IMPORTANT !!! USE THIS AS A TEMPLATE, BUT PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU UPDATE AND TAILOR YOUR EMAIL SO THAT THESE EMAILS DON’T GET COUNTED AS SPAM <3 <3 <3

To tailor your email add the demands of lockdown residents. Ask questions! Ask ministers what they are going to do to meet the below demands of residents.

UPDATED DEMANDS:

1. For the Victorian government to allow residents deemed as high risk to relocate with family and friends located outside the towers, until the period the Covid 19 crisis is deemed under control by an independent health body with experience in this field.

2. For the Victorian government to create a committee made up of health experts, community members and residents, both under hard lockdown and in Stage 3, to coordinate the continued management of this Covid 19 crisis within the towers.

3. The establishment of clear two way communication channels between residents in the towers and decision makers in government that have decision making authority.

4. The appointment of an independent body of health experts made up of specialists from experienced in managing the complexity of the tower situation, with the ultimate aim of reviewing and providing guidance on all health and disease related matters undertaken by the Department of Human Services prior to implementation.

5.  For the Victorian government to implement infection prevention measures such as regular disinfection and cleaning of communal spaces, and distribution of masks, for the foreseeable future, until a Covid 19 vaccine is available or an independent health body deems the Covid risk within the towers as not requiring such action.

6. For the Victorian government to guarantee Covid testing is carried out at the door of a resident’s apartment, instead of in the foyer for those under hard lockdown.
7. For the Victorian government to coordinate services in support of current community led activities that are responding to residents’ food, medical, financial, mental health and social service needs.

Email to:

The Premier, Daniel Andrews

daniel.andrews@parliament.vic.gov.au

Minister for Housing, Richard Wynne

richard.wynne@parliament.vic.gov.au

Hello,

I’m writing as a resident in [insert electorate] to voice my dismay and concern with the current lockdowns occurring across public housing estates in North Melbourne/ Flemington.

The government decisions to lockdown these estates is a punitive, coercive and violent response to what is a widespread public health issue. This lockdown is another iteration of the discriminatory and violent policing of the multicultural communities who live in these housing estates, and demonstrates a complete disregard for the needs and wellbeing of the families and communities who call these public housing estates home.

This response is inconsistent with the government’s response to similar localised outbreaks in wealthy and predominantly white suburbs in Victoria. These inconsistencies in response to managing the COVID-19 pandemic clearly indicate that the Victorian government’s response to this outbreak is racist and classist. This type of punitive and carceral response would never be replicated in wealthy suburbs or apartment blocks in Melbourne.

COVID-19 is a public health issue and should be treated as such. Police officers are not health workers, and do not have the expertise to respond appropriately to infectious disease outbreaks. On a global scale it is clear that policing the pandemic is creating environments which are harmful for public health.  

There has been no consultation with the communities who live in these estates. These communities must be listened to and should be supported with health services and community health workers, not with extensive policing.

Regards,

[insert name]