Our community, the federal electorate of Lalor, the City of Wyndham is in the eye of the pandemic storm that is COVID-19.

Like our western and northern suburb neighbours, we have had high levels of community transmission and local clusters listed in the Premier’s press conferences regularly.

Behind those numbers are individuals who have contracted the virus.

Behind those numbers, people, local people are fighting for their lives - some have died and families are grieving.

The community transmission should not be a surprise when, as reported last week up to 30% of us are in casual, insecure work.

Tarneit has the highest number of child care workers in the state. Many locals work in sectors on the front line in the pandemic.

Meanwhile we have, next to Melbourne’s CBD, the highest number of JobKeeper recipients in the state.

In short we are doing it tough.

Local businesses are closed, on a credit or overdraft lifeline or continuing to work with a COVID-19 plan and high stress about infection. Our generally high mortgage stress rates and rental eviction rates are waiting at the other end of the pandemic.

The mood locally is that we are hunkered down, sharing news of those impacted directly either economically or infection. We are giving comfort where we can but mostly trying to do the right thing & stop the spread. Trying to encourage one another through and find good news.

There is a mood that we shouldn’t raise our heads above the parapet for fear of being blamed.

I want to challenge that today and say that it is communities like ours that need to raise our voices - because if we don’t, nothing will change.

At the core of the issue is insecure work and underemployment. These need to be addressed beyond the pandemic. Communities like ours will always be vulnerable in a health crisis or an economic crisis while so many of us live shift to shift, week to week, pay packet to pay packet.

Secure employment and decent wages must be part of the recovery.