8 March was a busy day in political offices – I received emails from the Greens, ALP and my federal indepent member, Kate Chaney about the 2025 election. I wrote back to all of them with my concerns about Covid and have heard back from none of them yet, five weeks later. Here’s one of the emails I sent:
Dear Kate,
I am so pleased you are running again! Thank you for the great work you have done, you have been a hard working and effective voice in parliament for Curtin. I have made a donation.
I’m asking that you please stand up for action on covid. Both federal and state governments are completely ignoring covid and they need to be held to account. The public don’t understand that covid is airborne, long covid is debilitating, and covid causes heart attacks and strokes. I’m yet to recover fully from my last bout of covid and there are many in much worse situations than me. The health of the whole population is suffering and vulnerable people don’t feel safe to leave their houses. We need:
- Clean air in public buildings.
- N95 masks in health care and an end to hospital acquired infections.
- Long covid funding – Mark Butler has failed to implement the recommendations of the long covid inquiry. (Dr Monique Ryan has been a strong voice on this.)
- A proper public health campaign so that people understand the risks of covid and the simple mitigations they can take, including wearing n95s inside.
The long term effects of repeat infections are playing out now in Britain, with an increase in disability and decrease in work participation. We can’t just keep ignoring covid, it is not going away.
Best wishes, Nathan Hobby
lizzieb64 said:
fantastic letter. I do hope you get an engaged response. It’s so frightening and many feel abandoned by govt.
thanks for writing it,
Kate
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Nathan Hobby said:
Thank you Kate! We’re so powerless at the moment.
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wadholloway said:
I agree Nathan. The spreading of Covid in hospital and old age care situations in particular is a disgrace, the more so for it being completely unnecessary.
Sadly, my son, a school teacher, regards getting Covid as a fact of teaching life.
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Nathan Hobby said:
Teachers are on the frontline! I wish the union could see clearly on this and stand up for their health.
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Van Ikin said:
That’s a great letter, clear and firm, but nevertheless offering respect. I hope that respect is returned with action, but these days I’m cynical. As soon as he was elected, Albanese pivoted into adopting the Morrison discourse on covid – namely that citizens must push through and government mustn’t spend money on covid – and if that can happen then I despair for the democratic system. Meanwhile, as another Comment has noted, covid continues spreading in hospitals and aged care facilities….
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Nathan Hobby said:
Thanks Van. It was shocking to witness that with Albanese. The Greens abandoned their good policy platform on it, too. A mass agreement to pretend it was over.
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Denise Faithfull said:
How odd you’ve never heard from any of them, Nathan! I also believe Covid is everywhere but hardly ever discussed in the media any more. People in my area, including me, still wear masks in certain situations, especially on public transport. Personally, I’ve never tested positive, so may not have had Covid, but I feel sorry for you for not yet having fully recovered. Take care. Denise
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Nathan Hobby said:
That’s amazing, hope you can keep it up!
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