The people of south-western and western Sydney need 24-hour vaccination hubs and pop-up vaccination centres as the Delta variant continues to pose a threat to all of Australia, according to the Communist Party of Australia (CPA).
The CPA has proposed an eight-point plan including: 24-hour vaccination hubs, the restoration of JobKeeper, a multi–lingual and culturally appropriate information campaign, and an end to pandemic handouts to big business, private hospitals and private schools
“These workers keep Sydney’s infrastructure and services – retail, transport, health, aged care, trades, etc – running. The only way out of lockdown and to full restoration of jobs and services is through vaccination,” said CPA President Vinnie Molina.
“Why is business getting massive handouts from the taxpayer while workers are denied the right to urgent vaccinations and adequate income support?”, he asked.
“Lockdowns will continue, with work and the functioning of society being disrupted until everyone who wishes to be vaccinated is given the opportunity.”
Andrew Irving, CPA National General Secretary said workers must be protected. “They must be able to keep a roof over their head, put food on the table and pay their bills.”
“The restoration of JobKeeper will enable workers to remain linked to their employers and pave the way for a rapid economic recovery.
“We have a small window to get this done. We are sick and tired of all the excuses. We need the politicians to get out of the way and put the working people in charge,” said Mr Irving.
“This is a crisis that threatens all workers around Australia and increases the divide between those who carry out the work and provide the services, and those who live off their backs.
The CPA proposes an eight- point national emergency program:
- Immediate opening of 24-hour vaccine hubs, fully staffed and provided with Pfizer and AZ, in every affected locality of south western and western Sydney as a minimum emergency measure.
- Harness the power of local communities, clubs and organisations to ensure that multicultural resources, community leaders and professionals are involved at all levels including a multi–lingual and culturally appropriate information campaign.
- Full transparency by governments:
- on vaccine availability on a state-wide basis
- on vaccination numbers by state and region
- on public hospital preparedness including ICU beds and ventilators per region
- End all pandemic handouts to big business, private hospitals and private schools
- Automatic JobKeeper payments to all workers affected by lockdown
- The Australian government must immediately support the waiver of vaccine patents for poorer countries, so that these countries can produce their own vaccines and reduce risk of more deadly, vaccine resistant strains appearing
- Proper quarantine facilities should be constructed in all states.
- The Australian government must investigate more options of vaccines available from the international market
But first let’s get south western Sydney urgently vaccinated. Morrison must give us Pfizer and make all vaccines immediately available to all those that want them and need to keep going to work.
“We cannot survive this pandemic as a divided country! We need to collectively get through this,” Irving emphasised.
Andrew Irving
CPA General Secretary
Vinnie Molina
CPA President