Sydney workers and youth speak out against NSW government’s criminally-negligent response to COVID-19 outbreak
There is widespread public anger over the official response to a rapidly worsening coronavirus outbreak in Sydney, Australia’s most populous city.
The state Liberal-National government, acting with the support of the Labor Party opposition, refused for ten days to implement lockdown measures after cases of the highly-infectious Delta variant were first detected on June 16. Thousands have branded the belated measures that were introduced as a “mockdown,” because retail and other non-essential businesses remain open.
While seeking to keep the “economy open” to ensure corporate profits, the NSW government has sought to scapegoat workers in south-western Sydney for the escalating crisis.
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Sydney’s booming housing market has lured Labor leader Anthony “Albo” Albanese and former NSW deputy premier Carmel Tebbutt to the market, listing their Marrickville investment property for $2.1 million.
At that level, the August 7 auction is hoped to roughly double the $1.115 million the long-time darlings of Labor’s left paid for it in 2012.
The 1930s-era bungalow on a corner block of 300 square metres across the road from Marrickville Golf Club in Sydney’s inner west was already renovated when the couple bought it, although there have been more recent improvements internally.
Anthony Albanese.
Alex Ellinghausen
The three-bedroom house hit the market on Tuesday through The Agency’s Shad Hassen, who said the house was listed after the tenants recently moved out.
Labor s Anthony Albanese has listed his $2 1million home as Sydneysiders are locked down in theirs dailymail.co.uk - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from dailymail.co.uk Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Stood-down workers are organising for their rights. Photo: Isaac Nellist
Workers at Annette Kellerman Aquatic Centre (AKAC) in Marrickville have taken action after being stood down without pay at the beginning of the lockdown.
The workers, who are members of the United Workers’ Union (UWU), held two actions, a speak-out outside the pool on July 8 and an online community rally on July 10.
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At the speak-out, workers called for paid pandemic leave for all and held signs that demanded casual workers be “kept afloat”.
All staff at the centre have been stood down without pay. Full time and part-time staff have been told to access their annual leave.
Of the 77 new cases, only 32 were in isolation for all of their infectious period.
The premier expects this toll will be beaten on Monday when health authorities report infection numbers for the 24 hours to 8pm on Sunday. I ll be shocked if it s less than 100, Ms Berejiklian told reporters on Sunday.
It was highly unlikely lockdown provisions in Greater Sydney and surrounds will be lifted as scheduled on Friday, which will mark the end of a third week of stay at home orders.
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There are 15 COVID-19 patients in NSW in intensive care, with five on ventilators.
Federal Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly said one of the six SummitCare Baulkham Hills aged care residents who caught COVID-19 from an infected staff member was seriously unwell in hospital.