Talking Point: Shut schools and all non-essential services now

REBECCA WHITE: We have the advantage in Tasmania of being able to learn from what’s unfolded in other parts of the world

CALL TO ACT FURTHER: Labor leader Rebecca White during Question Time in State Parliament today. Picture: Chris Kidd

We’re all in this together, and we must respond together

In recent weeks, we’ve seen and experienced unprecedented changes to life as we know it – here in Tasmania, around Australia and throughout the world.

In the space of just a few days, we’ve gone from what we’ve always known – work, school, day-to-day activities and outings, sports gatherings and social get-togethers – to a life based largely at home, keeping our distance from each other, even loved ones.

It’s an ever-changing situation and for many in the community, especially our most vulnerable, uncertainty and anxiety are never far away.

That’s why we all need to pull together during this crisis and take every available step to keep Tasmania safe from the threat of COVID-19.

Labor called for the Government to mandate that all arrivals to Tasmania must be quarantined for 14 days and we commend them for making this decision.

The decision to close a large number of non-essential services also has our support.

We know these decisions are hard and will have a lasting impact, but strong and decisive action is required to save lives.

And in these extraordinary times we all have a responsibility to do the right thing. This is not just about personal health; it is about public health. If individuals fail to follow public health advice, it will inevitably mean people are unnecessarily put at risk.

We need to do all we can to stop the spread of COVID-19.

That’s why Labor is calling for the immediate closure of all schools and non-essential services in Tasmania.

Taking this action sends a clear message to the community that this is serious, and that together we need to take action now to save lives.

The Government has moved to provide a social security safety net to support people to stay home but these supports will need to be added to in the coming days to ensure that no one can be evicted from their home and that we do everything possible to relieve the pressure on household bills.

With that financial support in place for workers and businesses, it would be negligent not to act strongly now to save lives.

Closing schools and non-essential services is inevitable. Delaying a decision only puts lives at risk. We must seize the opportunity to get ahead of this virus.

We have the advantage in Tasmania of being able to learn from what’s unfolded in other parts of the world.

Why wait for Canberra to tell us what to do when we can take advice from a global community showing us what needs to be done.

No government has regretted taking strong action early; governments across the world have regretted not taking stronger action when they had the chance. We need to learn from their mistakes.

We need to increase testing and contact tracing in Tasmania to allow us to understand and manage the spread of the virus in our community.

There is not enough testing being undertaken at the moment to provide a credible picture of that spread.

The criteria guiding when a test is undertaken need to change. We should be testing all people who are symptomatic, not just those who are recently returned from overseas or interstate, or who have been in contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19.

If we act strongly and decisively now, our economy has a better chance of recovering earlier than elsewhere, and we will see a faster return to normal life.

I have made it clear to Premier Peter Gutwein that the Labor Party will support any measure taken to protect the health of Tasmanians. But we will hold him accountable if action is not taken quickly enough.

There needs to be an end to the mixed messages from governments. Everyone should stay at home unless they are required to deliver an essential service.

Government must send a clear message to Tasmanians: If you don’t need to leave home, stay home.

Every hour we delay is putting lives at risk.

Lyons MP Rebecca White is Tasmanian Labor leader.