Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has announced the State of Emergency will be extended to 18 months and lockdown restrictions will go beyond September.
Mr Andrews says the state cannot afford to lower the restrictions, and as a result the government will continue a State of Emergency which will give them the power to impose stricter lockdown restrictions.
“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, Mr Andrews says that amendments are being made to change it.
“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 common sense provisions they need when you’re beyond the 13 September. The law doesn’t quite provide for that. We want to make a change.”
The premier warns that if there is no vaccine within the next 12 months, the state may have to extend restrictions again.
“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.”
