Some translators were prevented from helping residents of nine locked-down public housing towers in Melbourne because of an industrial dispute, according to their union.
Members of Translators and Interpreters Australia claim they were unable to assist some 3,000 residents, who were in a hard coronavirus-induced home detention for nearly a week, due to a dispute with the federal government's translating service.
"This is an appalling, bloody-minded tactic that has compounded the suffering of the hundreds of residents within the housing estates who need language support," she said. As of Thursday, 53 people in the building, which has more than 400 residents, had tested positive to COVID-19. The coalition said the lifting of restrictions on eight of the towers would not have been possible if it weren't for the advocacy of community groups.
"We remain deeply concerned that residents were locked in their homes without access to essential provisions, such as food and medicine, or even any information about how they would receive such provisions," read the letter, which was signed by Greens leader Adam Bandt, state MP Ellen Sandell and councillor Rohan Leppert.
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