Army troops enforcing western Sydney lockdown will alienate community, advocates warn

Hard-hit suburbs are home to many Indigenous Australians, refugees and migrants

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The deployment of troops to enforce Sydney's lockdown could alienate the community and fuel vaccine hesitancy, particularly in the hard-hit western suburbs where many Indigenous Australians and migrants and refugees live, community groups and residents are warning.

Three hundred defence personnel are preparing to be deployed on Sydney's streets on Monday after New South Wales police made a formal request for their help. They'll undergo training at the weekend before joining police on the streets as they enforce a sixth week of lockdown.