Labor Premier Daniel Andrews announced he wants to extend Victoria’s current State of Emergency from a maximum of 6 months to a new maximum of 18 months.
The State of Emergency is the legal framework by which the current restrictions on people’s lives and livelihoods including on leaving your own home, business closures, travel bans, quarantine arrangements and curfews are made.
The State of Emergency vests enormous power with the Premier and a small number of unelected officials with little capacity for oversight and accountability.
The Victorian Liberal Nationals will vigorously oppose this unprecedented grab for power.
At a time of crisis, rather than bypassing Parliament, the institutions we rely upon for our freedom and liberties are more important.
No government should write itself a blank cheque for such extraordinary powers over Victorians’ lives and livelihoods.
State of Emergency powers must only operate under appropriate safeguards and scrutiny. Any attempt by the Andrews Labor Government to give itself such enormous powers, particularly in the absence of any enhanced accountability measures is dangerous to our democracy and your rights as a citizen.
Tell Daniel Andrews that our democracy matters and that you oppose this unprecedented power grab.
