Brett Sutton travel to Canberra unacceptable, Libs say

Victoria’s chief health officer attended an awards event in Canberra despite strict restrictions being imposed on Melburnians.

Brett Sutton flew to Canberra on Wednesday to attend the annual dinner for the National Health and Medical Research Council. Picture: David Geraghty

Victoria’s chief health officer, Brett Sutton, travelled to Canberra to attend an awards event with medical colleagues on Wednesday night, despite strict restrictions on gatherings and travel imposed on millions of Melburnians.

Liberal health spokeswoman Georgie Crozier said the travel — which was within the rules — was nevertheless unacceptable.

“We can’t have visitors, we can’t have people coming to our own homes, and yet the chief health officer, who’s providing advice to the government, buzzes off to Canberra to a glitzy award night,” Ms Crozier told Nine News.

“I think it says a lot about the priorities of the chief health officer and of the Andrews government.”

Professor Sutton flew to Canberra to attend the annual dinner for the National Health and Medical Research Council, as did senior health officials from other states as well as federal Health Minister Greg Hunt.

The Victorian Health Department told Nine News that Professor Sutton had travelled for work purposes, which is within the state’s Covid-19 rules.

But those restrictions have, until midnight Thursday, prevented Melburnians travelling more than 25km from home and leaving the state except for work reasons.

Even after Thursday, Melburnians will only be able to have two people at their home per day.