Coronavirus: Adem Somyurek back to block Dan Andrews power play

This is one of those stories you just couldn’t make up. Much to the horror of former Labor mate Dan Andrews, Adem Somyurek’s power switch has been turned back on.

Former Labor colleague Adem Somyurek is set to sink Premier Daniel Andrews’ pandemic management bill. Picture: AAP

Adem Somyurek’s power switch was turned back on just in time to embarrass Labor over its planned pandemic laws.

But within hours of the news landing in front yards across Melbourne, Daniel Andrews had some news of his own.

Almost all of the pandemic restrictions were being thrown out because Victoria was on the cusp of being 90 per cent double vaccinated. Cute timing designed to downplay the impact of Somyurek’s intervention? Absolutely.

But as a political distraction, it was welcome news to millions who have been up against the world’s longest lockdowns.

Labor was still scrambling on Thursday afternoon to try to find a solution to the thwarted new pandemic framework, which has caused deep concern in the legal community.

It seems most unlikely Victoria will be able to function during a pandemic without a framework for the government to enforce its rules, whatever they are at the time. The challenge for Andrews will be how far he is prepared to bend and what model he adopts.

In one pragmatic sense, Somyurek might be doing the Premier a favour. The draft laws have been condemned as excessive given declining case numbers and soaring vaccination rates.

Protesters gather on the steps of Victorian Parliament to protest the new pandemic bill in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Picture: Jason Edwards

Andrews has been given the opportunity to water down some of the provisions and appease his most trenchant critics. He can also potentially use the stalled agenda to run a fear campaign to wedge the opposition as a party prepared to undermine the pandemic health response – even though Liberal leader Matthew Guy has flagged his intention to negotiate to get a workable solution.

As drafted, the laws would effectively cut loose much of the chief health officer’s overarching influence – what key members of cabinet have been trying to do since 2020.

Brett Sutton, or whoever is CHO at the time, would still have influence; he just wouldn’t be the person seen to be running the entire show.

For Somyurek, who has just finished several days of evidence before Victoria’s anti-corruption commission, the timing could not have been more exquisite. The former minister will almost inevitably be heavily criticised by IBAC but the upper house numbers give him both influence and an opportunity for some form of political redemption.