoy the fresh air. This, while South
West and Western Sydney, where there are no beaches, few pools, relatively few
parks were the red danger zones,?
Why the difference in policy when the
Delta disaster originated in Bondi and spread from Bondi, the Sydney’s East,
Yet Bondi has never been an LGA of concern.
Why did Health Minister Brad
Hazzard have no issue with beachgoer’s masklessness, not interested in fining
them or discovering their vaccination status, while the people of Western
Sydney suffer the sweltering heat, have their pools and Aquatic Centre closed.
People rightly asked Why?
The lack of any curfew in the East intensified
perceived partiality and that sense of injustice.
The Premier herself
admitted the use of curfews did not have much of an impact on stopping the
spread of COVID. So Why did the government persist with it?
What the NSW
government needed to provide was extra financial support for individuals and
businesses as many suffered losses in trade of up to 70 per cent.
West
and South West Sydney have borne the brunt of restrictions - movement permits,
curfews, heightened enforcement measures, forced business closures and the
overwhelming number of COVID cases,” Yet minimal support was provided.
Shadow Treasurer Daniel Mookhey said unless there is urgent support, there is a
real risk of long term negative impacts, and turning short term, temporary
pain, into long term economic devastation.
This is why the opposition
decided held a virtual roundtable with West and South West Sydney business and
community leaders to discuss and hear first hand from those that mattered, what
is needed to deliver meaningful economic recovery that will help people and
business get back on their feet once lockdown and restrictions are
lifted.
Deputy Liberal Leader, Stuart Ayres MP, admitted that his
Government’s lockdown singled out and disproportionately impacted Western
Sydney.
Well, we knew this and as our shadow Minister for Western Sydney,
Greg Warren MP said: “The people of Western Sydney won’t forget how this
Government treated them during this lockdown”.
