The DanielAndrewsMP government has agreed to a major backdown on its plans for extended state of emergency powers, as the Australian Medical Association describes the government’s handling of the COVID19 pandemic as a 'slow car crash'. | noeltowell
Premier Daniel Andrews has endured a storm of criticism since announcing on Monday that he wanted a 12-month extension of Victoria's state of emergency powers, which he says are needed to get through the prolonged crisis and would put the state in line with arrangements in other states, which are in effect open-ended.
The minister, who needs four crossbench votes to pass the legislation, also offered to extend the term of the parliamentary committee, which has majority Labor membership, examining the government's COVID-19 response.
He also cited hotel quarantine, poor communications of health messages to some groups, problems with contact tracing, mixed messages on isolation practices, and the management of the St Basil’s care home COVID-19 cluster, which has so far claimed more than 30 lives. Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister said he had a constructive relationship with the Premier and that he had expressed his concern to Mr Andrews about his plans to extend the emergency powers.
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