Victoria’s new health minister refuses to rule out mask mandates

Australia’s health minister has declared the country has moved past mask mandates and lockdowns, as Victorian ministers send mixed messages.

Federal Health Minister Mark Butler has declared that Australia has moved past mask mandates and lockdowns, despite the country being the grip of a another Covid wave.

“The advice from the chief health officers indicates that we really have moved beyond the era of very broad mask mandates, lockdowns and things like that,” he told ABC.

“We’re deep into the third year of this pandemic.”

Mr Butler said while some mask orders were still in place, “I don’t see a return to very broad-based mask mandates”.

“The message is – take responsibility. Make your own choice.”

Meanwhile, senior Andrews government minister Ben Carroll also ruled out the prospect of further mandates and lockdowns in Victoria.

“We are not considering mandates or lockdowns,” he said on Friday morning.

It comes despite newly appointed Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas a day earlier said reintroducing such measures was not off the table.

“No decisions have been taken,” she said.

“The public health team are looking at modelling and they’re consulting with their colleagues and various ideas are floated but no ideas have been taken.

“The new pandemic declaration enables me to make that decision (for masks and work from home) but I have not yet made it, and I’m continuing my consultation, not just with the health team but more broadly.”

Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas with Premier Daniel Andrews.

Opposition health spokeswoman Georgie Crozier hit out at the mixed messages, saying Victorians deserved answers and clarity about the state’s future.

“The Minister has confirmed new restrictions are actively being modelled, discussed and considered by the Department of Health,” she said.

“The government clearly has a plan for new restrictions and needs to come clean today.

“Victorians cannot move forward with the spectre of more lockdowns and mandates hanging over our heads – this is not the path to recovery.”

And opposition leader Matthew Guy also slammed comments from the state’s new health minister after she refused to rule out reintroducing mask mandates and working from home orders.

Labor MP Mary-Anne Thomas told 3AW that “various ideas have floated” but no decisions had been made about the two rules.

“The public health team are looking at modelling and consulting with their colleagues and various ideas have floated but no decisions have been taken,” she said on Thursday.

“The new pandemic declaration enables me to make that decision but I have not yet made it and I’m continuing my consultation, not just with the health team but more broadly.

“I chat each day with the public health team but as the Minister for Health, my job is also to ensure that I’m consulting widely and understanding what measures can be put in place to best support Victorians as we go forward.”

Ms Thomas took over the health portfolio from Martin Foley, who resigned from the position in June.

Mr Guy said the comments showed the state government had “no certainty of policy”.

“The state government’s approach is just chaotic,” he said.

“One day they are trying to encourage people to come to Victoria for the Commonwealth Games then the next day they are threatening people that we might return to masks and working from home possibly.”

Mr Guy said the state government was “living in the past”.

“We have to manage Covid sensibly in 2022 style,” he said.

“Not mandating mask wearing in a general setting but encouraging if people wish to do so.”

Australian Industry group Victorian head Tim Piper said the reintroduction of restrictions would result in “enormous complications” for already-struggling businesses.

“It’s disappointing that we might be reconsidering the introduction of masks again. As much as anything, it was stopping people returning to their jobs and it will put us back three steps to people returning to offices and to normal employment,” he told the Herald Sun.

“The economy has huge supply chain issues at the moment, and this will unnecessarily exacerbate it.

“I would hope that a new health minister would seriously consider the economic, as well as health, implications.

“There is an election coming up and people will be conscious of her decision.”

Victorians are free to wear mask where they want, but mandates still apply to transport and high-risk areas. Picture: Daniel Pockett

Meanwhile, senior Andrews government Minister Ben Carroll said he was not expecting more Covid-related restrictions to be imposed on Victorians in the near future.

“I don’t anticipate that,” he said on Thursday.

“But as we know with the virus, you can’t anticipate anything for the future.”

Mr Carroll said it was good news that ATAGI had expanded the eligibility criteria for a fourth dose to over-30s.

“The figures came out just this week that, this year, 72 per cent of Victorians that sadly passed away (with the virus) hadn’t had their booster shot,” he said.

“It’s vitally important. Vaccinations save lives and masks help prevent illness.

“To do those two things is vitally important for your safety and your health, as well as your families.”

It comes as the state’s pandemic declaration was extended this week for three months.

Premier Daniel Andrews said he was satisfied Covid was still a “serious risk” to the public.

“In making the declaration, I am satisfied on reasonable grounds that there continues to be a serious risk to public health throughout Victoria due to the coronavirus disease, which requires continued public health and other protective measures to reduce the risk of transmission and hospitalisation,” he said.

Mr Andrews said the extension enabled “sensible” measures to remain in place over winter as Victoria recorded 10,265 new cases and 12 deaths on Thursday.

The number of hospitalised Covid patients in the state hit its highest level in five months — 592 — but an Omicron sub-variant is expected to drive numbers even higher.

The last time Victoria recorded more than 590 positive hospital patients was on February 7 this year, when 638 people were hospitalised.

Hospitalisations — which peaked at 1229 in mid-January — had dropped to a low of 175 on March 12.

The spike comes as hospital staff continue to come under increased pressure, facing an influx of Covid and flu among patients and staff, leading to shortages and an increase in the severity of patients’ illness, linked to deferred care.

This comes as the immune-resistant Omicron variant of BA.5/BA.4 became the dominant strain in Victoria.

The Department of Health warned on Wednesday night that the recent spike in cases and hospitalisations would continue in the coming weeks as they said deaths would also rise.

Wastewater detections of BA.4/BA.5 have grown from less than 5 per cent of Covid strains in late May to an average of more than 50 per cent across the state by the end of June.

The sub-variant is different enough from previous strains that immunity from previous infection or immunisation does not prevent infection, leaving most of the population vulnerable to catching Covid.

The vaccine still reduces people’s risk of death and hospitalisation with the health department urging Victorians who are behind on their Covid shots to book in their booster.