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Daniel Andrews says new 'transparent' bill allows Victoria to be 'set up' for future pandemics and outbreaks

Premier Daniel Andrews has stood behind the government's bill on new laws that could see him given more power to extend pandemics and limit the movement of millions of Victorians.

David Wu
Digital Reporter

Daniel Andrews has defended the Public Health and Wellbeing (Pandemic Management) Bill that could replace state of emergency powers and give the Premier more ability to enforce public health orders.

The legislation, set to be introduced in the lower house when parliament resumes on Tuesday, would allow Mr Andrews to make a pandemic declaration after discussing with the Chief Health Officer (CHO) and extend it "three months at a time, with no outer limit on the total duration of declaration".

The government will be able to limit movement of the population, ban gatherings, shut down businesses and enforce quarantine if needed.

"As the state of emergency and legislative arrangements fell due, we made a commitment some time ago that we will introduce pandemics specific laws that we will have a set of measures that were not written with a hypothetical in mind, but with experiences that we have all been through over last 20 plus months," he said at the COVID-19 press conference on Tuesday.

"That is exactly the framework that we have introduced into parliament."

I hope mask mandates and all that are not made a permanent part of the landscape.

I hope mask mandates and all that are not made a permanent part of the landscape.

Parliamentary democracy would be ‘gone’ under Andrews’ new pandemic laws
16 hours ago

The Andrews government’s new pandemic legislation would mean parliamentary democracy in Victoria is “gone,” according to Sky News host Alan Jones.

The proposed laws would limit the power of the chief health officer and give the Premier the authority to declare a pandemic and the Health Minister the power to make public orders.

Mr Jones said anyone caught “violating the Premier’s will” could face up to two years in jail or a fine of up to $90,000 under the bill.

“A company, $425,000, Andrews would decide,” he said.

“Daniel Andrews can fairly be called a megalomaniac.”

Victoria’s pandemic laws pass in the lower house with the Opposition vowing to ditch powers if elected

Victoria’s draft pandemic laws, which give Premier Daniel Andrews "unprecedented" new powers, have passed the Labor-controlled lower house after days of heated debate.

Brianna McKee
Digital Reporter

The legislation passed the Victorian Legislative Assembly 51 votes to 26 on Thursday evening after being introduced to parliament earlier this week.

If approved, the laws will give Mr Andrews the power to declare a pandemic for three months at a time and allow Health Minister Martin Foley to approve public health orders.

Currently Chief Medical Officer Professor Brett Sutton must sign off on public health orders before they are imposed on the state.

People found guilty of “intentionally and recklessly” breaching public health orders would also face two years in jail or a $90,500 fine and businesses could be fined up to $452,500.

An independent advisory committee for pandemic management would also be set up under the bill.

‘Checks and balances are absent’ under Victoria’s new proposed pandemic bill
October 28, 2021 - 20:09PM

A new proposed bill to divert pandemic powers to the Premier of Victoria will give Daniel Andrews and the state health minister “pretty much unbridled power to do as they wish”, according to Barrister Paul Hayes QC.

“It’s very important that the checks and balances that operate on the executive to ensure that that power is carefully and responsibly exercised are in place,” Mr Hayes told Sky News host Peta Credlin.

“Under this new bill, those checks and balances are absent and so it effectively gives the premier and the minister for health pretty much unbridled power to do as they wish once the premier declares a pandemic or makes … what’s called a pandemic declaration.”

Mr Hayes said one of the concerns is the pace of getting the legislation passed through state parliament because “there’s no urgency” for it to be implemented now.

“You have to raise the question, what’s the hurry?”