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Rockliff Government Betrayal of Tasmanians with Disability


Cassy O'Connor MP  -  Tuesday, 18 October 2022

Tags: Health, COVID-19, Disability

Cassy O'Connor MP | Greens Leader

In a woefully dispassionate and disingenuous response to a Greens question in Parliament this morning, the Premier made it clear to Tasmanians with disability his government is prepared to abandon them to Covid following the removal of mandatory isolation.

Tasmanians with disability are basically being told by their government to take personal responsibility to avoid infection, long term health damage and possible death from Covid.

How is that possible for a person with a physical disability who relies on the support of carers who can now come to work infectious? 

How is it possible for a person with a cognitive impairment or intellectual disability, who requires support with decision making, to take personal responsibility to stay safe?

The callousness is breathtaking.

The Greens strongly support peak body, Disability Voices Tasmania, in its condemnation of the removal of Covid isolation requirements – a push Premier Rockliff led along with NSW Premier, Dominic Perrottet, the man who unleashed Omicron on the country.

DVT is clear the decision will leave Tasmanians with disability and the clinically vulnerable less safe and more isolated.

To compound the betrayal of vulnerable Tasmanians, the Premier and his Liberal team can’t even be bothered modelling Covid-safe behaviour to the community.

No Liberal was wearing a mask in the Chamber today.  Labor, the Greens and independents all had enough respect for the health of themselves and others to wear masks but not the government. 

Their masks are well and truly off, in more ways than one.

It’s clear when the Premier said today the health and wellbeing of Tasmanians is his government’s number one priority, he wasn’t telling the truth.

Actions always speak louder than words.