Health unions urge MPs to find solution to pandemic Bill

Health unions have pleaded with Victorian MPs to find a solution to the government’s pandemic legislation so healthcare workers can act “rapidly” to save lives.

Victorian health unions have urged state MPs to “bang their heads together” and to stop “playing sport” as they call for a solution over the government’s pandemic legislation.

Australian Medical Association Victoria president Dr Roderick McRae, Victorian Ambulance Union head Danny Hill and Australian Nursing and Midwifery state secretary Lisa Fitzpatrick have issued a united plea to ensure some form of pandemic powers remain in Victoria.

They also have the support of the Australian Salaried Medical Officers’ Federation.

Proposed new pandemic laws are currently in chaos because the government does not have the numbers to pass them in the upper house, while current state of emergency powers expire on December 15.

Speaking on Thursday, Dr McRae said politicians must not allow these powers to expire without some laws in place to enforce Covid restrictions.

Australian Medical Association Victoria president Dr Roderick McRae. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

“It’s very important that the government and the people of Victoria understand that the government is to serve the people,” he said.

“It’s imperative that there’s a mechanism to act very quickly to bring about important things that ultimately lead to protecting the health of the citizens.

“All of the healthcare professionals are calling for the Legislative Council to understand that it’s a healthcare issue that’s behind this pandemic Bill and the necessity to have appropriate legislation in place to act rapidly in order to save Victorian citizens.”

Mr Hill said healthcare workers needed help to ensure cases didn’t spike and overload hospitals, and that current powers allowed this to remain under control.

“(There has been) A lot of debate recently and discussion in the media about people feeling that they haven’t been properly consulted with, crossbenchers upset that they weren’t included in discussions,” he said.

“What I want to say to those people is cry me a river. We have a pandemic on at the moment and we desperately need your help and your assistance.

“I’d like to know how many of them have gone for a walk down to the Royal Melbourne Hospital ... the packed emergency department, and had a chat with people who are genuinely and really leading the way on this pandemic.

“The health system is under enormous pressure. It’s an enormous crisis and getting vaccinated, responding to it, is the great collective action of their time. We need our politicians behind us.”

Victorian Ambulance Union head Danny Hill says the health system is under enormous pressure. Picture: David Caird

It comes as crossbench MPs needed to get the Bill over the line will meet with the state government on Thursday afternoon.

Mr Hill said he had spoken to some of these MPs about the laws and had positive conversations.

He said the unions did not have an opinion on whether the current state of emergency powers should be extended or the new Bill passed.

“I’m not going to offer an opinion on which model works better,” Mr Hill said.

“To be honest I don’t care and I don’t think our members really care, they just need that protection.

“The politicians have just got bang their heads together and sort that out.”

Ms Fitzpatrick said many of her members were already working overtime after months of working to handle the impacts of the pandemic.

“The least that the members of the Legislative Council can do not, just the crossbenchers but also the opposition, is actually stand up for Victorian health care workers and the community,” she said.

“Rather than what it has been, as I believe for many of them, playing sport.

“The sport has to stop and we need our politicians to take this matter seriously and ensure that come December 15 We have strong legislation in place that continues to require directions to be enforceable.”

‘TOO SOON TO STRIKE DEAL’

Daniel Andrews says it’s too soon to say if the government will strike a deal with key crossbenchers on Thursday over the controversial legislation.

But the Premier maintained conversations with independent upper house MPs continued in “good faith”.

It comes as senior government ministers prepare to sit down with MPs, including Sustainable Australia’s Clifford Hayes and Transport Matters’ Rod Barton, on Thursday to discuss further amendments in a bid to secure one extra vote of support.

When asked how negotiations on the Bill were playing out, Mr Andrews said: “They’re not being conducted through the media, and they won’t be, but we continue to engage with people”.

He added: “We don’t have a majority in the upper house. That’s the upper house that the Victorian community gave us and we just do our best to get things done”.

Mr Andrews said he wasn’t personally planning on meeting Mr Hayes or Mr Barton.

Protesters have voiced their concerns with the jab mandate. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

It comes after the state government said it would not scrap the vaccine mandate even if it meant securing a key vote on its controversial pandemic legislation.

Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes on Wednesday confirmed the government was unwilling to sacrifice the edict to secure one more crossbench vote.

It comes after independent MP Catherine Cumming demanded the order be removed completely if she was to consider supporting the Bill.

Ms Symes said more amendments to the Bill had not yet been finalised, but there was “provision for additional briefings and discussions with members of the crossbench, regardless of whether they’ve indicated support”.

Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes. Picture: David Crosling

Ms Symes said conversations with MPs and concerned stakeholders remained ongoing.

“Those conversations are very productive, but in relation to finalised amendments, we’re not at this stage yet,” she said.

“I can’t speak for the people that we are seeking to convince that this legislation must pass the parliament next week.

“This is vitally important legislation. I would say there is a general acceptance that we must have a framework to ensure the public health and wellbeing of Victorians.”

The Herald Sun last month revealed that a number of leading health experts – including the head of the Doherty Institute, Sharon Lewin – had expressed concerns about mandates continuing once 90 to 95 per cent of the population being fully jabbed.

Ms Symes refused to say whether the government was rethinking the mandate rule, after Mr Andrews this week flagged he wanted it gone before 2023.

“I’m not in a position to give an indication of the duration of vaccination mandates,” she said.

“When you say (there are) public health experts who don’t support mandated vaccinations, I think you’ll find many more health experts that do support the vaccination requirements.”

BACK TO THE NEGOTIATING TABLE

Crossbenchers critical to the success of the Andrews government’s pandemic Bill are seeking an overhaul that would provide several independent checks on pandemic orders and set a path forward for vaccine mandates.

MPs negotiating with the government to get the Bill over the line are firming on demands that would alter major features of the proposed laws.

Plans to push the Bill through last week were thrown into disarray when former Labor minister Adem Somyurek returned to parliament to bring the vote to a stalemate.

Minor party members such as Transport Matters MP Rod Barton, Sustainable Australia MP Clifford Hayes and Shooters, Fishers and Farmers MP Jeff Bourman are among those who could deliver the crucial vote needed and are consulting widely.

Among the requests expected to be lobbed at Labor is that a joint committee with a guaranteed minority of government MPs be assembled to review pandemic orders.

A single house of parliament could pass a disallowance motion for these orders, rather than both houses.

Daniel Andrews is working with crossbenchers to pass the Bill.

Ombudsman Deborah Glass would be also able to ­review a minister’s pandemic decisions, a privilege that is presently beyond her powers.

Most crossbench MPs are committed to vaccine mandates in some form, but questions are emerging about a clear plan for those who are not vaccinated.

Mr Hayes said current laws had a “severe and inherent” lack of scrutiny and he wanted to see the government ­review regulations around ­vaccine mandates.

“The changes I want to see in pandemic legislation have been shaped in consultation and correspondence with key expert bodies,” he said.

“We do not want a permanent two-tier society.

“There is certainly a role for vaccination mandates, particularly in frontline services, but the ­suggestion that those unvaccinated will be locked out of society entirely until 2023 is unfair and unworkable.”

Mr Barton said he was also consulting independent bodies.

“Our relationship with the government is frosty, they’re forced to have to deal with us and they’re not happy,” Mr Barton said. “But we will act in good faith and we hope the government will.”

Thousands of Victorians have protested against the pandemic Bill. Picture: Jason Edwards

Mr Bourman took to social media on Monday to write: “It’s Monday and I’m still ­voting NO.”

Other key demands ­include:

• A further reduction in maximum fines and ­punishments

• A sunset clause for the Bill to be reviewed or expire

• Allowing VCAT or courts to hear appeals on detention orders

Transport Infrastructure Minister Jacinta Allan said she could not confirm how negotiations were progressing or when a deal might be reached.

“This is what happens with every Bill that comes through the parliament,” Ms Allan said.

“That process is best to occur by people having constructive conversations and negotiations and I’m advised that’s exactly what’s happening right now.”

Leader of the Opposition in the upper house, David Davis, said the government had still not consulted the Coalition.

“They should talk to the crossbench, they should talk to the Opposition, and they should talk to Victorians,” Mr Davis said.

He called for the Bill to be immediately put to the par­liament’s Scrutiny of Acts and Regulations Committee, which has the power to hold a public inquiry.

Senior sources said there were growing concerns the government would have to make huge concessions to push its Bill through parliament next week.