Catholic Health Australia says Peter Shergold’s findings into the way Australia handled the COVID pandemic reminds us of our duty to look after the most vulnerable in society.
The independent review by a panel chaired by Mr Shergold concluded that policies were “designed and implemented without proper regard for the inequalities that already existed in our society and the vulnerabilities of particular communities”.
The report Unlucky in a Lucky country: how COVID has exposed social inequity found that women experienced a sharper drop in labour force participation in both cities. In Sydney, for example, the female labour force declined by 9.2 per cent during the Third Wave — higher than the 8.3 per cent figure overall.
CHA’s Director of Strategy and Mission, Brigid Meney said: “This report adds another voice to sound the warning bell that no one should be left behind in future responses to pandemics.
“The most vulnerable, least affluent populations must be prioritised in future public health responses. Our report found that, sadly, such prioritisation did not occur during the first three waves of the pandemic in Australia’s largest cities.
“Understanding how inequity helped COVID to heavily impact certain local government areas while leaving others unscathed is vital if we are to build back better.
“We need to understand ongoing socio-economic impacts and the likely consequences of policy measures in the event of future pandemics, resurgent coronavirus case numbers, or a resumption in restrictive public health orders.”
Catholic Health Australia (CHA) represents not-for-profit hospitals, aged-care operators and social welfare organisations, which have been on the pandemic front line since the start. It is Australia’s largest non-government grouping of health and aged care services accounting for approximately 10 per cent of hospital-based healthcare in Australia. Our members also provide around 25 per cent of private hospital care, 5 per cent of public hospital care, 12 percent of aged care facilities, and 20 per cent of home care and support for the elderly.
