Somyurek’s warning to Andrews on restrictions

Former Labor Minister Adem Somyurek has issued a warning to the Andrews Government saying he could make a return if he did not believe future government laws would respect civil liberties.

Former Victorian Small Business Minister Adem Somyurek leaves a media conference at Victorian parliament in Melbourne, Tuesday, July 28, 2015. Somyurek has resigned from the ministry following bullying allegations made by his former chief of staff. (AAP Image/Julian Smith) NO ARCHIVING

Former Labor Minister Adem Somyurek has issued a warning to the Andrews Government by suggesting he could return to parliament to help vote down coronavirus legislation in future.

Mr Somyurek, who has not taken his seat in the Upper House since he was forced to resign as Minister and was kicked out of the Labor Party, on Tuesday suggested he could make a return if he did not believe future government laws would respect civil liberties.

He has refrained from visiting parliament while an investigation by the Victorian Ombudsman and the state’s corruption watchdog probe serious allegations of branch stacking.

The addition of one vote in the Legislative Council could have major ramifications for the state, with the government only able to pass laws with the help of at least three crossbench MPs.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews

This would be complicated if Mr Somyurek returned and voted against Labor.

“At the outset I made a decision based on principle (not outcomes) not to vote until investigation is over,” Mr Somyurek wrote on Twitter.

“I will be sticking to that.

“A word of caution I would have struggled had gov (sic) not back flipped on the detention powers which I consider to be a disproportionate response. “

But Mr Somyurek said he would vote against any further laws to “curtail civil liberties” unless he was satisfied they met key targets.

These included the use transparent decision making, expert advice based on evidence and a proportionate response.

In a final shot at the Premier, Mr Somyurek said Cabinet governance would deliver these results.

It comes after he wrote earlier this month that Mr Andrews’ decision to keep using his smaller Crisis Council of Cabinet had hampered decision-making and contributed to flaws in the government’s response to the pandemic.