Shadow Minister for Health, Bill Yan, says the Fyles Labor Government needs to urgently scrap the blanket vaccine mandate which is contributing to critical staff shortages and damaging our economy.
“The Northern Territory is now the most restricted and least competitive jurisdiction in the country.
“While other states have kept the vaccine mandate for health staff and some high-risk settings, no other state or territory forces its entire workforce including: hospitality, retail and construction workers to have a mandatory third dose – or face the sack.
“The CLP has always supported the best health advice – but we maintain the only reason NT Labor forced these draconian measures on Territorians is because the Health Minister – and now Chief Minister – bungled the remote vaccine rollout.
“That’s despite having 18 months to prepare for COVID coming to the NT.
“Despite the mandate, we still have communities in Central Australia and the Barkly that sit at less than 70% first dose:
- Imanpa 68 percent first dose, 66 percent second dose
- Watarrka 54 percent first dose, 57 percent second dose
- Alpurrurulam 68 percent first dose, 60 percent second dose
“If the mandate is not boosting the rates in the communities that need it the most, why do we still have it? Meanwhile, the hospitality and retail sectors are crying out for workers. It is absolute nonsense that an unvaccinated Territorian can sit in a restaurant and enjoy a meal, but can’t work in the kitchen,” said Mr Yan.
ENDS