Layzell calls for local lockdown lift

UPPER Hunter Member of Parliament, David Layzell has called for the government to release areas of the electorate from lockdown.

In a letter to Deputy Premier John Barilaro, Mr Layzell argued in the Upper Hunter, Muswellbrook, Singleton, Dungog local government areas there had been only a few cases of covid and limited venues of concern. (Read: Lockdown letter from David Layzell).

“It’s obvious from across the electorate there a lot of frustration with the lockdown,” said Mr Layzell MP.

“It was just adding fuel to the fire when we all saw so many people at the beach enjoying themselves and it frustrated a lot of people here and understandably many people in Western Sydney,” he said.

“I think we have a good case to come out of lockdown and ease some of the restrictions,” he said.

“We always have to work with a social licence with the community, to bring the community along with us and there haven’t been many cases, so why are we in lockdown?

“We can’t keep people locked down forever and when it does run through our communities, which inevitably it will, the best chance we have is that we have had at least one dose of the vaccine,

“That’s where I am focusing my efforts, in securing vaccines,” he said.

“I saw the vaccination stats last night and Muswellbrook has some amazing results, they have been averaging a 5 percent increase each week and by the end of last week the increase was 9.1 percent, so that is nearly double, which is a very pleasing result.

“The Upper Hunter Shire is up 7.2 percent and now at 76 percent first dose which is fantastic.

“Singleton is up 6.3 percent and we want to get more vaccines there and into all of our communities.

“We have the facilities, we have people who are willing to help, we have the knowledge of how to run the clinics and now all we need is more vaccine and that is what I am focusing my energy on,” he said.

“I am meeting with John Barilaro and there is a crisis cabinet meeting on Wednesday, where the letter will be tabled and I am hoping for good news to follow at the media conference on Thursday morning, ” David Layzell MP said.