Western Australia's top cop has travelled to a remote pocket of the state, which has the lowest Indigenous COVID vaccination rates in the country, to make a personal appeal to elders.
WA is just months away from relaxing its hard border but authorities are concerned about vulnerable Aboriginal residents who are hesitant about getting the jab.
The east Pilbara region has the lowest Indigenous vaccination rates in the country with WA Health figures showing about 14 per cent aged 12 and over are fully vaccinated and about 27 per cent have received one dose.
WA Police Commissioner and Vaccine Commander Chris Dawson travelled to Newman and the Western Desert community of Parnngurr to meet elders in a bid to convince them they need the vaccine's protection.
"They need to have the capacity to ask me questions directly and I talk directly to them so that the information is unfiltered.
"There is misinformation out there and what we need to do is assure them."
Commissioner Dawson said if vaccination rates were not be boosted significantly before the border reopened, freedoms would be restricted, including bans on the movements of unvaccinated people in regions with low immunity.
"This is the sort of intensive effort that's needed to ensure that we give the best possible protections."
Martu woman Joslyn Mongoo Biljabu said many older residents were distrustful of vaccines.
Using 'every avenue' to protect people
Robby Chibawe from the Puntukurnu Aboriginal Medical Service, which has been vaccinating Western Desert communities, has been trying to combat vaccine hesitancy.
He hopes Commissioner Dawson's visit will make a difference.
"Every avenue, every champion we can use we are really jumping on that and the Vaccine Commander is one of them," he said.
"Where maybe we cannot penetrate the cultural barriers maybe using champions like him will go a long way."
