Parra News August 17 2021

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Tuesday, August 17, 2021
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Editor’s Note
troy.dodds@parranews.com.au
Troy Dodds
@troydodds
Hazzard must face the music
Health Minister Brad Hazzard seems
constantly shocked, even offended, when
journalists question the NSW Government’s
response to the COVID-19 pandemic
and the ongoing lockdown.
He has been one of the worst government
performers during this crisis.
Nothing is his fault.
His bizarre, long-winded answers to
questions are embarrassing.
While a shake-up isn’t on the cards during
the lockdown, I can’t see how Hazzard
stays on as Health Minister.
Gladys Berejiklian must surely act once
the worst of the lockdown is over.
Issue 39
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Parra Matters
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Spring has come early to Parramatta.
After weeks of being huddled inside, it’s
becoming pleasant to venture onto the
balcony again and soak up some sun. Our
local parks at day’s end are filled with a
steady stream of amblers. There is a hint
of fragrance in the air, reminding us of a
world to explore and a life to be lived.
Then I turn on the television to find
the Delta outbreak in NSW has spiked to
nearly 400 cases, up from 300 last week.
Now I really don’t want to be a killjoy.
Or rail about the pandemic all the way
until Christmas.
Yet I believe, and feel the weight of
health opinion agrees, that each day,
each 11am press conference, is a missed
opportunity to do more.
We could have locked down earlier and
harder – and we still could. Get everyone
to comply and get it over with. Easier said
than done, but there is ample evidence
of what has worked around Australia, so
why wouldn’t we at least try?
A tighter definition of essential retail.
Curfews and a ring of steel around Sydney
to protect the regions and our remote
indigenous population. Reinstating
JobKeeper – and offering $450 cash payments
to those forced to test and isolate
just like Victoria did.
Index
Alan Mascarenhas
@alanmasc
We can still do so much more
News..............................................1-19
Special Feature.................20-21
Life & Style...........................22-23
By skimping on these measures, the
government has given the impression its
lockdown is not completely serious.
A stronger lockdown, supported by
stronger financial help to drive compliance,
is surely key to stemming case
numbers in Western Sydney – including
suburbs like Merrylands, Granville,
Guildford, Wentworthville, Pendle Hill,
Toongabbie and Girraween.
The availability of support needs to be
communicated in multiple languages.
It must be generous enough to dissuade
people from working when they have
symptoms.
But can we really expect much when
most small businesses in NSW are still yet
to receive COVID hardship and JobSaver
payments, promised weeks ago?
To appreciate how shambolic our state’s
handling of Delta has been, consider how
we reportedly rejected army personnel
from the Commonwealth back in July,
only to accept 300 troops and then 500
more.
Or the fact that the NSW Police Commissioner
is only now moving to fix poorly
drafted public health orders.
With the exception of journalists like
Andrew Clennell of Sky News who aren’t
afraid to ask the tough questions, isn’t it
Business.........................................24
Entertainment ..................25-33
Business Directory.......34-36
incumbent on everyone to do more to
hold the government to account – from
the media to all opposition parties? That’s
not about politicking, but averting a catastrophe.
It’s harnessing our system to
force better outcomes.
In the meantime, let’s get vaccinated.
I’m 41 and eligible for Pfizer. Last week,
I spent hours online and couldn’t make a
booking until mid-October.
I’m now considering AstraZeneca and
waiting to hear more about Moderna.
Perhaps that experience resonates with
others who’ve encountered booking frustrations
or adopted an approach that’s
more wait-and-see.
We now have three vaccines approved
by the Australian Technical Advisory
Group on Immunisation (ATAGI). Any
should be considered effective, in conjunction
with advice from a GP. Yet even
here, the government could open more
state-run walk-in vaccination hubs to
take the pressure off GP clinics.
There are huge crowds at the vaccination
hub in Olympic Park each day. Our
region has some of the city’s lowest COV-
ID vaccination rates.
Please Premier: it’s high time mass vaccination
hubs were opened in Parramatta,
Cumberland and the Hills.
Auto...................................................37
Sport .......................................38-40
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