Melbourne imposes coronavirus closure, begins with a group of public housing towersExBulletin

AILSA CHANG, HOST:

Here in the US, we are closing over 3 million cases of coronavirus. Australia, on the other hand, is approaching 9,000 cases. And yet, its second largest city – Melbourne – is heading for another wide blockade starting Wednesday night. This new blockade was announced after an attack on cases there. It is followed by a more targeted and controversial blockade of a group of public housing towers imposed on Saturday. Joining us now from Melbourne is Melissa Davey of The Guardian.

Welcome.

MELISSA DAVEY: Hello.

CHANG: Hello. So I understand that the blocking of those nine towers of public housing came on Saturday – what? – a couple of dozen new cases that were related to the towers. I know you talked to the residents there. How was all this communicated to them?

DAVEY: For many of them, the first thing they realized was that they were under blockade when they went out and met with the police. As the Prime Minister of Victoria announced this Saturday, at the same time as he was giving a press conference, about 500 police officers were entering these buildings of public housing and around them to implement the blockade. Now, in the days leading up to this, the other suburbs around Victoria were closed. They were considered hotspots for the virus.

But we were warned. We were notified about 24 hours. And I’m living in one of these suburban hotspots, by the way. So we were also told that we could still go out for exercise, for fresh air, to get groceries and for medical needs – very different closures to what we are seeing in these towers of public housing. It should be noted that these public housing towers have unique factors that make them a higher risk of spreading the infection. There is no doubt about that. They have been compared to cruise ships, where you have a lot of people in a very small space with shared corridors …

CHANGE: All right.

DAVEY: … Common elevators. But what is actually being questioned is how this was done – sending it to the police first and then informing people how it was happening.

Change: Yes. Well, to be clear, then – it sounds like you are answering this question, but people are not allowed to literally leave buildings, these nine towers of public housing.

DAVEY: That’s right – not until everyone has been tested. Now, I have received mixed reports from the police. So, from time to time, the police are allowing them to let in some fresh air. But then they will go out for fresh air the next day and it will be said, no. You are not allowed outside.

CHANG: And the government …

DAVEY: So they’re really limited.

CHANGE: I know the government says it will provide food, medical care, and even a lost wage fund. Do you know if this is actually happening?

DAVEY: It’s happening, but it’s happening sporadically. And some people have much easier access to food than others. We have had reports that people are given expired food. These are different cultural and linguistic communities, so some of the food given to them is not appropriate – so, for example, Muslims are given pork as part of their food packages. There are people who live madly that – for example, I was talking to a woman whose grandmother is in the building. Now, she’s just talking – she’s not talking Australian. She is from China. She has madness. She only knows how to cook rice, really, and some very basic foods. And yet for three days, she was not given any rice, a very basic supply. There – so it’s really sporadic …

Change: Yes.

DAVEY: … Support.

CHANGE: I mean, it’s so hard to imagine anything in the distance like this happening in the U.S. You know, here, we’re having this wild debate about masks. Some people argue that mandatory masquerade orders violate their freedom. Meanwhile, wherever you are, all apartment complexes are closed, people are banned from any free movement. I mean, was there any noise in Melbourne about this kind of blockage, or are there people who take it more step by step?

DAVEY: So I think here, we really trust the medical experts who have notified the government. We have been very receptive to public health messages. We have adhered quite well to social distance and every other measure we have been told. What people are really worried about in this blockade is, first of all, the first approach of the police towards these …

CHANGE: All right.

DAVEY: … Public housing buildings …

CHANGE: All right.

DAVEY: … And also just the lack of communication, mixed messages about what residents …

CHANGE: All right.

DAVEY: … They are allowed to do, how long …

CHANGE: All right.

DAVEY: … They’re under blockage for.

CHANGE: Melissa Davey is Melbourne’s chief of staff for The Guardian.

Thank you very much.

DAVEY: My pleasure.

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