Reports today the Andrews Labor Government has cancelled Melbourne’s 2021 Australia Day Parade is just another slap in the face to Victorians’ rights and freedoms.
The Australia Day Parade is one of Melbourne’s most important events, bringing together Australian citizens and celebrating our national day. Daniel Andrews should be supporting these events, not banning them.
To cancel the Parade under the guise of COVID-19 is an affront to the Victorians who suffered under Daniel Andrews’ second wave lockdowns, which saw 801 deaths, more than 20,000 infections, more than 200,000 jobs lost and millions of Victorians facing some of the harshest restrictions in the world.
What’s even more hypocritical is for the Andrews Labor Government to allow 30,000 people at the MCG for the Boxing Day Test, but then one month later not allow crowds to gather for the Australia Day Parade.
Daniel Andrews is using the pandemic as an excuse to push his political agenda on Victorians who deserve to celebrate our national day with the traditional multicultural parade through the streets of Melbourne.
Comments attributable to Leader of the Opposition, Michael O’Brien:
“I am appalled that the Labor Government has cancelled the Australia Day Parade. Daniel Andrews is using the cover of COVID to undermine our national day as part of his ideological agenda.
“How can 30,000 go to the cricket on Boxing Day but no parade is allowed one month later?
“Labor is using COVID to pick and choose what it wants to allow. That Labor is banning an Australia Day parade tells Victorians that this is all about politics, not public safety.
Comments attributable to Shadow Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs, Neil Angus:
“After such a difficult 2020, many Victorians were looking forward to celebrating Australia Day together.
“For the Andrews Labor Government to cancel the much-loved parade is just mean spirited and unnecessary.”
