BREAKING: more financial supports announced for the Greater Sydney lockdown
The NSW Premier and Treasurer today announced a new financial assistance packaged for people and businesses who have lost income due to the Greater Sydney lockdown. The $600 disaster payment for people who have lost more than 20 hours a week will be raised to $750 and the payment for people who have lost less than 20 hours of work will increase from $375 to $450 a week.
WIN! Singles bubble announced for people who live alone
In great news for singles the Premier today announced a singles bubble - responding to calls from people living alone. Singles will now be able to nominate one person who can come into their home for the duration of the lockdown.
Real time translations for COVID updates
BIG WIN for recognising the diversity of our community! The Premier’s 11am press conference will be translated in real-time in to Arabic and Vietnamese (and we understand more languages to come!).
Get vaccinated!
I am very thankful I am now fully vaccinated (thank you NSW Health). I know the roll out / availability has been far from ideal, and the systems are clunky. But there are appointments available - for AZ right now (including at local GPs and pharmacies) and for Pfizer in the coming weeks. How can I book my appointment now? There are few ways to find an appointment near you right now whether you are eligible for Pfizer or AZ. This week, the Sydney Local Health District was added to the priority program for the Pfizer vaccine so if you are between the ages of 16-39 you can book your appointment right now. Eligible suburbs include Redfern, Enmore, Erskineville, Waterloo, Camperdown, Chippendale, Newtown and the whole Inner West LGA. Check if your suburb is eligible here and book your vaccination here Register for Pfizer or AZ through the Australian Government form and book an appointment right now here. You can filter for 'closest to me' or 'next available appointment'. If you already know you eligibility status, find the next available appointment near your through HotDoc here. Find a local pharmacy offering COVID jabs without an appointment here. New pharmacies are being added all the time. If you're eligible for Pfizer but having trouble finding an appointment quickly, this tool or this tool might help.
Have you fallen through the gaps of the lockdown support package?
If you have lost income as a result of lockdown there is support available. We know that lots of people are not eligible and we are advocating for those loopholes to be closed, which is why we are asking people to tell us so that we can bring it to the attention of the Government.
Singles bubble
A person who lives alone or a single parent who does not have an intimate partner has no clear option under the public health orders to see other adults. Old and frail people, and people with disability, may not be able to go outside to exercise with another person and single parents may not be able to leave children unattended. While we understand that there is a public health crisis, we are concerned for the emotional wellbeing of the growing number of people who live alone. We have written to the Health Minister to ask that he include clear provisions in the public health orders to allow for single social bubbles during the stay-at-home restrictions in Greater Sydney.
COVID-19 information and contacts
We have developed a directory of contact details for health advice, income support, government services and assistance available regarding COVID-19.
New protections for renters announced
The NSW Government has just announced 60 day eviction moratorium for residential and retail tenants. Well done to every one who joined the call for this important protection. Eligible COVID-impacted residential tenants who cannot meet their rent payments will be protected from eviction during the moratorium period commencing from 14 July and finishing at the end of 11 September 2021.
Greens condemn far right pandering with foetal personhood bill
With reports that the Government will introduce a foetal personhood bill to NSW Parliament, Member for Newtown and Greens Women’s Rights spokesperson, Jenny Leong MP has said:
Redevelopment of Waterloo will be a sell off of public land for private profit
The NSW Planning Minister’s intervention in the plans to redevelop the first section of the Waterloo public housing estate at South Waterloo, may mean less towers and better amenity, but this outcome is still an unacceptable destruction of our public housing and sell off of our public land for profit, according to Greens spokesperson for Housing and Homelessness and Member for Newtown, Jenny Leong MP.
Media Release - Greens slam NSW Budget’s failure to deliver a plan to address housing inequality
Jenny Leong MP, Member for Newtown and NSW Greens spokesperson on Housing and Homelessness has slammed the NSW Liberal/National Government’s 2021 budget which demonstrates they have no plan to end the housing and homelessness crisis for people across NSW even though they have the money and the solutions to do so. “Today the NSW Liberal Treasurer said it was his job to imagine a ‘better future for everyone’, and yet there is no vision in this budget for a better future for those suffering housing stress, languishing on the public housing waiting list or seeking to find affordable places to live. “Yet again, the NSW Liberal National Coalition has made a choice to ignore the massive, and ever-growing, housing inequality in this state by instead choosing to announce some small scale measures and spin them as a good news story.
Media Release: Greens Welcome Affirmative Consent Reform
Responding to the NSW Attorney General’s announcement to reform consent laws in NSW, including a model of affirmative consent, the Greens Women’s Rights spokesperson and Member for Newtown Jenny Leong MP said: "This announcement today is a powerful tribute to the advocacy, activism and expertise of women, victim-survivors and those who have experienced sexual assault."
Jenny Leong on the Civil Liability Amendment (Child Abuse) Bill
Greens Member for Newtown, Jenny Leong MP has spoken in support of a new scheme to create better pathways to justice of those who have experienced child abuse.
Jenny Leong MP Speaks Out Against the Privatisation of Public Housing
Greens Member for Newtown, Jenny Leong MP has condemned the Liberal/National Governments ongoing privatisation agenda -particularly in regards to public housing.