Warren Snowdon (Lingiari, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for External Territories) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to again highlight the imperative and urgency for the people in the Northern Territory to get vaccinated against COVID. It's acutely important for people living in remote communities, where the general health of the population may make them particularly vulnerable and susceptible to COVID. Currently, there are no cases of COVID in the Northern Territory, and there have been no deaths to date. But, sadly, it is inevitable that COVID will penetrate the Territory's borders with the implementation of the national plan—much vaunted by the Prime Minister and others—and there will be subsequent pressure on the Northern Territory government to facilitate travel from parts of Australia where COVID is now endemic.

The NT government has done a great job in protecting the Territory from COVID thus far. As a result, apart from short lockdowns, the Territory population has had freedom that only existed in New South Wales and Victoria prior to COVID beginning in the first place. We have been dreadfully lucky. There has been great cooperation between the Northern Territory government, remote communities, the Aboriginal community controlled health services and the private Medicare organisations to try and promote COVID vaccinations across the Territory. At the moment the Northern Territory's overall vaccination rate is 81 per cent for the first dose and 70 per cent for the second dose. In the Northern Territory government clinics, it's 69 per cent first dose and 56 per cent second dose. However, there are some areas where the take-up is very poor. There are pockets of resistance. People are opposed to getting vaccinated, and it's not just about vaccine hesitancy. They've been told lies, and they believe the lies that have been peddled by those with extreme views, including faith based groups talking of the devil and saying that you're going to inject yourself with 5G or that you will die. These lies are a threat to the health of the whole community. They are wrong and they are malicious in their intent.

However, there are some really positive stories. In Central Australia, for example, at the NT government clinic at Mount Liebig, or Amunturrngu, 95 per cent of people have had their first dose, which is a terrific result, and 74 per cent have had their second dose. At Utju, or Areyonga, 95 per cent have had their first dose, and 74 per cent have had their second dose. This is at the Central Australian Aboriginal Congress clinic, and these outcomes are because of local leadership at Utju. One major reason for the community success was the push by Sarah Gallagher, a long-term health worker in the community, encouraging residents to get the jab. Health workers who service the community have also credited strong male leadership in the community for the uptake success. Jonathan Dooley, who has lived at Utju for 20 years, said the community had felt the fear and uncertainty around COVID. Mr Dooley is quoted as saying:

Some are getting scared of this thing and some really aren't sure what they need to do. We're giving them the message and people will come to have the needle, have the thing.

The combined efforts of Ms Gallagher's commitment to her community and Mr Dooley's leadership have led to success, but the formula has proven difficult to replicate in other communities struggling to promote the vaccinations.

The experience of Utju is that vaccine hesitancy can be addressed if community leaders act as the key agents working with health professionals to get across the message of the need to vaccinate. The vast majority of remote Northern Territory government clinics have a permanent supply of vaccine. All remote Territorians can access the Pfizer vaccine. The vaccine is safe, free and incredibly effective at stopping the spread of the virus and preventing serious illness, hospitalisation and death. It is, as we know, everyone's best protection from COVID-19. I say to those people who are spreading those malicious lies about COVID and who are promoting antivaxxers that they are potentially doing incredible harm to a very susceptible part of our community. COVID will inevitably come into the Territory, and there will be deaths. I would ask what those people will say if those deaths are among people who are not vaccinated, because they've accepted the antivax message.