Premier Daniel Andrews says Victoria's State of Emergency will be extended to 18 MONTHS - and strict lockdown will continue in September after another 15 coronavirus deaths overnight
- Victoria reported lowest rise in COVID-19 infections in seven weeks on Monday
- The embattled state recorded just 116 new cases and 15 additional fatalities
- Premier Daniel Andrews announced the State of Emergency will be extended
- Victoria's stage four lockdown also expected to be extended beyond September
- The deaths bring the state's toll to 430 and the nationwide number to 517
- The number is the lowest recorded since July 5, when the state had just 67 cases
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has announced the State of Emergency will be in place for 18 months and lockdown restrictions will be extended beyond September.
This is despite the state recording its lowest rise in COVID-19 infections in seven weeks with 116 new cases and 15 additional fatalities on Monday.
Mr Andrews said the state could not afford to lower the restrictions and extended the State of Emergency to 18 months.
'It is not an unlimited extension, it is nothing more than a recognition that this virus won't be over on September 30,' the premier said.
'I would love nothing more for there to be no need for any rules on September 14, but I don't think that is the reality.'
While the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008 only allows a State of Emergency to operate for six months, the premier said amendments are being made to change it.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has announced that the State of Emergency will be in place for 18 months and lockdown restrictions will be extended beyond September
Victoria has reported its lowest rise in COVID-19 infections in seven weeks with 116 new cases and 15 additional fatalities on Monday (Bourke St Mall in Melbourne pictured during Stage 4 lockdown)
Locals are seen wearing facemasks as they shop for essential items during COVID-19 in Bendigo
A member of Victoria Police is seen walking on Collins Street during Melbourne's strict stage four lockdown
'That is the legal instrument that allows rules about face masks, about COVID safe work plans in workplaces large and small, that is the legal instrument that sits behind density limits in pubs and cafes and restaurants,' he said.
'Things like a positive person, someone who has got this virus, and required to isolate at home.'
'We will extend the state of emergency provisions within the public health and well-being act for a maximum of a further 12 months.'
Mr Andrews said the decision to ask parliament to extend the restrictions was about 'protecting everyone' in Victoria.
'They will need to be in place after September 13. I wish that wasn't the case. Even if there had not been a second wave these rules would still need to be in place,' he said.
'Because there is not a jurisdiction in the world that is going to just be going back to absolute normal, where there are no limits on restaurants, no limits in cafes, no masks at all, no need to isolate if you've actually got this.'
'All of those very commonsense provisions they need when you're beyond the 13 September. The law doesn't quite provide for that. We want to make a change.'
If there is no vaccine within 12 months, the state's restrictions may have to be extended again.
Medical staff conduct a COVID-19 test on a patient at the drive through coronavirus testing facility in Ballarat on Friday
It comes as halfway through lockdown, Victoria's chief health officer Brett Sutton has defiantly declared he won't let the state's hard-fought COVID-19 gains slip
'We would be in a similar position to now where we would have to go back to the Parliament. No-one is asking for an unlimited five years, 10 years, run forever. 12 months we think is appropriate. That is to say it is foreseeable,' he said.
'I hope we are wrong in predicting this will still need rules in 12 months. Hopefully we have got a vaccine by then.
'But even then, the vaccine will take time to develop, manufacture, administer, and the efficacy of the vaccine, what is the life-cycle of that, does it protect you for three months, six months, here, forever, the whole notion of boosters, those sorts of things.
'So this is nothing more or less than a logical extension in time, changing the law of the state to ensure it is equal to the challenge of state faces.'
The embattled state recorded its lowest amount of new COVID-19 cases on Monday since July 5, when 67 people were diagnosed.
The latest fatalities bring the state's COVID-19 death toll to 430 and the national figure to 517.
The number of new cases is almost half Sunday's figure of 208.
Police check permits and ID of drivers at a checkpoint in Little River for traffic coming from Melbourne into Geelong
Victorian Liberal MPs have accused Mr Andrews of 'loving power' and compared him to a dictator.
Housing spokesman Tim Smith said: 'Andrews is out of control. He's attempting to make himself a dictator, giving himself more power than any modern head of government has ever had.
'This is genuinely scary.'
His colleague Matthew Guy added: 'Daniel Andrews is totally out of control and loving authoritarian power a bit too much.'
James Newbury MP told Daily Mail Australia he was concerned by how much power the proposed law-change would hand Mr Andrews.
'Total power should not be unaccountable. Victorians want to do the right thing but that shouldn't allow any politician to have permanent power,' he said.
Free market think tank the Institute of Public Affairs said the state of emergency should end on 13 September to prevent further draconian lockdowns.
Gideon Rozner, Director of Policy, said an extension would mean 'months of lockdown with no parliamentary vote or democratic oversight.'
He told Daily Mail Australia: 'Daniel Andrews has used emergency powers to put Victorians through the most stringent, cruel and ultimately unsuccessful lockdown measures anywhere in Victoria.
'He simply cannot be trusted with these powers indefinitely and must take his hands off our democracy.
'A long term extension to the state of emergency means long term unemployment, misery, and loss of basic freedoms and rights.'
With 3,920 so-called mystery cases, Prof Sutton warned restrictions would not be lifted in full until community transmission is eradicated (Man wearing a mask in Ballarat)
Healthcare workers continue to test for Coronavirus at the MyDoc Healthcare drive through testing station during COVID-19 in Bendigo
Victoria has reported its lowest rise in COVID-19 infections in seven weeks with 116 new cases and 15 additional fatalities on Monday (Women wearing masks in Ballarat)
Victorians could be living with mandatory mask rules into the Summer with the premier telling residents they could be in place for a while.
'If I'd just take you back, before masks became mandatory the general advice and request that we were making of Victorians when you are out and about for a lawful purpose and you feel, you are not confident you will be able to maintain that 1.5 metre distance, please wear a mask,' Mr Andrews said.
'I think that the notion of mandatory mask wearing, at least in those circumstances, think that will be with us for a while.'
'And, yes, that will be challenging when it comes to the hot weather.'
But halfway through lockdown Victoria's chief health officer defiantly declared he won't let the state's hard-fought COVID-19 gains slip.
Brett Sutton had predicted on Sunday that numbers could dip below 150 this week.
He added although the daily case numbers had been 'jumping around', he expected a continued downward trajectory, and was still upbeat when new cases went back above 200 on Sunday.
'We're not going to see 300 and 400 (cases) again in Victoria under my watch, at least,' he told reporters on Sunday.
'We're applying a strategy that is driving cases down.'
While Prof Sutton predicted numbers could dip below 150 this week, he said restrictions would not be lifted in full until community transmission was eradicated.
He also said Melburnians would be wearing face masks in public beyond the easing of Stage Four.
Mr Andrews said masks would remain part of life for a long time, along with careful hand-washing and physical distancing.
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMifGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmRhaWx5bWFpbC5jby51ay9uZXdzL2FydGljbGUtODY1NzE3OS9EYW4tQW5kcmV3cy1zYXlzLVZpY3Rvcmlhcy1sb2NrZG93bi1leHRlbmRlZC1TZXB0ZW1iZXItc3RheS1wbGFjZS1ZRUFSLmh0bWzSAYABaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGFpbHltYWlsLmNvLnVrL25ld3MvYXJ0aWNsZS04NjU3MTc5L2FtcC9EYW4tQW5kcmV3cy1zYXlzLVZpY3Rvcmlhcy1sb2NrZG93bi1leHRlbmRlZC1TZXB0ZW1iZXItc3RheS1wbGFjZS1ZRUFSLmh0bWw?oc=5
2020-08-24 01:49:45Z
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