Labor is calling on the government to fund a program to make sure Australians who don't speak English as a first language understand vital coronavirus information.
Labor is calling on the Morrison government to urgently fund a $500,000 program to make sure Australians who don't speak English as a first language understand vital information during the coronavirus pandemic.state's second wave of COVID-19 casesSocial service groups have been particularly worried about the nine Flemington and North Melbourne public housing estates that have been forced into lockdown and house many residents who don't speak English as their first language.
Opposition multicultural affairs spokesman Andrews Giles said the latest wave of cases in Melbourne showed how critical it was to ensure COVID-19 messages could be understood by everyone.He said there were "worrying examples of confusion and misinformation" in the state. "In a modern multicultural society, there can't be a one-size-fits all approach to sharing important information," Mr Giles said. "Recent events in Melbourne show just how critical it is that we ensure that everyone can access up-to-date information to keep themselves, and those around them, safe."
More than one in five Australian households speak a language other than English but this figure is higher in many of the Melbourne suburbs where there have been COVID-19 outbreaks in recent weeks.
The committee, which provides advice to the Commonwealth Chief Medical Officer, said community representatives and trusted intermediaries with a long track record of engaging with communities should be essential to COVID-19 communication efforts.
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