Pandemic Scrutiny — A Job Half-Done
The ‘final’ report of the Labor-controlled Public Accounts and Estimates Committee’s (PAEC) Inquiry into the Victorian Government's Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic began some of its recommendations with the phrase: “For future pandemics …”
That report was tabled in the Parliament on 2 February 2021, just ten days before the Premier announced Lockdown 3 (of 6).
A motion was moved in Parliament to reopen the PAEC inquiry, given the many additional months of Labor’s lockdowns.
Western Victoria MP Bev McArthur said, “I would particularly like to endorse this motion as a newly appointed member of this committee, which I believe has a crucial role in our democracy.”
Mrs McArthur said the PAEC inquiry needed to be reopened because “Victorians deserve to know the facts about what went on behind the iron curtain of secrecy.”
“We need to fully understand how the government responded to this crisis and its evident failures, both so we can learn from them and hold those responsible accountable for their appalling decisions.”
The motion was ultimately defeated by a single vote, cast by Animal Justice Party MP Andy Meddick.
Even his left-wing crossbench comrades, Greens MP Samantha Ratnam and Reason Party MP Fiona Patten voted for the motion for greater government transparency.
Mrs McArthur has asked, “What price Mr Meddick’s vote this time?”
“I fear for all food and fibre producers across rural Victoria, with incoming new animal welfare laws that may have been exchanged for his recurring vote.”
“The government are clearly afraid of transparency. They voted against the motion. They’re too scared to even face softballs from a Labor-controlled committee.”
Mrs McArthur told the Parliament, “It is imperative that we investigate the mental health and economic impacts on Victorians from another year of lockdowns.”
“One year was excruciating enough, but the impact of many more long months of Victorians being locked inside their homes was unfathomable at the time of tabling the report.”
“Melbournians deserve to know why they became residents of the most locked-down city in the world.”
“Country Victorians deserve to know why they were included in crushing lockdowns and restrictions, despite often not being anywhere in close proximity to coronavirus cases.”
“Business owners deserve to know why they have suffered from hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost incomes, often closing their doors forever.”
“Families deserve to know why the government allowed their relatives or children to fall victim to mental health issues.”
“Workers deserve to know why this government denied them income, cost their jobs and left them without support.”
“Border communities deserve to know why they have been so egregiously divided by a line on a map.”
“When schoolchildren grow up, they deserve to know why the Labor Government denied them years of critical education during their development.”
“Victorians deserve to know what decisions were made that caused our state to go from one of the best places in the world, to one of economic destitution and net negative immigration.
28 October 2021
