“Mobilising the police and Australian Defence Force to treat a public health crisis is absurd,” said The Greens spokesperson for Justice and First Nations Senator Lidia Thorpe, as the ADF begins their deployment to Western Sydney.
“Officers of the law are not experts in public health messaging, culturally accessible information and welfare support services that enable people to stay at home safely,” said Thorpe. Western Sydney has a significant First Nations and multicultural community.
“Scott Morrison’s botched vaccine rollout is what’s making people sick, not their lack of compliance. You don’t see our military patrolling Bondi or the Northern Beaches,” said Thorpe.
“People are dying in their homes because they’re reluctant to go to the hospital. The militarized response does not foster health and wellbeing in our communities. Ten Indigenous people have died in police custody since March,” said Thorpe.
The Greens Senator for NSW and spokesperson for Anti-racism Mehreen Faruqi said, “Putting the military into any community, let alone some of the most over-policed communities in the country, is a terrible idea.
“The Liberals are pushing fear and threats where they need to offer real support for people to stay home and get through this very difficult time.
“The militarisation of public health makes zero sense. Communities in Western Sydney are already going through these difficult lockdowns. Inflicting further anxiety and stress on them is just plain wrong.”
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