Cupper against 12-month state of emergency plan

MEMBER for Mildura Ali Cupper says the proposed 12-month extension of Victoria’s state of emergency will be hard to sell to a community that had “already sacrificed so much” in recent months.

Premier Daniel Andrews told media on Tuesday the proposal was “very much like an insurance policy”, saying it did not mean restrictions would continue for longer than they needed to.

“We certainly hope that we don’t have to draw down on it,” Mr Andrews said.

“We hope that we don’t have to make a claim against it.

“I can assure all Victorians, regardless of where they live, regardless of their views on any matter … it’s across the board, across the whole of the state.

“These restrictions will be in place for not one day longer than they need to be.”

However Ms Cupper said she did not support the proposal for the state of emergency to be extended until at least September next year.

She said giving the government a further 12 months to enact regulations would be far too long.

“We need to be mindful of community acceptance of any regulations, which people in the Mildura electorate and Victoria as a whole have shown brilliantly throughout the pandemic,” she said.

“A 12-month extension of the state of emergency provisions will be hard to sell to a community which has already sacrificed so much over the past few months.”

She suggested three-monthly extensions would be more appropriate.

“The state of emergency laws give the government a lot of power to enact onerous regulations like stay-at-home orders, mask-wearing and customer limits in restaurants, cafes or pubs,” Ms Cupper said.

“Clearly these regulations – as well as lockdowns – have been necessary during the pandemic and especially during the current second wave.

“A three-month extension followed by a review from Parliament is the most appropriate measure.

“If the state of emergency needs to be extended further, it can be done at that stage.”

Mr Andrews said he believed the proposed extension would put Victoria in a “preferred position” to many other states.

“Other states are able to extend and extend and extend further, they don’t have any limits,” he said.

“We, under these arrangements, will simply continue the existing set of tools … the practical tools that we can draw on based on the best of medical advice.”

Mr Andrews is to put the new Bill before State Parliament next week.

The current state of emergency ends on September 13.