Today’s report by the Victorian Ombudsman has exposed several cases of unfair, inconsistent and callous enforcement of COVID-19 restrictions by the Andrews Labor Government.
Ombudsman Deborah Glass has outlined several cases whereby authorised officers failed to treat people with basic dignity, respect and common sense when enforcing COVID-19 directions, including:
- A woman forced to urinate in a bottle after being refused access to a toilet after waiting 5 hours to be assigned to a quarantine hotel at Melbourne Airport;
- A woman using a wheelchair who waited 4 hours in line at a COVID-19 testing site being informed she would have to re-join the end of the queue after being forced to leave because of the lack of ambulant toilets;
- A Wodonga woman being refused access to her cardiologist in Albury due to difficulties with VicRoads and National Licencing Database error; and
- A prisoner who suffered an epileptic seizure and wet the bed being forced to sleep overnight on wet bedding after only being provided clean clothes.
Furthermore, Daniel Andrews has arrogantly refused to comply with the Ombudsman’s recommendation to formally apologise to the more than 3,000 North Melbourne and Flemington residents locked down without warning.
Throughout COVID-19, Victorians have overwhelmingly sought to do the right thing, but time and again have been the victims of Daniel Andrews do-as-I-say-or-else approach.
Daniel Andrews is guilty of having no plan to rebuild the damaged relationship between the community and his Government agencies and must return common-sense and compassion when enforcing ongoing restrictions and lockdowns.
Comments attributable to Shadow Minister for Police & Crime Prevention, David Southwick:
“The cases outlined today by the Ombudsman are nothing short of shameful and demonstrate just how out of touch the Andrews Labor Government is.
“Time and again Victorians have seen inconsistent and unfair enforcement of COVID-19 restrictions which is tearing communities apart.
“Daniel Andrews is guilty of having no plan to undo the damage he has caused and restore confidence in our state.”
