Pandemic laws expected to pass amid exhaustive debate

Exhausted Victorian MPs are set to reach 24 hours in the chamber over an issue that hasn’t been this vigorously debated since 2017.

Victoria’s contentious pandemic laws are expected to pass parliament amid a marathon debate in the upper house.

Exhausted MPs were forced to sit through the night to work through more than 80 proposed amendments, with discussions continuing through the morning.

The sitting kicked off from 11.30am on Tuesday and was adjourned just after midday on Wednesday, ending a mammoth 25-hour debate.

The Bill has been sent back to the lower house – where Labor has a commanding majority – for a vote before it returns to the upper house on Thursday for a final vote.

Upper House MPs were forced to sit through the night debating the laws.

The Legislative Council is working through more than 80 proposed amendments to the Bill. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Crosling

MPs on Tuesday voted to continue the sitting beyond midnight despite objections from upper house Opposition Leader David Davis.

It is the first time since 2017 – when the Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill lasted 25 hours – that Victorian MPs have been forced to debate overnight.

David Davis objected to MPs sitting past midnight. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Paul Jeffers

Tired MPs have been sitting since 11.30am on Tuesday. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Paul Jeffers

As the night dragged on, some MPs changed clothes, others napped or went for walks to keep themselves awake.

Good morning.

Still here on the Pandemic Bill.

Magnificent sunrise. pic.twitter.com/Iiooes8cxM

— Jaala Pulford MP (@JaalaPulford) November 30, 2021

It’s still Tuesday… 🥴 pic.twitter.com/tLNYRLlllQ

— Sonja Terpstra 🐓 (@TerpsMLC) November 30, 2021

The debate centred around the lack of wider community consultation, with Mr Davis overnight calling for a parliamentary inquiry into the Bill.

Liberal Democrats MP David Limbrick also questioned whether the government would do anything to “combat the dehumanisation” of people once the laws were passed.

Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes claimed business groups were consulted and repeatedly reiterated the government had undertaken “extensive consultation”.

She said she believed the Bill received proper scrutiny and the government wanted to ensure there was a “cohesive society”.

Victorian Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes remained composed despite the marathon debate. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Paul Jeffers

Mr Davis on Tuesday questioned an amendment regarding health advice being released to the public. He said he was concerned information released in future would not be full briefings but instead summaries.

He said the opposition had been fighting for more than a year to get access to health advice decisions about the pandemic.

“Never once have those documents been released, not once have the documents been provided through an FOI, never once had the chief health officer’s advice been released,” he argued.

“The government has used every piece of legal chicanery and trickery in the book to try and block the release of those documents.

“This is another attempt to hide documents that should be in the public domain.”

Liberal Democrat Party MP David Limbrick questioned whether the government would stop the ‘dehumanisation of people’ once the laws passed. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Paul Jeffers

The pandemic laws now look very different to the legislation presented before the lower house a number of weeks ago, with significant changes made to get the Bill over the line.

The government was thrown a lifeline this week after persuading Transport Matters MP Rod Barton to back the pandemic legislation after not having enough votes to pass the laws.

Some of the new amendments mean Victorians who breach pandemic orders won’t be thrown in jail and the Ombudsman will be given greater oversight.

An independent panel will also be brought in to review detention orders, harsher aggravated offences for breaching pandemic orders will be removed and a new joint committee will not be controlled by the government.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews hasn’t had it all his own way. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Paul Jeffers

While the amendments have been welcomed, the Victorian Bar overnight released a statement saying some still fell short.

President Roisin Annesley QC said there were two key areas the Victorian Bar was unhappy with.

“We are pleased the government has moved to address a number of issues with the Bill,” she said.

“However, the problems associated with the lack of parliamentary control over the minister’s pandemic orders and the lack of provision for an independent review of authorised officers exercise of power still remain.”

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Originally published as Pandemic laws expected to pass amid exhaustive debate