MPs spar over jab rates in regions
IN an effort to get residents to roll up their sleeves, two northern politicians are pulling on the gloves and throwing jabs themselves.
Member for Member for Cairns Michael Healy and his Townsville counterpart Scott Stewart have thrown down the gauntlet to see which region will reach 80 per cent fully vaccinated first.
Mr Stewart said the vaccination race was on between Townsville and Cairns.
“We’ve always had a rivalry with our Far North neighbours,” Mr Stewart said.
“I used to run a school boxing program, so I know a thing or two about jabs.
“The boxing gloves are on for the Member for Cairns and I, but it’s the nurses donning surgical gloves to administer vaccines in North Queensland that deserve the spotlight in the centre of the ring.”
The pair said the loser of the bet would have to wear the other’s Intrust Super Cup team jersey to parliament.
Mr Stewart would have to adorn a Northern Pride kit, and for Mr Healy he would don the green, black and white of the Townsville Blackhawks.
“I know Cairns will outdo Townsville when it comes to vaccinations so I want the Cairns community to come out in numbers and get the jab,” Mr Healy said.
“Promoting the rivalry between the two cities over vaccination rates is just another way to encourage people to get vaccinated.
“Whether you’re in Townsville, Cairns or any of our North Queensland communities we want people to get vaccinated so we can continue to keep our community safe and open up our economy even more.”
Meanwhile, Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said her department was accelerating vaccination efforts in First Nations communities, including door-to-door outreach teams in places such as Yarrabah.
A Queensland Health spokesman said protecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their communities was a priority of the vaccination rollout.
“We began travelling into these rural and remote communities in March 2021 to answer people’s questions, keep people informed and help everyone to better understand both Covid-19 and the vaccine.
“Seven months on and we have not stopped travelling, because we want to be confident the vaccination rates will support people if Covid-19 reaches their doorstep.”