Leader of the Opposition David Crisafulli is urgently calling for COVID-19 vaccines to be prioritised in Indigenous communities as Queensland remains at the bottom of the ladder on the national vaccination rollout.
The latest figures show the rate of vaccination among Queensland’s First Nations people is alarmingly low with around 20% fully vaccinated, according to the analysis of federal health data.
In Yarrabah, near Cairns, barely 15% are fully vaccinated.
In many Indigenous communities, the Government does not provide any data on vaccination rates.
Mr Crisafulli travelled to Yarrabah today and joined Yarrabah Shire Mayor Cr Ross Williams to encourage locals to get vaccinated.
Mr Crisafulli called for transparency and said it was incumbent on all levels of Government to protect indigenous communities.
“We need to work with Indigenous communities and set up culturally appropriate hubs to engender confidence to more First Nations people get the jab,” he said.
“We also need to know what the vaccination rate is so we can work to find ways to improve it.”
“In the national vaccination race we are in last place, and the rate in our Indigenous communities is even lower,” he said.
“We need to mobilise clinics in these communities as a matter of urgency.
“We cannot wait for the virus to get into our state before we act.
“We must immediately open more places and give Queenslanders all across the state more options to get vaccinated to provide the certainty and hope they need.
“Protecting First Australians should be a top priority.”
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