AUSTRALIA’S Deputy Prime Minister says it is “a bit of a nonsense” to impose the same harsh COVID-19 lockdown restrictions on Mildura as metropolitan Melbourne.
Speaking outside Parliament House this week, Michael McCormack conceded it was “very, very difficult” for Mildura residents slugged with the same bans under the Victorian Government’s five-day “circuit-breaker” action.
“I’m not going to criticise (Victorian Premier) Daniel Andrews,” Mr McCormack said.
“I’m not going to stand here and point the accusatory finger and say he’s doing the wrong thing, because he is doing what he thinks is best for his state.
“But it’s very, very difficult when you live at a place like Mildura.
“Haven’t had a COVID case. Many hundreds of kilometres from the capital of the state and you’re a farmer and you’ve got to put a mask on to go outside and check your stock.
“I mean, that is a bit of a nonsense.”
Mr McCormack said he appreciated that Mr Andrews was making decisions based on advice from his chief health officer about what he believed was right for Victoria.
“But, again, it’s hard when you are in regional Victoria — it’s on again, off again,” he said.
“Very, very difficult, but these are difficult times.
“And I appreciate that people have jurisdictional responsibility and ultimately we’ll all be held to account for the decisions we take and make and I just understand for regional Victorian it is so hard.”
Former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce also weighed into Victoria’s regional lockdown, telling the Seven Network’s Sunrise program this week it was time to get regional areas moving again.
“Dan Andrews, to be quite frank, is — I don’t know what game he’s playing but it’s over the top,” Mr Joyce said.
“You see an example of it today where Melbourne — fair enough areas absolutely in lockdown. No problems about that,” he said.
“But Mildura — 600km away — I mean, it’s just illogical. Why would you do that?
“The epidemiological consequences and issues for Mildura — you may as well be in Perth. You could as well be … in the Northern Territory.
“This is what’s really kicking the economy down.”
