When Coronavirus, Contempt And Three Crossbenchers Combine
The extension of Victoria’s State of Emergency for another 9 months has plunged the state into further anxiety that statewide lockdowns remain a remedy for Government failure.
The Reason Party, Greens and Animal Justice Party members in the Legislative Council have enabled the Premier to retain sweeping powers over Victorians’ lives.
During the debate on the Public Health and Wellbeing Amendment (State of Emergency Extension) Bill 2021, Member for Western Victoria, Bev McArthur, condemned the carte-blanche powers as ‘unnecessary and contemptuous’.
The State of Emergency powers were also extended six months ago.
“The blanket extension of the powers was unacceptable last September, as it is now.” “Back then, we were promised by the Premier, Daniel Andrews, that these restrictions will be in place for not one day longer than they need to be,” Mrs McArthur told the parliament during the debate.
She has questioned the need for the 9-month extension, the science behind it and the confidence it reflects in the Government’s Hotel Quarantine, vaccination and contact tracing capacities.
Mrs McArthur asked what the Premier has done in 12 months to remedy his reliance on emergency powers.
“It cannot be beyond the wit of the Premier and his vast team of public servants and consultants to construct a system which provides accountability and transparency consistent with our democracy and does so without requiring a perpetual, confidence-destroying and liberty-threatening state of emergency.
“Where is the targeted legislation?”
Mrs McArthur has questioned the three crossbenchers – Samantha Ratnam, Fiona Patten and Andy Meddick – over their compelling failure to uphold the rights of hard working Victorians.
They have argued for reduced coronavirus-related fines for teenagers, and select others, putting parochial interests above their own constituencies in the Melbourne CBD, housing commission towers and regional Victorians.
“…this discretion on fines for those under 18, how many does that affect? We have been told recently that the collection of fines is not even being enforced.
“Is that tiny concession really worth handing a nine-month carte-blanche extension to the Government?” she asked.
Mrs McArthur believes Victorians should be told what the three crossbenchers have been promised by the Premier in return for their vote.
In her argument, Mrs McArthur highlighted the success of the NSW Government in crafting specific legislation to deal with virus outbreaks.
“…the successful situation in New South Wales has been implemented without the requirement for state-of-emergency legislation which damages democracy, deters investment and prolongs despair,” she told the parliament.
“Who in their right mind would invest in a state under emergency powers?”
She expressed the imperative for full disclosure of the advice upon which the extension of State of Emergency was based.
“My doubts about government by emergency powers do not simply relate to the arrogance, stubbornness and trustworthiness of our Premier or the sidelining of Parliament: they are also about the process itself. Ministers are renouncing all responsibility for government.”
Mrs McArthur believes Ministers, including the Small Business Minister, Jaala Pulford, are handballing their duty to the advice of the Chief Health Officer – who seems to be providing umbrella protection for appalling decisions.
She said the health advice is just part of the total advice the Premier should be taking to make a robust decision.
“By definition, the Chief Health Officer has a public health perspective. It is the Premier’s job to take the wider view and to make the judgement call on where the health advice fits with the bigger picture.
“His total failure to do this is the clearest reason why Victoria has not only had the worst health outcomes in Australia in this pandemic but has done most to damage its own economy, its social fabric and the long term mental and physical health of its population.”
“The medicine has clearly been worse than the disease,” she said.
The 9-month extension brings the State of Emergency to within days of Christmas and the eve of an election year.
3 March 2021