Human rights, public integrity groups and legal advisers applauded the increased scrutiny in Victoria’s controversial pandemic bills, but questioned why a full sitting of the parliament would be necessary to override public health orders, after the government won key support for the bill.

The upper house began to debate the bill late on Tuesday with hopes a vote might be secured before the chamber rose at 10pm. This proved not to be the case as the government responded to a series of questions while the chamber considered the bill, clause by clause.