Suffering Victorians have a right to know who’s making the rules

Our top health experts are increasingly being blamed for advice on masks, curfews and lockdowns to shield the government from tough scrutiny.

More than once we know that the government has acted out of step with the public health advice. Picture: Getty Images

The state government has long promised that every pandemic decision it makes is based on public health advice.

Masks, curfews, lockdowns and density limits have all been blamed on the secretive advice of our top health experts.

These are not career bureaucrats, but experts in their field brought in to navigate the state’s pandemic response.

Increasingly their advice is being used to shield the government from tough scrutiny about its heavy handed response.

On Wednesday, announcing an extension to the state’s 7-day lockdown, acting Premier James Merlino said there could be no alternative.

“I know this news is tough for every Victorian, every family and every business in this state,” he said.

“But the Chief Health Officer has no choice but to give this advice. And the government has no choice but to follow it.”

Really? Was there no other choice?

The decision to lock down public housing towers without warning was not based on direct advice from the deputy chief health officer. Picture: Ian Currie

No other state has endured as many days locked inside as Victoria.

No other state has crippled businesses in the wat that Victoria has, time and again.

Indeed a string of public health experts have warned of Victoria’s increasingly alarmist and conservative approach to dealing with COVID-19 outbreaks.

We are yet to manage a substantial outbreak without rushing into either restrictions or lockdown.

We are yet to trust that the systems we have put in place since the beginning of the pandemic can keep us safe.

Hotel Quarantine in this state was a monumental disaster more than once.

But since restarting on April 7, it has successfully kept coronavirus at bay from the community.

The broken system was refined and improved and now appears fit for purpose.

Likewise, contact tracing has vastly improved, such that Australia’s chief medical officer Paul Kelly was singing its praises this week.

So what is the public health advice that leaves no choice but to abandon the systems we have in place for fear that we will be overrun?

Daniel Andrews made a captain’s call to maintain a strict mandatory mask order over the summer. Picture: Sarah Matray

Suffering Victorians have a right to understand why decisions are being made.

We might not understand it, but it will add to the conversation around the need for such measures that seem so out of step with other state and territory governments.

More than once we know that the government has acted out of step with the public health advice.

Experts behind the modelling used to justify last year’s extended lockdowns said they wouldn’t have set such high thresholds for easing out of lockdown.

There was no consultation with the chief health officer ahead of the imposition of curfews.

Daniel Andrews’ made a captain’s call to maintain a strict mandatory mask order over the summer.

And the decision to lock down public housing towers in Flemington and North Melbourne without warning was also not based on direct advice from the Deputy Chief Health Officer.

It’s fine to claim that decisions are being made on the best public health advice.

But it’s only right to let Victorians know what that is.

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