Dr Rosalie Woodruff MP | Greens Health spokesperson
The Premier should update Tasmanians today on the unfolding Australian COVID-19 outbreak. The spread across Australia of the highly infectious Delta variant is a matter of legitimate concern to Tasmanians.
It is not reasonable for the Premier to use this evening’s National Cabinet meeting, and any agreements made there, as an excuse to not speak to the media. Every other Australian state or territory leader has addressed their communities today ahead of that meeting.
With the COVID situation on the mainland escalating, Tasmanians need to be reassured by government.
The North Melbourne Football Club, who played in front of thousands of Tasmanian fans on the weekend, are now in isolation after potential exposure – as are several FIFO mine workers now in Tasmania. There are questions the government needs to answer.
The increased number of tests conducted in Tasmania over the last 72 hours makes it clear people are worried. If the Premier can’t make time in his day, we would hope he could ask the Director of Public Health to answer questions and allay concerns.
The current spread of the Delta variant is one of the most serious events since the COVID-19 pandemic commenced. Given the Premier’s clear communication during the pandemic last year, it is highly regrettable he is not reassuring the public at this critical point.