Nursing union boss makes mask plea to Victorians as Andrews holds firm on public campaign

A nursing union boss has told Victorians it’s time to “step up” and start wearing masks, but said it wasn’t Daniel Andrews’ job to enforce the rule.

Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation Victorian secretary Lisa Fitzpatrick says it’s “about time that Victorians stepped up” and started wearing masks again.

But Ms Fitzpatrick said it’s not a responsibility of the state government to enforce that directive.

“I don’t believe that the government has to mandate common sense,” she said.

“It is about time that Victorians stepped up and put a mask on in circumstances that they know very well.

“We had to listen to the Premier, we listened to Brett Sutton day after day after day during 2020 and 2021 speaking about the value of masks … It is up to Victorians to do that.

“They know what to do, they know what needs to be done and what we want them to do is to do it - to care for themselves so they can assist our nurses and our midwives in this state to care for them in the event that they need that specialist care.”

Lisa Fitzpatrick said it’s not a responsibility of the state government to enforce that directive. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

Premier Daniel Andrews has rebuffed suggestions that his refused to implement a pro-mask campaign is because of the upcoming November election.

The Premier on Wednesday reaffirmed that he had received no health advice to implement a mask mandate again in more settings.

That is despite chief health officer Brett Sutton posting on social media this week about the importance of wearing masks indoors.

The Herald Sun sought official comment from Professor Sutton through the Department of Health last week.

On Tuesday night, a Department spokesperson said: “Wearing a mask remains recommended if you can’t physically distance, are in indoor shared spaces, or are with people who may be vulnerable to Covid-19 or medically at risk”.

Mr Andrews on Wednesday denied that his reluctance to re-implement masks is due to it being an election year.

Daniel Andrews says Victorians are well versed in the benefits of masks. Picture: David Geraghty

“The notion and the cheap criticism that this is somehow to do with politics — no, that’s not how I operate,” he said.

“Secondly, I’m not aware of any advice for us to do that. If we did receive advice, then the Minister would have to weigh that up.

“We have to recognise that we are not in the first month of this.”

It comes as 25 more Victorians died with the virus in the past 24 hours.

“There will be a number of those people and again, I’m not in any way diminishing the tragedy of those people’s passing … but there are some people who die of that virus and there are some people who die with that virus,” Mr Andrews said.

“And that’s why we don’t have politicians … sitting in judgment on those matters. The coroner and other processes will be going through that.

“(But) there is clear advice out there that if you choose to wear a mask, there’ll be clear benefits for you … for the people you love, if that’s the choice you make.

“Ultimately though, the Victorian community has done what we asked them to do and that was to get vaccinated.”

Mr Andrews on Tuesday dismissed a Greens push calling for a public campaign on wearing masks indoors, stating that Victorians already knew the benefits of protective gear.

The Victorian Greens on Tuesday ramped up calls for a public advertising blitz urging people to wear masks indoors and for greater use of air filters.

But they stopped short of suggesting there should be a mask mandate.

On Monday night, Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton also flagged a need to wear a mask indoors.

“This (sic) not a technical term, but flu vaccination has been ‘going great guns’ — terrific given the early season and significant case numbers,” he wrote on Twitter.

“This — just like wearing masks indoors — is something to help yourself but also those around you and all our healthcare staff.”

Responding to the Greens’ push, Mr Andrews said people were already free to wear masks if they chose to do so.

“There are some calls for advertising campaigns, I think that every Victoria knows about these issues after having been through the two and a half years that we’ve been through,” he said.

“There are some rules that apply in hospital settings, aged care settings, public transport and people can make a judgment.

“Just as people have made a judgment about whether they can get a flu shot which is now free … and indeed a third (Covid vaccine) dose.

“I just don’t think it’s accurate to say that people don’t know that masks are important.”

When asked about whether he could rule out a future mask mandate, Mr Andrews said any decision was up to the Health Minister and the public health advice received under the pandemic laws.

“I really don’t think that there’s anything served by playing those sorts of games,” he said.

“I’d refer you to the Act. I’m not the person to ask about that because those mandates are not made by me, those decisions are not made as a process of law.”

Brunswick MP and Greens health spokesman Dr Tim Read said the hospital system was struggling and mask use could help address this.

“We’re not hearing enough from the government about reducing transmission in the community,” he said.

“I’m not convinced that we’re doing enough to voluntarily take measures to reduce the spread of the virus.

“We need to be hearing more about improving air quality in venues where people aren’t going to wear masks like restaurants and bars where people are eating and drinking.

“We also did a campaign to encourage Victorians to put masks on in shared indoor venues.”