Drug runners on Covid: what’s the big deal?

Delta is at large in Dubbo, a stealthy and vicious chaser to the illicit drugs sold by Covid-carrying dealers. Anger and fear are running through this regional NSW community.

ADF personnel join forces with police for home compliance checks in Dubbo, where the Covid tally now stands at 495. Picture: Dean Marzolla

Delta is at large in Dubbo, a stealthy and vicious chaser to the illicit drugs sold by virus-carrying dealers.

Anger and fear are running through this western NSW community, as Covid-19 positive young men move around housing estates in defiance of stay-at-home orders, infecting their families and dozens of other vulnerable households.

As the number of infected people pushes towards 500 in the town of 34,000 that is the locus of the pandemic in the region, people have had enough. Community leaders are appealing to serial ­offenders through social platforms and by speaking to them ­directly, but wonder if it is making any difference given a “deficiency in empathy”, as one person ­described it.

Dubbo Mayor Steve Lawrence tells The Australian criminal ­behaviour makes it harder to suppress transmission of the virus, putting pressure on limited health resources and making it more likely the lockdown will go for longer. He says while 95 per cent of people are obeying public health orders, compliance can be really difficult for people living in crowded public housing.

Authorities trying to change the behaviour of young men defying health orders have made little difference.

“It’s another thing for a young person’s Nan to ring them and ask them in a way that they relate to and understand to ‘stay the bloody well home’,” Lawrence says. “And I think the latter is ­likely to be much more effective.”

NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Geoff McKechnie says “crime hasn’t stopped because of Covid”. “There are individuals who don’t follow the rules at any time,” he says. “They’re prepared to just carry on doing what they always do during Covid and they’re putting themselves and others at risk. Many belong to large families with vulnerable members in poor health. We are relying on older folks to influence them and warn them of the dangers to themselves and others.”

He says 150 infringement notices were issued on Wednesday, with many relating to being ­absent from home following a compliance and wellbeing check by police and defence personnel of either Covid positive people or those deemed close contacts.

‘Riverbank’ Frank Doolan at his home in Dubbo. Picture: Chris Pavlich

Wiradjuri elder Frank Doolan says the “pandemic exposes a lot of things and in this case it’s the disconnect between young people and the community”.

“These delinquents have their heads in their phones and in the fridge, with 30-second attention spans,” says the man known in the region as Riverbank. “We need to talk to these kids, explain to them the effect their behaviour is having on their sister, little kids, their grandmas and uncles, the whole community.

“A hell of a lot of people are traumatised because of their ­actions and they’ll have to carry that with them.”

Last month The Australian reported the source of the Dubbo outbreak was a drug dealer who had come to town via Sydney.

Often police will have arrested a person, who then becomes ill and is taken to hospital for a check and then tests positive for the virus. McKechnie says four police officers have been infected during the outbreak.

But it’s not only criminals who are breaking the health orders, says the senior officer. There is a broader group of people who normally wouldn’t be offending, but have received infringement notices for visiting friends or hosting barbecues.

Dubbo recorded 18 cases on Wednesday, after posting 65 over the two previous days, taking the tally to 495 since the outbreak began on August 11. Officials, however, privately say the latest fall most likely ­reflects reduced testing earlier in the week. Daily case numbers are expected to rise in the coming days after the number of tests conducted in Dubbo on Wednesday doubled to 2400, according to the Western NSW Local Health District.

Police Aboriginal youth teams are still doing their work in the community, trying to ensure compliance with health orders and to stay in touch with kids at risk.

Dubbo Mayor Stephen Lawrence outside the local hospital. Picture: Chris Pavlich

Lawrence says policymakers need to engage with the reality of communities. “For example, we know that the illicit drug trade has been responsible for a number of outbreaks of the virus across Australia,” he says.

“Is that being responded to by the particular kinds of surveillance and monitoring that might be available? Is that being ­responded to by the type of outreach that could be modelled on harm minimisation principles? I just query all that.

“If it’s the case that known purveyors of illicit drugs have not been reached out to, have not had social distancing and virus transmission minimisation techniques explained to them, I think that would be a policy failure.”

A community worker in Dubbo says Covid has stretched police resources and, given that many young men are out of control “officers can’t be everywhere, at all hours of the day”.