Gladys Berejiklian denied accusations she has snubbed community leaders in the parts of Sydney with the strictest rules.
Mayors from the Sydney areas with the harshest lockdown rules have slammed the NSW Premier for “refusing” to meet with them to discuss the restrictions.
Canterbury-Bankstown Mayor Khal Asfour said it was a “royal snub” and accused Gladys Berejiklian of not wanting to “hear the concerns” of the coronavirus hotspot communities.
“This is really unbelievable. I am furious that she is too busy to want to meet with us,” Mr Asfour said.
“She can't spare an hour of her day to meet with the 12 mayors that represent over two million people and for communities that are really doing it tough in the harshest lockdowns.”
The leaders of the 12 local government areas under stricter lockdown rules asked the Premier for a virtual sit-down in an email that was sent via the peak body Local Government NSW on August 16.
The Premier’s officer replied on Tuesday declining the request, according to an email shared by Mr Asfour.
“I hope you appreciate that the Premier receives a significant number of diary requests and she is unable to accept them all,” a staffer wrote back.
“On this occasion, the Premier will be unable to accept your meeting request.”
Ms Berejiklian defended herself at her Wednesday coronavirus press conference, saying she meets with community leaders “every day almost”.
“I have not advertised how many times I’ve spoken virtually to community leaders, but I’ve done it every day almost, and I’ll continue to do that,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“I want all other community leaders to know, no matter where they are, that we will engage with them, we will continue to listen to them, continue to seek their advice.”
Labor’s local government spokesman Greg Warren, whose electorate of Campbelltown is one of the areas under extra tough lockdown rules, said Ms Berejiklian should stop “shunning” the affected communities.
“The Premier’s refusal to meet with the 12 mayors from the LGAs of concern really speaks volumes of how much this government values the people of south western and western Sydney in particular,” Mr Warren said.
“The people of southwestern and western Sydney are paying the price for the government’s failure to put in adequate measures to curb the outbreak when it first surfaced in the eastern suburbs of Sydney.
“People are dying, thousands of others have contracted the virus, small businesses are been forced to shut their doors and residents are struggling to put food on the table as a result of losing their job or experiencing a significant reduction in their working hours each week.
“What those communities of the 12 LGAs of concern need is for the Premier to first acknowledge the serious issues they are facing, and secondly to actually do something about it by way of a support package.”
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMirwFodHRwczovL3d3dy5uZXdzLmNvbS5hdS9uYXRpb25hbC9uc3ctYWN0L25ld3MvbWF5b3JzLW9mLXN5ZG5leXMtY29yb25hdmlydXMtaG90c3BvdHMtc2xhbS1uc3ctcHJlbWllci1mb3ItZGVjbGluaW5nLW1lZXRpbmctcmVxdWVzdC9uZXdzLXN0b3J5LzU4MzJlNGMzYzI3MjNjNzA2Nzg4NzliNGNiMDk2ZDIw0gGzAWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lm5ld3MuY29tLmF1L25hdGlvbmFsL25zdy1hY3QvbmV3cy9tYXlvcnMtb2Ytc3lkbmV5cy1jb3JvbmF2aXJ1cy1ob3RzcG90cy1zbGFtLW5zdy1wcmVtaWVyLWZvci1kZWNsaW5pbmctbWVldGluZy1yZXF1ZXN0L25ld3Mtc3RvcnkvNTgzMmU0YzNjMjcyM2M3MDY3ODg3OWI0Y2IwOTZkMjA_YW1w?oc=5
2021-09-01 04:51:44Z
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