What’s Happened To Ministerial Responsibility In The COVID Capital?
The Victorian Government has announced that metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire will return to Stage 3 restrictions, while the rest of the state will remain under current COVID-19 rules.
Quotes attributable to Bev McArthur MP:
“While it’s relieving to see the Government exempt regional Victoria from tightened restrictions, this will be a devastating blow for families and businesses in Melbourne.”
“Daniel Andrews has made Victoria the corona-capital of the country due to his government’s incompetence, belligerence and turf warfare Ministerial arrogance."
"The Premier wasted no time in sacking or demanding resignations from three Ministers who were clearly stacking Labor electorates against his interests, but when it comes to Premier and Ministerial responsibility and accountability that is putting lives at risk and sending businesses to the wall and lengthening the unemployment queues; he’s nowhere to be found and it’s all someone else’s fault."
“The buck stops with the Premier and his Labor Ministers – Jenny Mikakos and Lisa Neville. They should take responsibility for this debacle and at least one of them should immediately resign.”
“The hotel quarantine disaster is appalling. There have been allegations made of the security firms they contracted, receiving illegal cash payments, billing the taxpayer for shifts never worked, guards sleeping on the job, breaching public health regulations, and even sleeping with hotel guests.”
“The initial decision to not name Cedar Meats, a donor to the Labor Party, as the abattoir which was the source of a cluster of cases, demonstrates that this Government cares more about its mates than about public health.”
“This $3 million judicial inquiry should have public hearings so that it can be scrutinised by Victorians and the media, not dealt with behind closed doors and then released in a condensed report, months down the track. If it is to go ahead, and that is highly questionable, it should be conducted the same as the Ruby Princess public inquiry in NSW."
“It is scandalous that the Labor Government would vote against the Public Accounts and Estimates Committee’s motion to compel the Premier, responsible pandemic Ministers and senior officers to give evidence and is a testament to their disdain for transparency and accountability.”
“The Government needs to stop evading scrutiny and immediately resume Parliament so that Victoria’s elected representatives can question Ministers on the serious matters confronting the State.”
“It’s unfortunate to see new cases in Port Fairy today, but it must be seen in perspective. Regional Victoria still has hardly any cases and local government areas with low risk should remain exempt from any tightened restrictions.”
"We are sorry for Melbourne people not being able to leave home and we hope the restrictions keep everyone safe but in the end, without a vaccine, we can’t keep locking and unlocking the population every time cases manifest. "
7 July 2020