Media Release

KENNEDY MP, Bob Katter said while most Queenslanders will be celebrating the end of many of the draconian lockdown measures, the state’s First Australian communities are still ‘locked-up’!

“The easing of restrictions should have happened in North Queensland five weeks ago, we haven’t had any cases of Coronavirus in two months, an estimated 150 businesses will never recover and millions of dollars has been lost,” he said.

“However, it’s even more concerning that the First Australian communities are still locked-up when every other Queenslander can now travel the length and breadth of the state.

“We are in the extraordinary situation where a quarter of the population of Cairns who are First Australians, are allowed to go about their business as normal, but the people in the Yarrabah community, only 40 minutes away, are still locked-up.

“It is a very traumatising time for the residents locked-up in communities such as Yarrabah, Doomadgee and Palm Island. They’ve seen rioting, demonstrations, and a dozen deaths that are attributable to the ‘lock-up’.”

Mr Katter said people must understand that the amenities and services enjoyed by every other Queenslander are not accessible to those living in the communities.

“The situation is that residents of the communities can’t go in and get their car registration renewed, they cannot buy a pair of shoes, if they leave for medical treatment they cannot return and it is most expensive for them to buy fruit and vegetables from the local shops,” he said.

“The State Government is refusing to act and it is most inappropriate. Are we some abnormal species that we can’t figure out the dangers of Coronavirus?”

Mr Katter said the ongoing situation was straight-up discrimination.

“White fellas are allowed to go in and out of the community areas as they please but the First Australians cannot,” he said.

“They are locked up again like they were for one-hundred years under the infamous Aboriginal Act.

“If the situation continues I wouldn’t be surprised if there are more demonstrations.”

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