75 per cent of Melburnians want 5km travel limit lifted

Calls are growing for one of Melbourne’s most controversial virus restrictions to be lifted after a new poll revealed three-quarters want it abolished.

Three-quarters of Melburnians now want the city’s controversial 5km travel limit lifted, a new poll has revealed.

The Roy Morgan snap survey of 2350 Victorians between Monday and Tuesday revealed 75 per cent of people living in Melbourne wanted the 5km rule abolished.

The survey, obtained exclusively by the Herald Sun, showed a majority of regional Victorians also backed getting rid of the rule.

The survey also showed 73 per cent wanted Melburnians to be able to visit the homes of their immediate families, up 14 per cent from a fortnight ago.

Another 62 per cent said Melbourne’s food venues should be allowed to reopen.

Meanwhile, the poll showed approval for Premier Daniel Andrews have dropped 2 per cent to 59 per cent, while his disapproval rating had increased 2 per cent to 41 per cent.

Roy Morgan chief Michele Levine told the Herald Sun it was the seventh SMS survey on Victoria’s stage 4 restrictions and each week an increasing number of Victorians and Melburnians wanted them lifted.

Victoria’s chief health officer Brett Sutton said the 5km limit was under consideration as some restrictions are eased this weekend.

People exercising at Albert Park Lake in Melbourne within 5km of their home. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Daniel Pockett

The controversial restriction has been in place since early August in an attempt to halt the state’s deadly second coronavirus wave.

But as cases have fallen and some restrictions have eased, such as the nightly curfew, the 5km limit has remained in place.

During intense questioning on Tuesday morning, Professor Sutton revealed the 5km distance was ultimately a decision about what was proportionate for reducing the amount of interaction from one person to another, one household to another.

“Five kilometres is a judgment about where people could reasonably go for exercise, where people could reasonably go for the permitted reasons without increasing too significantly the number of other people and households they come into contact with,” Prof Sutton said.

“I totally accept that not everyone lives in the same kind of neighbourhood and not everyone has the same opportunities as people who live 5km from a beach.

“That will be in consideration as we come to this weekend again.”

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