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The upper house of the Victorian Parliament will sit in defiance of the Chief Health Officer’s advice.
The Legislative Council will gather on Tuesday to debate and vote on whether the 40-member house should continue to sit during the latest round of COVID-19 restrictions.
Opposition upper house leader David Davis. Victoria’s upper house will meet on Tuesday to vote on whether Parliament should be suspended in line with the Chief Health Officer’s advice.Credit:Eddie Jim
Premier Daniel Andrews on Monday afternoon said Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton advised Parliament’s presiding officers, Labor MPs Colin Brooks and Nazih Elasmar, that Parliament should be suspended this week.
“What they do with that advice is a matter for them,” Mr Andrews said.
“But I don’t think I’m going to stand here and ask every other worker to work from home, and then we have people coming from regional Victoria to Melbourne, and from all suburbs of Melbourne, into the centre of Melbourne. We’ll make up those [parliamentary sitting] days later.”
Under tightened restrictions, Melburnians working away from home must apply for a permit as the government cracks down on the movement of people in a bid to curb the spread of COVID-19.
Late on Monday, the Opposition resolved for Parliament to meet on Tuesday and vote on whether upper house sittings should be suspended.
Regional MPs will also attend Parliament, but it remains unclear which politicians will make an appearance.
Unlike the lower house, Labor does not command a majority in the upper house and requires the support of at least three crossbench MPs to pass legislation and motions. The lower house has deferred the sitting of Parliament.
Earlier in the day, Opposition Leader Michael O’Brien said the decision to suspend Parliament was appalling.
Premier Daniel Andrews on Monday said the Chief Health Officer had advised Parliament’s presiding officers that sittings should be suspended. Credit:Jason South
“This is not about me, it’s not about Daniel Andrews, it’s about the people of Victoria,” Mr O’Brien said.
“If ever there were a time Victorians needed governments held accountable for their actions, it’s now.
“When a government is exercising such extreme measures, such draconian powers over the lives of Victorians, that government must be held accountable to the people.
“If a CFMEU construction site can still be at work, why shouldn’t Parliament? If construction can operate, why can’t democracy.”
The Greens have also called for Parliament to return safely as soon as possible, and its integrity spokesman Tim Read said while the party supported a public health response to the pandemic, it should not come at the expense of democracy or passing legislation.
“The reality is that this government has had over a year to work out a way to hold Parliament safely, such as online, and they haven’t,” Dr Read said.
“Urgent legislation to support those hit hard by the current restrictions shouldn’t be held up and the government must make itself available for parliamentary scrutiny.
“The Greens support Parliament continuing online and are willing to cooperate with other parties on devising ways of voting safely.
“The upper house in August last year also sat in defiance of the Chief Health Officer’s advice to suspend Parliament.
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