Victorian Ombudsman launches public housing towers lockdown investigation

The Victorian Ombudsman has launched an investigation into the State Government’s hard lockdown of nine public housing towers.

The Victorian Ombudsman has started investigating the treatment of residents at the North Melbourne public housing tower that has been in lockdown for almost a fortnight.

The ombudsman’s Deborah Glass said concerns from residents and their advocates for access to medical supplies, fresh air, exercise and other “everyday needs” sparked the investigation.

“People on the front line are doing an extraordinary job to respond to this crisis and help keep us safe. However, there are lessons to be learnt in how governments can do that in a way that protects people’s human rights, including access to fresh air, exercise and medical supplies,” Ms Glass said.

One of the detained residents in the Flemington towers. Picture: Andrew Henshaw/NCA NewsWire

The investigation would seek input from the Department of Health and Human Services, the Emergency Management Team, Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission, Community Legal Centres, community groups and the Victorian Multicultural Commission.

“My aim is that together we can learn from what has occurred over the last fortnight and help put in place improvements for the North Melbourne residents,” Ms Glass said.

“If similar emergency situations occur in other public housing estates, we can use the learnings gained through this investigation to get better outcomes for anyone else who may be affected.”

Residents at 33 Alfred St have been detained inside the building since July 3, while other locked-down public housing estates in Flemington were eased to stage three restrictions last week.

There have been 250 cases of COVID-19 among residents inside the towers across North Melbourne and Flemington. Investigations are continuing into how these cases are linked.

About 250 cases have been linked to the public housing cluster. Picture: Andrew Henshaw/NCA NewsWire

Ms Glass said investigations would consider the conditions of the detainees, official communications with residents and advocates, the “appropriateness” of restrictions upon people’s access to fresh air, exercise, medical care and medical supplies.

She said her office had been contacted by more than 50 people in the past fortnight.

Questions over whether the lockdown was discriminatory and an “overwhelming” police presence were also among the concerns raised.

The State Government has continued to back its move to lockdown the towers, saying it was in the best interest of wider community health.

Premier Daniel Andrews has said the Government partnered with local community leaders and groups, such as the North Melbourne Community Centre, Fareshare, the Community Grocer, Coles, and the Victorian Trades Hall Council to ensure residents received necessary supplies.

Two field emergency management units were also established to address residents’ medical concerns, with GPs and nurses and pharmacotherapy and medicines available on site.

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