The Central Land Council has called for an urgent lock down of remote communities to save
lives in the face of what it says is government inaction, complacency and under reporting of positive
COVID cases out bush.
CLC chief executive Les Turner said a circuit breaker is needed to slow down the out-of-control spread of the virus in communities.
“We all use the same hospitals and will be very much in it together when they become overwhelmed.”
Mr Turner said “when our overworked health services which have been left to carry the can on the ground are telling us that the positive cases they are picking up are not reflected in the official figures – we should all be very alarmed.”
“The Territory and Australian governments must now collaborate on enforcing a
lockdown until the situation out bush is under control because lives are at stake.”
“We need the police and the Australian Defence Force to staff road blocks to restrict
movement between communities and into regional centres, to provide residents with
remote isolation facilities and a surge workforce to help test, trace, isolate, quarantine
and vaccinate them.”
“Many of our constituents are now delaying funerals to slow the spread of COVID and we
are supporting them by deferring the allocation of funeral funding assistance through the
Aboriginals Benefit Account until the outbreak is under control.”
“Our people and their organisations are doing their bit. They now need both
governments to stop burying their heads in the sand, face facts and back them.”