Troops on Sydney streets as coronavirus response ramps up

Three hundred ADF personnel have been deployed in southwest Sydney as a ‘disciplined’ taskforce to help police.

Troops in military fatigues have hit the streets of Sydney to help manage the city’s escalating coronavirus outbreak.

The soldiers carried food shipments off trucks in southwest Sydney alongside NSW Police officers on Monday, the first day of a six-week deployment.

With hundreds of active Covid-19 cases and thousands forced to isolate because they had been physically close to an infected person, the military officials were delivering food packages to people locked indoors.

Earlier in the day, a top military official assured Sydney residents that the troops would not be enforcing laws.

Troops in military fatigues have hit the streets of Sydney to help manage the city’s escalating coronavirus outbreak. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dylan Coker

“I want to say right upfront that we are not a law enforcement agency,” Australian Defence Force Brigadier Michael Garraway told reporters.

“That's not what we’ll be doing. The tasks we’ve got under way today, for example, are delivering food, assisting people with setting up vaccination stations and those sorts of tasks.

“I also expect that we‘ll be engaging once again with the Department of Health contact tracing.”

Up to 300 troops have been approved to be deployed, most of which will be stationed at the Holsworthy barracks and be sent out to communities as needed.

The NSW Police Commissioner had earlier asked the military for help. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dylan Coker

Mr Garraway spoke to reporters in front of the Surry Hills police station, surrounded by uniformed personnel from the air force, army and navy and alongside Police Minister David Elliott and NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller.

Mr Fuller was asked about concerns by communities in the hard-hit western suburbs that police had been tougher on enforcing Covid-19 restrictions there than in the eastern suburbs and the city.

“The great challenge with enforcement of the health orders, particularly on sunny days, is that we see big numbers on our beaches, and that causes community concern, not just in western Sydney,” he said.

“I get more complaints about the beaches and the number of people on the beaches than I do about any other single health order breach.

“I can assure you we enforce the health orders equally across the state.”

The soldiers carried food shipments off trucks in southwest Sydney alongside NSW Police officers. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dylan Coker

The officers helped deliver food to locked-in residents. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dylan Coker

Up to 300 troops have been approved to be deployed. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Damian Shaw

Brigadier Mick Garraway said he had reached out to cultural representatives in Sydney communities. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Damian Shaw

Cumberland Mayor Steve Christou, whose community has been particularly hard hit by Covid-19 cases and is under extra-strict lockdown rules, said many community members had expressed concern about seeing troops on the streets.

Many in the community also felt singled out by authorities, and the same level of enforcement wasn't seen in the eastern suburbs, according to Mr Christou.

“My community feels unfairly targeted and feels rightfully upset and disappointed,” he said.

“There should be the same rules for all. Don't pick on vulnerable communities.”

Canterbury-Bankstown Mayor Khal Asfour said he welcomed the army’s help with contact tracing but hoped they wouldn’t “militarise” city streets by issuing fines.

“We have communities that have left countries which were ruled with an iron first,” he said.

“These people are wary and scared … Right now the most important thing we can all do is work together and stay safe.”

Mr Garraway said he could “understand those concerns”.

“We are reaching out to cultural groups just to make sure that they understand exactly what we’re doing and, importantly, what we’re not doing.”