Peta Murphy (Dunkley, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Deputy Speaker; I appreciate that. Having calmed down after the ridiculous interjections that were being directed towards me, I would like to read an email that I received at 2.07 pm today from one of my constituents—Linda Forster, who runs a travel agency. Linda is someone I have had a lot of contact with over COVID. I didn't know her before I became the member for Dunkley, but I've had a lot of contact with her because of how badly this federal government's bungling has affected her. So let me just read her email. She writes:

Hi Peta …

Just wanted to express my sheer anger at the Federal Governments complete incompetence resulting in Victoria's latest lock-down announced this morning and to provide this, a clear and concise example of how the federal government's refusal to accept responsibility for quarantine on a national level (section 51 and point 9 of the constitution) has affected me both personally and professionally.

What does the 7 day lock-down mean for me?

First up, 7 days is likely to be 'at least' 14 days when talking about the world of travel. As a result of this lock-down, I have many a booking affected. Affected in terms of my time (currently working for nothing due to NIL job-keeper) and affected in terms of my finances (point in same).

It is unacceptable that this government does not offer support for the blatantly obvious industry struggle that continues to follow us since and relentlessly since the onset of this crisis in March 2020. The federal government's rhetoric means nothing, their words mean nothing. They need to STAND UP and act and ACT now both in terms of a national quarantine center and more importantly in financial support whilst both International and now domestic borders are continually impacted in this way!

Enough is enough! Pass this example over to whomever can get through to this useless government!

I would very much like to tell my constituent that, perhaps by raising it in this parliament, it could get through to this useless government. But, based on the responses from the people in this chamber on the government's side, it doesn't look like they are going to pass it onto the Prime Minister.

I'd like to tell the 10 people who rang a GP in Frankston South today to ask for a COVID injection and were told that they cannot get one for two weeks because the federal government supply hasn't turned up that they can get vaccinated, and I would like to be tell the aged-care workers at Baxter Village who are waiting until 30 June for their vaccination that they will get one—but I can't, because of this Prime Minister. (Time expired)

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