Daniel Andrews says Melbourne curfew won’t be changing

Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews has made it clear that the controversial Melbourne curfew is working and won't be changing.

Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews says Melbourne’s curfew is working and won’t be changing.

As part of stage four restrictions, there is a curfew in Melbourne from 8pm to 5am, with residents required to be at home during these hours.

The only reason they can leave home is for work, medical care or caregiving.

The curfew has been at the centre of debate this week, with conflicting reports on whether it was imposed because of medical reasons or from prompts from police.

But speaking on Friday, Mr Andrews said he was “accountable” for the curfew and it wouldn’t be changing.

“Let me be really clear with you - the curfew position at the moment will not be changing,” he said.

“Because it is working. It is working. And if you don’t limit movement, you won’t limit the number of cases.

And what everyone wants to get up and stay open simply won’t happen.”

Mr Andrews said traffic data showed the curfew was working.

“What I can say is there is an immediate and pronounced and sustained drop in road use in all metropolitan local government areas between the hours of 7pm and midnight,” he said.

“(And) again, between midnight and 6am.”

“What it shows you is quite a massive drop in the amount of movement that we have seen right across Melbourne while ever the curfew has been on.

“What’s clear, if you can limit movement, you will limit the spread of this virus.”

VICTORIA RECORDS 43 NEW CASES

Victoria has recorded 43 new coronavirus infections as daily cases fall for the second straight day.

The cases figure is lower than Thursday’s 51, which fell from 76 the day before.

Nine more people have died from the virus, taking the state’s death toll since the start of the pandemic to 710.

The total number of coronavirus cases recorded in Victoria since the start of the pandemic is about 19,750.

The average daily case number for metropolitan Melbourne has fallen this week and sat at 70.1 on Tuesday, down from the high 80s earlier this week. In regional Victoria it was 4.5.

Melburnians exercise in Birrarung Marr park during stage 4 COVID-19 lockdown in Melbourne: NCA NewsWire/ David Crosling

The daily average case number is calculated by averaging out the number of new cases over the past 14 days.

The 14-day rolling average for mystery cases from an unknown source is 154 for metropolitan Melbourne and eight for regional Victoria.

Metropolitan Melbourne must reach an average daily case rate of between 30 and 50 cases over the preceding fortnight to trigger an easing of restrictions from September 28.

In regional Victoria it must be less than five to trigger an easing of stage 3 restrictions.

The figures were released by the Department of Health and Human Services over Twitter on Friday morning, with more detail expected later at the Premier’s media conference.

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