The Institute of Public Affairs has today expressed its alarm at the Victorian Government’s proposal to give itself permanent draconian emergency pandemic powers through provisions contained in the Public Health and Wellbeing Amendment (Pandemic Management) Bill 2021 introduced into the Legislative Assembly today.
“It will mean the end of democratic government in Victoria if this Bill passes,” said Morgan Begg, director of the legal rights program at the Institute of Public Affairs.
“Until now the suspension of the rights and freedoms of Victorians has rested on the assumption that the power to do so was temporary.”
“This Bill would appear to give the government, and the Premier alone, permanent power to exercise tyrannical emergency powers.”
“This must end now. We can never again go through what this government is doing to Victorians.”
“The government’s ability to declare emergencies and exercise emergency powers must be curtailed immediately.”
“A state of emergency should never last more than two weeks, and the declaration and extension of one should never be allowed unless it is supported by 75% of each house of state parliament,” said Mr Begg.
